Marie Hines

Spartanburg native Marie Hines celebrated the release of her first EP, "The Living Room Sessions," Wednesday at Wild Wings Café.

The EP, which is coming out only five months after the release of her debut album, "Worth The Fight," is intended for listeners to experience the casual feel of a Marie Hines show.

“I've always said that I want people to feel like they're in the comfort in their own living room when I play a show,” explained Hines.

Based on that idea, Hines decided to create a project where her fans could experience a concert in a living room, both visually and aurally.

Hines gathered a group composed of 27 of her good friends and fans for an audience, and recorded a series of songs performed in her living room at her home in Nashville, Tenn.

To prepare for the five-hour video shoot, Hines made a number of preparations.

“It would be almost impossible to perfectly capture the sound of a string quartet in the living room of an old house with poor acoustics, and we didn't want to have to sacrifice a take because of a musical error, so we prerecorded our tracks beforehand” Hines said.

Additionally, Hines went to great lengths to make sure the environment of the show would feel warm and inviting.

“My mother and I scoured every Michael's and Hobby Lobby in both Nashville and Spartanburg for pillar candles, votives, mason jars, old picture frames and anything else that looked good,” Hines said.

“Because of all of the candles, lighting, and people in one room, it had to have been at least 85 degrees in there, but no one complained throughout all five hours of the shoot,” recalled Hines. “That was when I realized that I have the best friends and fans in the world.”

At Hines' Wednesday show, her second release party to be held at Wild Wings, she performed tracks off of "The Living Room Sessions," as well as new material and an '80s classic.

“'Straight Up' by Paula Abdul is one of my most recent cover songs, and it's one of my favorites to play,” she said. Hines chose the song not only because she enjoys playing it, but also for the memories that it brings her.

“My mom was an aerobics instructor in the late '80s and early '90s, so I would hear that song while I was sitting in the back and dance along.”

Hines is currently touring to promote both the EP and her debut album, with an East Coast tour planned for June, a California tour for July, and a long tour of the Northeast in the fall.

“I've had the opportunity to open for some great acts lately, and I'm excited about where my tour schedule is taking me across the next few months,” Hines said. Between playing shows, Hines also plans to start work on recording an EP of new material.

Marie Hines' EP, "The Living Room Sessions," is out now on iTunes. The video segments of the EP can be found on her website, www.mariehines.com. - The Herald Journal, Spartanburg SC

Marie did an on-air interview with Hawk&Tom from 93.7, Upstate South Carolina's Top-40 radio station. - B93.7, Upstate SC Top-40 station

Singer-songwriter Marie Hines does music her way

Singer-songwriter Marie Hines will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Wild Wings Cafe in Spartanburg.


By JACOB WEBB
For the Herald-Journal

Published: Thursday, December 16, 2010 at 3:15 a.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, December 15, 2010 at 8:22 p.m.
While most aspiring musicians go to Nashville, Tenn., with hopes of being signed by a major record label or a songwriting company, Spartanburg native Marie Hines has forgone those routes and forged her own path.
Marie Hines
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
Where: Wild Wing Cafe in Spartanburg

With the recent release of her debut album, Hines has proved herself to be a unique new voice in the current field of contemporary singer-songwriters.
Hines began playing the piano at the age of 6, and by the age of 12, she was writing her own songs. She said that she’s “always been connected to the piano,” which remains her primary instrument. Born and raised in Spartanburg, she is now based in Nashville, where she and her producer Eric Kinny completed her debut album, “Worth the Fight.” During the one and a half years that it took Hines and producer Kenny to make “Worth the Fight,” Hines’ main goal was to make a record that would leave an instant impression on the listener.
“I wanted it to be perfect,” Hines said. “My father has always said that you only get one first impression, and I didn’t want my first impression to be bad. It had to be exactly right.” In order to make sure of this, Hines and Kinny re-recorded the album after they found the first version of the album unsatisfactory.
The album’s recent release is a relief for Hines, but she admits that she still has many things she wants to accomplish. She elaborated on these goals, saying that she “would absolutely love to tour to many other places, especially Europe.”
While Hines still has lots of things she hopes to do in her career, she’s
already made quite a name for herself in the music industry. Besides her frequent touring and strong presence in Nashville, Hines’ song “Wrapped Up in Love” was featured in Wal-Mart’s 2010 Valentine’s Day promotional campaign and she won first place in the singer-songwriter division of Intel’s Superstars Competition.
What’s even more impressive though, is that she does nearly all of this by herself.
“I do a lot of musical work with Eric Kinny, but beyond that I do all the booking and promotion by myself,” she said.
Hines has just launched a new website, www.MarieHines.com, where she documents her musical journey, along with her numerous cupcake recipes and thoughts in her online journal.
Describing her online presence, Hines said, “I try to stay as connected as possible in this ever-changing thing we call the music industry.”
Hines’ debut album, “Worth the Fight,” is out now, and she will hold an album release party at Wild Wing Cafe in Spartanburg at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
- The Herald Journal, Spartanburg SC

Marie Hines’ “Worth the Fight” Review
12 December 2010 by Emily J Ramey

Marie Hines
“Worth the Fight”
December 2010; Independent
By Emily J Ramey
It’s an extraordinary occurrence when you think about it – finding words that say what you truly feel, melodies that express the very ebb of your thoughts. These sorts of discoveries are more than important in the world of music; they are vital, dynamic.
As a woman myself, I’m a huge advocate for the female singer/songwriter. Show me the folk rock poignancy of Ingrid Michaelson or Lisa Hannigan or eloquent piano pop perfected by Regina Spektor or Sara Bareilles, and I will show you my own heart spilled over into the words of a song. I love realizing girl talent, finding a new voice. There’s something about delving into their lyrics and figuring out their notes that is empowering, delicately victorious, and rare, which is why Nashville’s newest songwriter Marie Hines is such a remarkable discovery: she is a charming combination of all of the above.
Marie Hines is breezy and bright, but with something of an old soul. Her fondness for strings and silky piano keys is enough to grab my attention, and her gentle vocals and silver-tongued lyrics make her my new favorite. Marie’s debut album, Worth the Fight, is a passionate and shimmering collection of melodies that span a poetic horizon, exploring the rosy depths of a young girl’s heart with the expressiveness of a worldly, elegant hand.
The album begins with the title track, cool and energizing – with lines like, “There’s bigger pictures to paint/More horizons to chase/Something better in searching, reaching/Burning, bleeding black and white” – and warms up quickly with the sugary single “Wrapped Up in Love,” a buoyant tune of idyllic, lighthearted affection: “Slurring sonnets like love drunk poets/Take a sip, pass the glass around/Til we fall out of time, lost in a rhyme/It’s so easy being me when I’m with you.”
Other highlights of Worth the Fight include the magnetic, brisk-tempoed “Better” and the lithe “LoveStung,” with its melancholy strings and honest lyrics: “We’re lovestung, so lovestung/We’re scared to death but we’re learning the thrill of the fall.” The refreshing bleakness of “Long Way to Letting Go” is both moving and memorable, and ardent, lustrous “Over You” stands out as both haunting and beautiful, closing the album with tender lines and striking emotion, the music swelling richly, resonantly before fading out with the quiet undulations of a cleansing rain.
Marie Hines is going to be an exciting artist to watch in 2011. Worth the Fight is brimming with potential and promises to be merely a springboard into bigger and better things. I can’t wait to see and hear more, but for now, I’m going to cozy up and just listen.
436 words
- Emily J Ramey

In the world of female pop few artists have the potential to dominate the market. In one corner we’ve got Ke$ha talk-singing her way through a strip tease and in the other Disney princesses are being molded into would-be pop idols whether they’ve got the voice or not. There is a serious lack of fresh faced females with pure talent for making music but one sweet southern belle from Music City, USA has the passion and pipes to change all that.

Marie Hines hit the Nashville scene in the early 2000's, honing her craft at Belmont University, and developing a sweet sound that channels the likes of Colbie Callait and Sara Bareilles. Her angelic voice has a sharp, emotional edge and her talent for songwriting conveys a maturity beyond her 24 years. She is a naturally gifted lyricist, pianist, and performer with a carefree stage presence and a bubbly personality, and she’s poised to make a bold statement in the world of pop music.

Marie is set to release her first full-length album Worth The Fight, surprisingly without the support of a record label, and will be touring the Nashville and surrounding areas to promote the release. If you haven’t heard any of Marie’s songs, check out her EP Paper Heart on iTunes now, and look for Worth The Fight in the coming months. If you’re jonesin’ for a taste now, check out the video below of Marie singing her original, “Over You” at the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville.

Enjoy!

- lifeonthebside (http://www.audioiv.com)