Mary Margaret O'Hara

Early life and musical beginnings

Mary Margaret O'Hara was born in Toronto, Ontario, into a family of Irish Catholic descent. Her early musical education came from listening to artists like Van Morrison and Dinah Washington, as well as her father's jazz record collection. In the 1970s, she was a student at the Ontario College of Art and Design, where she began to merge visual and musical arts. During this period, she became involved in Toronto's music scene as a member of the bands Dollars, Songship, and Go Deo Chorus. On March 17, 1978, she and her brother Marcus O'Hara initiated the Martian Awareness Ball, an annual Saint Patrick's Day event that continues at the Horseshoe Tavern. O'Hara also worked as a graphic artist, contributing lettering for the cover of Dalbello's album whomanfoursays before signing a recording contract with Virgin Records in 1983. This contract would eventually lead to the release of her debut album five years later, though the process was fraught with creative differences.

Miss America and recording career

The path to O'Hara's debut album was long and complex. Material for what would become Miss America was recorded as early as 1983 and 1984 with producer Joe Boyd. In 1987, producer Michael Brook saw O'Hara perform and took on the task of finishing the album, adding new vocals and remixing the existing tapes. The album was finally released in 1988, featuring songs written over nearly a decade, including "To Cry About" from 1980. The liner notes of a later reissue detail that six tracks were from 1984, four from 1988, and one from 1983. O'Hara later reflected on the difficult production experience with Virgin Records, noting the disconnect between artistic freedom and commercial expectations. She described loving the Celtic crosses and sheep near the studio in Wales but found the shift from "You can do whatever you want" to "What have you done?" to be a tough transition. Following this intense period, her only other major release under her own name was the four-song Christmas EP in 1991. She did not release another recording under her own name until 2001, when she and guitarist Rusty McCarthy contributed to the soundtrack for the film Apartment Hunting, in which she also acted.

Collaborations and guest appearances

O'Hara has built a significant part of her career through collaborations with a wide array of artists across genres. She provided backup vocals for Morrissey on his 1990 song "November Spawned a Monster" and contributed to four albums by Canadian musician Bob Wiseman: In Her Dream, Accidentally Acquired Beliefs, Theme and Variations, and Giulietta Masina At The Oscars Crying. Her voice has appeared on records by Bruce Cockburn, Holly Cole, Neko Case, and The Hidden Cameras, on whose 2014 album Age she provided guest vocals for the song "Gay Goth Scene". She recorded a duet, "Peanuts", with Tindersticks for their 2010 album Falling Down a Mountain. O'Hara has also been a frequent participant in tribute projects and curated concerts, performing at events honouring Leonard Cohen, Kurt Weill, and Duke Ellington. On May 15, 2009, in Toronto, Will Oldham brought her on stage to perform a cover of John Prine's "In Spite of Ourselves".

• She performed Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" with Gavin Friday and "The Window" at Hal Willner's Came So Far For Beauty tribute in Dublin in 2006.
• She contributed the song "Florida" to the 1996 Vic Chesnutt tribute Sweet Relief II: Gravity of the Situation.
• She sang "Fürchte dich nicht" for the 1997 Kurt Weill tribute September Songs.
• She performed "God Moves on the Water" for the 2004 Blind Willie Johnson tribute Dark Was the Night.
• She participated in the Harry Smith Project Revisited tour from 1999 to 2001, performing the folk song "He Got Better Things for You".
• She sang on the 2010 compilation Garth Hudson Presents: A Canadian Celebration of The Band, performing "Out of the Blue".
• In 2025, she recorded an improvised prologue to the album wounded by John Oswald.

Mary Margaret O'Hara sang the theme song for the CBC true-crime podcast Someone Knows Something, which was written by Bob Wiseman. She contributed to Justin Rutledge's album No Never Alone. She performed the song "Heart a Mine" with Blackie and the Rodeo Kings on their 2011 album Kings and Queens. Her collaborative work also includes contributions to four albums by Bob Wiseman. She recorded a duet called "Peanuts" with Tindersticks for their 2010 album Falling Down A Mountain.

Live performances and artistic recognition

Despite her limited discography, O'Hara has remained an active and revered live performer. Her stage appearances are often rare and highly anticipated events. She performed at the All Tomorrow's Parties festival in Minehead, England, in April 2007 and with Howe Gelb at the Barbican Centre in London that May. She performed at Toronto's Canwest Cabaret Festival in both 2008 and 2009, and in 2009 participated in a musical improvisation show with Michael Snow and Aidan Closs. A 2009 radio interview on CBC's Q featured an impromptu duet of "Baby, It's Cold Outside" with host Jian Ghomeshi. In 2017, she gave a rare performance at the Le Guess Who Festival in Utrecht, invited by curator Perfume Genius. Her status among fellow musicians is widely noted. During a 1999 R.E.M. concert in Toronto, Michael Stipe brought her on stage and declared her a "national treasure". Other noted fans include Kristin Hersh, Radiohead, Dave Matthews, and Rickie Lee Jones. The Cowboy Junkies recorded a version of her song "You Will Be Loved Again" on their 1990 album The Caution Horses. O'Hara has also performed in musical theatre, notably in productions of Tom Waits' The Black Rider, with Pitchfork.com noting she stole the show.

Acting and film work

O'Hara has pursued a parallel career as an actress, appearing in several films and television productions. Her early acting role was in the 1985 film The Last Polka, where she played Gerta Lemon, one third of the Lemon "Twins" singing duo alongside her sister Catherine O'Hara and Robin Duke. She acted alongside Tom Waits in the 1986 film Candy Mountain, directed by Robert Frank and Rudy Wurlitzer. In 1991, she contributed to the soundtrack for The Events Leading Up to My Death, a film in which she also appeared. She later starred in a leading role in Jem Cohen's 2012 film Museum Hours, set in Vienna's Kunsthistorisches Museum. For her performance in the 1989 CBC Television special It's a Razorbacks Christmas Barbeque, she received a Gemini Award nomination for Best Performance in a Variety or Performing Arts Program or Series at the 5th Gemini Awards in 1990. In 2024, she performed the voice of classical violinist Kathleen Parlow in the film Measures for a Funeral. She also performed her song "Dark, Dear Heart" at the funeral of actor John Candy in March 1994.

Discography and contributions

Mary Margaret O'Hara's official discography as a lead artist is concise but impactful. Her primary releases consist of one studio album, one EP, one film soundtrack credited to her, and a single. The album Miss America was released in 1988 on Virgin Records after a protracted production period. The Christmas EP followed in 1991, offering four seasonal songs. Her collaborative soundtrack for Apartment Hunting arrived in 2001, and the single "This Is What I Want" was released in 2014. Her work as a contributor is far more extensive, spanning decades and encompassing tribute albums, collaborative projects, and guest vocals.

Key contributions include vocals on the 1994 collaborative concert album Count Your Blessings with Jane Siberry, Holly Cole, Rebecca Jenkins and Victoria Williams. She performed on Hugh Marsh's 1996 album Songs for My Mother and Father and provided vocals on three songs for The Henrys' 1996 album Puerto Angel. She contributed "Blues in the Night" to the 2003 Harold Arlen tribute Stormy Weather and "The Cry of Man" to the 2006 compilation Rogue's Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs, and Chanteys. She also contributed "Then Said the Captain to Me (Two Poems of the Sea)" to the 2013 sequel, Son of Rogues Gallery. Earlier in her career, she contributed two songs with Gary Lucas to Kip Hanrahan's 1993 album Darn It! and provided background vocals for John & Mary on their 1993 album The Weedkiller's Daughter.

Tributes and influence

O'Hara's unique artistry has inspired tributes from other musicians and writers, reflecting her lasting impact on the artistic community. Scottish musician Steve Adey recorded a song titled "Mary Margaret O'Hara" on his 2006 album All Things Real and later covered her song "To Cry About" on his 2017 album Do Me a Kindness. The short story "Something To Cry About" in Sofi Papamarko's 2023 collection Radium Girl was directly inspired by O'Hara's song of a similar name and built on three prompts given to the author by the singer herself. In 2023, musician Bria Salmena covered O'Hara's "When You Know Why You're Happy" on her EP Cuntry Covers, Vol. 2. These works demonstrate the enduring and inspirational quality of O'Hara's small but potent body of work, which continues to resonate with new generations of artists. Her approach to music, which blends jazz, folk, and avant-garde elements with deeply personal lyricism, has established a template for artistic integrity that many musicians admire. The range of artists who cite her as an influence, from alternative rock bands to folk singers, shows the breadth of her artistic reach.

Questions about Mary Margaret O'Hara

What is Mary Margaret O'Hara best known for?

Mary Margaret O'Hara is best known for her critically acclaimed 1988 debut album Miss America. The album is considered a cult classic for its emotionally raw and genre-defying sound. She is also recognized for her distinctive, haunting vocal style and her influential status within the Canadian music scene. Beyond this album, she is known for her Christmas EP (1991) and her numerous collaborations with other artists.

What other artists has she worked with?

O'Hara has collaborated with a diverse range of artists. She sang backup for Morrissey on "November Spawned a Monster" and has worked extensively with Bob Wiseman. Other collaborations include contributions to albums by Bruce Cockburn, Holly Cole, Neko Case, Tindersticks, and The Hidden Cameras. She has also performed in tribute concerts for Leonard Cohen, Kurt Weill, and Duke Ellington.

Has Mary Margaret O'Hara done any acting?

Yes, O'Hara has had several acting roles in film. Her credits include The Last Polka (1985), Candy Mountain (1986) with Tom Waits, and a leading role in Museum Hours (2012). She also performed the voice of Kathleen Parlow in the 2024 film Measures for a Funeral. For her television work in a 1989 CBC Christmas special, she received a Gemini Award nomination.

Is she still performing live?

Yes, Mary Margaret O'Hara remains somewhat active as a live performer. She performed a rare live show at the Le Guess Who Festival in the Netherlands in 2017. She performed at Toronto's Canwest Cabaret Festival in both 2008 and 2009. She also performed at the All Tomorrow's Parties festival in England in 2007.

Is Mary Margaret O'Hara related to Catherine O'Hara?

Yes, Mary Margaret O'Hara is the older sister of comedic actress Catherine O'Hara. She was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, to a family of Irish Catholic descent. The two sisters have collaborated professionally, appearing together in the 1985 film The Last Polka as part of the Lemon 'Twins' singing duo. While Catherine pursued a prominent acting career, Mary Margaret focused on her unique path in music and occasional acting roles. Their family connection is a noted part of her personal background within her artistic biography.

Why did she only release one album?

Mary Margaret O'Hara has released only one album under her own name, which is the acclaimed 1988 record Miss America. Her contract with Virgin Records led to this release, though she later reflected on difficult creative differences during its production. Following this, her primary artistic output has consisted of a collaborative film soundtrack for Apartment Hunting in 2001, a Christmas EP in 1991, and the 2014 single This Is What I Want. She has chosen to focus her career on live performances, guest contributions on other artists' albums, and acting roles rather than producing more solo studio albums. She remains active in these areas, performing at festivals and contributing to various tribute and compilation albums.

Sources and further reading

• Mary Margaret O'Hara (Wikipedia)
• About, Mary Margaret O'Hara (marymargaretohara.com)
• The Off-Beat Beauty of Mary Margaret O'Hara, bed crumbs (carriecourogen.substack.com)

Checked by the Yadude Books desk. Last updated 2026-11-06.