AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – Even though Madisen Ward is in a band with his mother, when the duo performs onstage he sees her as something else: a musician.
Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear consist of 26-year-old Madisen and his mother, Ruth. The duo has been building buzz at coffee houses for nearly six years in their hometown of Kansas City, Missouri with their striking, folk-roots sound. It led to a recording contact, signed in October, with Glassnote Records – the home label to Mumford & Sons and Phoenix. They’ve already performed on “Late Show with David Letterman” and will release their debut album on May 19.
“When we’re playing together, I don’t look at Madisen, my son, I look at my fellow musician,” Ruth said in an interview Wednesday.
“He can get mad at me and it won’t affect me – well, a little bit,” she adds, as Madisen laughs and says, “And vice versa.”
“I hate to say it – it’s kind of not really mother and son that much whenever we play music. And then as soon as we come off, we’re right back,” Madisen said. “When it comes to the business, we’re being business people.”