Artist Information
Biography
Mary Beth Maziarz is most recognized for her heartfelt and soulful songs on Dawson's Creek, Everwood, or other tv shows and films, but she's a multifaceted writer and recording artist and a stunningly compelling live artist as well. What does she sound like? The love child of raw passion and refinement -- Susan Tedeschi meets Karen Carpenter. Bonnie Raitt meets Diana Krall. She's opened for greats like Etta James and Shawn Colvin, and played for crowds of thousands at festivals, competitions, and her own shows. Very well known in her home region (and some foreign territories), it's time for Mary Beth Maziarz to make a national impact in the U.S.
MB started writing songs as a kid in Illinois -- jamming out her compositions on the funky upright piano in her family's basement. When Mom and Dad decided she'd earned a spot in the living room, a grand piano came onto the scene upstairs, and she started playing when 'company' came over. Piano cover gigs soon started competing with her steady seventh-grade babysitting nights (and winning), so she began taking the song thing more seriously.
She first performed her original music as a freshman in high school, playing her song “Friends – Through the Years” for girls from school while playing hookey from tennis practice. The seniors really liked it – they cried! -- and badgered her to play it for the school talent show. Mary Beth played it for the talent show and the crowd was on their feet. She was hooked -- and the signs of her true talent began to emerge.
In college at Northwestern University in Evanston IL, MB played in local cafes and composed scores for student plays. The college scene was glutted with emerging songwriters, but Mary Beth carved out a devoted fan base while playing a weekly residency at Tommy Nevins’ Pub. Singing at the pub, also home to Mary Beth’s dubious waitress skills, allowed her to experiment with new material and develop a better rapport with audiences. (Patrons’ drunkenness helped with her nervousness.) A year at Oxford in England also brought more pub-playing opportunities; then, as now, British Sterling was hammering the dollar, so the little sing-for-her-supper gigs and attentive audiences really nourished the young performer.
After school, as her compatriots largely went off to find fame & fortune as actors in Hollywood or as number-crunchers at Arthur Anderson, MB announced she was moving Out West. . . to Utah, specifically – part-time home to movie stars, record moguls, and other fabulously connected people. She began a longterm gig at the Riverhorse Café, a beautiful, upscale lemon-in-the-water restaurant on Main Street. The Riverhorse gave her music a high-profile place to grow in Park City and a place to begin distributing her first two albums (“Something Real” & “Snowed In”) as her performances there began to draw serious support from locals and glitterati visitors alike. Her lush piano skills and gorgeous alto, along with a charismatic warmth and sense of humor onstage, began attracting more and more attention. She was soft soul, incarnated into the body of a 5’10” blonde with a sweet smile and an earthy sense of humor. Invitations to play high-profile gigs began filling her in-box.
In 1999, Mary Beth’s music caught the ears of producers of the popular tv show, “Dawson’s Creek.” They contacted her about featuring one of her songs, “Hold On,” in the final scene of the Season Three Premiere. Everything changed. More of her songs were featured in the show. Other folks came a callin’. Fans wrote to her, clamoring for all the DC songs on one album. She listened, printing a few hundred CDs of the songs and demos that appeared on Dawson’s Creek, calling the project “A More Perfect World.” They sold out in nine days. She made more, and the demand for that intimate album has remained steady ever since.
From there, she put out the shimmering “Goodnight, Goodnight” and continued to find her music in demand for tv shows (Party of Five, Everwood, Joan of Arcadia) and films (Broken Hearts Club, The Real Thing). Mary Beth also found herself performing at outdoor festivals, bigger club gigs, and upscale “house concerts”-- private concerts in ballrooms, outdoor stages, and music rooms around the country (including those of Robert Redford and associates of Donald Trump). In November of 2004, her music jumped the pond when her song “True Believer” became the theme for “Bianca – Wege Zum Gluck,” a show that airs every day in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. She brushed up on her German. There was much brushing to do. She is closer to communicating in French or Japanese, even, but tries her best in whatever language listeners are using.
After a nourishing rest in the album production process, MB went back into the studio with producer Craig Poole. Poole’s rock-solid rhythmic sensibility and love of sweet old-school funk/R&B brought a new energy and groove to the tracks of "Wish." Themes of brand new love, discovery, separation, dreams, and recognition weave through MB's fifth album. The range of styles is fascinatingly diverse, but Mary Beth’s writing (and singing) voice remains a lush constant. Five tracks from Wish immediately were licensed to be featured in the ABC Family program, Beautiful People, and Mary Beth’s recent signing with Film/TV music agency Riptide (Los Angeles) is sure to bring much more onscreen presence for her music.
Most recently, Mary Beth has entered the world of writing and playing music for children. As the eldest of six kids, MB always thought it would be fun to record some upbeat, playful songs for kids. An animated series called Crab Cove had contacted her about creating an album to go along with its eco-friendly episodes about sweet sea creatures, and the timing and message was perfect. So “My Beach Town – Songs from Crab Cove” came to life and will hit shelves soon. Although she’s delighted by the strong critical response to “My Beach Town” so far, Mary Beth is most gratified by the ecstatic reaction of Park City kids to the new collection. Watch for MB and friends to appear in concert at a great beach town near you!
Instrumentation
Mary Beth Maziarz -- vocals and piano/keyboards
solo, or with players (and some of the other bands they have played with):
Craig Poole (Jonny Lang) -- bass and acoustic guitar
Joel Stevenett (JoDee Messina, SheDaisy)-- drums and other percussion
Joslyn Petty (Kascade) -- backing vocals
Margaux Lodge -- backing vocals
Aaron Ashton -- violin
Other guest guitarists as needed
Discography
2008/9:
"My Beach Town -- Songs from Crab Cove" (series soundtk)
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2005: "Wish"
2002: "Goodnight, Goodnight"
2000: "Supernatural"
1998: "A More Perfect World"
1997: "Snowed In"
1996: "Something Real"
Audio
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Goin' On
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Deeper Love
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This Is Our Life
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Better
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Now You're Here
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Every Little Thing You Ever Wanted
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True Believer
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Til Then
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Circle of Desire
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My Deep Blue Love For You
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Lonesome In Love
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The Girl Goes 'Round
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KIDS SONG: Pick It Up!
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KIDS SONG: The Best Day
Listen
Lyrics
Video
Press
Setlist
Mary Beth customizes set lists for each show based on the venue, schedule, and host preferences (if a house concert or private performance). A typical set might last about 1-1.5 hours and include 12-18 songs. Mary Beth enjoys sharing stories and histories about the songs (whether hers or other people's songs) in a contemporary version of the cabaret tradition. She'll often include 1-2 'lost covers' in a set -- songs you haven't heard in ages but just love.
