I’ve toured with these two
songbirds, and I love them!” BURL IVES
MaryLee & Nancy
are long time best friends and music partners. Their early
career began when
they met in Girls’ Glee at the age of 14. They soon began performing
in Los Angeles at “The New Hope Inn,” “The Troubador,” “Alice’s
Restaurant, ” “McCabe’s Guitar Shop” and the Renaissance Faire.
They
recorded radio jingles for “Ladies Choice Pickles” and the cycle of
nursery rhymes for Mattel Toys “See ’n Say.” In 1971 they joined the
touring concert act Randy Sparks & the Back Porch Majority and
performed nationwide, opening shows for: BURL IVES, SHIRLEY JONES,
LILY TOMLIN, BILL COSBY and many others.
After touring America for
more than 9 years, performing 4 shows per night, six nights per
week, they created solo acts, with each other’s blessing and
encouragement.
They perform as a duo annually in “Tales of the Trails” at the Yakima Valley Museum and Children’s Concerts at many King County Libraries for the Summer Reading Program.
"My
family was transported back in time on May 3rd! I visited the Yakima
Valley Museum for their "Tales of the Rails" presentation and was
swept away! All of the children were captivated with the music and
living history lesson of days gone by.
Thank you, David Lynx and Yakima Valley Museum staff for bringing
such top-notch performers to our community. I hope more people will
realize what a treasure we have in our own backyard."
Maria Barrett
Yakima
MaryLee and Nancy sing each other’s original songs as well as
traditional songs in their solo performances in their home states:
Nancy primarily in Washington, MaryLee primarily in California.
MaryLee & Nancy have received the American Library Association Notable Children’s Recording and the Parents Choice Award for their CD recording: “Rhythm of the Rocks,” Parents Choice Award for “Singin’ Sidesaddle” and the Sandman Seal of Approval for “Goodnight Sleep Tight.”
Sixpence
- concert repertoire, recorded at Mattel Toys 1968. Sixpence
members: Chere Campbell, Mary Lee Duval, Nancy Hooper, Priscilla
Lewis, Katie Winslow, Ann Taylor
Mary Lee & Nancy - Elektra Records - 7 song demo recorded
in New York City, August 16 and 17, 1969 (Woodstock weekend)
MaryLee & Nancy - A&M Records - demo recorded Los Angeles,
1971
RS & The BPM: The Initial Album - Randy Sparks & the Back
Porch Majority, recorded in Los Angeles, 1972 (band members: Randy
Sparks, Mary Lee Duval, Nancy Hooper, Dan Gladish, Dan Murray and
Ted Jolly)
New Country Minstrels - Randy Sparks & the Back Porch
Majority, recorded in Nashville, 1975 (band members: Randy Sparks,
Mary Lee Duval, Nancy Hooper, Dan Gladish, Marv Allin, Ross Sears)
Unreleased songs - Randy Sparks & the Back Porch Majority,
recorded at Lloyd's of Linden, 1977-78
Bright Angel Band - Bright Angel Band, demo, recorded in
Stockton, 1979 (band members: Mary Lee Duval, Nancy Stewart, Dan
Gladish, Marv Allin, Robbie Dennis)
The following
4 recordings are available in the Shop
Goodnight, Sleep Tight
- MaryLee & Nancy, recorded in
Stockton, 1987
Oodles of Animals
- Nancy Stewart, producer: MaryLee
Sunseri, recorded in Stockton 1988
Rhythm of the Rocks
- MaryLee & Nancy, recorded in Carmel
Valley, 1993
Singin' Sidesaddle
- MaryLee & Nancy, recorded in Pacific Grove, 1997