Marnée

This looks to be a big summer for Marnée, Fort Wayne’s child prodigy who at 14 is almost old enough to swap “child prodigy” for a phrase with a little more tread on it, like “rising star.”

If the forthcoming music festival season goes as well as it seems like it’s about to, 2012 will be “the year of Marnée,” in the words of a young agent with William Morris who has taken on Marnée’s career on a sort of trial basis, according to Marnée’s dad, Tom Shaffer.

This young agent is just one of the cast members in the Marnée mix working gratis (for now): There’s also “Marvin,” a New York entertainment attorney; Artie Kornfeld, the founder of the original Woodstock festival; uberblogger Perez Hilton; rocker Pat Benatar; and whatever demented genius came up with a bizarre concept called “glamping.”

Marnée, a singer, songwriter and guitar whiz who has been wowing local audiences in Fort Wayne since she was 10, will open for Benatar in Hammond in late July.

She says she used to sing songs by Benatar on the karaoke machine at home when she was a kid (meaning all of six years ago). She just didn’t know she was singing Benatar’s songs.

When she found out she’d gotten the gig, she went on the Internet to research Benatar and found out she already knew a lot about her.

“I kept saying, ‘Oh I didn’t know she did that song. I love that song,’ ” Marnée recalls.

Among Marnée’s other summer concerts is an appearance arranged by Marvin at a music festival called Escape to New York.

It’ll happen in Southampton in early August, and Patti Smith and the Psychedelic Furs are the scheduled headliners.

Some of the more well-to-do attendees will pay thousands of dollars to partake of “glamping,” which is a mash-up of the phrase “glamorous camping,” Shaffer says.

Glamping somehow combines “roughing it” with “living it up” – 5-star service under the stars.

Because some of those glampers are likely to be music industry bigwigs on the lookout for new talent like Marnée, we probably should not be too quick to dismiss glamping.

As for Kornfeld, he featured Marnée on the May 3 edition of his radio show (hear it at www.artistfirst.com/woodstocknation.htm) and then invited her to be part of his Woodstock reboot called “The Spirit of Peace & Music Festival.” It happens Aug. 20 in Freeport, Ill.

There is something else in the works, but I am not allowed to say anything about it except I am sure it doesn’t involve anyone who would have any reason to bear ill will toward Lance Armstrong.

If you are one of those people who haven’t been keeping up with Marnée’s music career, here are a few highlights: Marnée was coached and then introduced by Stephen Stills at the grand opening of Lucas Oil Stadium (“It was like a daydream,” she says of the experience. “Talking to (Stills) was very weird, very surreal. I talked to him like he was my best friend almost.”), and one of her videos was posted by Perez Hilton on his blog and subsequently received a favorable comment from Jewel.

Marnée is about to enter her freshman year at an arts-centric private high school locally, and she says if things go as planned, there will be no immediate reason to go on to college.

“I mean, I guess I have an idea about (what success looks like), but I like to go with the flow,” she says. “I would like to tour around the world – play every country. I think that would be awesome. I would definitely like to be at a place where I am playing for big crowds.

“I want my music to be heard,” Marnée says. “It’ll be hard, but I want my name to be a household name.”

Should that not happen in the next four years, Shaffer says he will gently urge his daughter in a more traditional direction.

“If she’s not big by the time she graduates from high school, I will encourage her to go to college,” he says. “If she doesn’t get a good level of success by the end of high school, I would hate for her to be playing in bars.”

- The Journal Gazette June 5, 2011 / Steve Penhollow

August 2009
Turning 13 can be difficult for many.
But for singer/songwriter Marnée, who
already has her career established and is
looking ahead to making her name known
beyond her native Fort Wayne, becoming
a teenager just puts her that much closer to
her goals.
Marnée’s interest in music began very
early, when she sang before she even spoke
her fi rst word. Putting melody to the simple
syllabic language of an infant, the little girl
was intuitively drawn to song, and when she
grew older and saw members of her family
playing musical instruments, her fascination
only grew.
“My dad played guitar all the time
around the house, and it caught my
interest,” she said. “I asked him to teach me
a couple of chords, and that’s what really got
me interested in playing.”
Her parents were anxious to nurture
that growing interest and purchased a
small, inexpensive child’s guitar, waiting
to see how serious Marnée’s interest was.
She quickly demonstrated her devotion
by carrying the guitar with her wherever she went, even when heading outside
to play with friends. She also showed a
remarkable proclivity for some of the more
sophisticated aspects of playing.
“Of course with a cheaper guitar like
that it was always getting out of tune,” her
father Tom said. “And she always knew
when it wasn’t in tune. She had an ear for
sound and singing and could identify when
the pitch wasn’t right.”
Although Marnée’s three siblings each
have their own musical and artistic pursuits,
which she will happily discuss with great
pride, Marnée’s own efforts have become
fairly well-known throughout Fort Wayne
and Indiana over the years, with Marnée
beginning to write songs at the age of eight,
performing at open mic events at 10, and
releasing her fi rst CD, When There’s Gravity,
earlier this year. Her remarkable gifts are that
much more evident with the realization that
two of the fi rst songs she wrote almost fi ve
years ago, “Laugh and Play” and “Down in
the Valley,” both appear on her fi rst CD.
It isn’t only Fort Wayne audiences that
have experienced her talent and poise. Last summer when Indianapolis’s new Lucas
Oil Stadium was offi cially opened, it was
Marnée who fi nished the show. Playing
before, and ostensibly serving as her opening
acts, were music legends and Rock ‘n Roll
Hall of Fame inductees Stephen Stills and
John Mellencamp. With a theme of passing
the torch from one generation to another,
the seasoned pros introduced the young upand-
comer as the roof opened to the Colts’
new home.
“Seeing her talking to Stephen Stills
was incredible to me,” her father said. “I
grew up listening to his music.”
Already used to crowds of many sizes,
she is comfortable in her skin when she
stands before her audience.
“I get butterfl ies, but I never get
nervous,” she said. “It’s really more
excitement and wanting to do a good job.
Sometimes when you play in front of a small
crowd there isn’t as much energy, so I like to
play in front of a lot of people. When there
are more people, I know they want a good
show, and I can put all of my energy out
there for them.”

Courtesy of-Fort Wayne Monthly Magazine - On Stage-Fort Wayne Monthly / Michelle DeVinney

May 21, 2009
Marnée is 12 years old. Okay, that’s not completely relevant. A lot of fuss has been made over her age, but I’m mentioning her youth simply as a point of fact, not because you should listen to her debut album with the thought, “Well, this is pretty good for a 12-year-old. She’ll get better.”

She will get better, but, as anyone who has seen this singer-songwriter perform over the last few years can attest, even at 12 Marnée is already head and shoulders above many older, well established musicians in terms of skill and songwriting ability. With the release of When There’s Gravity everyone will be able hear for themselves.

Recorded at Tempel Studios, When There’s Gravity showcases the many different styles that have influenced Marnée so far. It opens nicely with “Laugh and Play,” featuring Lance Hoeppner and Rick Kinney from Moser Woods on keyboards and drums, respectively, and the incomparable Felix Moxter on viola. A lyrically insightful song about friendship and life in general, “Laugh and Play” is one of those tunes that will hang around in your head for days.

After a brief interlude by Hoeppner, Marnée shows off her singing talents in “While My Tears Turn To Ice,” “Summer Dress” and “Down in the Valley.” In the latter song, the first she ever wrote, Marnée delicately paints a clear picture of her past while simultaneously musing about the present and looking forward to the future – subjects to which just about anyone can relate.

The title track, “Solstice of the Sun” and “Gethsemane (Part I)” stand out as the album’s catchiest songs upon first listen and likely have the best chance of getting her further notice outside the Fort. These songs show Marnée’s uncanny ability to write a great hook and effortlessly blend that hook with profound lyrics. But wait – just when you think you’re getting a handle on the style of this album, the five-minute instrumental “Pixie Dusk in the Beehive” blows away any effort to pigeonhole this artist into one category.

With When There’s Gravity Marnée brings to mind a younger Jewel or Brandi Carlile as she crafts 10 distinctly different songs into an album of pure listening pleasure. This album leaves little doubt that Marnée is talented beyond her years. From the haunting melody of “Solstice of the Sun” to the intensity of “Pixie Dust” and the innocence of “Down in the Valley,” Marnée demonstrates that there are no limits to her imagination or her talent. Be sure to pick up a copy of this CD soon. It’s likely to become a collector’s item one day.


Copyright 2009 Ad Media Inc.
- Whatzup Magazine / Chris Hupe

February 18, 2008
Marnée “Down In The Valley”

Solo Performance

Singer/songwriter Marnee sings very mature lyrics belying her 11 years of age with sweet whispering, yet full and rich vocals. Blending minimalist guitar and a spine tingling voice, “Down In The Valley” is entrancing and unique.

Recommended if you like: Jewel, Sarah McLachlan, Joan Baez

web link:

http://www.cmj.com/relay/?p=3286 - CMJ Magazine

August 3, 2010
By Alexandra Scheirer
If you were to assign 13-year-old singer songwriter Marnée a musical family tree, you might say her mother would be Tori Amos, her grandmother would be Janis Joplin, Joni Mitchell might be a great aunt and Jewel would be her cousin.

At 8 p.m. Saturday, the Fort Wayne, Ind., native will bring her rich vocals and rocking guitar to Lyrikplatz, the free singer-songwriter stage at Musikfest. She is the youngest solo artist to be taking a stage at the festival.

Marnée started singing melodies before she knew words. Her father taught her to play guitar at 6, and she says she began writing her own songs around the same age. She started performing in coffeehouses at 9. At 11, she performed on the same stage as Steven Stills and John Mellencamp for the grand opening of the Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Indianapolis Colts. There, she performed a cover of Jewel's "Who Will Save Your Soul" and one of her originals, "Pixie Dust in the Beehive."

Her progressive folk rock music and lyrics are very mature for a 13-year-old. Her album, "When There's Gravity," features songs such as "Solstice of the Sun," about trying to change fate, and "While My Tears Turn to Ice," an acoustic melody about love lost. She says she gets her inspiration from life events. As for musical inspiration, she says she loves Led Zeppelin, Dave Matthews Band and Tori Amos.


At Musikfest, Marnée will play mostly originals, but, she says, she might throw in one of her favorite covers — "That's The Way" by Led Zeppelin. She recorded the song when she was 11 in one take for Fort Wayne's WXKE Rock 104 radio station's "Acoustic Coffee Break." Her rendition became the number one requested song for three months.

A typical summer day for Marnée is spent practicing or writing. "When I take a day off I like hanging out at the lake," she says. She also takes time out to do some of her summer homework. She attends a private school, which is very flexible. Her schedule allows her to play shows during the school year but she plays most of her shows during the summer.

Marnée wants to make it big.

"I would love to be able to do a duet with Robert Plant or Jimmy Page [of Led Zeppelin]," she says, "and I would love to tour with Tori Amos or Dave Matthews Band."

By the way, Marnée is her given first name, but she decided to go with one name only. "It's easy to remember," she says.

And once you hear this girl play, she surely won't be easy to forget.

•Musikfest runs Friday through Aug. 15 in downtown Bethlehem. For complete schedule and information, go to mcall.com/musikfest or http://www.fest.org.

- THE MORNING CALL - Bethlehem, P.A.

Feburary 2010
Marnée-by Trinity Lost
What I remember most as a child, was the endless acoustic waves echoing throughout the walls of our home. Every door was undoubtedly a portal to a different era than the next. My father, who was scarcely seen without his 1972 Martin guitar, unceasingly strummed out either original works, or one of John Lennon's masterpieces. My eldest brother introduced me to Steve Miller Band, Nirvana, Stone Temple Pilots, and many others that I took with me into adulthood. From my sisters' rooms, was usually the sound of some "hardcore love anthem" sung by big-haired men in tight leather. My other brother had his country music, and my mother brought Michael Jackson, Chicago, Air Supply and Huey Lewis to the table.


All of this variety that my little ears took in made me feel in my heart that music was going to be my life. Back then, I thought I wanted to be a star. I practiced in my room for years with combs and soda bottles for microphones. I studied the lyrics from my parents' records, choreographed dances to Cyndi Lauper tracks. I performed at every talent show from first grade, to sixth. I thought that I truely had "what it takes". Then...came... Middle School.

I don't know what happened exactly, but I started to become aware of fear. I began noticing that there were a LOT of eyes out there. I started singing in a softer voice, afraid that someone might hear me mess up. My body's temperature would rise, my cheeks would start rushing with saliva. I became a coward just brooding over the idea of performing. I still do to this day.

Luckily for me, I found that I became rather passionate about writing. Now that I have the opportunity to write about music, I feel like I am right where I am meant to be. Now, I have the opportunity to bring to you the talents of all these artists who have conquered the fears that hold myself back, and it brings me great satisfaction to do so.

This next artist undoubtedly belongs on center stage. At just thirteen years old, she has more vocal stamina than many of the musicians she admires. She has not just her own style, but an entirely unique perspective on how an acoustic guitar can be played. Her abilities are limitless. It is as if she has made some sort of pact with a magical source to play the way she does. Of course, I know better than to conjure up strange theories to explain such abilities. After all, this isn't 1692. Instead, I put all my faith into the fact that this young lady was just blessed with pure, natural, and undeniable artistic talent.


I am honored to introduce you to Marnee, of Fort Wayne, Indiana.


Marnee,(pronounced Mar-nay), is not held back by petty fears, which was one of the characteristics that first caught my attention. Her free spirit allows her to perform exactly as it comes through to her. She may look as if she exits this dimension in the middle of her set, but the reality is, she is probably more grounded than anyone that you or I have ever known. Marnee is simply a truely remarkable human being.

Marnee was turning heads at just ten years old, by winning "Top Vocalist" in her category at the 2006 Talent Rock in Orlando, FLorida. The young artist blew the audience away with her rendition of Sixpence None the Richer's " Kiss Me". She has since had the opportunity to play and perform for hundreds of thousands of ears through radio station waves, youtube, myspace, and places such as the annual Music Strategies Conference, for Tim Sweeny [Tim Sweeny's Guide to Releasing Independent Records], and literally at the Grand Opening of the Lucas Oil Stadium, new home to the Indianapolis Colts, sharing stage lights with legendary artists Stephen Stills and John Mellencamp.

Marnee has recently released her debut album, When There's Gravity, in which she solitarily wrote six of the eight songs. She is joined by instrumentalists Lance Hoeppner (Piano), Felix Moxter (Viola), Jake Vachon (Bass), and Rick Kinney (Drums), to form The Marnee Project. Each member of TMP accentuates Marnee's talents with superb acoustical harmony and precise rhythms.
The album was produced at Temple Recording Studios in Fort Wayne, by Rick Kinney and Thomas Shaffer.

I can not possibly tell you which song is a key one, because to me, they all are. The album is like that of Tori Amos, or Jewel, where every track is vital to the understanding of this young woman's inner workings. These songs are keys to her soul, which she is offering a peek into. The title track is definitely an example of how grown up she really is. Her lyrics are not typical for someone her age, but it is extremely refreshing to see that there is someone out there who is genuine. A lot of young girls start out by writing songs about Love, in relationships, and it doesn't seem right. Marnee speaks of Love, as well as the lack of it, that exists in our world today. I think that she is able to look past the things that do not matter, and each song proves that she has it in her to become exactly who she aspires to be. The best part of it all, is that she is doing it for the love of the music, not for the fame. Because of that, she will go far.

Please help support Marnee by purchasing When There's Gravity, and join the thousands who are watching her career bloom around her at an incredible speed.


-Marnee, you are an inspiration to us all-
Trinity Lost

(Scroll down for interview)
Trinity: Marnee, you played at the Grand Opening of Lucas Oil Stadium on August 14th, 2008. This was a pricey event, at $250 per ticket, and the show featured Stephen Stills, and a surprise guest appearance by John Cougar Mellencamp. How did you land a spot on stage for this special gathering, and did you get a chance to meet them?

Marnee: The Event Company, BMG, that produced the event, saw me online and called a local radio station to see if they knew how to get a hold of me. They called my Dad, came to see one of my shows and hired me. It was an awesome awesome experience! I didn't get to meet John Mellencamp, but I did get to meet Stephen Stills and he even took a moment to give me some advise as he was leaving the stage (& I was going on to the stage.) He said it sounded like there were four of you when you are on stage singing and to just listen to the voice inside ( This was due to the acoustics in the Huuuge Stadium!)



Trinity: Now, you play several guitars, including one very beautifully painted acoustic with your name across the frets. Who customized it for you?

Marnee: The customized guitar was made by CASE GUITARS but the beautiful artwork was done by my sister Hannah.


Trinity: Is there a particular guitar that you feel especially connected to?


Marnee: I feel very connected to all of my guitars but the one I am mostly connected to is my Taylor. It is a gift from a friend. It is my best guitar. It is a great guitar to have. I have even named it & written a song about it.


Trinity: Some people like to say that you are the reincarnate of a number of different artists; comparing you to Janis Joplin and those alike that we have lost in the past. How do you react to these statements?


Marnee: I think to myself, " You know it could be possible".

Trinity: Where do YOU feel your talent comes from?

Marnee: From my Soul.


Trinity: In all of your performances, you look as if you are completely entranced the moment you touch the first string. Where do you go in your mind while performing?

Marnee: I call it Drifting .....or my music coma...it's my happy place.


Trinity: How do you prepare yourself before stepping onto the stage?

Marnee: I focus on the present moment. I breathe it in and I breathe it out.


Trinity: Do you ever get nervous?


Marnee: I don't get nervous but I get really excited..like "OH WOW, I am here & I get to do this!"


Trinity: Do you want to continue with music throughout your life, or do you have any thoughts of what you want to do when you finish school?


Marnee: I want to be a professional musician & get to write music and perform!



Trinity: If you went on the road, what would your plan be for education?

Marnee: I would home school & maybe have a tutor also.


Trinity: You are an amazing songwriter, and not just for your age (which IS impressive of course), but as a true artist. What does it take for you to come up with the ideas for these songs?

Marnee: Everyday life & experiences.When all the emotions and thoughts gather you have to just write {them}. I started writing WHEN THERE'S GRAVITY after waking up from flying dreams. It made me think of being trapped by gravity and things we deal with.


Trinity: It's been said that your family may move to Nashville to help further your career. Is this still part of your goal?


Marnee: The move was put off due to the economy...we will move if circumstances change.


Trinity: If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you go?


Marnee: I would live on an island of the shores of Belize.


Trinity: You performed for Tim Sweeney at the annual Music Strategies Conference in L.A. What was your favorite part of the trip?


Marnee: My favorite part of the trip to California was flying for the first time. It was neat being in a different state and getting to explore a new state too. California is beautiful.I love the palm trees. I got to see my favorite car made into a limo...a Corvette limo! I cried when we were on the airplane going back home. I wanted to stay and have my family to just move there so we could live there. Tim Sweeney is a great guy. He gives a lot of one-on-one attention. He is a GREAT artist advocate and will do what he can to help you succeed in your music. We are planning to see Tim again in June at Music Strategies 2010 ~ Las Vegas.


Trinity: How do you spend your time when you're not singing?


Marnee: I love to be outside- swing and walk, I listen to Led Zeppelin & Joni Mitchell alot. I watch Sponge Bob!

Trinity: Do you have any other hobbies that you enjoy?

Marnee: I make claymation and toymation movies.


Trinity: You are known all over the world and have thousands of fans. Do you feel that you are still living a pretty normal life based on your new-found fame across the globe?

Marnee: What is a NORMAL Life? :) Anyway, absolutely.
I am living the same life I did before becoming known.


Trinity: How do you think you would handle it if suddenly you started having the paparazzi around every corner? Would it bother you, or have you prepared yourself for that level of fame?

Marnee: I don't think anyone can truly be prepared for paparazzi. I pretty much live in the moment and as different things come up, I deal with them then.


Trinity: How did you all come together to create the Marnee Project?

Marnee: The guys that laid down drum, keys and bass for the CD are all friends and we thought it would be fun to get together sometime and jam. We had never played together before- actually none of them had seen me play before- they had never heard me play live...they just knew my music from listening to the tracks laid down for the CD. A local venue heard we were gong to get together and play and booked us for a show. The band and I played together twice and voila.....The Marnee Project :)

Trinity: Do you feel more comfortable now that you have an awesome live band to join you on stage?

Marnee: NO...I am comfortable solo or w/ the band. It is really cool to play with the band. I couldn't say I like playing solo or with the band over the other...I just LOVE playing.




Trinity: Where would you like to see yourself, say 5 years from now?

Marnee: I would love to see myself playing on stage w/ Jimmy Page with a sold out show of 50,000 or so people.



*You know, I wouldn't be surprised if that goal came through...*

Thanks to Marnee, and her wonderful parents for all your cooperation and patience. - Damn Good Tunes

You may remember my interview last year with (then) thirteen year old Marnee of Fort Wayne, Indiana.
She amazed us all with the release of her debut album, When There's Gravity. Marnee's talent had stunned the DGT staff with her heartfelt and mature lyrics, and proved to the world that she had what it takes to be a true artist.
This month, I felt that she deserved another go at Artist of the Month. Why? Well, you are just going to have to see for yourself...

Marnee (Pronounced Mar-Nay), is about to release her sophomore album entitled With Strings Attatched.
The album consists of eight songs, including "The Reading", (which you will see below), and "No Simple Answer", both extremely powerful songs. Marnee has a soul that is far more advanced than any other human I know. You can see it in the way she plays her guitar, taking accoustic sound to a whole other level, and you can hear it in her voice. The combined vibration makes you feel as if you're floating in another dimension.

I won't go too deep into the description, because, simply, there aren't enough words in any dictionary to describe this young girls talent. The best I can do, is show you, so that you may hear her for yourself. If you have not read the previous interview, please do so by clicking HERE.

"With Strings Attatched" is (for now) only available on iTunes.

Now, without further ado, I present Marnee's first ever music video, "The Reading",
Edited by Chris Brown & shot by Nolan Broxton and John Brune

- Damn Good Tunes.com

Tuesday, June 1, 2010
GARRETTSVILLE - The weather, the music and the atmosphere didn't disappoint this weekend at Jonesfest III, put on by local band Jones For Revival.
The event was held at Nelson Ledges Quarry Park, which is a campground, a park, a music venue and a getaway from urban life. It was the second year Jones For Revival put the event on at Nelson Ledges; for one year, it was held in downtown Youngstown.

Beautiful weather Sunday meant the perfect environment for the number of bands scheduled to perform, including: Moser Woods, Super Massive, Sultans of Bing, The Young Stonians, Melva, Keeping Riley and Smokestack Horizon.

The festival seeks to feature, "some of the scenes grooviest bands and promotes positive energy, peace, love, and unity through music." The music went perfectly with the sunny day, as the scene was chill. While some danced, others napped in the sun nearby or swam in the quarry.

In addition to two stages of live music on Sunday, magician Jason Alan performed, the Tribe of Eos bellydancers performed and there were plenty of vendors selling everything from delicious food to camping supplies and hula-hoops.

One performer in particular stood out, even if she didn't stand above the crowd.

13-year-old Marneé took to the stage with the talent and swagger of a veteran, her vocals a mix of Tori Amos and Grace Slick. Even with pipes like that, it was her guitar playing that really stunned the crowd. Marneé is a rare talent who is good - not good because of her age.

The Marneé Project, based in Indiana, will perform again at Nelson Ledges for GratefulFest the first weekend of July.

But it was clear who the fans wanted to see: Jones For Revival. As darkness came over the campsites, people began gathering in front of the mainstage to see the weekend's headlining band, who opened the set with an extended version of "16 Dollars." As the song continued (and played out through the woods) people came to the front of the stage to hear Jones For Revival.

Jones For Revival, in one of their favorite environments, followed the theme of the Jonesfest weekend and did not disappoint.

http://valley24.com/videos/2010/jun/02/1266/

- Valley 24

June 18, 2009
The past saw Freimann Family Thursday activities happen on consecutive Thursdays. This year, a bunch of events will happen on one Thursday, June 4.
This summer is about embracing the new.
You may not know what words and phrases like “busking,” “Gyrotonic Expansion” and “the Marnee Project” mean now.
And I can’t guarantee you’ll have a better handle on things after I have further confused you with my attempts to elucidate.
I am already more confused than I was three sentences ago and I haven’t even begun to really elucidate in earnest yet. But I am not afraid.
Because I trust Courtney Tritch.
Tritch is the marketing and events coordinator for the Downtown Improvement District, and it is her job to act like she’s not frustrated with people like me who need things explained to them over and over again.
DID has a great lineup of summer events, many of which involve arcane phraseology.
First up is Freimann Family Thursday, making its triumphant return from plurality.
This summer, instead of several events happening on successive Thursdays, Freimann Family Thursday will consist of a consolidation of stuff on a single Thursday – June 4 – at Freimann Square.
That’s where the Marnee Project comes in.
The Marnee Project is apparently the name of a band formed by local acoustic music wunderkind Marnee.
At 12, Marnee is already a seasoned vet.
You can chart her climb from adolescent ingénue to adolescent superstar (without spilling a drop of adolescence) on YouTube.
It is a mark of her popularity in these parts that she’s been asked to headline this event, which will also feature the expected kids’ activities and balloon launch.
“What a great role model she is,” Tritch says of Marnee.
The past saw Freimann Family Thursday activities happen on consecutive Thursdays. This year, a bunch of events will happen on one Thursday, June 4.
This summer is about embracing the new.
You may not know what words and phrases like “busking,” “Gyrotonic Expansion” and “the Marnee Project” mean now.
And I can’t guarantee you’ll have a better handle on things after I have further confused you with my attempts to elucidate.
I am already more confused than I was three sentences ago and I haven’t even begun to really elucidate in earnest yet. But I am not afraid.
Because I trust Courtney Tritch.
Tritch is the marketing and events coordinator for the Downtown Improvement District, and it is her job to act like she’s not frustrated with people like me who need things explained to them over and over again.
DID has a great lineup of summer events, many of which involve arcane phraseology.
First up is Freimann Family Thursday, making its triumphant return from plurality.
This summer, instead of several events happening on successive Thursdays, Freimann Family Thursday will consist of a consolidation of stuff on a single Thursday – June 4 – at Freimann Square.
That’s where the Marnee Project comes in.
The Marnee Project is apparently the name of a band formed by local acoustic music wunderkind Marnee.
At 12, Marnee is already a seasoned vet.
You can chart her climb from adolescent ingénue to adolescent superstar (without spilling a drop of adolescence) on YouTube.
It is a mark of her popularity in these parts that she’s been asked to headline this event, which will also feature the expected kids’ activities and balloon launch.
“What a great role model she is,” Tritch says of Marnee.

web link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20090510/FEAT0108/305109971/1004/ENT08 - The Journal Gazette / Steve Penhollow

July 29, 2007
Almost anything can be a turning point in the life of a musician.

But here's one we can all agree on.

When the musician decides that, from here on out, she only wants to be known by one name.

Fort Wayne's Marnee Shaffer is no longer Marnee Shaffer (and the Fort Wayne thing is getting iffy as well).

Now, she simply wants to be known as Marnee.

Marnee is 10 years old.

There's nothing atypical about a 10-year-old musician. But a 10-year-old musician who performs credible versions of hits by seasoned professionals for crowds of adults who never feel like they have to cut her any slack for being a kid?

Pretty rare.

Marnee startles people.

She gets up there on stage, and she's cute, and people probably put themselves into the same frame of mind they get in when kids at family reunions announce that they are going to do a puppet show. And then she blows them away.

Marnee recently performed her first solo show at C2G Ministries.

Last year she won top vocalist in her category at the Talent Rock competition in Orlando, Fla., and this year she won first place in her category at the Fort Wayne Youtheatre Rising Stars talent search.

You can see some videos of her performing on YouTube. Just enter "10 year old Marnee" into the search engine.

Marnee is astoundingly self-assured on stage. She still has a few things to learn about interpreting material and stage patter, but she's 10 for Pete's sake.

Marnee even writes her own songs.

Some people who hear Marnee's originals say they can't believe she didn't have help writing them.

To skeptics, Marnee says, "Anyone who sees my facial expressions and hears my voice knows I write from the heart and I sing from the heart."

You can hear her perform her song "Down in the Valley" at www.myspace.com/marneeaugust.

This isn't "grammar school spring concert" stuff. This is "quite possibly my favorite song of the summer" stuff.

Marnee's dad, Tom, says Marnee has 10 completed songs to her credit and 10 in various stages of habiliment. He says her best stuff tends to be ad-libbed so he is in the habit of sneaking up behind her with a tape recorder.

A CD is being assembled at Tom Tempel Recording Studio.

An Epic Records executive has stated he wants to hear what Marnee sounds like when she's 12.

Marnee says, "I can't wait that long."

Not surprisingly, a wholesale move to Nashville is planned.

web link:
http://www.journalgazette.net/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070729/FEAT0108/707290456
- The Journal Gazette / Steve Penhollow

Fort Wayne has proven to be a hotbed of musical talent, as the pages of whatzup prove each week. Each week dozens of talented local musicians play the clubs, bars and coffeehouses around town, attesting to the diverse range of musical variety and skill in the area. Recently one talent has emerged, however, that may well put Fort Wayne on the map. A new talent, at a surprisingly tender age, has just returned from Los Angeles and may find herself signed to a major label contract.

What makes this story particularly interesting is that young Marnee Shaffer is only 10 years old. While many children that age may be finding themselves drawn to music and the possibility of playing an instrument in order to one day join a school band, Marnee is already well beyond that level. While it's a popular cliché to state that a child could sing before he or she could talk, Marnee's family says that hackneyed expression is true in this instance and they back it up with a story on her My Space bio.



"At age three-and-a half," it reads, "Marnee went to a music store with her dad for guitar strings. Marnee's dad heard someone picking out scales on a piano next to him, as he was counting out change at the check out. The cashier asked how long 'she' had been in lessons. Thinking the cashier was talking to the customer next to him, he turned to see who was at the piano. He was stunned when he saw Marnee at the piano picking out scales. He looked at the cashier and could only reply 'That is the first time she has ever touched a piano.'"

Soon after, she began asking for a guitar, which she received – in the form of a $10 model from eBay. From there Marnee began playing guitar and even writing her own songs, which proved enough motivation for the family to reward her with a more impressive model guitar for her eighth birthday, a 3/4 size Washburn. Now better armed for musical performance, Marnee began performing and competing in her elementary school's talent show. Since that early taste of performing, she has since won first place in a Talent Rock competition in Orlando, Florida in December and, closer to home, snagged first place performing in the Rising Stars competition this March. Her appearances haven't stopped there. Performing one of her own compositions, "Time Is Running Out," and supplementing it with material written by her father, Tom Shaffer, and several eclectic cover songs, Marnee became a fixture at open mic nights around town. While her covers range from Kansas ("Dust in the Wind") to Sixpence None the Richer ("Kiss Me"), it's no doubt her astonishingly mature originals that are winning her so much attention.

"She's always writing new songs," says her proud father. "They're very profound, very deep. They're definitely something that you'd think a 10-year-old wouldn't be capable of writing about. People who hear her usually say that it sounds like she's lived three or four lives already."

Aside from her singing and composing abilities, her early experience at the piano was a pretty good indicator of her natural talent as a player. Her family reports on her My Space page that even they didn't fully appreciate the level of her talent until a recent challenge was issued, something offered to keep her busy for awhile, but one that proved amazingly simple for the youngster.

"Marnee becomes bored very easily and is always asking for a new challenge," her Internet bio continues. "After the Rising Stars competition Marnee asked her dad for a challenging song. He gives her 'Blackbird' by The Beatles. He tells her this song will be a good challenge and take her awhile to learn. She says she'll have it down in one day! He tells her he will give her $50 if she can . Though Marnee never ceases to amaze us, we were stunned when Marnee had the song down in six hours. Within two weeks, Marnee is playing 'Blackbird' in the dark."

It's no wonder, with this level of accomplishment, that folks outside of Indiana are starting to take notice.
In the meantime, Marnee continues to be a fairly normal schoolgirl, with a few major exceptions. One wonders how someone, at the age of 10, can handle all of this excitement.

"She handles it by saying 'Umm, can I go play tonight,'" reports her father.

Except when Marnee wants to play, it's a little different than when the average 10-year-old plays. Marnee's playing for an audience.



Copyright 2007 Ad Media Inc.



- WhatzUp Magazine / Michelle DeVinney

August 3, 2010

If you were to assign 13-year-old singer songwriter Marnée a musical family tree, you might say her mother would be Tori Amos, her grandmother would be Janis Joplin, Joni Mitchell might be a great aunt and Jewel would be her cousin.

At 8 p.m. Saturday, the Fort Wayne, Ind., native will bring her rich vocals and rocking guitar to Lyrikplatz, the free singer-songwriter stage at Musikfest. She is the youngest solo artist to be taking a stage at the festival.

Marnée started singing melodies before she knew words. Her father taught her to play guitar at 6, and she says she began writing her own songs around the same age. She started performing in coffeehouses at 9. At 11, she performed on the same stage as Steven Stills and John Mellencamp for the grand opening of the Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Indianapolis Colts. There, she performed a cover of Jewel's "Who Will Save Your Soul" and one of her originals, "Pixie Dust in the Beehive."

Her progressive folk rock music and lyrics are very mature for a 13-year-old. Her album, "When There's Gravity," features songs such as "Solstice of the Sun," about trying to change fate, and "While My Tears Turn to Ice," an acoustic melody about love lost. She says she gets her inspiration from life events. As for musical inspiration, she says she loves Led Zeppelin, Dave Matthews Band and Tori Amos.


At Musikfest, Marnée will play mostly originals, but, she says, she might throw in one of her favorite covers — "That's The Way" by Led Zeppelin. She recorded the song when she was 11 in one take for Fort Wayne's WXKE Rock 104 radio station's "Acoustic Coffee Break." Her rendition became the number one requested song for three months.

A typical summer day for Marnée is spent practicing or writing. "When I take a day off I like hanging out at the lake," she says. She also takes time out to do some of her summer homework. She attends a private school, which is very flexible. Her schedule allows her to play shows during the school year but she plays most of her shows during the summer.

Marnée wants to make it big.

"I would love to be able to do a duet with Robert Plant or Jimmy Page [of Led Zeppelin]," she says, "and I would love to tour with Tori Amos or Dave Matthews Band."

By the way, Marnée is her given first name, but she decided to go with one name only. "It's easy to remember," she says.

And once you hear this girl play, she surely won't be easy to forget.

•Musikfest runs Friday through Aug. 15 in downtown Bethlehem. For complete schedule and information, go to mcall.com/musikfest or http://www.fest.org.

- By Alexandra Scheirer, OF THE MORNING CALL

August 15, 2008

INDIANAPOLIS -- It was a celebration nearly three years in the making Thursday night, as 1,800 people came out for a high-profile gala to mark the opening of the new Lucas Oil Stadium.

Guests paid $250 a ticket to attend Thursday night's celebration, which featured a concert and private tours of the $700 million facility.

Stephen Stills from Crosby Stills and Nash kicked off the night's concert from a stage set in the middle of the brand new playing field. INDIANA-NATIVE JOHN MELLENCAMP ALSO PERFORMED, ALONG WITH 11-YEAR OLD FORT WAYNE SINGER, MARNEE.

web link:
http://www.theindychannel.com/news/17198787/detail.html - The Indy Channel

December 3, 2009
This past summer, I missed an opportunity that I could kick myself in the rear over. On my way to an evening Tin Caps game, I strolled through the Rock the Plaza crowd in front of the library as they sat patiently waiting for the bands to begin. As I made my way through, I ran into Rock 104’s Doc West who told me that I must stick around to see an impressive musician that was about to hit the stage. After telling him I had six beer guzzling friend to meet at the game, he gave me a look as if to say it was my loss. The artist he was referring to was the 13 year old singer/songwriter/ guitar wiz Marnee.
A couple of innings into the Tin Caps game, I ran into some acquaintances in the beer line and they asked me what the score was. “Hadn’t they been paying attention?” I thought to myself. Then they told me they just heard an awesome performance by a young girl named Marnee and didn’t want to leave until she was done.
The truth behind all this hype is this 7th grader is the real deal. Ever since she began strumming the strings at an amazing age of 6 (thanks to some lessons from her dad), she has stayed true to her talent. In 2006, she won top vocalist in her category at the Talent Rock competition in Orlando, Florida. The thing that blows my mind is that she writes her own music both vocally and on the guitar. In 2006, she won top vocalist in her category at the Talent Rock competition in Orlando, Florida. A year later, she took 1st place in her age group at the Fort Wayne Youtheatre Rising Stars talent search. Last April, she released her impressive debut When There’s Gravity which is currently available at Wooden Nickel, on cdbaby, and at her shows. In addition to releasing her first album, Marnée performed for the grand opening of Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis last year. But it doesn’t stop there. This July Atlantic Records paid for her trip to New York so she could showcase her talent for them. How many people do you know get that opportunity? This wasn’t an “American Idol” type of audition where musicians lined the hallways waiting for their chance. It was actually just Marnee and a few A&R guys listening to her perform. She received some great feedback that day but only time will only tell how it will unfold.
Marnée is currently writing and hoping to do some sort of summer tour next year, hitting several festivals in the Midwest. Although she has no shows booked at this time, feel free to check out her Lucas Oil Stadium performance on her MySpace page (www.myspace.com/Marne august). One thing’s for sure: whenever she does play next, this time I’ll be there!

Copyright 2009 Ad Media Inc.
- Whatzup Magazine / Nick Braun