Mary Hatley is a rising star and she has been making her rounds through the Memphis music scene. From writer’s rounds to full band shows – Hatley is a force to be reckoned with and her sophomore album, “Game You’ll Lose” states exactly that.
Best Studio Session
Hatley stayed loyal to her roots and recorded her second album at Easley McCain Studios with producer and engineer, Matt Qualls. While Hatley is not new to Easley McCain Studios, her latest album was an entirely different experience. Hatley describes how she got to branch out with her style and include more instrumentation than she did with her debut album, from a horn section to pedal steel, she incorporated as much influence as possible.
“This album allowed me to experiment with my sound. I never want to be stuck in a genre and I wanted to prove that.”
Truth & Songwriting
Staying true to her roots is a large part of Hatley’s philosophy. She created a sound that incorporates her upbringing while navigating new aspects of herself and her environment. Hatley describes her writing process and how she forms her full band sound. “I like to write early in the morning by myself, just my acoustic guitar and my rambling thoughts. I record the songs on my phone and allow them to be formed by the words and emotion.”
Similar to her debut album, her newest tracks follow Hatley’s life and her sometimes rather scandalous story telling. She jokes that she can be rather blunt with her words.
While Hatley can be a truth teller and sing about serious topics, she also has a manner of being wry and satirical in her songs. Her personality shines through her writing, showing her wide range of attitudes towards life.
Hatley did not stop there. Hatley says that songs like “5 Shots” were not always originally full band anthems. She states, “I wrote 5 shots as a pop song and the guys heard the true desperation of the story and turned it into a ballad.” She is appreciative of having such an understanding team of musicians. “Everytime I try to hide behind an emotion or play it off, they make me recognize the true story behind my own words. Sometimes it’s like a punch in the gut but I appreciate it.”
A Name You Can’t Ignore
Hatley has formed a band of Memphis musicians that have taken the stage and made a name for themselves as The Petty Bitches and they are just as much of a force to be reckoned with as Hatley. The band consists of lead guitarist Steve Selvidge, bassist Noah Nelson, rhythmic guitarist Jeff Leedham, and drummer Andrew McNeill.
Hatley never planned to have such a tongue in cheek band name. She states, “We were on stage at BSide one night and I made the joke that I was a petty bitch for writing ‘Didn’t See A Ring,’ that is when Jeff turns to me and says we should call ourselves the Petty Bitches and now the band is stuck with it.”
Album Release
Hatley’s sophomore album will be released on October 2nd, 2026. She will be hosting a preview listening party at Memphis Listening Lab on Wednesday September 30th, before her album release show at BSide on October 2nd.
Mary Hatley and the Petty Bitches will be playing the album live and ready to show Memphis what they’re about.
