Mary MacGregor
Mary MacGregor |
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Mary MacGregor (born 6 May 1948, St. Paul, Minnesota) is an American singer, best known for singing the 1976 song, "Torn Between Two Lovers" which reached number one on the Billboard charts for 2 weeks.
Career
Born in St. Paul, MacGregor began studying piano at age six, and was singing with bands by the time she was a teenager. After attending the University of Minnesota, MacGregor began to tour the country with various acts and caught the attention of Peter Yarrow from Peter, Paul & Mary. She soon joined Yarrow, singing backup on a solo tour, and made an appearance on his Love Songs album.
Signed to the Ariola America, MacGregor released her debut single, "Torn Between Two Lovers", in late 1976. The new year saw the single top both the pop charts and adult contemporary charts, selling over a million copies. Two further singles from the album of the same name, also written and produced by Yarrow, charted but were overwhelmed by the success of the title track.
MacGregor admitted in The Billboard Book of Number One Hits by Fred Bronson that she hated her own chart-topper, chiefly because she had little sympathy for the narrator of "Torn Between Two Lovers," a woman who confesses to her husband that she is having an affair but pleads with her husband to stay with her and accept the situation. MacGregor also said that the song indirectly led to the breakup of her own marriage, not because she cheated on her husband (which she denied having ever done), but because her career kept her away from home so often that her relationship with her husband strained and they decided to separate. At the same time, MacGregor acknowledged that the song was a hit because it appealed to listeners who had found themselves in the situation described in the lyrics.
She would release several more albums, and have three more minor chart singles (including the song "Good Friend" from the 1979 Bill Murray film Meatballs).
In 1980, Mary won best song & best performance at the 'World Popular Song Festival' In Tokyo, Japan with the song "What's The Use" in which she co-wrote.
Mary had two songs "Sayonara" & "Love Light" (both of which she co-wrote) featured in the 1981 Japanese Anime movie of Galaxy Express 999
Just when it seemed Mary had retired from the music business, she teamed up with fellow musician friends, Joe Ghiglia & John Holt in 1999 and formed The Mary MacGregor Band. The result was a CD called "Perfect Yellow House".
She is also mentioned on "The Steamboat Album" as doing vocals for one of the tracks named, "Rabbit Ears". The album was recorded by Yampa River Records in 1976 in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
Discography
Albums
- 1976 Torn Between Two Lovers
- 1978 ...In Your Eyes
- 1979 Mary MacGregor's Greatest Hits
- 1980 Mary MacGregor
US Singles
| Single cover | Single information | ||
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| File:TornUS45.jpg | Torn Between Two Lovers I Just Want To Love You
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| File:ThisGirlPromo.jpg | This Girl (Has Turned Into A Woman) (mono) This Girl (Has Turned Into A Woman) (stereo)
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File:ThisGirlUS.jpg | This Girl (Has Turned Into A Woman) Good Together
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| File:ForAWhile.jpg | For A While The Lady I Am
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| File:I'veNeverBeenUS.jpg | I've Never Been To Me In Your Eyes
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| File:MemoriesPromo.jpg | Memories (mono) Memories (stereo)
PROMO COPY |
File:MemoriesUS.jpg | Memories Seashells On The WIndows, Candles And A Magic Stone
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| File:Coming Soon! | The Wedding Song (There Is Love) (mono) The Wedding Song (There Is Love) (stereo)
PROMO COPY
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File:Wedding Song.jpg | The Wedding Song (There Is Love) Benjamin
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| File:GoodFriendPromo.jpg | Good Friend (mono) Good Friend (stereo)
PROMO COPY |
File:Coming Soon! | Good Friend Rudy And Tripper
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| File:Coming Soon!.jpg | Dancin' Like Lovers (mono) Dancin' Like Lovers (stereo)
PROMO COPY |
File:Dancin'.jpg | Dancin' Like Lovers I Can't Hold On
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| File:SomebodyPleasepromo.jpg | Somebody Please (mono) Somebody Please (stereo)
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References
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All images/memorabilia are from the personal collection of PEPE (abbafanusa@yahoo.com).