Mary Jane Furches - Guitar, Vocals
Mike Furches - Bass Guitar, Mandolin, Harmonica, Vocals, Producer
Wes Coy - Bass Guitar
Ernie Johnson - Guitar
Mark Ediger - Drums
Rick Sandidge - Engineer
Mary Ann Vessey - Art Work Cover
Influences
Carol King, Peter Paul and Mary, The Kingston Trio, many others coming out of the folk era.
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Sounds Like
Here is my video of Amazing Grace, beware, it is graphic. This video was posted at YouTube with over 100,000 hits before they deleted my husbands account. Thankfully it is available on other web sites and by one who has reposted it at YouTube.
The following is a live performance of me doing the song Amazing Grace
Music has always been an important part of my life. My first musical experiences came when I was a young child and sang in the Cherub Choir in church. My mother sang in the choir and was always singing around the house as she did housework. I guess I sorta “fell in love” with music when I listened to her clear pleasant voice, it was always soothing and made me feel good. People told me that God had given me that talent. My first solo was in church when I was about 6 or 7 years old. I don’t remember being nervous, just excited. I remember singing in grade school plays and musicals, and being chosen to sing with a few other students on a float in the Christmas parade in my hometown.
When I was older, my mom got me a baritone ukulele with green stamps she had saved. I was in college at the time. I remember being so excited as I looked at the instruction book that came with it. Folk music was popular at that time and I loved listening to Peter, Paul, and Mary, Chad Mitchell Trio, and countless others. So began my “folk music” era. Fortunately, I was chosen to go with a group of college students on a summer mission trip to Hampton Beach, New Hampshire in 1969. Well, you know what happened that summer…the infamous Woodstock. Our team converted a three-story house into a coffee-house on the first floor. People stopped in every day on their way to the festival and were given the opportunity to play at our coffeehouse that night. We were across the street from the beach, so we had all kinds of people dropping in for a snack and listen to us sing. One of the guys who came in regularly told me I needed to “graduate to a guitar”. I had never really thought about it, but it seemed to make sense. Before I left Hampton Beach that summer, I had a pink guitar and a book of chords! My poor parents had to listen to all that discordant music as I painfully learned to play a few chords which I could use over and over on some of my favorite folk songs.
I continued singing in church and sometimes performed in coffeehouses. I can’t claim that I have ever been “trained” in any way. All the instruction I have ever received vocally was from a choir director. Although I can play the guitar, I am not an accomplished musician. I’m self-taught just using a book of chords. I’ve been told my “finger picking” style is more like a banjo picker. Guess I inherited that from my grandfather who played the banjo, piano, and fiddle without ever having a music lesson in his life.
Over the years I have continued to play and sing in churches, for civic groups, and in coffee houses. After Mike and I got married, I put my music on a ‘back burner’ so to speak. I didn’t stop singing, I just didn’t perform any more. I was focused on my family and being a mom. Mike was working in music and encouraged me to go into a studio and make a CD. I had never really thought about singing “professionally”, and this was totally new territory for me and to be honest, really scary! So he worked out a deal with one of our friends, Rick Sandidge, with Sandcastle Studios in Greenville, S.C. for me to come in and record some songs. The experience was one I’ll never forget and wasn’t as “painful” as I had thought it would be. My CD, “Coming Round Again”, is the result of that session.
I love to sing and truly believe God has given me this gift to bring Him glory.
For Booking Information Contact: Mike Furches
5410 Annapolis Avenue
Clearwater, Ks 67026
(620) 545-7029
email - booking@furches.org
Mosaic concert upcoming on Saturday September 5, 2009, starting at 8 PM and of course Free (recommended donations for the band) Tyler Gregory with special Guests, Mary Jane Furches & The Geriatrics, Clarensau, and Ryan Windham.
Mosaic is located at 902 George Washington Blvd, Wichita, KS 67211 (across from the Dairy Queen on the west side of the building at the corner of Lincoln & George Washington) for more information call (316) 305-0491 or visit www.myspace.com/mosaicwichita
Mary Jane wish I could hear your upcoming singing event in person(MAYBE SOMEDAY) will be praying all goes well-take care you and your great family! I like the promise God gives that if we live totally for the Lord he will bless our generation of children behind us-I have concerns about my children but I know to pray and not worry--For the promise is there-Today major breakthru with both my older daughters praise GOD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!It does come around that promise AMEN!!! I believe it was Abraham who had all is generation blessed behind him for living everyday for God!!! Well take care!!!! :) (and of course God gives us children that are spiritual kids and grown-ups not just by blood haha-bye! Love, sister Mary)
Father, I ask You to bless My friends, relatives and those for whom I care deeply, who are reading this right now.. Show them a new revelation of your love and power. Holy Spirit, I ask you to minister to their spirit at this very moment. Where there is pain, give them your peace and mercy. Where there is self-doubt, release a renewed confidence through your grace. Where there is need, I ask you to fulfill their needs. Bless their homes, Families, finances, their goings and their comings. In Jesus' Precious name.
Amen.
Mary Jane please send me a message with your email address! Traci
YOU ARE INVITED Mosaic Concerts Next Up From Battle Creek Michigan, The Cast & Crew with Locals, Jeremiah Foundation and Ronnie Glenn Williams Sunday June 14, 8 PM
Mosaic is located at 902 George Washington Blvd, Wichita, KS 67211 (across from the Dairy Queen on the west side of the building at the corner of Lincoln & George Washington) for more information call (316) 305-0491 or visit www.myspace.com/mosaicwichita
Cost is $5 per person or 3 for $10. Of course, Mosaic has a policy, if you can't afford the regular admission, pay what you can, we would rather have a full house than an empty one.
Too cool! Mike is amazing and since you're his wife - you two must be dynamite together! Behind every great man is an incredible wife... right? Have a fabulous weekend and hope the surgery is very minor!!
Hey Mary Jane!!! Looking forward to meeting you in person and playing with you! Thanks so much for all of your willingness to help our band! Blessings! ~SHEL~
This Thursday Night will have a large bearing on how many concerts Mosaic continues to provide. We are hosting by far, our biggest band, Stars Go Dim. Stars Go Dim features 3 former members, (almost the entire band) of Pillar. Pillar a very popular Rock Band with Christian roots has played in venues and before hundreds of thousands. While this hard driving rock band was the catalyst of Stars Go Dim, many will be surprised at the incredible technical quality of this new band.
Stars Go Dim provides more of a rhythmic rock and blues closer to a Derrick Trucks or Marshal Tucker Band than that of a hard driving band such as Pillar. The quality of their debut ep is phenomenal and many of the songs can be heard at the bands myspace page located at www.myspace.com/starsgodim
One of the unique attributes of the show in Wichita on Thursday nigh, April 23 is that the venue will only seat 115 max. For a group of guys used to playing before thousands, and for the fans who love them, this unique opportunity will be something that won’t soon be forgotten. While the $10 admission for this concert is a little more than what Mosaic usually charges for its concerts, there could easily be hundreds if not thousands in the Wichita area who would be exited about this opportunity, an opportunity to see a band of this caliber in a room not much larger than some people’s living room. In fact, there will be many that will be so close to the band, you would think they were on the stage.
Opening up for Stars Go Dim will be the up and coming local band, Lost Colors formerly known as Mile Marker 128 can be heard at their myspacepage, www.myspace.com/thelostcolors This group of talented musicians is sure to please the crowd with their lively pop rock sound. Between Lost Colors and Stars Go Dim one can fully expect a very entertaining couple of hours worth of music in a close, intimate environment. It will be a concert that many will be talking about for a very long time.
"Watch your thoughts, for they become your words, choose your words, for they become your actions, Understand your actions, for they become your habits Study your habits, for they become your character, Develop your character for it becomes your destiny"
HUGS SANDY
