Mary Gauthier sees herself as a true troubadour; a solo artist traveling the country, traipsing from town to town with her satchel filled with songs and stories. Gauthier’s songs are steeped in lived experience, granting her a sort of faith in humanity. “I think deep faith comes from lived experience, more than religion,” Mary says. “Remember, I’m 37 years sober now. I’ve watched tens of thousands of people get into a better place and have a better life after facing down horrible stuff. I’ve seen redemption, I’ve seen and lived the alchemy of rebirth in this life. I want to reclaim some of these words. They are about the human experience. They don’t belong to any denomination.”
Although she waited until her early 30’s to begin her musical career, Gauthier sings with the unmistakable languor of her native Louisiana, writes with the bluntness of Boston, where she was once a successful restauranteur, and rewrites with the fierce precision of Nashville, her home for many years. Gauthier’s brand new album, Reckoning is political, personal, and spiritual all at once. By touching on the intimate details of the human experience, Gauthier paints a delicate and detailed portrait of a certain slice of American life at a crucial point in our national history.
For her part, Gauthier believes that somehow, we will get through the ravages of the Trump years. She has a private, patient optimism in her fellow human beings. As she says in her new record, she believes that a Reckoning is on its way. During our fascinating discussion, Mary and I talked about her late start in music as well as covering some of her path to sobriety and the ways that decision has altered her life forever. Mary talks about the value of learning to live one day at a time, and the importance of being at the merch table after every show to say thank you to her fans.
Let’s get into it.
Cheers,Matty C
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End Credits
Thanks so much to Mary for joining me. You can find out all about her music, get tour dates, and learn more at https://www.marygauthier.com/
The What Am I Making podcast is hosted, written, and produced by me, Matty C.
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