Arts in the Watershed: Mostly Marys

Meet Mostly Marys, a local bluegrass band formed in 2017. We caught up with fiddle player Mary Cranley ahead of the band's set at our 30th Anniversary Fair to talk about Mostly Marys' origins, their East Bay roots, and the joy of making music together. 

FOSC: What is your connection to the Sausal Creek watershed?

Mary: Mary and I live in the Sausal Creek watershed, just a few blocks away from the Wellington Ave entrance.  I've been contributing to FOSC for several years, and hike along the path from time to time with our dogs. I've been on a couple of naturalist-led hikes through the area as well. We've seen and read about all of the positive changes that FOSC has brought to the watershed over the last 3 decades and it fills us with pride! We have known Michael Thilgen and Linda through the music community for a number of years. Mary Schriner started and has run the Cleveland Elementary School garden for the last 22 yrs so she has a web of friends and fellow naturalists who are connected to this watershed and others nearby.

FOSC: Can you share a bit about your journey as a musician, and how Mostly Mary’s came to be? 

Mary: I've always loved a wide variety of music and have played a number of instruments over the years. I picked fiddle up again about 15 yrs ago after a 35 year hiatus, shedding the classical violin sound for bluegrass, irish, folk and old time fiddling. Playing again had been a goal of mine for a long time as an adult. One night after hearing an amazing fiddler at The Freight, I decided to get to it, acknowledging that it will only get harder as I get older!

Mary Schriner has been a blues harmonica player since her Chicago days in the 1990s. The banjo was a gift from her mother when Mary was in college. It laid fallow for years until she rediscovered it in her sister's basement. She's been playing it ever since.

Though my partner Mary and I had been together for years, it was some time before we started playing music together.  It was at this time when we realized that our vocal blend was something special.  We honed that sound while taking up the banjo and fiddle again. In 2017, we formed a bluegrass band with fellow students Scott and David, both of whom we met at Berkeley's Manning Music studio where we were all taking classes. In 2019, we met Ryan through a mutual friend and asked him to join the band when David left. Last year we added Allen, our mandolin player to fill out the sound.

FOSC: What, or who, are some of your musical influences?

Mary: While I've had many phases of "favorite music", my current love is a band that has tight harmonies, especially female bands. Wailin' Jennys and I'm With Her are 2 of my favorites at this time.

FOSC: How has your sense of place here in the East Bay shaped the themes or sensibilities of your music?

Mary: The East Bay has a very rich music scene of all genres. Bluegrass thrived here in the late '70s and 80s, and there is still a very active contingency of bluegrass and old time players. We are so lucky to have world class musicians not only living among us, but traveling and touring through here all the time providing inspiration.

FOSC: Are there particular songs in your repertoire that feel especially meaningful or fun to play live?

Mary: Songs that highlight our three part harmonies are the most satisfying to play, for me. We spend a lot of time working out and fine tuning our harmonies, matching up phrasing and other nuances as best we can to create the most beautiful sound possible.  We want the audience to feel, to have an experience when they listen to us. We enjoy playing together, and I believe that comes through in our music.  For me, the only reason to play for others is to create an experience for the listener, whether it is joy, melancholy, or serenity.

FOSC: Anything else you’d like to share?

Mary: We are excited to play for FOSC's 30th anniversary celebration!  As a long term FOSC supporter, I am honored to be able to acknowledge the watershed and all that FOSC has done to care for the watershed.