Mary Shaver's Midlife Triumph

By Eric Brace
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, January 14, 2000; Page N05

If this was 1970 instead of 2000 and Mary Shaver's debut CD "No Time Like Now" hit the streets, Shaver would be a star. A powerful mix of blues, soul and rock, the CD reminds me of an Al Kooper recording session or something Janis Joplin might have done with Big Brother and the Holding Company if they'd been a tad more polished. It's a strong record, and Shaver says she's glad she recorded it because it might have staved off a midlife crisis.

"I just turned 40 a couple of weeks ago," Shaver says, "And knowing that was coming up definitely provided a little of the impetus to make the record. There were a lot of things in turmoil in my life, and through it all I knew I wanted to do the CD. The whole process kept me focused during some pretty rough stretches."

The title track is the last song on the CD and is the only one penned by Shaver (with some additional writing from producer and drummer Pete Ragusa). "The lyrics are very autobiographical," she admits. "I wrote them two years ago, when the idea of making the record was really growing in my head, and it's just me telling myself, 'Do this!' " Shaver laughs and says, "But it's also me telling my lover, 'Get off your ass!' "

In the late '80s and through most of the '90s, Shaver was the vocalist for the Prince George's County-based blues and southern-rock group One Thin Dime. Throughout her tenure with that band, WPFW-FM blues DJ Bill Wax kept telling Shaver not to underestimate herself. "Bill was a teacher of mine at Fairmont Heights High School, where I also met all the guys in One Thin Dime, and he really pushed me to think about a solo project. Finally I couldn't think of a reason not to make this record."

Shaver approached a musical hero, Nighthawks drummer Ragusa, and asked if he'd be interested in working with her. Ragusa had also grown up in Prince George's County and knew of Shaver and readily agreed to produce her record. "She came out to a Nighthawks show at Twist & Shout back in November of '97," remembers Ragusa, "and I had her sit in. Man, I gotta tell you, she just tore the place up. She's got that raw, honest thing going on that reminds people of Etta James and Lou Ann Barton." He laughs and says, "But to me, she sounds like P.G. County."

Ragusa and Shaver sifted through dozens of songs before going into the studio, including originals, compositions from friends in the blues-rock world, and cuts from records by the likes of Little Milton, Aretha Franklin, Slim Harpo and other musical groundbreakers. "The blues are not any easy thing to just jump into," says Shaver, "and I went backward to it through growing up and listening to WPGC in the '60s, hearing Motown and Philly soul. Then hearing Bonnie Raitt, Little Feat and especially Janis Joplin."

You can tell Shaver put in a lot of time listening to Joplin, and she admits that the Texas singer is her primary influence. But while she can evoke Joplin in her tone or her phrasing, there's something unique about Shaver's delivery that keeps her from being a copycat act.

On the CD, Shaver is backed by some of Washington's best blues players: Tommy Lepson, Paul Bell, Wade Matthews, Steve Wolf, Mark Wenner, Gary Crockett, Chris Battistone, Bruce Swaim, Big Joe Maher, John Ticktin, Brian McGregor and of course Ragusa. But to perform live, Shaver has put together a sharp trio of Ragusa, guitarist Keith Grimes and bassist Matthews. They're performing each Tuesday in January at Lewie's in Bethesda (301/652-1600).

"I really enjoyed recording the CD, but performing live is what I love," Shaver says. "It's not easy to get up there and bare your soul for people, but that's what you have to do. I try not to think about it, but just get up there and get into the music."

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