MARY SPENDER

Signing a record deal with a major label used to be the ultimate goal for guitarists serious about making a living from the instrument. These days, however, savvy musicians are building their own relationship with their fans online – and often reaching far more listeners as a result. Brighton-based guitarist Mary Spender is among the most successful of a new generation of musicians who blend music-making with shrewd, engaging commentary on guitar culture – sharing both with 170,000 fans via YouTube. Along the way, she’s become a mentor to thousands of guitarists who follow her friendly, intelligent advice on how to match gear to your own music-making needs. But the music still comes first, she says, and deservedly so. Blending aspects of Joni Mitchell’s confessional songwriting style with a harmonically rich, percussive style on the electric guitar that’s bolder and more contemporary, she’s a galvanic and richly emotive player. Walking the line between art and the nebulous role of ‘influencer’ is a tough act to pull off, but, like other musicians who’ve found fame on YouTube, she has a no-nonsense style on camera and uses the platform to talk gear. With a new EP on the way we joined her to ask just who does Mary Spender think she is? Helpfully, she starts at the beginning…