“Over the last 12 years, folk singer-songwriter Mary Gauthier has emerged as a unique talent,
capable of painting an entire universe of emotions within the constraints of her three-minute tracks.”
– Entertainment Weekly
Watch the powerful trailer for Rifles & Rosary Beads HERE.
Acclaimed singer-songwriter Mary Gauthier will perform at The Franklin Theatre on February 23 in support of her most important work to date — Rifles & Rosary Beads (out January 26th via Thirty Tigers). Co-written with U.S. veterans and their families, the eleven deeply personal songs on this album reveal the untold stories and struggles that these veterans and their spouses deal with abroad and after returning home. There may be no artist more well-equipped than Gauthier to convey such vulnerable subject material with clarity and empathy, and the response so far has been incredible, with coverage in outlets like Entertainment Weekly and NPR Music, as well as an appearance on I Love You, America with Sarah Silverman.
The songs featured on Rifles & Rosary Beads were all co-written as part of SongwritingWith:Soldiers, a non-profit program that facilitates retreats bringing professional songwriters together with wounded veterans and active duty military. Participants have shared that the experience of songwriting was life changing for them, some even said life saving. No stranger to pain or demons herself, Gauthier has used songwriting to work through addiction and childhood abandonment as an orphan. This is the first album where she has focused solely on experiences other than her own. Mary Gauthier is helping veterans share experiences that only they can understand, in a way that we as listeners can relate to. This process not only has the power to touch others but also to help soldiers take a step towards healing, while at the same time creating beautiful art.
Mary Gauthier has proven over the last decade and a half to be one of the most honest and powerful voices in American music. In addition to having her classic track “Mercy Now” included in Rolling Stone‘s “Saddest Country Songs of all Time,” Mary Gauthier has received countless critical accolades for her seven studio albums and captivating live performances. Her previous album Trouble & Love was praised by the press, including glowing coverage from outlets including The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Los Angeles Times,NPR Music, Huffington Post, American Songwriter and many more.