Her boys can't believe she gets paid to "play" all day!

When she moved to Northeast Tennessee in 1991, MaryGrace claimed she “moved back home”. Her mother's people lived in Tennessee from 1795 until the early 20th century. MaryGrace grew up in southern West Virginia where stories and old time music could still be heard around kitchen tables and on front porches. While in college MaryGrace performed at folk festivals, summer camps, youth groups, and churches. These experiences prepared her for her toughest audience: her three sons. 

MaryGrace has worked as a mental health therapist, using the healing aspects of storytelling, with individuals, groups, families, and couples and in workshops. For seven years MaryGrace worked as a historical interpreter at Rocky Mount Museum in Piney Flats, TN indulging her love of storytelling and ballad singing.

In 2005 MaryGrace completed her Master's Degree in Storytelling at East Tennessee State University and began a new career as a professional storyteller. 

With her love of history, it's no surprise that Mary Grace loves to tell historical stories. She also tells folk tales, sacred stories, fables, humorous stories, personal stories, traditional Appalachian stories, and ghost stories.

Mary Grace is a performing member of the Jonesborough Storyteller’s Guild and Beaver Creek Guild in Bristol TN/VA, and is a member of NSN (National Storytelling Network) and TSA (Tennessee Storytelling Association).