Who are your biggest influences musically?
My biggest influences musically come from all different genres of music. As far as blues music goes, my influences include Little Walter, Slim Harpo, Muddy Waters, Magic Sam, Elmore James and Etta James, to name a few. On the rock side, Little Feat, Bonnie Raitt, Janis Joplin, Heart, and Fleetwood Mac were bands that I grew up listening to. Other R&B and soul influences include Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Carla Thomas, Mabel John and just about anything from the Stax Records collection.

What other local artist most inspires you?
There are actually many, but the two that stand out for me are the Nighthawks and Eva Cassidy. The Nighthawks inspire me on many levels. Pete Ragusa produced my CD. He was the only choice for me for my first recording. I loved his voice and I also knew he'd had production experience from the days of Big Mo. The Nighthawks amaze me. They have been together for nearly 30 years and they travel all over the US and abroad. They have managed to make a living for themselves and at the same time stay completely true to their art form. Their legacy is already forming, and they are living legends, as far as I'm concerned. I dedicated my CD to Eva Cassidy. Although we never met, I felt like I knew her through her music. I am sure I'm not alone there. I sometimes wonder why any of the rest of us bother, after Eva. She was so talented. But when I read Joel Siegel's liner notes in the "Eva By Heart" CD, it clicked for me. In the liner notes, Eva had said to her mother that all she wanted was to get well and sing. It wasn't a possibility for her, but it was for me. I called up Pete Ragusa and asked him to produce my CD. Eva was also an inspiration to me when it came to the recording. There's a Smokey Robinson song on "No Time Like Now" called "Who's Lovin' You". It's right at the edge of my vocal range. Pete kidded that we'd get a corset for me to hit the high notes when we recorded it, because I knew it would be the one song on the CD that would be technically hard for me. The night before the final recording, I listened to "Eva By Heart", particularly a song called "How Can I Keep From Singing". I thought to myself, how would Eva have tackled these vocals? After some serious thought, I went in to record, with Eva on my mind, and I did get the vocal that I wanted, finally. She continues to inspire me, and always will. Her voice was magical, and her musicianship remains unmatched.

What was the best advice ever given to you? By whom?
Actually there were two pieces of advice that stick with me. One was from Pete Ragusa. I was concerned that maybe I had made a mistake leaving my old band, One Thin Dime, to go solo. Pete told me that sometimes in life you have to take "one step back in order to take two steps forward". He was right too, because I wanted to do a CD for a long time. It just wasn't as important to One Thin Dime as it was to me. The other piece of advice came from Stevie Nicks. I met her at the Columbia Inn around 1992, and I told her that I really admired her, and that she was a big influence. She told me to keep on singing, and that if she could do it, anyone could. Those words reign in my memory. Whenever I feel like I might not be doing the right thing, I just think about the fact that Stevie wanted me to continue. I think it's because she sensed my passion for it. 

If you could bring one performer back from the dead, who would that be?
There are so many, so this is a tough question for me. I'd have to say Muddy Waters. He so defined blues music. There are many other blues players who I would also like to see, including Little Walter, Magic Sam and Bessie Smith. I'm sure that the stories they would tell would inspire many a song.

What keeps you grounded?
I've been asked this question many times. I believe what keeps me grounded is my spirituality, my family and my friends. There are so many sacrifices that musicians must make. Music can easily consume you, if you let it. Art in general seems to be like that. For me, there must be a balance of music and everyday life. It's easy to get caught up in just playing and nothing else. There's so much more to life than just music, and life feeds the music, especially if you're a songwriter. I couldn't just survive on music. I need other things in my life to appreciate what music truly is to me, the ultimate gift.

Do you have any plans to put out a new CD?
Definitely. I formed the Mary Shaver Band right after I finished recording my first CD, "No Time Like Now". I've been working with Keith Grimes for nearly two years now. He's an amazing player, and I've learned so much from him. We've also got Raice McLeod on drums and Wade Matthews on bass guitar. I want to get these guys in the studio. We're doing blues, r&b and soul. We have such a nice chemistry. I didn't think I'd find that after One Thin Dime. I loved every one of the guys in One Thin Dime. I didn't know if I could find that chemistry again, but I have. Keith and I are working together to write some songs for the next CD. I am also working with a few other musicians to get some more of my originals ready. My goal is for there to be more originals on my next CD. Keep an eye on my website about when it'll be out, but it is going to happen. 

What is your favorite local venue to play? Why?
It's hard to pinpoint one, but I do love to play outside on the Bay. Anytime I get to play outside, it's magical. It's so much nicer than playing in a dark, smoky club. There's nothing like feeling the sun and the breeze on you, and looking out and seeing people enjoying themselves. When Skipper's Pier had live music, I used to love being out there on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. 

If you could play on any stage in the world, which one would it be?
The Kennedy Center. I'm a Maryland/DC native. To play the Kennedy Center would be something I would never forget. I've played at the State Theatre and at Blues Alley. But to play the Kennedy Center, in my mind, is to have arrived, at least locally. Another stage that comes to mind is the main stage at the New Orleans Jazz and Blues Festival. I haven't played the Chesapeake Blues Festival yet either, so that is also a stage I'd like to play.

How long have you been playing music?
I got my first guitar, an acoustic Sears Silvertone, when I was in sixth grade. I took guitar classes in high school. I also played many house parties and coffee houses in my twenties. I joined One Thin Dime when I was 29 and then left after nearly ten years. I have been playing music professionally for about 12 years.

Ultimate dream...
My ultimate dream is to have a series of concerts that will far surpass Lillith Fair. I would want to have women like Etta James, Bonnie Raitt, Stevie Nicks, Aretha Franklin, Sheryl Crow and Heart perform. It would be a worldwide event to bring attention to Women's Rights all over the world. It would be for the women of Juarez, Mexico, who are being murdered. It would be for the women in Yemen that can't even walk the streets for fear of being raped. Equally
important, it would be for the women in the US who need healthcare and education for themselves as well as their children. If I could do something like this, it would be monumental. It's a dream right now, but so was "No Time Like Now". For me, music has always been about giving back. I feel so fortunate to have this gift. My talent and my art are here not only for me, but for everyone. To help someone, or make a difference in this world, through my music, or just my being, is the reason I am here.

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