MARY MARY

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THE WORLD GREAT FAMILY SINGERS

The Hutchinson Family Singers. One of the best-known musical ensembles of mid 19th Century America, the Hutchinson Family. The ensemble consisted at different time of various combinations of the children of one Jesse Hutchinson, a farmer from Milford, New Hampshire, and his wife Mary. They were a 19th-century American family singing group who sang about political causes in four-part harmony. The group formed in the wake of a string of successful tours by Austrian singing groups such as the Tyrolese Minstrels and when American newspapers were demanding the cultivation of native talent. John Hutchinson orchestrated the group's formation with his brothers Asa, Jesse, and Judson Hutchinson in 1840; the Hutchinsons gave their first performance that same year. Jesse Hutchinson quit the main group to write songs and manage their affairs; he was replaced by sister Abby Hutchinson. The Hutchinsons were a hit with both audiences and critics, and they toured the Northeastern United States until 1845. They popularized closed four-part harmony in the United States and made it common in other genres, such as blackface minstrelsy. On Jesse Hutchinson's lead, the group sang about controversial material, including abolitionism, temperance, and women's rights. The Hutchinsons performed across New England in 1842, taking in as much as $130 per performance. In 1843, Jesse wrote "The Old Granite Slate", a song about the Hutchinson family, their origins in New Hampshire, and their itinerant lifestyle. The song became their signature number.

Mary Mary is an American gospel music duo, consisting of sisters Erica Monique Campbell ( born on April 29, 1972 ) and Trecina "Tina" Evette Campbell ( born on May , 1975). With the release of the self-titled Mary Mary, the Grammy-winning, platinum-selling gospel duo is beginning a new chapter in an already remarkable career. In 2000, sisters Erica and Tina Campbell earned immediate respect and success with Mary Mary's platinum debut album, Thankful. The joyful dancefloor-filling hit single "Shackles" put them at the top of the charts across the world and then the girls followed it up with the 2002's Incredible album. Now, after a short break, Mary Mary returns with the brilliant third album, packed with uplifting lyrics, distinctive vocals and unforgettable songs. Some things have changed since Mary Mary's last album. Most importantly, Erica and Tina have each started families. As Erica explains, "We've been focusing on having babies and staying home with our husbands and family. We've been enjoying life. You gotta take time for family." Tina jokes, "We're a lot sleepier now!" She laughs and continues, "We have to change the way we work. The Dixie Chicks have seven kids under four between the three of them. We think we can do it with one child each if they can do it with seven! My mama juggled nine kids with being a choir director. If they can handle it, we can surely handle it with one each." The second thing that's changed is that Erica and Tina are more confident about their music in 2005 than at any other time in their career. Tina shares, "Sometimes when you first come out, you don't really know who you are as artists and musically, you haven't really found your niche. This time around we're so comfortable being Mary Mary and I feel like we've grown as women and ministers. 'Shackles' was great! It opened a bunch of doors for us and I'm grateful for that but you can never do your beginning again. We can't make the record again and you can't redo what you've already done.

Obviously we want to make more songs that impact people but God is a God of the present and he's doing great things today so we don't like to live in the past." You'd think that when they were having a worldwide smash like "Shackles," they couldn't get more confident but Erica disagrees. "Confidence doesn't come with a successful hit," she says. "Think of the millions of people who sell millions of records and then kill themselves. Or the millions of people who travel the world and make loads of money and then they're depressed or take drugs to alter their current state because they're not happy. We're so content with who we are, both our flaws and our strengths." Tina agrees. "The place where I am right now is definitely a better place." Their first single, "Shackles (Praise You)" became a croosver hit, being popular with gospel, R&B, and pop audiences. It was a Top 10 R&B and Top 40 pop hit, and peaked at #28 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It became the first gospel song in five years to crack the R&B top ten and gained wide exposure on the MTV video cable channel. Their first album,Thankful (Mary Mary Album) in May 2000, which would go on to win the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album, and a second single, "I Sings". Peaking at #1 on the Gospel album chart and at #59 of the overall Top 200 chart, Thankful was certified Platinum for sales of 1 million copies in the USA. Both singles were also hits in the UK and Europe, and to this day remain popular with Christian youths in the US, Latin America, and Europe. With their second album Incredible, the duo was able to maintain their success. The record, soon after its release, went to #1 on the Gospel chart, and was able to enter the Top 20 of the Top 200 album chart. Incredible was later on certified Gold for 500,000 copies sold in the United States. Awards: Grammy for Best Contemporary Gospel Album, for Thankful (2000), Dove Award, 2001, Urban Recorded Song of the Year (Shackles (Praise You)), 2001: Urban Album of the Year (Thankful), 2002: Urban Recorded Song of the Year (Thank You, from Kingdom Come, the Soundtrack with Kirk Franklin), 2003: Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song of the Year (In the Morning from Incredible), 2004: Urban Recorded Song of the Year (Dance, Dance, Dance from Gotta Have Gospel), American Music Award, Favorite Artist, Contemporary Inspirational, for Mary Mary , Stellar Awards. Continues NEXT