Hi Friend,
For those of you in NY, I'll have a songwriting workshop and a concert at Levon Helm Studios on Saturday, April 16. The workshop will be from 10 am -2 pm. I will talk about the art and craft of songwriting, discuss melody, structure, lyric writing, courage, honesty, and truth. I will also listen to songs and offer feedback to those who want it. Doors for the show: 7:30 pm
I hope that you all have a great month ahead! Thanks for being on this journey with me.
FEBRUARY 2022 | It's February! Happy Lunar New Year! 🐯⛩🐲
Hi Friend,
I am in Key West again, and have officially started working on a new book I'm calling, "Troubadour". Thanks to the generosity of The Payton Evans/ Studios of Key West writers residency, I've been able to focus on the manuscript, and I hope to leave here with 10K good words. So far, so good! I have been enjoying my time down here, seeing what stories will emerge and make it to the pages. Here's a paragraph from an introduction I wrote. I am using it as my true North, as I write stories to fill the blank pages every day.
"The stories you’ll find in these pages are my way of sharing what I have learned, observed, and been a part of on the road over the last two decades. It is a behind the curtain glimpse into the life of a modern-day troubadour. In these pages, I will bring you on the road with me and put my guitar in your hands. In the end, I hope you’ll find that this book is as much about you, as it is about me. If you do, I will have done my job."
I was happy to sign copies of "Saved by a Song" at Books and Books, Key West, next door to my little residency apartment. I will be wrapping up this trip with two shows at the Studios of Key West on February 12th and 13th. If you are around and want to come to see some live music:
I was recently interviewed on CBC's Q, with the brilliant Tom Power. If you would like to listen to the interview, it's here.
I love this song. And I love David Olney. David died a little over two years ago now. I miss him. We worked on this one together and I am proud of it.
I only have 2 seats left for my upcoming in-person songwriting masterclass, Finding Your Writer's Voice. If you want to join in, sign up below. This one will sell out!
I hope that you all have a great week ahead! Thanks for being on this journey with me.
~Mary
January 2022 | I have some updates for you 🎵
Reading from my book on stage at The Spire Center, Plymouth, MA.
Hi Friend,
To get 2022 started, I wanted to say thank you so much for being with me through these challenging times. I am filled with gratitude, surrounded by loving kindness, good will, and encouragement.
In 2021, regardless of the pandemic, Jaimee and I were able to safely play in 39 towns and cities performed a total of 61 live-streamed concerts for "Sundays With Mary". I taught three online songwriting workshops and one in-person songwriting workshop at Thistle Cafe here in Nashville.
I worked in a reading from Saved by a Song at the shows and signed books at the merchandise table every night. It gave me a chance to meet so many of you, and wow, what a wonderful experience. I am richly blessed with your support, and for that, I am much obliged.
The second week of December, I went into the studio and made a new record, with Neilson Hubbard as my producer (again), and I cannot wait to share it with you (street date is June, 2022). The name of the new record is Dark Enough to See the Stars.
I will be heading down to Key West for a month this Jan/Feb to begin working on a new book, thanks to the generosity of The Payton Evans/ Studios of Key West writers residency. I have no idea if I have another book in me, but I will focus on the pages for a month and see what appears. Being an author brings me great joy and I'm hoping that if I just keep typing that something worthwhile will appear. We shall see!
Thank you for coming out to my shows and tuning in to the live streams. I am honored to have you on this musical and literary journey with me! Wishing you and yours all of the best in 2022!
Honored that Saved By a Song made it to Rolling Stone's The Best Music Books of 2021 list! Here's the full article.
In her debut memoir, Americana songwriter Mary Gauthier leaves nothing hiding in the shadows: She shares that she’s a recovering addict and alcoholic who got busted for DUI in the very first chapter. Like the plain-spoken songs she’s written — the alcoholic’s confession “I Drink,” the desperate plea “Mercy Now” — Saved by a Song is stunningly personal. She writes in sharp but warm prose about coming out as a gay woman, her difficult search for her birth mother, and how she learned to love herself, providing a handbook for compassion and self-care along the way. But Saved by a Song also pulls back the curtain on the magic of songwriting. Watching her dissect “I Drink,” crossing out lyrics that didn’t fit and streamlining her way to the finished product, is like sitting in on a class taught by a master. —J.H.
You can buy a signed book from me HERE.
I only have 3 seats left for my upcoming songwriting masterclass. If you want to join in, sign up below. Here are some of the details:
Tools for Your Songwriting Toolkit with Mary Gauthier
4 Week Saturday Master Class on Zoom from 12, PM CST to 2:30, PM CST.
February 19
February 26
March 12 (instead of March 5th)
March 19
3 seats left! Final call for sign ups!
The purpose of this class is to increase your overall understanding of the art and craft of song and give you valuable tools that you can immediately apply to your songwriting. The more tools you have, the better writer you will become. I will give a lecture each week, answer questions, offer writing prompts, and provide feedback on one of your songs. This will be both a lecture class and a student participation workshop. I will listen to students’ songs and offer instruction based on the songs shared.
You will walk away from this workshop with insider songwriting knowledge that usually takes decades to figure out.
I hope that you all have a great week ahead and a beautiful holiday season.
~Mary
December 2021 | Thank you + Holiday Sale 🎄
Hi Friend,
Greetings from Key West, Florida! We are working from our hotel room after an amazing week of shows: One on Sarasota, one in Ft. Lauderdale, then at the Ryman back home in Nashville and then another in Tampa at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts.
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays because it's about gratitude and being thankful. This year, I am especially thankful for all of your support during these past difficult months. You inspire me every day to keep creating and I appreciate your support for my music. I am headed to the studio to make a new record when I get back to Nashville next week. There will be new music from me coming out in 2022.It's been a while! I am excited to hear what these new songs will sound like with full band. Showtime!
If you are looking for a gift for yourself or your loved ones, I have a limited-time sale running now on select items from autographed copies of my latest book, Saved By A Song, Vinyl & CD bundles, hand written lyrics of Mercy Now, T-shirts and many other collectible items that would make great gifts.
Click on the images below or the shop now button for more details! 🎁🎵
I was recently on Malcolm Gladwell's Broken Record Podcast. I loved chatting with Bruce Headlam about my story the power of music to transform and heal. ❤️
Listen on Apple Podcasts
Listen on Spotify
Thanks again for all of your love and support. I am grateful that you are on this musical and literary journey with me.
Looking forward to sharing some new music with you in 2022! Stay safe and have a beautiful holiday season!
~ Mary
November 2021 | 🎟 Tickets to our November shows + Sundays With Mary
Hi Friend,
Hello from beautiful Kingston, NY where the weather has turned chilly and fireplaces are now lit. We loved spending a few days here at The Hotel Kinsley, resting in a beautiful room on our day off, and enjoying a fantastic meal in the cafe. If you are ever out here near Woodstock I highly recommend this hotel. It's a real gem located in a renovated historic building with gorgeous rooms.
Huge thank you to Nashville News Channel 4 and Lauren Lowrey for running this story on me a few days ago, grateful for your support! "Grace and Grit: Songwriter looks inward to give hope and healing in new book."
We will continue down the road in November and December, playing rescheduled shows from 2020. We are especially excited to return to the Atlanta area for two shows in December. You can check out all of our upcoming shows on the tour page. Each venue has their own Covid policies. All are requiring either proof of vaccination or negative test results.
In author world, the Saved by a Song audiobook is available now. It was really fun for me to read and play some songs for the audiobook. We still have special signed copies of the book available on my web store, as well. Visit the book page to order your limited edition autographed copy of Saved By A Song.
It was also exciting for me to participate in another story of transformational songwriting by accompanying the OutHaus Films documentary Invisible for its New York City premiere. Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped it win the NewFest Audience Award for Best Documentary. Check out the photos below.
By popular request, Sundays With Mary returns this month! I hope you can join Jaimee and me live with special guests on November 14th and 28th at 2 PM, CDT.
📖 There is a limited quantity of signed hardcover copies of Saved By A Song available now on my website. Get yours today.
🎵 The Saved by a Song audiobook is also available now!
It's an honor to be a part of this documentary that moves an untold story forward. Invisible tells the powerful story of LGBTQ+ songwriters who have successfully navigated the male-dominated landscape of southern music. These women have all helped open doors for other LGBTQ+ songwriters in country/southern music by leaning into the things that makes a great songwriter a great songwriter: authenticity, using a unique voice, empathy, struggle, and going towards the hard stuff others would prefer to turn away from. They did/do so not without sacrifice.
The songs they put out into the world do what great songs do. They tap into the universal human experience. They help us ALL - regardless of sexual preference, gender, economic status - by articulating what we can not say for ourselves.
Thank you to everyone who made it out to the premiere in New York City on 10.22 or streamed this film. We won the New Fest audience award for Best Documentary!
🎟 TOUR DATES
DOWN THE ROAD
11.4-11.5
TULSA, OK
WOODY GUTHRIE CENTER
TICKETS
11.6
KANSAS CITY, MO
KNUCKLEHEADS SALOON
TICKETS
11.7
BELLE PLAINE, KS
TREEFEST
TICKETS
11.11
NASHVILLE, TN
THE BLUEBIRD CAFE
TICKETS
11.13
HOPKINSVILLE, KY
ALHAMBRA THEATRE
TICKETS
11.19
SARASOTA, FL
FOGARTYVILLE
TICKETS
11.20
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL
ABDO NEW RIVER ROOM
TICKETS
11.22
TAMPA, FL
STRAZ CENTER
TICKETS
12.3
DECATUR, GA
EDDIE'S ATTIC
TICKETS
12.4
FAIRBURN, GA
BOUCKAERT FARM
TICKETS
Sundays With Mary returns this month. Join us on Facebook and Youtube on November 14th & 28th at 2pm CDT. We will play new songs, take requests, and I will read from my book. Looking forward to hanging with y'all again online!
October 2021 | Saved by a Song Audiobook + Tickets 🎟 to our October shows!
September 2021 Newsletter | 🎟 Get tickets to the September shows!
There are limited edition signed hardcover copies of the book available now on my website! Limited edition, and limited quantity - So buy a copy now!
🎟 TOUR DATES
DOWN THE ROAD
09.04
MARTINSVILLE, OH
TICKETS
09.10
ANN ARBOR, MI
TICKETS
09.16
SEATTLE, WA
TICKETS
09.17
PORTLAND, OR
TICKETS
09.23
RED RIVER, NM
TICKETS
10.01-03
SISTERS, OR
TICKETS
10.08-11
COULTERVILLE, CA
TICKETS
10.12
FELTON, CA
TICKETS
10.16
SEBASTOPOL, CA
TICKETS
10.26
PIERMONT, NY
TICKETS
10.27
ALBANY, NY
TICKETS
10.30
PLYMOUTH, MA
TICKETS
10.31
NEW YORK, NY
TICKETS
August 2021 Newsletter | 🙌 Tour dates to look forward to in September!
Hi Friend,
As we get closer to the end of the Summer, I'm excited for the opportunity to continue to play live shows in front of a live audience. We hope to see you when we travel West in September & October! Check out upcoming shows on the tour page.
There are still some special signed copies of my book Saved by a Song too. Visit the book page to order your limited edition autographed copy!
There are limited edition signed hardcover copies of the book available now on my website! Limited edition, and limited quantity - So buy a copy now!
Every page of Saved by a Song sings with wisdom refracted through a lifetime of faltering steps forward and resounds with the healing and transformative power of music.
—NO DEPRESSION
🎟 TOUR DATES
DOWN THE ROAD
08.15
SUNDAYS WITH MARY
2PM CDT
08.26
TONDER, DENMARK
TICKETS
09.04
MARTINSVILLE, OH
TICKETS
09.10
ANN ARBOR, MI
TICKETS
09.16
SEATTLE, WA
TICKETS
09.17
PORTLAND, OR
TICKETS
09.23
RED RIVER, NM
TICKETS
10.01-03
SISTERS, OR
TICKETS
10.08-11
COULTERVILLE, CA
TICKETS
10.12
FELTON, CA
TICKETS
10.16
SEBASTOPOL, CA
TICKETS
10.26
PIERMONT, NY
TICKETS
10.27
ALBANY, NY
TICKETS
10.30
PLYMOUTH, MA
TICKETS
10.31
NEW YORK, NY
TICKETS
I wanna send a huge thank you to all the songwriters who joined me last week for our in-person, fully-vaccinated, three-day writing retreat at Thistle Farms.The courage each writer brought to the workshop was what made the work soar. I am so proud of each and every one of these beautiful songwriters! A huge thank you to John Hiatt, Gretchen Peters, and Beth Nielsen Chapman for being my guests, and Lydia for making it all come together! Write on!
July 2021 Newsletter | 📈 The press is in for "Saved by a Song" - Thank you all!
Hi Friend,
It's been a week since Saved by a Song hit the shelves! I've received so many wonderful messages, and so many great reviews too. Thank you all for making my authorial debut special. Below, you can see what folks are saying about the book...
Visit the book page to order your limited edition autographed copy!
There are a whole bunch of tour dates in the books too. Check out upcoming shows on the tour page!
There are limited edition signed hardcover copies of the book available now on my website! Limited edition, and limited quantity - So buy a copy now!
CBC q Interview with Tom Power
LISTEN HERE
Saved by a Song is a true expression of the inseparability of songwriting, spiritual practice, recovery and relationship that have been endemic to Gauthier’s 25-year career. Think Anne Lamott meets Julia Cameron meets Patti Smith. Anyone who can still write from the heart about writing from the heart after being in the music business as long as Gauthier has is the real deal. Her book invites seasoned artists to deeper authenticity, new artists to deeper craft and all readers to deeper self-reflection.
—BOOKPAGE
Every page of Saved by a Song sings with wisdom refracted through a lifetime of faltering steps forward and resounds with the healing and transformative power of music.
—NO DEPRESSION
July 2021 Reads for the Rest of Us
—MS MAGAZINE
Gauthier has never been the kind of writer to shy away from difficult subjects in her songs. She’s tackled substance abuse, growing up as a “lonely queer kid in a screwed-up family” and, with help from United States veterans on 2018’s Grammy Nominated Rifles and Rosary Beads, the experience of war. It’s no surprise that her book expresses the same level of candor.
—NASHVILLE SCENE
.. [an] intimate, riveting memoir… This emotional narrative will leave readers spent, but rooting for Gauthier to prevail. Her lyrics dig deeply into the human condition, and her explanations leave little room for complacency.
—LIBRARY JOURNAL
21 new books to keep your summer reading going strong.
—LIT HUB
Saved by a Song is no ordinary book about the craft of songwriting, but rather a thoughtful meditation by one of the finest practitioners around on what makes a song matter and the hard lessons she’s learned. This is a treasure of a book as well as a love letter to songs and songwriters and the people who listen to them.
—BOOKLIST
New Releases: July 2021
—LGBTQ READS
June 2021 Newsletter | 📖 Pre Order 'Saved by a Song' + Texas Tour Dates
Hi Friend,
I'm overjoyed to share my first book with you all very soon! Saved by a Song will be hitting the shelves (July 6) in one month! Be sure to place your preorder, check out a very cool promotion we put together, and stay tuned for some more SBAS announcements coming soon.
We are also finally able to get back on the road to play some real, in-person, live-audience shows! Jaimee and I will be in Texas all month, so get your tickets while they last. Visit the tour page for upcoming virtual shows too!
Happy Pride Month! We're celebrating with love over here. Visit the merch store in June and get 20% OFF your order! Use code: LOVE4ALL
Odie Lindsey reads from his book Some Go Home and I share inspiration behind my new song "Then Go Home". Read more via American Songwriter!
🎟 TOUR DATES
TEXAS + BEYOND
06.12.21
QUEERFOLK FEST
VIRTUAL FESTIVAL
MORE INFO
05.17.21
INSIDE LIVE
W/ ALICE & FREEBO
WATCH ON FB + YT
06.18.21
CALLIOPE PRESENTS
ROOTS CELLAR@ HOME
ONLINE CONCERT SERIES
MORE INFO
06.25.21
GALVESTON, TX
OLD QUARTER ACOUSTIC CAFE
TICKETS
06.26.21
SAN ANTONIO, TX
SAINT ANDREW PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
FREE
06.27.21
DALLAS, TX
CAFE MOMENTUM
TICKETS
06.28.21
TOMBALL, TX
MAIN STREET CROSSING
TICKETS
I first met Wally Lamb in 2014, when I was honored to share the stage with him in Baton Rouge, at the Louisiana Festival of the Book. He interviewed me in the Louisiana Legislature’s Chamber, and we had a wonderful time telling stories and I sang a few songs. This Sunday, he will be my guest, and I will get to interview him. He is one of the very best writers writing today, and I hope you will join us for this very special show on June 6th.
May 2021 Newsletter | ☀️ May-be it's time for live music again!
Hi Friend,
We are excited to be able to enjoy this new season in hopes that it will bring more sunshine and songs (and live music) to all of our lives! There are new tour dates added, an in-person songwriting workshop at Thistle Farms in Nashville, a great lineup of guests for Sundays with Mary, my book release, and so much more to smile about.
We hope to see you out there at the shows! Until then, check out what's new below...
You can now download SEVEN of my records on Bandcamp!
JUST ADDED:
+ Dixie Kitchen
+ Mercy Now
+ Between Daylight and Dark
Make sure you follow my page and keep your eyes peeled for even more releases from the catalog coming soon!
In this 3-day workshop at the Cafe at Thistle Farms Education Space in Nashville, Mary will work with students of all levels to help them clarify the aim of their writing and discover their own, unique voice. Seats are limited and will fill up quickly, so enroll now!
Click here for more information.
05.07.21
KEY WEST, FL
LIVE FROM THE LAWN
THE BARREL HOUSE (PERRY HOTEL)
TICKETS
05.15.21
CHEROKEE, TX
CHEROKEE CREEK MUSIC FESTIVAL
TICKETS
05.17.21
WINSLOW, AZ
ROOTS ON THE RAILS
THE GATHERING OF THE TRIBE
TICKETS
06.18.21
CALLIOPE PRESENTS
ROOTS CELLAR@ HOME
ONLINE CONCERT SERIES
MORE INFO
06.25.21
GALVESTON, TX
OLD QUARTER ACOUSTIC CAFE
TICKETS
06.26.21
SAN ANTONIO, TX
SAINT ANDREW PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
FREE
06.27.21
DALLAS, TX
CAFE MOMENTUM
TICKETS
06.28.21
TOMBALL, TX
MAIN STREET CROSSING
TICKETS
07.06.21
'SAVED BY A SONG' VIRTUAL EVENT
PARNASSUS BOOKS
IN CONVERSATION WITH ALLISON MOORER
TICKETS
07.09.21
DECATUR, GA
EDDIE'S ATTIC
TICKETS
07.14.21
OKEMAH, OK
WOODYFEST 2021
SET DAY/TIME TBA
TICKETS
April 2021 Newsletter | 📖 Pre-order 'Saved by a Song' + New Tour Dates Added
Hi Friend,
The release date of Saved by a Song is quickly approaching and there is a virtual event to celebrate it - On July 6th, I'll be in conversation with Allison Moorer and Parnassus Books here in Nashville! Pre-order the book and get access to the live stream event here.
I've added a handful of new tour dates to the calendar too! I'll be traveling up to the Northeast with Jaimee Harris opening a handful of dates. More to be announced soon...
If you use Bandcamp, I ask you to support independent artists THIS Friday (April 2) for Bandcamp Friday - 100% proceeds go to the artists behind the music. Also, I've added a few more records to my Bandcamp page.
Per usual, we have an amazing lineup for Sundays with Mary in April - Check it out below!
You can now download SEVEN of my records on Bandcamp!
JUST ADDED:
+ Dixie Kitchen
+ Mercy Now
+ Between Daylight and Dark
Make sure you follow my page and keep your eyes peeled for even more releases from the catalog coming soon!
In this 3-day workshop at the Cafe at Thistle Farms Education Space in Nashville, Mary will work with students of all levels to help them clarify the aim of their writing and discover their own, unique voice. Seats are limited and will fill up quickly, so enroll now!
Click here for more information.
05.15.21
CHEROKEE, TX
CHEROKEE CREEK MUSIC FESTIVAL
TICKETS
05.17.21
WINSLOW, AZ
ROOTS ON THE RAILS
THE GATHERING OF THE TRIBE
TICKETS
06.25.21
GALVESTON, TX
OLD QUARTER ACOUSTIC CAFE
TICKETS
06.26.21
AUSTIN, TX
CACTUS CAFE
TICKETS
06.27.21
DALLAS, TX
CAFE MOMENTUM
TICKETS
06.28.21
TOMBALL, TX
MAIN STREET CROSSING
TICKETS
07.06.21
'SAVED BY A SONG' VIRTUAL EVENT
PARNASSUS BOOKS
IN CONVERSATION WITH ALLISON MOORER
TICKETS
07.29.21
NASHVILLE, TN
CAFE AT THISTLE FARMS
WORKSHOP: FINDING YOUR WRITER'S VOICE
ENROLL
09.04.21
MARTINSVILLE, OH
NOWHERE ELSE FESTIVAL
TICKETS
10.27.21
ALBANY, NY
THE LINDA
TICKETS
10.30.21
PLYMOUTH, MA
SPIRE CENTER
TICKETS
11.20.21
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL
BROWARD CENTER
ABDO NEW RIVER ROOM
TICKETS
READ THE NEWEST ISSUE HERE
Dear Mary,
Have you ever written songs about family members that reveal things they might rather keep quiet about? How do you deal with that?
March 2021 Newsletter | 🍀 March Merch Sale + Sundays With Mary Lineup
Hi Friend,
I've been vaccinated and I'm ready to hit the road again - We've scheduled some dates in June, but look for more show announcements in the near future. As always, there are some spectacular guests lined up for the month! Don't miss 'Sundays with Mary' every Sunday at 2pm CT.
Visit the merch store now and find that we've extended the sale! Don't miss out on any tees, masks, handwritten lyrics, digital & physical music, and more. Help me clean out inventory and make room for some new stuff!
MERCH SALE
CODE: LUCKY21
20% OFF YOUR ENTIRE ORDER
OFFER EXTENDED THRU MARCH
💽 NOW ON BANDCAMP
DOWNLOAD + SUPPORT
You can now download four of my records on Bandcamp!
This platform has helped independent artists share their music with fans for many years. It's great to finally provide you with another avenue to access my music. During the pandemic (every first Friday of the month), they waive fees for us so we can maintain ownership of our craft.
Make sure you follow my page and keep your eyes peeled for more releases from the catalog coming soon!
BOOK A 1-ON-1
CONCERTS + SONG COACHING ON TOPEKA
🎟 TOUR DATES
BACK TO TEXAS
06.25.21
GALVESTON, TX
OLD QUARTER ACOUSTIC CAFE
06.26.21
AUSTIN, TX
CACTUS CAFE
06.27.21
DALLAS, TX
CAFE MOMENTUM
06.28.21
TOMBALL, TX
MAIN STREET CROSSING
🎙 SUNDAYS WITH MARY
Join us every Sunday at 2pm CT on our weekly livestream!
MARCH GUESTS
03.07.21 • JAIMEE HARRIS
03.14.21 • LESLIE SATCHER
03.21.21 • BEN GLOVER
03.28.21 • MARGARET RENKL
✍️ MARY'S MERCY MISSIVES
READ THE NEWEST ISSUE HERE
Dear Mary,
I am extremely conscious of my own limitations. How do I gain confidence to write songs and perform them? Who encouraged you?
February 2021 Newsletter | ❤️ 20% OFF Sale for February
Hi Friend,
Besides the usual updates on Sundays with Mary lineups, tour reminders, and other happenings - There is a Valentine sale happening on my website! Use the code LOVE21 at checkout to recieve 20% OFF your entire order. Just trying to spread some love of my own this month...
️ ❤️ VALENTINE SALE
CODE: LOVE21
20% OFF YOUR ENTIRE ORDER
OFFER VALID THRU FEBRUARY
💽 NOW ON BANDCAMP
DOWNLOAD + SUPPORT
You can now download four of my records on Bandcamp!
This platform has helped independent artists share their music with fans for many years. It's great to finally provide you with another avenue to access my music. During the pandemic (every first Friday of the month), they waive fees for us so we can maintain ownership of our craft.
Make sure you follow my page and keep your eyes peeled for more releases from the catalog coming soon!
📺 VIRTUAL CONCERTS
BOOK NOW ON TOPEKA
🎟 TOUR DATES
FLORIDA + TEXAS
02.26.21
KEY WEST, FL
LIVE FROM THE LAWN
06.25.21
GALVESTON, TX
OLD QUARTER ACOUSTIC CAFE
06.26.21
AUSTIN, TX
CACTUS CAFE
06.27.21
DALLAS, TX
CAFE MOMENTUM
06.28.21
TOMBALL, TX
MAIN STREET CROSSING
🎙 SUNDAYS WITH MARY
Join us every Sunday at 2pm CT on our weekly livestream!
FEBRUARY GUESTS
02.07.21 • GRAHAM WEBER
02.14.21 • WAYLON PAYNE
02.21.21 • DAN BERN
02.28.21 • ODIE LINDSEY
✍️ MARY'S MERCY MISSIVES
READ THE FEBRUARY ISSUE HERE
Dear Mary,
Do you think it’s possible to become a songwriter later in life?
January 2021 Newsletter | 👏 Welcome 2021 + New Tour Dates in June!
Hi Friend,
It's finally 2021 and I'm so happy for many reasons. We have survived quite a year and are now entering a new one with welcoming arms. I'm excited to announce new Texas tour dates in June and there are only a few seats left for the February Songwriting Master Class with Mary Gauthier & Gretchen Peters!
🎟 UPCOMING TOUR DATES
JUNE 2021 IN TEXAS
06.25.21
GALVESTON, TX
OLD QUARTER ACOUSTIC CAFE
06.26.21
AUSTIN, TX
CACTUS CAFE
06.27.21
DALLAS, TX
CAFE MOMENTUM
06.28.21
TOMBALL, TX
MAIN STREET CROSSING
📚 SONGWRITING MASTER CLASS
ONLY A FEW SEATS LEFT IN FEBRUARY
This workshop would be a great gift for a songwriter you love, or for yourself!
A new year, a new start. It’s the perfect time to make a commitment to bring your songwriting to a deeper level, take some risks, and push past old fears that are holding you back. If ever the world needed songwriters to rise and help people feel they are not alone, it is now. In these five classes, I will work with songwriters to develop conscious creative courage. Putting honest songs into the world take courage because it is scary to reveal our true selves and face rejection. Someone who has courage is not fearless, but they face the dangerous, difficult, or frightening situation anyway. We will do a deep dive into creative courage, and emerge braver.
Register and learn more about the workshop!
🎙 SUNDAYS WITH MARY
Join us every Sunday at 2pm CT on our weekly livestream!
JANUARY GUESTS
01.03.21 • TIM O'BRIEN
01.10.21 • HAYES CARLL
01.17.21 • BONNIE WHITMORE
01.24.21 • SAM BAKER
01.31.21 • RICHARD SHINDELL
🎻 WATCH MICHELE'S NEW VIDEO
CHECK OUT MICHELE GAZICH
December 2020 Newsletter | "Give the Gift of Mercy Now Lyrics + New Master Class"
Hi Friend,
Greetings from Key West Florida! We are working from our hotel room after playing an outside, social distanced show here last week. While here, we will continue our weekly Sundays w/ Mary livestreams. I have some tremendous guests scheduled for the month of December: Rod Picott, Scott Nolan, and Eliza Gilkyson are excited to join us - We hope your are too!
Do you have a favorite songwriter that you'd like me to bring on the show? Let me know, and I will try. Sadly, I don't really know Dylan or Springsteen, so keep it within my reach and I will do my best to get him/her on!
On the water thanks to my old friend Captain Karen who owns Venus Charters. We've been friends for twenty years, and her charters are the very best in Key West. A HUGE thank you to Captain Karen, for a wonderful afternoon!
📚NEW MASTER CLASS
Manifesting Creative Courage
A five class intensive songwriting course in January
This workshop would be a great gift for a songwriter you love, or for yourself!
A new year, a new start. It’s the perfect time to make a commitment to bring your songwriting to a deeper level, take some risks, and push past old fears that are holding you back. If ever the world needed songwriters to rise and help people feel they are not alone, it is now. In these five classes, I will work with songwriters to develop conscious creative courage. Putting honest songs into the world take courage because it is scary to reveal our true selves and face rejection. Someone who has courage is not fearless, but they face the dangerous, difficult, or frightening situation anyway. We will do a deep dive into creative courage, and emerge braver.
Click here to register and learn more about the workshop!
*Limited to 20 songwriters
🎁 ORIGINAL ART GIFT
A handwritten & illustrated lyrics of "Mercy Now"
New to the store, we have added Limited Edition "Mercy Now" Handwritten & Signed Lyrics with hand-drawn artwork by Darden Smith (co-founder of SongwritingWith:Soldiers). Each sheet is signed by the artists.
We are limited to only 20 sheets, so act fast! Be sure to place your order in time for the holiday!
🎙 SUNDAYS WITH MARY
Join us every Sunday at 2pm CT on our weekly livestream!
GUESTS THIS MONTH
12.6 ROD PICOTT
12.13 SCOTT NOLAN
12.20 ELIZA GILKYSON
12.27 LYNN MILES
✍️ MARY'S MERCY MISSIVES
Issue #3: Guitars & Love
Dear Mary,
Please tell us about your guitar. At first I was thinking "she needs to get it fixed," but I reckon there's story there?
- Sally
Read Mary's response in the latest issue of Mary's Mercy Missives.
November 2020 Newsletter | "Introducing Mary's Mercy Missives"
Hi Friend,
During this time of shutdown and quarantine, I've found myself in a weekly dialogue with fans and friends via the comment section of our livestreams. Every Sunday, we go live and share what's growing in our gardens, what we're watching, and what we're excited about. Sometimes folk's questions fly by so fast in the comments I don't have time to answer or even fully read them.So, I've decided to create a dedicated space where you can ask me anything. I will answer a selection of these questions in long-form on a new section of my website: Mary's Mercy Missives.
I hope to answer one question a month, but some months I might be inspired to answer more. If you have questions about songwriting, please bring them on! If you want to ask about what it’s like to live the life of an outsider songwriter in Nashville, or philosophical questions about love, life, grief, aging, the music business, what I am reading right now, please ask. I will not publish your name or address, only your initials.
You can find my first entry here.
Andsubmit a questionof your own.
In my life, I've had the opportunity to ask many of my heroes questions: John Prine, Willie Nelson, Nanci Griffith, David Olney, Guy Clark, John Hiatt, etc. I will treasure these interactions forever and hope to write about many of them in my next book. I didn’t know it at the time, but their answers to my questions burned into my memory, and their words continue to resonate inside me.
Each response on the missives page will be sent to the subscribers on this email list. I believe that these conversations will be the foundation of my second book. So, I am excited to share these writings with all of you first, and have you become a part of this ongoing story of a creative life. A life in song.
Thank you for your support, your participation in this process, and your curiosity.
xx
Mary
🎙 SUNDAYS WITH MARY
Join us every Sunday at 2pm CT on our weekly livestream!
GUESTS THIS MONTH
NOV 1 GRETCHEN PETERS
NOV 8 BETTYSOO
NOV 15 RAY WYLIE HUBBARD
NOV 22 MAX GOMEZ
NOV 29 JAIMEE HARRIS
🇺🇸 VOTE TODAY!
For more information on where and how you can share your voice, please visit vote.org
September 2020 Newsletter | "Saved By A Song"
September 2020 Newsletter
"Saved By A Song"
September News
'Saved By A Song' Now Available for Pre-Order!
I am excited to formally announce that the book I have been working on for almost six years, Saved By A Song, has a publication date of July 6, 2021, and pre-orders are now being offered!
It is finally real. I wrote a book! I wrote it because I believe songs can be and often are far more than just entertainment. I know they can be a form of salvation for songwriters and listeners alike.
This book is an exploration of what that means to me, personally. Saved By A Song is my first book, it took nearly six years to write, and I am happy to present the cover to you!
Yours in song,
Mary
A note from Jaimee: I am so proud of Mary for accomplishing this incredible goal. We'd love your help spreading the word about the pre-orders. It will help us tremendously if you could use the hashtag #savedbyasongbook when sharing on social media. Thank you for supporting Mary!
From the Grammy-nominated folk singer and songwriter, an inspiring exploration of creativity and the redemptive power of song
“I remember exactly where I was the first time I heard a Mary Gauthier tune. That’s the kind of songwriter she is.“ —Sarah Silverman
“Gauthier has an uncanny ability to combine songwriting craft with a seeker’s vulnerability and a sage’s wisdom.” —Amy Ray, Indigo Girls
“Beautiful, often ragged, song and verse from a high place.” —Robert Plant
“This consummate singer-songwriter reveals her process in her upcoming book. Generous and big-hearted, Gauthier has stories to tell and worthwhile advice to share.” —Wally Lamb, author of I Know This Much Is True
Sundays w/ Mary
We are really enjoying spending our Sundays with you. We are so grateful to each and every one of you for tuning in each week. We were totally blown away by your generosity during the Music Health Alliance live stream benefit with Rodney Crowell. You helped us raise $27,000 for MHA! Thank you!
Upcoming "Sundays w/ Mary" Guests
September 6th: Jaimee Harris and Michele Gazich
September 13th: Jimmie Dale Gilmore
September 20th: James McMurtry
September 27th: Mary Debuts New Songs
October 4th: Butch Hancock
October 11th: Peter Case
October 18th: Travis Meadows
October 25th: Amy Helm
Be sure to watch Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for the most up to date guest announcements.
New "Mercy" Masks Available Now
Every living thing could use a little mercy now...
New "Mercy" face coverings. The one on the left is made of T-Shirt fabric, super lightweight for summer outdoor heat, no-sew. 1 ply, raw edges.
The one on the right is a thicker face-covering made of breathable, washable, stretchy polyester.
Both face coverings are non-medical.
"Mercy" logo by Brad Bond (Austin, TX)
Book a Unique, One-On-One Experience with Mary
I’m excited to offer one on one live video hang out sessions including serenades, mini-concerts, and songwriting coaching via Topeka Live. Not only will you be getting a unique, individualized experience with me but you'll also be supporting Atlanta-based non-profit, Circles Morningside. Circles Morningside empowers men and women looking to lift themselves from poverty by providing apprenticeships and employment opportunities.
LIVESTREAM SHOWS
Sunday, September 6th: Sundays w/ Mary Live Stream: Jaimee Harris and Michele Gazich, 2 PM, CDT, Mary Gauthier's FB Page / Mary's YouTube Channel
Sunday, September 13th: Sundays w/ Mary Live Stream: Jimmie Dale Gilmore, 2 PM, CDT, Mary Gauthier's FB Page / Mary's YouTube Channel
Friday, September 18th: Thriving Roots, Panel: Accessing the Universal in Your Songs, 12:45 PM, CDT, Tickets Here
Sunday, September 20th: Sundays w/ Mary Live Stream: James McMurtry, 2 PM, CDT, Mary Gauthier's FB Page / Mary's YouTube Channel
Tuesday, September 22nd: Nashville Public Library Courtyard Concert Live Stream, 11:45 AM, CDT, NPL's YouTube Channel
Saturday, September 26th: Red Boots Roots Virtual House Concert, 6 PM, CDT, Tickets Here
Sunday, September 27th: Sundays w/ Mary Live Stream: Mary debuts new songs, 2 PM, CDT, Mary Gauthier's FB Page / Mary's YouTube Channel
Sunday, September 27th: SongWriter Live Stream w/ Ben Arthur and Odie Lindsey 7 PM, CDT, Ticket Link Coming Soon!
Monday, September 28th: Envoys for Humanity Zocalo Zoom Postcarding Party, 7 PM, CDT, RSVP Here
Sunday, October 4th: Sundays w/ Mary Live Stream: Butch Hancock, 2 PM, CDT Mary Gauthier's FB Page / Mary's YouTube Channel
Sunday, October 11th: Sundays w/ Mary Live Stream: Peter Case, 2 PM, CDT Mary Gauthier's FB Page / Mary's YouTube Channel
Sunday, October 18th: Sundays w/ Mary Live Stream: Travis Meadows, 2 PM, CDT Mary Gauthier's FB Page / Mary's YouTube Channel
Sunday, October 25th: Sundays w/ Mary Live Stream: Amy Helm, 2 PM, CDT Mary Gauthier's FB Page / Mary's YouTube Channel
Make sure you're following Mary on Facebook and subscribed on YouTube. You never know when she'll pop up for a show!
August 2020 Newsletter | "September Master Classes, Sundays w/ Mary, and Saved by a Song"
August 2020 Newsletter
"Good Trouble"
August News
Remembering John Lewis
"Do not get lost in a sea of despair," Lewis tweeted almost exactly a year before his death.
Do not become bitter or hostile. Be hopeful, be optimistic. Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble. We will find a way to make a way out of no way."
-- John Lewis
President Obama said: "Generations from now, when parents teach their children what is meant by courage, the story of John Lewis will come to mind -- an American who knew that change could not wait for some other person or some other time; whose life is a lesson in the fierce urgency of now.
-- President Barak Obama
RIP Sir, RIP.
Sundays w/ Mary
"Sundays with Mary" continue in August with a great lineup of musical friends! On August 9th, I'll be joined by my friend Rodney Crowell. All tips (100%) from this stream will benefit Music Health Alliance. Did you know medical bills are the #1 cause of bankruptcy in America and 75% of those bankruptcies actually have health insurance? Music Health Alliance is not only helping music professionals gain access to affordable health care, but they are also currently feeding our most vulnerable population in the music community during this pandemic. Please join us on August 9th to raise awareness and funds for this important effort. We love spending our Sundays with you.
Sundays with Mary | FB LIVE at 2PM CT
Upcoming "Sundays w/ Mary" Guests
August 2nd: Allison Moorer
August 9th: Rodney Crowell *Benefitting Music Health Alliance*
August 16th: Gurf Morlix
August 23rd: Sam Baker returns!
August 30th: Slaid Cleaves
Be sure to watch Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for the most up to date guest announcements.
NEW NEW NEW! September Master Classes
Strictly limited to twenty songwriters, in these classes Mary will listen to songs, and offer feedback and encouragement to every participant. She will listen to your song, and provide a deep dive into the mechanics and art of songwriting using your unfinished song as a way of finding teachable moments that will put songwriting tools in the toolkits of every member of the class. Increasing the number of tools you have in your toolkit is the fastest way to becoming a better songwriter. Mary has twenty years of experience working with songwriters in this way, and her book “Saved By a Song” is coming out in August 2021 on St. Martin’s MacMillan Press. This is not a lecture class, it is a hands-on, student participation workshop taught in four ninety-minute sessions. You will walk away with information that usually takes decades to figure out.
New "Mercy" Masks Available Now
Every living thing could use a little mercy now...
New "Mercy" face coverings. The one on the left is made of T-Shirt fabric, super lightweight for summer outdoor heat, no-sew. 1 ply, raw edges.
The one on the right is a thicker face-covering made of breathable, washable, stretchy polyester.
Both face coverings are non-medical.
"Mercy" logo by Brad Bond (Austin, TX)
Book a Unique, One-On-One Experience with Mary
I’m excited to offer one on one live video hang out sessions including serenades, mini-concerts, and songwriting coaching via Topeka Live. Not only will you be getting a unique, individualized experience with me but you'll also be supporting Atlanta-based non-profit, Circles Morningside. Circles Morningside empowers men and women looking to lift themselves from poverty by providing apprenticeships and employment opportunities.
LIVESTREAM SHOWS
Sunday, August 2nd: Sundays w/ Mary Live Stream: Allison Moorer, 2 PM, CDT, Mary Gauthier's FB Page / Mary's YouTube Channel
Sunday, August 9th: Sundays w/ Mary Live Stream: Rodney Crowell *Benefitting Music Health Alliance*, 2 PM, CDT, Mary Gauthier's FB Page / Mary's YouTube Channel
Sunday, August 16th: Sundays w/ Mary Live Stream: Gurf Morlix, 2 PM, CDT, Mary Gauthier's FB Page / Mary's YouTube Channel
Sunday, August 23rd: Sundays w/ Mary Live Stream: Sam Baker, 2 PM, CDT, Mary Gauthier's FB Page / Mary's YouTube Channel
Sunday, August 30th: Sundays w/ Mary Live Stream: Slaid Cleaves, 2 PM, CDT Mary Gauthier's FB Page / Mary's YouTube Channel
Virtual debut: Grammy nominee Mary Gauthier will play the Woody Guthrie Folk Festival for the first time as it goes online
Mary Gauthier is among the musicians who will make their Woody Guthrie Folk Festival debut this year as the festival moves to a virtual format due to the coronavirus pandemic. [Laura Partain photo]
Mary Gauthier considers herself part of the lineage of Woody Guthrie.
"The spirit of Woody Guthrie lives on, and I consider myself one of Woody's children. ... The approach to songwriting, I really relate to what he was up to. He was up to calling out fascism and connecting people and bringing love into the world and respect and dignity to all people. He was a rabblerouser and an activist in song. He really was a magic man, and his songs are timeless. They never expire," Gauthier said in a phone interview.
"He really taught folk singers like me how to approach a time like this, and he was and is a luminous figure for people who are interested in using songs for entertainment but also for more than just entertainment. He was great at both."
A Grammy-nominated folk singer-songwriter, Gauthier is one of the high-profile performers making their debut at this year's Woody Guthrie Folk Festival, even though the event affectionately known as WoodyFest is taking place virtually rather than in Guthrie's hometown of Okemah this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"We've been invited several times, but it always collides with some other festival. It's in the dead of summer, and usually I'm in Canada playing Canadian folk festivals. There's just always some collision. This was going to be my big 'finally get to go to WoodyFest and really excited about it' summer, but we're gonna do it online," Gauthier said.
"I'm really happy that the technology seems to be able to connect us and really happy that the Woody Guthrie Festival is going to play online. People will watch it."
The festival, which takes place annually place in the late, great folk singer's Oklahoma hometown around his July 14 birthday, will continue with musical performances Saturday and Sunday and panels on Saturday. Streaming will be available on AppleTV, Roku, YouTube, Facebook Live and more.
"As much as we would love to be in downtown Okemah and on the Pastures of Plenty with all our friends and family, it just can't happen right now, unfortunately," said Maddie Gregory, media chair for the nonprofit Woody Guthrie Coalition, which organizes WoodyFest.
"I think that it helps kind of keep that legacy of Woody alive, as well as protecting people while we can."
Eclectic lineup
Along with Gauthier, artists making their WoodyFest debut this year include Oscar-winning Irish vocalist, songwriter and guitarist GleAlthough Gauthier is glad to be included in this year's virtual WoodyFest, she said she hopes to make the pilgrimage to Okemah to perform at next year's festival in honor of Guthrie.
"Jaimee, it's her favorite festival, and I really, really want to experience it," Gauthier said. "He painted pictures, and that's part of how you change people's hearts is to tell a story with pictures so they can see enough to empathize with the character. The way to get to the universal is through the particular, to get closer in to the experience — and he was very, very good at that."
The Nashville, Tennessee-based folk-rocker earned acclaim for her empathetic songwriting on her latest album, 2018s "Rifles & Rosary Beads," which showcases songs she penned through her work with SongwritingWith:Soldiers, a nonprofit program that organizes retreats that pair professional songwriters with military members.
After the album's release, Gauthier won the Americana Music Association’s UK International Artist Of The Year Award, as well as Album of the Year at the International Folk Music Awards. "Rifles & Rosary Beads" also earned a Grammy nod in the Best Folk Album category and was nominated for Album Of The Year by the Americana Music Association.n Hansard and award-winning singer-songwriter Raye Zaragoza.
This year's celebration of the folk singer’s 108th birthday also will feature performances from Jason Mraz, Graham Nash, Branjae, BJ Barham, Ellis Paul, Jamie Lin Wilson, Joel Rafael, John Fullbright, Ali Harter, Samantha Crain and Jaimee Harris, who is Gauthier's partner.
"Most tributes to the troops don't include the words of the troops. These songs were co-written with those who've served — many have seen combat; an awful a lot of them (were) wounded — and their spouses. ... Even though they're not songwriters, it's their story," Gauthier said.
Pandemic pivot
For the release of "Rifles & Rosary Beads," Gauthier did a series of weekly Facebook Live broadcasts in which she played previews of the album's tracks and talked to her fans about the veterans who co-wrote each one of the songs.
That experience has proven invaluable this year as the pandemic has forced her to postpone most of her concerts and lean on her live-streaming skills.
"I kind of got used to the technology of looking at yourself on a screen and talking into the void and having comments come back during the release of that record, going on three years ago," Gauthier said.
Her weekly "Sundays W/ Mary" Facebook Live series recently garnered a mention in The New York Times.
"I came to music later in life. I was 40 when I came to Nashville to be a full-time songwriter. I had already owned a couple of restaurants, I had worked in construction, I had owned an all-female painting company. I'm the queen of pivot," she said.
"The uncertainty is a challenge, I think, for me, particularly as a touring musician who makes her living on the road. I'm not sure when I'll work again, which that's a big, giant uncertainty. So many people are suffering and struggling, and there's just a weird disconnect; like, at my house it's pretty peaceful. I'm growing a garden. My little inner circle is pretty calm, but I look just a little bit away ... and there's a lot of suffering."
Still, she said she is grateful that online outlets like her social media series and the virtual WoodyFest allow her to keep doing her job as a musician."There's a beautiful thing that happens when music connects with people, be it in a live-stream or in a small theater. It still connects," she said.GOING ONVirtual Woody Guthrie Folk Festival
till, she said she is grateful that online outlets like her social media series and the virtual WoodyFest allow her to keep doing her job as a musician.
"There's a beautiful thing that happens when music connects with people, be it in a live-stream or in a small theater. It still connects," she said.
GOING ON
Virtual Woody Guthrie Folk Festival
till, she said she is grateful that online outlets like her social media series and the virtual WoodyFest allow her to keep doing her job as a musician.
"There's a beautiful thing that happens when music connects with people, be it in a live-stream or in a small theater. It still connects," she said.
GOING ON
Virtual Woody Guthrie Folk Festival