Alt-country singer-songwriter Mary Gauthier wrote her first song at 35, driven after a life of extremes—plenty of negatives and a few brilliant bright spots-- to dedicate herself full-time to songwriting and a career in music. She exploded onto the scene in 1999 following her self-released sophomore album Drag Queens in Limousines, which had critics comparing her self-described "country noir" to the likes of Townes Van Zandt, Steve Earle, John Prine, and, not surprisingly, Lucinda Williams. The success of Drag Queens led to main-stage shows at festivals around the country and multiple tours in Europe. Embraced by critics, folkies, and No Depression fans alike, Gauthier's warmly candid treatment of her fringe-dwelling, downtrodden subjects rings true, never sentimental. Her songs-- especially on 2014’s Trouble & Love-- are painfully personal, yet they somehow infiltrate the souls of her listeners, no matter how different the paths they’ve followed through their lives.
Tickets: $20