Biography
Mandy Mercier spent her formative years in Westport, Connecticut, amid the upheavals of the 1960s, an era whose music left a lasting imprint on her. After receiving formal training in classical piano and violin during her school years, she picked up the guitar and immersed herself in traditional blues, drawing particular inspiration from Mississippi John Hurt. While still in high school she started several rock bands alongside Willy DeVille; afterward she traveled westward for a time before returning east to enroll as a music major. That pursuit ended abruptly when she relocated to New York and teamed with Leif Kahal to form a duo. She next settled in Austin, where the vibrant local community featuring Joe Ely, Townes Van Zandt, Lucinda Williams, and others ignited her own artistic drive. In 1987 Mercier assembled a band that included Brian Glascock of the Motels and Ryan Hedgecock, formerly of Lone Justice. Her first album, Forgiveness and Rage, appeared in 1993 and was soon followed by a live recording. Having overcome a cancer diagnosis in 1997, she resumed touring and issued Wild Dreams of the Shy Cowboys in 2001. Mercier continues to play across Texas and has taken part in festivals and industry showcases including South by Southwest.
Albums
