Mary Gryner grew up in the city of Forest, Ontario. She grew up in Forest with her parents and two brothers, Frank and Tony. She started piano lessons at age 5 while her brothers played around with guitar and keyboards. The teenaged Mary, who is now known as Emm, picked up the bass. She played in several local grunge and pop bands. After high school, Emm left Forest to go to Fanshawe to go to college. Emm then moved to Toronto after graduation, there she forms her own label "Dead Daisy Records" and releases her debut album The Original Leap Year. She plays a few gigs around town and is invited to open for the Tindersticks. She also plays three Lilith Fair shows. She then signs with US-based Mercury Records label. In 1998 she gets invited back for three more Lilith Fair shows. The then 22 year old releases Public, and tours with Bernard Butler (ex-Suede), Rufus Wainwright, Chantal Kreviazuk, Spirit of the West, the Cardigans, and the Philosopher Kings. In 199, when Mercury has a megamerger with Universal, Emm leaves Mercury and returns to the Dead Daisy Records. She is invited back for three more Lilith Fair shows, opens for Alanis Morissette and tours with Tom Cochrane and Ron Sexsmith.

**Adapted from Access Magazine and an Emm Gryner timeline**