[1] Her early musical tastes included Van Morrison, Dinah Washington, and her father's jazz records.
[2] She was a student at the Ontario College of Art and Design in the 1970s and was involved in the music scene as a member of Toronto bands Dollars, Songship and Go Deo Chorus.
O'Hara later reflected on the production experience, noting "I loved the Celtic crosses and the sheep rolling around the hills by the studio in Wales.
[6] On their 1990 album The Caution Horses, the Cowboy Junkies recorded a sparse, haunting version of O'Hara's song "You Will Be Loved Again".
Following the Christmas EP, O'Hara took on several acting roles and appeared as a vocalist on recordings by a variety of other artists, including Morrissey ("November Spawned a Monster"), John & Mary, Bruce Cockburn, Holly Cole, Bob Wiseman, Meryn Cadell, The Henrys and Neko Case.
As well, she has occasionally performed in musical theatre, most notably productions of Tom Waits' experimental rock opera The Black Rider, stealing the show according to Pitchfork.com.
[citation needed][8] Other artists who are said to be fans include Kristin Hersh, Radiohead, Dave Matthews and Rickie Lee Jones.
[citation needed] However, she did not release a new recording under her own name until 2001, when she and longtime guitarist Rusty McCarthy contributed to the soundtrack for the Canadian film Apartment Hunting (in which she also acted).
She performed at the All Tomorrow's Parties festival in Minehead, England, over the weekend of April 27 to 29, 2007, and with Howe Gelb and friends at the Barbican Centre in London on May 2, 2007.
She contributed to four albums by Bob Wiseman: In Her Dream, Accidentally Acquired Beliefs, Theme and Variations, and Giulietta Masina At The Oscars Crying.
[15] Musician Steve Adey recorded a song titled "Mary Margaret O'Hara" on his 2006 LP All Things Real.