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Friday, January 10, 2025 at 8:59 AM
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2025 Stars Over Wimberley kicks off with WinterNights showcase, workshop

The Stars Over Wimberley Concert Series kicks off its 2025 season with the second WinterNights Singer-Songwriter Showcase at the Wimberley Players theatre, January 14 and 15, at 6 p.m. Organized by WimberleyArts.org, with help from musician wrangler Susan Gibson, the concert series brings performers Mary Bragg, Courtney Patton, The Rifters, Jaimee Harris, Darden Smith and Mary Gauthier to Wimberley for the two-night showcase.

Also returning on January 25 is the WinterNights second annual Songwriting Workshop from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the EmilyAnn Theatre. Workshop leaders are Terri Hendrix, Lloyd Maines and the Hill Country’s own Susan Gibson.

On Tuesday, January 14, the WinterNights Showcase will feature performers Mary Bragg at 6 p.m., Courtney Patton at 7 p.m. and The Rifters — Rod Taylor, Jim Bradley and Don Richmond — at 8 p.m.

On Wednesday, January 15, the showcase will bring Jaimee Harris, Darden Smith and Mary Gauthier to the WP stage at 6, 7 and 8:15 p.m. respectively.

Tickets went on sale Monday for the showcase and workshop at starsoverwimber l ey. org/ winternights- workshop and are selling fast. Tickets are $50 for each night of the Showcase and $250 per person for the Workshop, limited to 20.

Mary Bragg, artist, songwriter, producer and engineer, began to come into her own with her 2017 record, the critically acclaimed “Lucky Strike,” hailed as “a sublime distilling of Southern grit” by National Public Radio reviewers. In 2022 she released “Mary Bragg.” Covering heartbreak, divorce, coming out, grief and self-actualization, the album centered around the themes of love, kindness, and honesty. The quarterly roots music journal, No Depression, called it a “personal and powerful set featuring a courageous plumb line.” Since earning a Masters of Arts in Songwriting and Production at Berklee NYC, Bragg released a new EP, “Tie Me to You.”

With a poet’s heart, Courtney Patton fuses the power of lyrics, a healthy dosage of musical influences and narrative to build beautiful songs. Blessed with a one-in-a-million voice and a vibrant personality, Patton keeps her audiences engaged, enthralled and highly entertained.

Don Richmond, Rod Taylor and Jim Bradley comprise The Rifters. At home at a barn dance, in a mountain town bar or honky-tonk, a house concert or on a concert stage, their moving material, impeccable musicianship and strong, three-part vocal arrangements make them a crowd-pleasing musical experience. They have released seven CDs and their songs include co-writes with legendary writers such as Chuck Pyle and Waddie Mitchell, and have been covered by the likes of Michael Hearne, Shake Russell and Bill Hearne. The band celebrated their 20th year together in 2022.

Jaimee Harris’ parents recognized her love of music early. At five, she was gifted her first guitar and at twelve, attended the first Austin City Limits Music Festival with her father where she saw Americana legends like Emmylou Harris and Patty Griffin. In time, she moved to Austin where she honed her talents as a songwriter and performer. Today, she calls Nashville home, although she is rarely there. Her life centers around touring, either to solo performances or jointly with her partner, Mary Gauthier.

During the pandemic, Austin-based artist Darden Smith co-launched Frontline Songs, a collaborative process that allowed healthcare workers to tell their stories through music.

His latest project, “Western Skies,” is a multi-media project consisting of a new studio album; a book of photography, lyrics, and essays; a spoken word album of readings set to music; drawings, lithographs and works on paper; video; and theatre. It is an immersive journey through a Texas landscape both real and imagined. Los Angeles’ Daily News praised Smith as “one of the most respected American musicians working today.” The Austin Chronicle called him a “master son craftsman,” and AllMusic wrote that he was “a singer/songwriter blessed with an uncommon degree of intelligence, depth, and compassion.” In 2023 he became the first Songwriter- in-Residence at the University of Texas at Austin.

Twenty-five years ago Mary Gauthier released her debut album, “Drag Queens in Limousines.” The response to the album was so great that she hung up her chef’s coat, moved to Nashville and began making her mark as an exciting new voice in the songwriting world.

By writing about what matters most to her, having the courage to sing what’s often too hard to say and delivering the work authentically, Mary Gauthier has opened the gate and widened the path for others.


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