Raised in the town of Westport, CT, Mandy Mercier grew up in the tumultuous 1960s, and the music of the time had a profound effect on her. Having studied classical piano and violin in school, she took up guitar and became enthralled in old blues music by such artists as Mississippi John Hurt. Having formed various high school rock bands with Willy DeVille, Mercier headed West before returning to start a music major in college. But that was short lived as she moved to New York and formed a duo with Leif Kahal. From there she moved to Austin, where the blossoming scene with the likes of Joe Ely, Townes Van Zandt, Lucinda Williams, and others sparked her creativity. In 1987, Mercier formed a group with Brian Glascock of the Motels, and Lone Justice musician Ryan Hedgecock. In 1993, she released her debut album, Forgiveness and Rage, and shortly thereafter followed it up with a live album. After surviving a bout with cancer in 1997, Mercier continued performing and released Wild Dreams of the Shy Cowboys in 2001. She performs throughout Texas, and has appeared at various showcases such as South by Southwest