For our first episode of this year's Pride Month, Dr. Ron Hirschberg had the privilege of sitting with Mary Gauthier. Mary is a Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter, author, a military family member and huge supporter of veterans, and a savior so many with her songs. Author of the new book Saved By A Song: The Art and Healing Power of Songwriting, and with eleven original albums out (including the brand new album Dark Enough To See The Stars which was released in early June), Mary is a prolific artist. A New Orleans native, Mary spent many years grappling spiraling with addiction, alcohol, failed relationships, and depression before discovering her gift as a songwriter. Through song, she discovered that she could express things that she was not able to express in other ways, and gained a new confidence through writing and performing. She writes about trauma and resilience, about family, alcoholism, and her “three wars” growing up – Vietnam, her parents war with each other, and the war between she and her father, who served in the Korean War.  She has co-written songs with veterans through the program Songwriting with Soldiers. She writes about love, pride, and healing.  In today's episode, Mary and Ron speak about trauma, about the power of music to support healing for veterans and civilians alike, about pride, openness and being a member of the LGBTQ+ community, and so much more. 

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THE ANNUAL RUN TO HOME BASE IS 7-30-22 THIS YEAR! ALL FUNDRAISING GOES DIRECTLY TO THE CARE OF OUR VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES, SO SIGN UP HERE: www.runtohomebase.org

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If you are your loved one is experiencing any emotional, mental health struggles, you are not alone and please contact Home Base at (617) 724-5202, or visit www.homebase.org  

Theme music for Home Base Nation: "Rolling the tree" by The Butler Frogs

The music heard in today's episode is by Mary Gauthier, and is used with the artist's permission. In order, the songs are: "Rifles & Rosary Beads" (co-written by Mary Gauthier and US. Army Veteran Joe Costello) off 2018 album Rifles & Rosary Beads, followed by "Fall Apart World", and "Dark Enough to See the Stars", off of the just-released 2022 album Dark Enough to See the Stars.

If you have not listened already, we have an episode called Warrior-Healer February 17th, 2020, that highlights a song cowritten by one of our veteran alumni at Home Base Air Force Veteran Blair Morin and James House through Songwriting with Soldiers.

Also, Mary and I met in 2018 on a podcast I was cohosting called Above The Basement. If you are interested in a show that covers the lives and stories of musicians, check out the show Produced and Hosted by my friend Chuck Clough, which has about 200 episodes in the vault. The episode we refer to in today’s conversation is #81, February 2018.

And Check out Mary’s conversation on the November 2021 Episode of Rick Rubin and Malcolm Gladwell’s podcast Broken Record

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The Home Base Nation Team is Steve Monaco, Maureen Roderick, Laurie Gallagher, Karianne Kraus, Lucy Little, Taylor Orlando, with COO Michael Allard, Brigadier General Jack Hammond, and Peter Smyth.

Producer and Host: Dr. Ron Hirschberg
Producer, Sound, Editor: Lucy Little
Chairman, Home Base Media Lab: Peter Smyth

Home Base Nation is the official podcast of Home Base Program for Veterans and Military Families, a partnership of the Massachusetts General Hospital and the Red Sox Foundation. To learn more and connect with us at Home Base Nation: www.homebase.org/homebasenation. To Donate to Home Base where every dollar goes to the care of veterans and military families that is cost to them, go to: www.homebase.org/donate.

The views expressed by guests to the Home Base Nation podcast are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by guests are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Massachusetts General Hospital, Home Base, the Red Sox Foundation or any of its officials.