The first time I heard “Drag Queens and Limousines” on KPIG radio, I knew that Mary Gauthier (pronounced “Go-SHAY”) was here to tell us stories we weren’t going to hear otherwise. And she’s been doing that for six albums. Her latest is “The Foundling”. This Tuesday, September, 11th, Mary returns to Santa Cruz. She’ll be at Kuumbwa Jazz Center with a band that features Annie Staninec on fiddle and Mike meadows on percussion.
Interestingly enough, music wasn’t her first pursuit. Mary was a successful restauranteur in Boston for many years. After trying a few open mic nights in Boston, she made her first record, “Dixie Kitchen” (named after her restaurant). It earned her the Best New Contemporary Folk Artist title at the Boston Music Awards. Mary eventually sold Dixie Kitchen to finance her second release “Drag Queens In Limousines”. That record received a four-star rating from Rolling Stone magazine. She’s been writing, recording, touring (and receiving accolades) ever since.
I had the chance to chat with Mary back in episode #100 of my “Songs and Stories” podcast. What started as a discussion of “The Foundling” just as that record was being released quickly veered into one of the best talks I’ve heard about songwriting and creativity. I still re-listen to it for inspiration. You can hear the entire interview at this link.
Mary sings “Mercy Now”
[A nice inside (very inside) joke is that the first few times I played on KPIG radio’s “Please Stand By” live show, DJ John Sandige alaways mis-pronounced MY last name as “Go-SHAY”. Mary and I aren’t kin, but it’s always nice to be mistakenly related to greatness. I finally admitted to John, “I like when you get my last name wrong. Arden (John’s “Please Stand By” co-host) corrects you, and then I get my name said twice on the air instead of once.”]
I caught up with Mary by email earlier this week. She’s really looking forward to getting back to our little town: “We’re coming into Santa Cruz from headlining the Sisters Folk festival for three days Sept. 7, 8, and 9. I have a live CD coming out Oct. 1st called ‘Mary Gauthier LIVE at Blue Rock,’ recorded with the band in Texas at the great Blue Rock Artists ranch and Studio…and Boy George has just cut ‘Mercy Now’. Life is good!”
Local favorite Tracy Parker opens the Kuumbwa show. For tickets and details, go to snazzyproductions.com.