It All Begins With A Song

Written by Mary Elizabeth Long, Isabella Brown

True story about how I came to write music after buying an old guitar.

With over 1000 vintage guitars to choose from, Mary Elizabeth’s heart was absolutely set on a beautiful, 1957 Gibson Country Western. From the moment she played it, she couldn’t stop thinking about that tone, that feel. A few days later, she told her husband that old guitar was haunting her. The following week they went back she just had to play it again. Mary Elizabeth told Walter Carter, the owner of Carter Vintage Guitars in Nashville, that she just had to have it, that it was haunted her. He told her that the guitar came with an “ugly” green dress. The green dress was stuffed in a large Ziploc bag. Of course, Mary Elizabeth had to try it on! When she did it fit beautifully. When she zipped up that dress, she really zipped up the fate of that guitar… and her future as a singer songwriter. Being a professional wardrobe stylist, and a self proclaimed country music connoisseur, Mary Elizabeth had no doubt this was a sign that the guitar (and dress) belonged with her. Walter Carter informed her that the guitar had belonged to Nashville singer-songwriter, Lorene Mann, Who wrote the hit song, ‘ Son Don’t Go Near The Indians’ for Rex Allen. Then they showed me a picture of Lorene wearing the same dress and holding the same guitar along with one of her albums from the 60’s. After a quick photo shoot with the dress and guitar, the deal was done. It was clear to everyone that something special was taking place. She took the guitar home and played it all night long. The next morning she woke up and researched Lorene Mann. She came across her obituary and to Mary Elizabeth’s surprise, she and Lorene share the same birthday, January 4, and Lorene Mann is buried across the street from her house.
Lorene was also a co-founder of National Songwriters Association (NSAI). In the 1970’s she coined the phase, “It All Begins With A Song”, which remains Nashville’s slogan today! Just days after receiving the guitar, Mary Elizabeth wrote her first song…and hasn’t stopped!