Mama Said

Mama Said signed to Americana Records in January 2006 after introducing their music to the label at the Americana Music Association Convention in August 2005. Previously Mama Said was on the Little King Record label and released "runnin with scissors" in 2001. Mama Said self-released "Rural Alternative" in 1998.
Mama Said hosted a weekly TV show for Time Warner Cable for over 2 years. Guest singer/songwriters performed original tunes and were interviewed by Phil and Nancy. Words and Music featured such artists as Jim Lauderdale, David Wilcox, Christian Bush of Sugarland, Vienna Teng, Roman Candle and Chuck Brodsky. Words and Music was produced at Gardner Webb University in Boiling Springs, NC, by Noel Manning and Mama Said, and the re-runs continue to air.

Mama Said originated in a kitchen in Shelby, NC with three guys and a girl working up songs to record a project for one of the guys. As it became evident that all four were writers, singers and multi-instrumentalists, the group became a band and began performing out. There have been personnel changes but Nancy Owen and Phil Ruff remain from the original performers and continue to write great songs, play various instruments, sing with tight harmony and connect with their audiences.

Their current line-up includes world beat percussionist, Erik Jensen, and bass player Josh Hamrick. All four members have been playing since those dreadful middle school years and together the four have a sound that rocks, gets tender when it needs to, and dances in-between. It's called Americana.

Currently the band still practices because they love to play and they perform out because they're too good to stay in the kitchen.