Mary McCaslin is an American folk singer who wrote, recorded and performs contemporary folk music. She recorded primarily for Philo Records and traveled and performed with her husband, Jim Ringer.

McCaslin represents an unbroken link between traditional folksingers and today's "new folk" singer-songwriters. Her music ranges from ballads of the old west to her own songs of the new west and modern times. She is regarded as a pioneer of open guitar tunings, and known for her distinctive vocal style. Her influences can be heard in many younger folk performers.

She is known for her renditions of pop standards and rock classics, such as "Ghost Riders In The Sky", "The Wayward Wind", the Beatles' "Things We Said Today", and the Supremes' "My World Is Empty". Her versions of the Beatles' "Blackbird" and the Who's "Pinball Wizard" are noted for her "clawhammer" banjo accompaniment. Her most popular folk songs are "Way Out West" and "Old Friends".

McCaslin's music shows a variety of influences, including the western ballads of Marty Robbins, the guitar playing of Joan Baez and Joni Mitchell, the singing and banjo playing of Hedy West, and the vocal inflections of the Beatles and the BeeGees.

Her songs have been recorded by Tom Russell

Tom Russell

Thomas George "Tom" Russell is an American singer-songwriter. Although most strongly identified with the Texas Country music tradition, his music also incorporates elements of folk, Tex-Mex, and the cowboy music of the American West. Many of his songs have been recorded by other artists, including...

 ("Prairie In The Sky"), Bill Staines

Bill Staines

Bill Staines is an American folk musician and singer-songwriter from New England, who writes and performs in a traditional vein. He has also written and recorded children's songs....

 ("Prairie In The Sky"), Gretchen Peters

Gretchen Peters

Gretchen Peters is a singer-songwriter in the folk/country genre. She was born in New York and raised in Boulder, Colorado, but moved to Nashville in the late 1980s...

 ("Prairie In The Sky"), David Bromberg

David Bromberg

David Bromberg is an American multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter. Bromberg has an eclectic style, playing bluegrass, blues, folk, jazz, country and western, and rock and roll equally well. He is known for his quirky, humorous lyrics, and the ability to play rhythm and lead guitar at the...

 ("Young Westley"), Kate Wolf

Kate Wolf

Kate Wolf was an American folk singer and songwriter. Though her career was relatively short, she had a significant impact on the folk music scene, and many musicians continue to cover her songs...

 ("The Ballad Of Weaverville") and Stan Rogers

Stan Rogers

Stanley Allison "Stan" Rogers was a Canadian folk musician and songwriter.Rogers was noted for his rich, baritone voice and his finely crafted, traditional-sounding songs which were frequently inspired by Canadian history and the daily lives of working people, especially those from the fishing...

 ("Down The Road"). The Grand Canyon Railroad has used her song "Last Cannonball" for its promotional television ad.

Discography

• 1968 Capitol "RAIN - The Lost Album" Bear Family BCD 16232 AH
• 1969 Barnaby 212 35002 "GOODNIGHT EVERYBODY"
• 1974 Philo 1011 Way Out West
• 1975 Philo 1024 "PRAIRIE IN THE SKY"
• 1977 Philo 1046 "OLD FRIENDS"
• 1978 Philo 1055 "THE BRAMBLE AND THE ROSE" (duet with Jim Ringer)
• 1979 Mecury "SUNNY CALIFORNIA" released 1986 as Philo 1099
• 1981 Flying Fish 203 "A LIFE AND TIME"
• 1992 Philo 1149 "THINGS WE SAID TODAY" (compilation of early Philo recordings)
• 1994 Philo 1160 "BROKEN PROMISES"
• 1995 Philo 1024 "PRAIRIE IN THE SKY" (re-issue)
• 1996 Philo 1046 "OLD FRIENDS" (re-issue)
• 1998 Philo 1011 Way Out West (re-issue)
• 2002 Mitchell/Collins "Girls from Santa Cruz" concert with Lacy J. Dalton and Ginny Mitchell
• 2006 Mary McCaslin "Better Late Than Never"

External links

• http://www.marymccaslin.com/