Twenty years ago, Martha Wainwright stepped into the limelight and announced herself to the world with debut album Martha Wainwright. Featuring “Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole”, a song about her father, “Factory” and “When The Day Is Short,” it made a strong statement.

On May 23rd, 2025, [PIAS] will release this album on vinyl for the very first time. This classic debut will also be released on CD and digital with extra tracks and a bonus disc that features 14 rarities and alternate versions.

Songs include “Bring Back My Heart” featuring Rufus Wainwright, “Our Love” with Kate & Anna McGarrigle and “Far Away” featuring the late Garth Hudson, both never previously released.

Martha Wainright says:

In the years before my first album was released, I was doing my own version of ‘artist development’ – playing a lot of gigs and going into the studio to make demos. I got to New York City in 1998. It was a magical blur of fun and discovery, meeting musicians, playing and seeing shows and going into the studio. Hopping from bar to bar in the Lower East Side and Williamsburg.

Of the extras, she says:

These are some of the recordings that came out of that time. Some were released as EPs that I would sell at shows but others have never been released. These are the ones that best reflect that time and the wild eclecticism I’ve always had, for better or worse, as an artist.

To support the release, Martha will play shows this Spring across North America, including the Troubadour in Los Angeles, CA and Le Poisson Rouge in New York, NY

The artist concludes:

20 years ago my life as an artist took shape when my first record was released. In many ways that record defined me, as well as launched me into a now over 20 year long career that has made me who I am. It was after 10 years of playing in bars, making cassettes and EPs to sell at my shows, singing backup for my brother Rufus, falling in love and out of love, practising, writing, singing until I could barely sing anymore, partying, playing with musicians and listening to great artists, working with my ex-husband in the studio for 2 years, all that created this first record.

MARTHA WAINWRIGHT LIVE 2025

MARCH 

21 – Hamilton, ON – Bridgeworks

22 – Ann Arbor, MI – The Ark

23 – Grand Rapids, MI – Midtown

25 – Minneapolis, MN – The Hook & Ladder Theater

26 – Des Moines, IA – xBk Live

27 – Denver, CO – Bluebird Theater

29 – Las Vegas, NV – Myron’s at The Smith Center

30 – Pioneertown, CA – Pappy + Harriet’s

APRIL

1 – Los Angeles, CA – Troubadour

2 – San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall

4 – Portland, OR – Mississippi Studios

5 – Seattle, WA – Fremont Abbey Arts Center

6 – Burnaby, BC – Shadbolt Centre for the Arts

7 – Sidney, BC – Mary Winspear Centre

23 – Chicoutimi, QC – Théâtre C (Festival Jazz et Blues)

24 – Quebec City, QC – Palais Montcalm

25 – Montreal, QC – Théâtre Outremont

26 – Natick, MA – The Center for the Arts 

27 – Woodstock, NY – Levon Helm Studios

29 – Philadelphia, PA – World Café Live

30 – New York, NY – Le Poisson Rouge

MAY

1 – Red Bank, NJ – The Vogel

2 – Annapolis, MD – Ramshead Live 

3 – Asheville, NC – Asheville Music Hall

5 – Atlanta, GA – Eddie’s Attic 

6 – Nashville, TN – 3rd and Lindsley

8 – St Louis, MO – Blue Strawberry 

9 – Chicago, IL – Schubas Tavern

10 – Three Oaks, MI – The Acorn

11 – Toronto, ON – The Great Hall

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