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.
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
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.
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?
Album of the Year Nomination: September Newsletter
Welcome to my September Newsletter!
Hello from New Mexico, where I'm teaching songwriting and playing shows with Eliza Gilkyson this week!
I've been on the road all month with Michele Gazich, who plays violin and viola, and Jaimee Harris, who has been singing background vocals for us. We covered a lot of ground in August, and it has been a great joy to share the stage with them all month!
From playing Rifles & Rosary Beads songs in front of music supervisors in the HBO Offices in Santa Monica, to teaching songwriting at the Targhee Bluegrass Festival in Wyoming, to teaching and performing at the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival in Lyons, Colorado, to the big stages at the Philadelphia Folk Festival and the Fayetteville Roots Festival in Arkansas, we've been burning up the highways all month.
One of my favorite memories of this tour is meeting Nolan, the young man in the picture below. At just 8 years old, he was a student at The Grand Targhee Music Camp.
After Jaimee, Michele and I finished playing our set, Nolan came up to me and asked me if he could sing me a couple of songs. We went out to the patio and he proceeded to sing me EVERY verse of Folsom Prison Blues, and then sang Somewhere Over The Rainbow. His beautiful voice soared, and he stole my heart.
The next day at lunch he sat with us, and I asked him why he decided to learn Folsom Prison. He said he learned it because he liked that Johnny Cash went to the prison to sing for the guys inside. He said "I think it was kinda like what you are all doing with the Veterans." I said, "Nolan, I would have never thought of it that way, but yes, you're right."
He smiled and my heart exploded into rainbows.
What a beautiful moment, with a wonderful young man.
Rifles & Rosary Beads Nominated for Album of the Year by Americana Music Association
We are so honored that Rifles & Rosary Beads has been nominated for
Americana Album of the Year!
I will be performing The War After The War, from Rifles & Rosary Beads, at The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville during The Americana Honors & Awards Showon Wednesday, September 12th. I will also be playing quite a few showcases during the AmericanaFest Conference.
Please make plans to join us during the week of September 11-16th in Nashville for AmericanaFest.
Special thanks to Kathy Mattea for recording "Mercy Now" on her new album Pretty Bird, out September 7th. What a beautiful rendition. Thank you, Kathy!
"Like a hand extended to help you on your path, Kathy Mattea's new song, 'Mercy Now,' reaches out to touch the listener with a message of empathy." - Parade.com
What an honor for "Mercy Now" to be chosen as the closing song on the "Yellowstone" Season Finale!
"The scene at the end of the Yellowstone finale, as Kevin Costner walked toward the beautiful mountains and the music played in the background, really touched many fans' hearts." - Heavy.com
CLICK HERE TO SEE FULL LIST OF TOUR DATES
As always, thank you for your support! ~ Mary
Saved By A Song: TEDxLincolnSquare
"Trauma goes deeper than words. But music can get into those places."
TEDxLincolnSquare has posted my TED Talk "Saved By A Song." I spoke in New York City recently about the process of using songs and songwriting to articulate difficult stories to create resonance and human connection. It was not easy to get it all said in the time allowed, but I think I came pretty close.
A huge thanks to Tricia Brouk for being an amazing TED Director
and Talk Leader!
Click HERE to Watch