THE HEART OF A SONG:
SONGWRITING WORKSHOP WITH DARDEN SMITH AND MARY GAUTHIER

FEBRUARY 23-27, 2026 
HOTEL GILES, COMFORT, TX

Price - $1295

LIMITED TO 15 PARTICIPANTS

You are invited to join Darden Smith and Mary Gauthier for their second annual hill country songwriting workshop at Hotel Giles, a recently renovated, beautiful, boutique historic hotel. Darden and Mary are eager to share what they’ve learned over their combined seventy years of songwriting experience. Whether in an arena, folk club, major festival, desert campfire, or in a room with a wounded combat veteran, both Mary Gauthier and Darden Smith deliver songs that connect. Now, they want to guide you to succeed in connecting with your songs. 

This workshop is suitable for writers of all levels! Struggling to finish your first song? Haven’t picked up a guitar in decades? Expert troubadour working to bring your next song cycle to conclusion for an upcoming record? Join us! These three days of intensive songwriting sessions will inspire you, challenge you, and encourage you. We will work together in a group to safely and gently elevate each song to the next level. Every student will leave with a new set of tools to add to their songwriting toolbox.

Due to the nature of the workshop, reservations at the Hotel Giles are limited to workshop participants. It is required that all students stay at Hotel Giles. We are offering exclusive discounted rates for all workshop students. Each room rate includes an exclusive meal package. Recommendations for offsite housing for non-participants is available on request. Thanks for understanding.

CANCELLATION POLICY -- Refunds will be available up to 30 days before the workshop begins.

For more information, please email jaimee@folkhelper.com

Hotel Giles Website