The singer had toured and performed in Pakistan before as well and had enjoyed her previous brief stay in the country. The wonderful experience of meeting her Pakistani fans and experiencing the ambiance of Pakistan had prompted her to perform again this time, on the invitation of the American Consulate. The cultural officer elaborated, “Mary McBride loved her last trip to Pakistan. She was so touched by the hospitality of the people that she was thrilled to be able to come back.”
Mary McBride had also posed in a picture with ARY reporter Faizullah and was extremely pleased to meet him. Taking to Facebook, the globally recognized singer had gushed at the opportunity of getting to know Faizullah and seemed to be aware regarding his recent incarceration in Afghanistan. “Honored to meet Faizullah Khan, a leading Pakistani journalist, at our show yesterday. Faizullah was sentenced to four years in prison in Afghanistan, and was released only after Malala Yousufzau appealed to Hamid Karzai and pleaded for his release”, Mary captioned a photograph of herself alongside Faizullah.
The National Academy for Performing Arts (NAPA) was also felicitated on the occasion by U.S. Cultural Affairs officer Li Ping Lo, in recognition of its services of bringing globally recognized artists to Pakistan and in its bid to provide the entertainment-starved nation with quality fun. The cultural officer had stated that NAPA “offers Pakistanis a broad array of cultural attractions and home to visiting international artists.”
The US Consulate Karachi sponsored band comprises of Mary McBride on vocals, John Kengla on the guitar, Jon Spurney on the keyboard, Greg Beshers on bass, and Mark Stepro on drums.
To commemorate the 10th anniversary of NAPA, these celebrations were part of the “International Music Festival” 2015. The star had also performed in Hyderabad’s Lahooti Music Ashram and met several musicians from interior Sindh.
Mary McBride and her band have released four albums – “Everything Seemed Alright,” “By Any Other Name,” “Every Day Is a Holiday,” and “The Way Home.” Mary received significant acclaim for her performance of “No One’s Gonna Love You like Me” on-screen. She also won laurels for her performance in the soundtrack for the Academy Award winning Brokeback Mountain. She has visited 20 countries as a Cultural Envoy for the United States and enchanted audiences in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Vietnam, Indonesia, Afghanistan and Russia.
