Putting Music Forward

There are a number of ways that you might encounter Mary Kadderly. She might be performing at a local jazz club, concert hall or jazz festival. You might be driving in your car when a selection from one of her four albums comes on the radio. You may attend one of her many vocal workshops and classes, or take some private vocal lessons. Or you might hear a commercial for Saturn, Frangelico, City University or any of the scores of television and radio commercials that feature her distinctive voice.

Putting Skills to Work

With a range of musical styles that reaches from jazz and blues to R&B, country western and pop, Mary Kadderly is a singer and songwriter with a sound all her own. Born in Portland, Oregon, she began early, getting her start singing in a jazz and blues band. “The first time I sang into a microphone, the music bug bit me hard. From then on I was hooked,” she says. At the age of 19, she started playing in hometown clubs, while studying Music and Theater Arts at PSU. Soon after graduation, Mary was regularly performing in nightclubs, in concerts, and at festivals around the country.

In 1991, she started her record label, marymargaret MUSIC, which released 3 titles: Mary Kadderly, Down Right Big Time and I Go Zoom, which became a top-selling CD in the Northwest, and was nominated for best Jazz and Blues album of 1999.   In 2003, marymargaret music became LIKELIFE RECORDS On the new label, Mary released Lucky Me, which features a number of her striking settings of Shakespeare sonnets. She has also recorded an album of Christmas music on Ripping Glass Records entitled Christmas Memories.  Recently, Mary released the single, “She’s All Eyes”, a collaboration with writer Maura Conlon-McIvor.

A pianist as well as vocalist, Mary is on the faculty in the Music & Sonic Arts Department at Portland Community College. She presents regular vocal workshops with legendary jazz singer Nancy King. She also has a thriving private practice teaching singing, piano, and music theory.  She is currently working on a children’s storybook with music. Tentative release date is early 2025.

 – Written by Darrel Grant. From the “30 FOR THE 30” Snapshots of Portland State Music Alumni who are making a difference through Music.