BIOGRAPHY

Being born into a musical family, Mary’s Father, Charles Brock, played multiple instruments for Kentuckiana’s favorite radio and TV personality Randy Atcher, “The Singing Cowboy,” as well as working with Singer/Songwriter Pee Wee King, known for the song, “Tennessee Waltz.”

At an early age, Mary’s Grandmother knew there was something special about Mary. Her family being active members in the local Methodist Church often helped maintain the facility. While cleaning one day, Mary’s Grandmother noticed Mary’s obsession with the piano. Her Grandmother told her to leave the piano alone, but finally gave in, and to her surprise and astonishment, Mary began to play, “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” Mary was only 4 years old.

By the age of six she had her own piano. At the age of seven she inherited her Father’s Bango, which she mastered in six months and his guitar, which she mastered by age nine. Realizing her talent, her grandfather was determined to buy her an upscale clarinet for school despite Mary’s Mother’s protest and doubt she could master it. She immediately learned 3 songs despite her mother’s doubt. At age 14 she mastered her grandfather’s gift of a Baritone Clarinet.

Having 58 cousins, Mary enjoys family get togethers, where family gathers around a bond fire, and instruments are formed in a circle, as they play and sing, they easily switch off and play various musical apparatus.

Mary’s road to playing professionally began at the age of 19.

She spent 8 years touring with famous Bobby Day, best known for the song, “Rockin’ Robin.” Mary said, " I was so nervous on stage and flubbed my words. Bobby told me, "Just turn your back to the audience and sing to me." She did and soon regained her confidence and was an audience favorite.

Mary then joined her husband drummer Dannie Matlock and played locally for 4 YEARS. Mary herself plays drums, percussion and many other instruments.

She spent 1 year touring with her new husband, Concert Pianist Stephen Foster, a descendent of the original Songwriter Leonard Stephen Foster, known as the, "the father of American music."

Mary performed on Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines with full orchestra accompaniment. On shore leaves, she would perform at Burt Reynold’s Supper Club in Jupiter, Florida, for audiences like Jackie Gleason and other celebrities, as well as touring solo in the Florida/Georgia Area

Back to her roots she spent 2 Years playing the Kentuckiana area with her band “PMS Mary.” It was around this time that she reconnected with guitarist Jim Masterson, which she still performs with today, when not performing solo.

After PMS Mary, She spent the next 3 years honing her blues and jazz stylings when she formed her band, "Crusin' Blues." They played throughout the Kentuckiana area.

Mary settled in with her band, "Pure Gravel," after Crusin' Blues. She spent the next 12 years touring the Ohio/Kentucky/Indiana area, with her band.

Mary took the next 3 years playing with various musicians in the Kentuckiana area. This much needed break allowed her to rest and slow down some.

Suspecting something was wrong, yet pushing through, Mary had been living with a hidden disease, Occular Histo Palsmosis. She got the devastating news that she was going blind.

Eventually being diagnosed as legally blind, Mary had no choice but to stop doing the one thing she loved performing. She had to relearn how to perform without reading lyric sheets or feeding off visual cues from her band members.

Now with no sight she had to depend on memorization and fine-tuned hearing. Her willpower and determination pulled her through. Back on the scene in 2023 and ready, not only to perform, but to pursue her passion for songwriting. For the next year she played locally as a solo act fine tuning her craft.

Although she had been playing with Jim Masterson on and off for years, Jim and Mary decided to form an official duo in 2025. Mary also began to perform lead vocals for Jim's band, Nightshift.

BACK AND STRONGER THAN EVER!

To find out more about Ocular Histoplasmosis Click here!