Mary Loyd

Feed the Band

Our interview with

Mary Loyd

How do we choose who makes it on Feed the Band? The answer to that question can get complicated. We have many people who reach out to us, but we also try to interview artists that you request. There are the ones who we seek that fit in with what Southern Fellow is all about. Then there are those who I personally connected to. Artists that surprise me in their music and at a very personal level. This thought brings us to our next artist on Feed the Band.

Mary Loyd and I differ in many ways. The obvious being she’s female and I’m male. The list goes much further than that. There are a plethora of differences, from tattoos to cats, but somehow when we talk none of that carries any weight. That is now, but it did take me awhile  to look past all of our differences.

Mary Loyd and I have been chatting for months. At first, it was her voice that stood out to me. Mary has the ability to use her voice as a tool and etch out a story like very few people can. Then after a few conversations a caution flag went up. No one can be this nice all of the time. Against my better nature I tried to prove my theory right. I made it my goal to find a weak point in Mary Loyds armor. I invited her to do a live interview on Instagram and see what would take place with her being slightly out of her comfort zone. It did not change anything, even with some viewers getting off topic with their questions. I continued my quest for a few more days and at the end I came to the conclusion that Mary Loyd is a marvel. Mary might not be one of the  X-Men, but she has human superpowers. Her abilities are vast and they are things we should all strive towards.

We could all start by being nice. That is something Mary Loyd is an expert at. The second thing I observed about Mary is a real superpower. She has the ability to absorb all that is good and beneficial, while rejecting things that are negative. I myself fall into the trap of taking the good with the bad, like so many others. I believe if we all start rejecting the negative things, it will make being nice and positive a little easier. The last superpower of Mary Loyd is what we are all here for. She is an amazing songbird.

Just like everything Mary Loyd pulls from the heart. That fact is on full display in her music. ”Buried” was my introduction to her music and it was one heck of a first. It is a moving story that still echoes in my mind today. That single was followed by “Kiss It All Goodbye”. What a change of direction,in emotion and style her latest song brings. All of these pieces come together and prove one singular point. Expect the unexpected from Mary Loyd. She has surprised me more than once and I imagine it will not be the last time.

It is truly an honor to have Mary Loyd as part of the Southern Fellow family. Let’s unfold her story and get to the interview. Make sure to check out the recipes she inspired and enter our giveaway. Here is our interview with country music artist Mary Loyd.

Tell us about your road to Nashville.

The literal road to Nashville was extremely long and hot. I made the stupid mistake of moving at the peak of summer in a van with no A/C and two screaming cats (okay, let’s be real – the cats weren’t the only ones screaming in distress). The less literal road was a lot shorter and less sweaty. I had never once considered moving to Nashville until several people told me throughout 2015 that I should go. At the end of that year, I booked a trip for early 2016 to visit and my husband and I fell in love with Music City. Six months later all of our belongings were packed and we made the move.

If you could not play music, what do you think you would be doing?

Working in a library filled with cats. Or at one of those cat cafes. A LIBRARY CATFE (get it?)

Define success.

I would define success as follows: Having a home filled with cats. Being my own boss. Loving the life I’m living while surrounded by people who support me.

If you came with a warning label, what would yours say?

Warning: mouth tends to operate faster than brain. Prone to sarcasm, dry humor and excessive bragging about my cat.

Connect with Mary

Mary_Loyd_27 Edit

We are always developing recipes here at Southern Fellow; when writing music, what recipe do you use?

My recipe for writing music varies with each song, as I’m sure yours varies with each dish. It depends on if I start with a melody or a lyric idea. If I have a song title to begin with, I start by outlining my story. What am I trying to say in my first verse? How will that transition into the chorus? What is my hook? Once I have a basic plot laid out, then I fill in the details. Sometimes I throw all of that out the window and end up writing an entire chorus first and then build around that. Like I said, it changes every time. But I do find it’s typically easier to plot the story first.

If we declared you queen for the day what would you try to accomplish?

If I was queen for a day, the entire country would quickly be ruled by cats.

What is your first fond memory of food?

When I was little, my parents had to tell me that literally everything was chicken or I wouldn’t eat it.

There are many young women that may not feel they fit a particular mold when they dream of being a music artist. What advice do you have for these women?

I would tell them to screw the mold and kick it’s ass right out the front door. I have had people in the industry try to “mold” me into what they wanted or thought was the best fit for me as an artist. You know what I learned? The only good fit is being 100% YOU. Don’t let others try to change you or let the comparison game make you feel like you need to be something other than what you naturally are. People will admire your transparency and self love above all else.

Tell us about your song “Kiss It All Goodbye”.

I wish I could say that “Kiss It All Goodbye” was easy to write but it really wasn’t. It was one of those songs I mentioned earlier that didn’t fit my usual recipe. I wrote the chorus first on a whim. I don’t even remember how I came up with the idea of it, I just remember sitting alone at home on my couch one afternoon and it poured out of me. That was the only easy part about writing any of it. For months I sat on this song, tweaking the verses but was never able to get them to feel like they fit. I almost gave up on it entirely but eventually I decided to bring it to a co-writing session with my friend and fellow artist Kayla Woodson and she released me from the box I stuffed myself into. We finished the song in an hour and I’m so thankful for the life she breathed back into it. I’ve had several people tell me they love listening to this song in the car with the windows rolled down and that’s the best compliment I could hope for.

Try these inspired recipes!

Southern Fellow Carnitas

Carnitas are full of flavor. They are sweet with a little spice just like Mary Loyd. Try this recipe with your favorite taco toppings!

Totally Tubular Guacamole

Guac as the cool kids call it, is an awesome taco topping. It is delicious on many other other things as well. We added some charred corn and fresh jalapeno to round this amazing recipe

What are some small things that make your day better?

Iced coffee. Texts from my husband. Petting my cat.

What does the coming year look like for you?

At the moment, I’m trying to buy my first house, but it’s not going all that well so in the coming year I might be homeless (ha – just kidding…hopefully). I have two more singles and possibly an EP to release, so I’m very excited about that. I also hope to start traveling more for shows. I’ve never done a legit tour and would really like to make that happen!

If an alien race came to earth, what would be the first lesson on humanity you would teach them? Why is that lesson important?

I would tell them “life’s tough, get a helmet.” They’d figure out the lesson pretty quickly. #adultingsucks

If you could write with anyone, living or who has passed on, who would that person be?

I think anyone would be a fool not to want to sit in a room with Lennon and McCartney. I would also love the chance to write with Shania Twain. She’s been an idol of mine since I was a kid and her songwriting skills are one of the things I admire most about her.

You are living the married life and we have quite a few family members that are about to tie the knot. What should they know?

Marriage is not for the faint of heart. It takes constant hard work and you can’t be the type of person to give up on someone easily. Know that you’re going to make sacrifices. Remember to support and celebrate each other. Above all, communication is key.

Is there anything else you want your fans at Southern Fellow to know?

Random facts about me: I’m a born and raised California girl. I barely know how to cook anything that isn’t microwavable (except cookies, because…cookies). Most people don’t realize it (ha ha) but I’m an avid cat lover. I quote “The Office” in daily conversation. I would typically rather be at home reading than out socializing. I was a competitive dancer for almost ten years.

I think Mary Loyd mentioned cats as many times as she could to get to me. It has been an ongoing thing for us for a long time. I am not going to let that happen. LOL  I am happy to have Mary as part of the Southern Fellow family, cats and all. She is an amazing person and artist. Mary deserves a spot on your playlist. You can easily find her music on SpotifyApple MusicAmazon and YouTube. Please give our recipe a try and enter our giveaway below.

Thank you for reading this interview here on Feed the Band. You can check out all the artists we have featured by clicking here. Join our family and subscribe to our email list. We have many more interviews and recipes on the way!

This Post Has 5 Comments

  1. Brad Ledford

    I try to go see Mary Loyd everytime she plays in Bardstown KY. She is an amazing singer and a complete sweetheart. Truly makes me happy to hear her sing.

    1. Patrick L.

      Yes she is!

  2. Cindy Graves

    Very excellent interview and article. I love Mary Loyd and her music and I’m glad to have found your website and blog. I love your format, interview questions and recipes. Great job!
    Cindy Graves

    1. Patrick L.

      Thank you so much! Welcome to the Southern Fellow family.

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