Kianna Martinez - Singer/Songwriter

-Kianna Martinez-

"Singing is my life and I love it more than anything!"

[Source: Facebook - Kianna Martinez]

At the age of seven Kianna Martinez found a love for music after watching the movie Selena. That same year Kianna stepped on to her first stage to sing an acapella version of "I Will Survive" and the rest was history.

As the years went on Kianna's passion for singing continued to grow with every performance and her dreams of becoming a singer became reality.

Kianna Martinez has opened for The Charlie Daniels Band at Dodge Theater and opened for Dustin Lynch at one of her favorite venues, The Pepsi Amphitheater. She has also shared the stage with Chase Bryant, Chris Janson and Rodney Atkins just to name a few.

Kianna's music has given her the opportunity to travel all over the US for performances. One of those performances being at CMA Fest in Nashville.

However after several years of traveling back and forth to Nashville Kianna made a huge decision.

The year was 2016 when Kianna loaded up all of her things and headed east. The road trip was a total of  1,427 miles from Gilbert, Arizona her home town to Nashville, Tennessee her new home. Kianna didn't have to make the long journey alone as her always supportive momma was by her side. Kianna had this to stay about the move a year ago.

"Can't believe how fast time has flown by! It has been such an incredible year! I still miss my family every single day, but I also still absolutely love living in Nashville!" [Source: Facebook - Kianna Martinez]

As an Arizona native Kianna still loves being involved with her home state and travels back to perform shows regularly. 

Kianna has performed at professional sporting events that include the Phoenix Suns, Mercury and Coyotes. She also has performed at professional rodeos such as the Parada Del Sol, Gilbert Days and Payson Rodeo. 

This year made the third year in a row performing at the Tempe Town Lake 4th of July Celebration in front of an audience of estimated 55,000 people. In 2015 Kianna was honored to be one of the three local bands selected to play Super Bowl XLIX (Februray 1, 2015) for "The Super Music Series at The Westgate Entertainment District. " 

Kianna doesn't stop there. She also has performed at the following charity events. AZ Elk Society, Wounded Warriors Project and 100 Club Arizona along with Phoenix Children’s Hospital.

Since moving to Nashville Kianna has continued her work as a singer and songwriter. She has been featured on Balcony TV more than once. Her latest was in March of this year and can be seen below. Listen to Kianna sing "Used to Be" a song she co-wrote.

Along with Balcony TV Kianna has been featured on local News and Radio stations.

The passion and energy she pours into every performance allows her to connect with her audience on a personal level and keeps them coming back for more. Kianna can be seen playing around town at one of Nashville's many music venues. Some of those venues include The Stage, Second Fiddle and Frisky Frog.

Although she doesn't have any shows booked for Nashville in the near future make sure you check out her official webpage, SHOWS tab, for upcoming tour dates. Kianna can be seen performing at the below event.

• Saturday November 4, 2017 - Phoenix  Arizona  - Welcome Home Classic Golf Tournament 

Kianna's album titled Kianna Martinez contains five songs and can be purchased from her STORE located on Kianna's official website.

Kianna Martinez

"I Can Do It Better"

"The Girl I Was"

"Feel That Way"

"Used To Be"

"Borderline"

Below is all the links you will need to stay up to date and informed of Kianna's work, upcoming shows and releases.  

• Official Website

Kianna is on the following Social Media sites. Give her a follow on one or all.

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram

Check out Kianna's videos to see her passion for the music she writes and sings.

• YouTube

Written by: Joseph Clay

[You can connect with Joseph on Facebook, Twitter and/or Instagram. You can check out Joseph’s book trailer videos on his YouTube Channel.]

Mean Mary and the Contrarys

-Mean Mary and the Contrarys-

Mean Mary and the Contrarys are a high energy Americana/Rock/Blues trio fronted by Mean Mary. The band is quickly building a worldwide following with their startling harmonies and dynamic arrangements.

That tells us one simple truth about Mean Mary and the Contrarys.

Contrary to their name, the Nashville based trio are all in one accord when it comes to creating music that infuses the earthiness of rock and blues with the raw innocence of Americana.

Head on over to Mean Mary and the Contrarys Facebook and Reverbnation pages. Show some love and give them a like and listen to their music. 

Mean Mary is also a solo artist and can be booked as that through her website. This article focuses on the many talents of Mean Mary. First we will answer the question, who is Mean Mary?

-Mean Mary-

 “The voice of a ragged angel combined with the banjo playing of the devil ... you will want to run away with her.”  



Photo credit: Johnny Giles



Mean Mary (Mary James), is a Florida native who is now based in Nashville, Tennessee. She began life as a musical prodigy—could read music before she could read words and co-wrote songs at age five. By age seven she was proficient on the guitar, banjo, & violin, and entertained audiences across the US with her vocal and instrumental skills. Her life has been one long road show interspersed with TV, radio, and film.

Mean Mary has evolved from a child prodigy who played for tips on the streets of Nashville to a seasoned performer and headliner of over 4000 festivals and concerts. She has toured the US, Canada and Europe as an Americana/Bluegrass artist.

As an adult Mean Mary has mastered 8 other instruments besides the guitar, banjo, & violin and is known internationally for her lightning-fast fingers. Those fingers caught the attention of Deering Banjo’s who named her their Goodtime Ambassador. Janet Deering describes her banjo playing as giving her “chills.”

Mean Mary is also a songwriter who chooses unusual subject matter that ranges from ghost pirates to demon guitars.

Mean Mary is a high-energy performer that thrives on variety. You combine that with her banjo playing and haunting vocals, along with her intricate story songs and you get a hell of a show.

[Bloggers Note: Mean Mary has an extensive bio on her web page that is interesting reading. The bio covers everything from her parents nomadic lifestyle to the great set back, plus a video of Mary performing as a child. Click HERE to read all about Mean Mary!]

Mean Mary's album Year of the Sparrow contains 10 tracks. The single "Iron Horse" won the 2014 IMA Vox Populi award for Best Americana Song. Watch the video below and check out her YouTube channel for more great music such as "Sweet Jezebel" from the same album.



Mean Mary's newest album Sweet contains 14 amazing songs. Both albums can be purchased from all major streaming outlets and her website under the STORE tab along with other great products.

Photo credit: Johnny Giles

Mean Mary is out on the road packing venues and giving her audiences a show they will not forget. Below are some of her up coming dates.

• Saturday November 18, 2017 at 2pm - White Horse Black Mountain - Black Mountain, North Carolina - Mean Mary's Blazing Tour (pre-release party).
• Saturday November 18, 2017 at 7pm - The Classic Wineseller - Waynesville, North Carolina - Mean Mary's Blazing Tour (pre-release party).
• Sunday November 19, 2017 at 6pm - Muddy Creek Music Hall - Winston-Salem, North Carolina - Mean Mary's Blazing Tour (pre-release party). Details for this show are to be announced.

To keep up with where and when Mean Mary will be in your area she has a TOUR tab in the menu of her website. There you will also find ticket prices, address to the venues, and more.

To stay informed and up to date with Mean Mary, listen, watch and purchase her music, along with following her on social media use the links to below.

• Official Website - sign up for Mean Mary's newsletter while there.
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• YouTube
• iTunes
• Spotify

Written by: Joseph Clay

[You can connect with Joseph on Facebook, Twitter and/or Instagram. You can check out Joseph’s book trailer videos on his YouTube Channel.]

Chelsea Mazur - Don't Call It a Dream, call it a plan.

-Chelsea Mazur-

“Don’t call it a dream. Call it a plan.”

Chelsea Mazur lives by the above quote. Chelsea has arrived in Nashville not with a dream but with a plan. That plan is a simple one, she intends to further her music career here and won't stop until she gets where she wants to be.

Chelsea Mazur was raised in Jackson, Michigan and fell in love with music at a very young age. She began writing songs at age seven, she allowed the music to take her away getting her through any hard times. At age fourteen, Chelsea started entering singing competitions, and routinely finishing in the top three. She has performed at many venues and has sang the National Anthem at numerous sporting events.

The talent doesn’t stop with music. Chelsea has studied dance all of her life and got very competitive with it. Being a studio trained dancer paid off in 2015. That is the year she graduated from high school and her dance studio. Chelsea auditioned with 148 other dancers and became one of the nine new members of the international hip-hop crew called "2XS" in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Her dance choreography was performed in Chicago and numerous places in Michigan.

Chelsea remaind with the crew for a year before deciding to pack her bags, move to Nashville, and focus all of her energy on her music and music only.

Chelsea has released two singles. The first titled “Home” was released in September 2016. Her second single “Hopeless Romantic” could not have been released on a better date than February 14, 2017.

Purchase “Home” from iTunes

Purchase “Hopeless Romantic” from iTunes.

Both singles can also be found on Spotify and several other music sharing websites.

This past year Chelsea has been writing, co-writing, and networking every day while working on her first album with the help of her producer, Gary Garris. I asked Chelsea how that was going.

“I have tons of new music in the works. I've written too many songs to count since “Home” and “Hopeless Romantic” came out.

Then she let me in on a surprise she has in store for her fans.

“I am releasing two demos on my SoundCloud really - really soon so stay tuned. ;)

Since Chelsea is focusing on co-writing and recording right now she doesn’t have any shows or tours scheduled at this time. However she hopes in the near future she will be out and about playing around town.

Along with her music Chelsea has started dancing once again working for the dance company “Hall of Fame Dance Challenge”. Chelsea is excited about touring the United States with the show. Her next tour will start in January 2018 and end in July 2018.

I asked Chelsea with her busy schedule did she ever get any down time and if she did what did she like to do?

“On my down time in Nashville I like to go to the Farmers Market and buy fresh vegetables and take advantage of the free samples, 'cause of struggling musician probs. ;) I also like to hang out with my friends and go on walks in East Nash and get burgers at Dino's. (They’re the best)”

The next question I tossed at Chelsea; are you a dog or cat person?

“Well I love both cats and dogs but overall I am a cat lady. In Nashville I don't have any animals because I'm too busy to have them. Back home in Michigan I have two dogs: a Jack Russel named Mercy and an Australian Shepherd/Elkhound mix named Lacy. I also have 6 cats (yes, I know, I'm the crazy cat lady) and their names are Ellie, Clemintine, Peaches, Monkey, Arie, and Cow. (My 10 year old sisters named most of them so don't judge me...)”

Since we are transitioning from summer to fall I wanted to know if Chelsea was a beach or mountain type of person. Then I asked her what her favorite season was.

“This question is so hard for me to answer because I love nature and the outdoors so much. I love both. Honestly California may just have to be my home one day. I love every season also...I'm from Michigan so we definitely have them all. But if I had to pick just one I would have to say fall.”

I inquired what Chelsea did to relax and unwind after a stressful day.

“I'm very big into yoga and meditation. When I'm feeling stressed or just need to relax I will spend my time at Hot Yoga East Nashville. Or just watch That 70s' Show on Netflix, which works too.”

We all have to eat to survive so I asked Chelsea what her favorite food was and where in Nashville did she love to dine.

“Ugh the hardest question of them all!! Hahaha. I love literally all food except for shellfish (because if I ate it I would probs die #allergic) but if I had to pick one kind of food I would have to say Mexican. I think I have just about tried every place in Nashville. I love me some Bar Taco, Taco Mamacita, and Rose Pepper.”

As you can tell by some of Chelsea’s answers she has a great sense of humor and loves life along with being filled with talent. Make sure you follow her on one of the below social media sites as not to miss the two upcoming demos and to see when she begins to book shows.

• Official Website
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• SoundCloud

Written by: Joseph Clay

[Joseph Clay is a Georgia native who now resides in East Nashville, Tennessee with his family. After twenty plus years in the engineering field Joseph decided to hang up his hard hat and retire to focus on his true passion, writing.

Joseph is a full time author and consultant for ThunderHorse Publishing, and is currently working on his next novel. His latest release Witch’s Dilemma is on sale now in paperback and eBook format. For more information on Joseph and his books visit his Official Website.

As a blogger Joseph not only contributes to Live Laugh Love Nashville - Music Monday Feature and other blogs, he has two of his own. Joe Coming Unglued and Joseph Clay - Author the Official Blog.

You can connect with Joseph on Facebook, Twitter and/or Instagram. You can check out Joseph’s book trailer videos on his YouTube Channel.]

Joseph Shackelford - Taking Violin to a Whole New Level

-Joseph Shackelford-

Joseph Shackelford is taking Violin to a whole new level. Joseph Shackelford is a Concert Violinist – Joseph Shackelford is a Rock Violinist - Joseph Shackelford is the:

Jimi Hendrix of Violin

It’s Time to Rock!

For Joseph Shackelford it started early in life, you could say he was born to perform.

Classically trained from the age of four, Joseph began laying the groundwork for what would become a lifelong dedication to his instrument. Learning and dedicating himself to the intense training regimen provided an array of tools, and developed the artistry to pull from for each and every genre he performs.

At age eleven, Joseph began studying at the Cleveland Institute of Music, and has studied with and been coached by names such as Ivan Zenaty, Rachel Barton Pine, William Preucil, David Kim, Brian Lewis and many more. Genuinely passionate about all genres, and having multiple skills ranging from producing to arranging, Joseph created and began refining a show blending classical technique with genres such as Rock, Pop, Alt Rock, and more.

At age eighteen Joseph booked his own regional tour, expanding his fan base while refining and cultivating a show fitting for large festivals to intimate venues. Being described the “Jimi Hendrix of Violin” Joseph is transforming the perception of violin and cultivating and uniting genres and fans.

All told Joseph creates a musical experience like no other - a show entertaining, epic, and exhilarating, finding its place on major stages, and on the road!

“...Joseph's musical talents are more than an aspiration… He has remarkable talent, both as a performer as well as a music technician...” Dan Smith (GM of House of Blues in Cleveland, Orlando, and New Orleans).

Joseph Shackelford – “Burn it to the Ground”

As you can see and hear in Joseph’s arrangement of “Burn it to the Ground" by Nickelback, he plays with passion, power and energy that is fun and engaging. Joseph creates an experience that will rock any music festival or concert venue. Joseph’s shows always deliver! These performances have helped Joseph in developing a diehard fan base.

As a classically trained Rock Violinist Joseph Shackelford is electrifying stages across the region. He is transforming the perception of what is possible with the violin and genres such as rock, pop, alt rock, and more. Described as the “Jimi Hendrix of Violin," Joseph is taking on the world one stage at a time!

Joseph has performed on the same bill/alongside: 3 Doors Down, Ben Folds and Dwight Yoakam. The list also includes Barrett Baber, Whisky Myers and Will Hoge along with ABBA (Arrival from Sweden), Taylor Hicks, and many more.

“Such an amazing talent!” - Mary Anne Oller - (Talent Manager and Career Consultant to Columbia Records Singer/Actor Tony Oller (MKTO).

Watch Joseph’s arrangement of "Everybody's Fool" by Evanescence. At the first of the video Joseph displays his music talent and range as he demonstrates his skills as a drummer, guitarist and bassist along with piano.

Joseph Shackelford – “Everybody's Fool”

Want to see Joseph Shackelford in person and enjoy his music live, you will not be sorry. Head over to his official website and click on the tour tab in the menu. Below are some of Joseph’s upcoming shows.

• Saturday October 14, 2017 in Corinth Mississippi - (Check Joseph’s website regularly as the event details will be coming soon.)

Would you like Joseph to come to your town to perform at your venue, festival or school? Send him a quick note through his website using the booking tab in the menu. Joseph is available for the following:

• Concerts
• Music Festivals
• Teaching
• Private Events
• School Sessions
• Studio Work
• Weddings
• Music Production

Have a different event in mind? Ask them!

Below are the links to connect you with Joseph Shackelford on the internet and social media sites.

• Official Website
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• YouTube

Joseph has been on the road a lot. I asked him in an email what he liked to do when he wasn’t traveling. His answer included what he likes about living here in Nashville.

“When I'm not on the road, I enjoy writing, spending time with my family, and just being immersed in the local culture. My favorite thing about Nashville has to be the history of the town. The history of Nashville, and being in a place surrounded by music. I love being in a creative environment where everyone is creating art.”

If Jack, Joseph’s Jack Russell Terrier didn’t get to go on the road with Joseph, he doesn’t get to go all of the time, he spends time with him also. Joseph loves having Jack around and describes him as a quirky pup that loves music and going for walks around town.

Joseph closed out our email conversation by talking about what he was a huge fan of along with his favorite venue to play in Nashville.

“I am an espresso/coffee fanatic, so I love exploring what coffee shops Nashville has to offer. One of my favorites so far has to be the Well Coffeehouse.

Recently I've been on the road mainly and not playing as many local dates, but a regular venue I play is Puckett’s Grocery in Leiper’s Fork. There's something special about that place. You will be blown away by the music there and the sense of family is unparalleled to anywhere in town! I love that place!”

After his name at the end of his email he added a saying that made me stop and think. I write about music and the people who perform it but never looked at music with this perspective. The statement was only six words but carried the weight of a well written novel.

“Good Music doesn't have a Genre.”

I’ll leave you with one of my favorite Joseph Shackelford videos. I call it a back porch jam session. It Joseph’s cover of "Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie" by ABBA. All instruments were recorded and produced by Joseph Shackelford.

Joseph Shackelford – “Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie”

Written by: Joseph Clay

[Joseph Clay is a Georgia native who now resides in East Nashville, Tennessee with his family. After twenty plus years in the engineering field Joseph decided to hang up his hard hat and retire to focus on his true passion, writing.

Joseph is a full time author and consultant for ThunderHorse Publishing, and is currently working on his next novel. His latest release Witch’s Dilemma is on sale now in paperback and eBook format. For more information on Joseph and his books visit his Official Website.

As a blogger Joseph not only contributes to Live Laugh Love Nashville - Music Monday Feature and other blogs, he has two of his own. Joe Coming Unglued and Joseph Clay - Author the Official Blog.

You can connect with Joseph on Facebook, Twitter and/or Instagram. You can check out Joseph’s book trailer videos on his YouTube Channel.]