Mary Osborne, American jazz guitarist and guitar manufacturer | The New York Public Library Digital Collections
Mary Osborne, American jazz guitarist and guitar manufacturer | The New York Public Library Digital Collections
Born on July 17, 1921, in Minot, North Dakota, Mary Osborne, the tenth of eleven children, began her musical journey early. Raised in a musically inclined family, she played multiple instruments and hosted her radio program at a young age. Discovering jazz in 1940s New York, Osborne played alongside legends like Dizzy Gillespie and Thelonious Monk. In 1968, she and her husband established the Osborne Guitar Company in Bakersfield, California. Osborne's transition from hillbilly music in North Dakota to jazz in New York marked her versatile career. Teaching and playing locally, she left an enduring impact on Bakersfield's music scene. Her final performances in 1991 at the Village Vanguard in New York concluded a remarkable journey. Osborne passed away in March 1992, leaving behind a legacy that resonates in the jazz corridors of Bakersfield.
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