On Sunday, May 26, Baton Rouge Gallery is honored to host Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Mary Gauthier for a very special Sundays@4. She will be reading from her 2021 book, “Saved by a Song: The Art and Healing Power of Songwriting,” an inspiring exploration of creativity and the redemptive power of song.
As with all Sundays@4 events, this event will be free and open to all. This presentation is made possible through underwriting from Dr. Khanh Ho.
Mary Gauthier was twelve years old when she was given her Aunt Jenny’s old guitar and taught herself to play with a Mel Bay basic guitar workbook. Music offered her a window to a world where others felt the way she did. Songs became lifelines to her, and she longed to write her own, one day.
Then, for a decade, while struggling with addiction, Gauthier put her dream away and her call to songwriting faded. It wasn’t until she got sober and went to an open mic with a friend did she realize that she not only still wanted to write songs, she needed to. Today, Gauthier is a decorated musical artist, with numerous awards and recognition for her songwriting, including a Grammy nomination.
In Saved by a Song, Mary Gauthier pulls the curtain back on the artistry of songwriting. Part memoir, part philosophy of art, part nuts and bolts of songwriting, her book celebrates the redemptive power of song to inspire and bring seemingly different kinds of people together.
Copies of Saved by a Song will be available for purchase during this event from Red Stick Reads.
MORE About MARY GAUTHIER
The Associated Press named Nashville-based Mary Gauthier one of the best songwriters of her generation. Her album, Rifles & Rosary Beads, was nominated for a Grammy award for Best Folk Album and Record of the Year by the Americana Music Association. Her songs have been recorded by dozens of artists, including Boy George, Blake Shelton, Tim McGraw, Bettye Lavette, Kathy Mattea, Amy Helm and Candi Staton.
Saved by a Song In the Press:
"Gauthier has moved on from being the patient to being the healer using her craft to help others... fascinating." —Houston Press
"A songwriter who dares to confront the dark places in her soul... Goes deep" —The Advocate
"Reads like an intensely personal diary that’s also full of songwriting inspiration and tips." —Boston Globe
"I sobbed like a small baby reading Mary’s new book. I want to underline every page and send a copy to everyone I know...[SAVED BY A SONG] will be your true north for navigating life’s difficult moments." —Cindy Howes, FolkAlly.com
“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
"Compelling... Gauthier has never been the kind of writer to shy away from difficult subjects...It’s no surprise that her book expresses the same level of candor." —Nashville Scene
"A songwriter who dares to confront the dark places in her soul... Goes deep" —The Advocate