Niece of rock 'n' roll legend is ‘honoured’ to perform
Country music fanatic Mary Jean Lewis is set to deliver what she describes is an ‘honest’ performance.
Mary Jean Lewis (52), from the United States, is the daughter of Jerry Lee Lewis’s younger sister Linda Gail Lewis, and is set to bring her upbeat country music.
The musician was born into the industry as both her mother and uncle were popular artists. Mary’s uncle, Jerry Lee Lewis, became a musical sensation during the 1960s after his single Great Balls of Fire hit the charts.
Following in their footsteps, Mary became an avid singer from the age of four at her local church and it ‘became a part of who she is’.
She said: “Music was such a huge part of our lives. I got up in the morning, went to school and during my lunch break I'd have piano lessons, then I would have voice lessons and so on.
“My musical upbringing gave me this confidence and made me feel anything was possible. I didn’t know you were supposed to be nervous when you were entertaining people, or scared when singing in front of folk.”
A poignant memory of Mary’s was when she was in France with her uncle Jerry to watch him perform, as she said: “I never really understood the impact that his music had on the world.
“I didn’t fully appreciate it until I saw all his fans, who ranged in ages, screaming behind these barriers for him. And it was just out of admiration and love for him.
“It was a real moment with all the emotion and ambience.”
Mary choked up as she said: “I have never seen a more intense moment at a performance than when he bowled at the end and clapped for the audience.
“It was so special and something I will never forget.”
Throughout the years country music has become a genre close to Mary’s heart as she said it’s ‘honest’ and ‘talks about your own frailty’ which makes it ‘liberating’.
She said: “I love all kinds of music, but my favourite is country music due to its honesty and there’s something empowering about us accepting ourselves for who we are.
“I love how music makes us identify ourselves, be empathetic, and inspires us.”
After years of being immersed in a musical environment, Mary decided to take a backseat in recent years allowing her to spend more quality time at home and is more selective with her venue choices, including Belladrum.
She said: “Belladrum is a special place to me as my mum, sister and I played at the very first one years and years ago. It was so special.”
Now after five years of being unable to attend the festival due to illness and Covid, Mary is delighted to be heading back.
She said: “It is just such a great memory and every time I go there it is such a good festival, which has grown gigantic now. I am just honoured to have been chosen to be one of the performing artists this year.
“The people I’ve met in Inverness really love their root musical heritage, and Celtic connections, which I think is very closely related to American country music which is a fashion of mine.”
However, Mary also expressed her admiration for the Highland landscape and people, to which she believes leaves you feeling ‘inspired’.
She said: “It is just a stunning place to be and if my husband would let me then I would move there tomorrow! Everywhere you look, it is absolutely gorgeous.”
