Maria McKee is an American singer-songwriter who started her artistic career in 1982 with the cowpunk group (mix between country and punk ..!) Lone Justice. Group with which she will make 2 albums which will be a significant success.
In 1985, we find her as a composer for singer Feargal Sharkey. Artist for whom she writes the title "A good heart", a title which will be a real hit this year.
And it was in 1989 that she took her first solo steps with the release of a self-titled debut album. An album that has enjoyed certain success, notably thanks to the title "I’ve forgotten what it was in you (That put the need in me)". And to a lesser extent of "Breathe" which will be released two years later in 1991.
In the meantime, in 1990, she signed one of the flagship titles of the soundtrack of the film "Days of thunder" with Tom Cruise, namely "Show me heaven", a title that will remain as the biggest success of her solo discography.
The year 1993 saw the release of the album "You gotta sin to get saved", album which will remain as her biggest global success. Album from which will be extracted 2 flagship titles which are "I’m gonna soothe you" and "I can’t make it alone".
Three years later in 1996 the album "Life is sweet" was released, less successful but successful nonetheless. An album that produced only one small hit with the title "This perfect dress". Small hit which will unfortunately be the last.
Which will not prevent the adventure from continuing afterwards.
To discover or rediscover...
Discography (among others ...) :
80s Decade :
Sweet, sweet baby (I’m falling) 1985 (Lone Justice)
Ways to be wicked 1985 (Lone Justice)
Shelter 1986 (Lone Justice)
I found love 1987 (Lone Justice)
I've Forgotten What It Was in You (That Put the Need in Me) 1989
Nobody's child 1989
90s Decade :
To miss someone 1990
Show me heaven 1990
Breathe 1991
Sweetest child 1992
I’m gonna soothe you 1993
I can’t make it alone 1993
Opelusas (Sweet relief) 1993
Absolutely barking stars 1996
This perfect dress 1996
Scarlover 1996
2000s Decade :
To the open spaces 2003
Something similiar 2003
In your constellation 2003
Turn away 2005
Sullen soul 2005
Appalachian boy 2005
A good heart 2007
Destine 2007
Starving pretty 2007
2010s Decade :
Effigy of salt 2019
2020s Decade :
Let me forget 2020
Little beast 2020
Courage 2020
Tracks :
1985 ... the Lone Justice period. And the least that we can say is that the group is very excited. A bias totally out of step with the angelic face of young Maria. Astonishing paradox ...
1985 ... anyway, the style pleases and the group obtains here its first planetary top hit. Like what, all tastes are in nature !
1986 ... the group smooths out its sound to stick more finely to the standards of the moment. An inspired initiative but which paradoxically will only benefit them moderately ...
1987 ... the group sets off again in its deliriums and delivers a track which spins at the speed of light. The previous title had only worked in the United States. This will only work in England. Go figure ...
1989 ... a solo career that starts with this title. A title of transitions between 2 eras, hence a fairly mixed result in the Charts ...
1989...as surprising as it may seem, she also knows how to do things in the 'emotional' register. A register that is not going to bring her more than that on this one...
1990...yet she puts good will into it, to say the least. There is quality in all this but it still doesn't pay off...
1990...the beginning of the 90s will be much more favorable to her whatever happens. Notably thanks to this absolutely sumptuous Intimist title which will be part of the soundtrack of the film "Days of thunder" with a certain Tom Cruise. Here she delivers what will surely remain as one of her most emblematic titles. MA-GIC !
1991 ... total musical reorientation in this new decade. The inspiration is taken up a notch and the result is strongly felt. Surprisingly, there will be success, but only on the Old Continent. And that will also apply to all future titles ...
1992 ... she will deliver few titles during this decade 90 but of obvious quality. What is impressive is the difference in style between its period 80 and its period 90. Mighty metamorphosis as they say ...
1993 ... the style is much more calm since she operates solo, an evidence that is confirmed title after title. Who would complain !
1993 ... and even when the tempo accelerates, it remains largely bearable. She will only have reached the top of the Charts once in her career but she does not have to be ashamed of the overall quality of her discography, far from it...
1993...a title with a purely charitable purpose and which will therefore be released outside of the album but which will indeed be part of her discography. Might as well put it back in the light as it should...
1996...the adventure continues quietly but surely even if she will hardly classify any titles. Fortunately the albums still manage to benefit from the public's favor...
1996...she will land her very last hit with this title and another small hit. But that doesn't mean the end of the adventure, far from it...
1996...as long as the albums continue to work there is no reason for her to throw in the towel prematurely. In principle she is absolutely right...
2003...we lost sight of her for almost 7 years but here she is again. And this to the delight of her core fans...
2003...on the charts side unfortunately the situation is deteriorating at album level. This new opus will be classified but really only just...
2003...that doesn't mean the end of quality. What she continues to offer largely holds up, it is clear...
2005...she continues to believe in it in any case and it doesn't matter whether it is successful or not. As long as she enjoys what she does...
2005...and in principle she is absolutely right. As long as she believes that what she produces is worth producing, why not do it...
2005...a desire to believe in it until the end which undoubtedly commands respect. Who would dare tell her to stop there, not many people that's for sure...
2007...a decade of the 2000s which saw her motivated like never before with the production of 3 albums, no less. In addition there is quantity and quality, what more could you ask for...
2007...it's clear that it doesn't really stick to the latest musical trends of the moment but we won't remake her again as they say...
2007...it is precisely this discrepancy in sound and style with the competition which penalizes her to the highest degree and which made her disappear from the Charts...
2019...well, on the other hand, we're still going to lose her for almost 12 years. But here she is again anyway and that's the main thing...
2020...we could have imagined that she wouldn't come back but she is definitely here. Moreover, with the extreme desire to show that she still exists !
2020...frankly when we see what she is still capable of producing it would have been a shame if she didn't come back, that's for sure...
2020...so last title or not ? Since with her everything is always possible, it could well be that we find her again at one point or another...
Wiki :
Official Website :
http://mariamckee.org/ Greatest Hits :
Discography :