Lucinda Williams
NewMusicforOldFolks says …
I read a critic once — one I admire, Chuck Klosterman — that said that Britney Spears was a more important artist than Lucinda Williams. His argument was that while Williams' music was by any measure better than Brittney's, Spears sold more records and, therefore, touched more lives and was worthy of greater consideration. I can see his argument, but I'm not sure I want to live in a world where this is true. Car Wheels on a Gravel Road is one of my favorite albums ever. Let's see Britney do anything that approaches that good, then we'll talk. If you like your rock with a little twang or your country with a little umph, give Lucinda a listen.
Artist's info
Website: lucindawilliams.com
See her live: Tour dates
Record company: Highway 20 Records
Genre: Roots, Country, Folk
If you like this, look into: Jason Isbell, Sue Foley, John Hiatt
Bio (From AllMusic.com)
The object of cultish adoration for years, singer/songwriter Lucinda Williams was universally hailed as a major talent by both critics and fellow musicians, but it took quite some time for her to parlay that respect into a measure of attention from the general public. Part of the reason was her legendary perfectionism: Williams released records only infrequently, often taking years to hone both the material and the recordings thereof. Plus, her early catalog was issued on smaller labels that agreed to her insistence on creative control but didn't have the resources or staying power to fully promote her music. Yet her meticulous attention to detail and staunch adherence to her own vision were exactly what helped build her reputation. When Williams was at her best (and she often was), even her simplest songs were rich in literary detail, from her poetic imagery to her flawed, conflicted characters. Her singing voice, whose limitations she readily acknowledged, nonetheless developed into an evocative instrument that seemed entirely appropriate to her material. So if some critics described Williams as "the female Bob Dylan," they may have been oversimplifying things (Townes Van Zandt might be more apt), but the parallels were certainly too strong to ignore. (more)
Spotify sampler
Recordings
Most Recent
DOWN WHERE THE SPIRIT MEETS THE BONE (2014): The new album from Lucinda Williams, Down Where The Spirit Meets The Bone is her most ambitious release to date. Twenty plus songs were recorded off and on between September of 2013 through March of 2014. Down Where The Spirit Meets The Bone finds Lucinda tapping into her southern roots for this double album. The songs are amplified by a range of musical talents that include Greg Leisz, Tony Joe White, Pete Thomas, Gia Ciambotti, Bill Frisell and Jakob Dylan.
THE GHOSTS OF HIGHWAY 20 (2015): We ve all heard about the iconic vibe of Route 66, the neon lights on Broadway and the ocean air of the Pacific Coast Highway. But there are untold stories emanating from countless blue highways across the land like Interstate 20, which cuts a 1500-mile swath from South Carolina to Texas, and cuts deep into the spirit of those who ve spent their lives traversing it. The Ghosts of Highway 20, she brings those stories to life and gives listeners a remarkably vivid look at how the highway has been a literal and figurative backdrop throughout her entire life. The intensely involving 14-song collection may be the most deeply felt, deeply affecting work of Lucinda Williams illustrious 35-plus-year career, a career that has been established on a foundation of remarkably personal songs.
OTHERS
Ramblin' (1978)
Happy Woman Blues (1980)
Lucinda Williams (1988)
Sweet Old World (1992)
Car Wheels on a Gravel Road (1998)
Essence (2001)
World Without Tears (2002)
Live @ The Fillmore (2005
West (2007)
Little Honey )2008)
Blessed (2011)
