Lucinda Williams

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Biography

Lucinda Williams (born January 26, 1953. Allmusic . Retrieved on October 7, 2008.) is an United States|American rock music|rock , folk music|folk , blues and country music singer and songwriter. She recorded her first albums in 1978 and 1980 in a traditional country and blues style and received very little attention from radio, the media, or the public. In 1988, she released her self-titled album, Lucinda Williams (album)|Lucinda Williams . This release featured " Passionate Kisses ," a song later recorded by Mary Chapin Carpenter which garnered Lucinda her first Grammy Award for Best Country Song in 1994. Known for working slowly, Lucinda recorded and released only one other album in the next several years ( Sweet Old World in 1992) before her greatest success came in 1998 with Car Wheels on a Gravel Road . This album presented a broader scope of songs that fused Rock music|rock , Blues music|blues , Country music|country , and Americana music|Americana into a more distinctive style that still managed to remain consistent and commercial in sound. It went gold and earned Lucinda another Grammy while being universally acclaimed by critics. Since Car Wheels on a Gravel Road , she has released a string of albums that have also been critically acclaimed, though none have sold in the numbers of her 1998 breakthrough. She was also named "America's best songwriter" by Time (magazine)|TIME magazine in 2002.. CNN / Time (magazine)|TIME . Retrieved on October 7, 2008.

Early life

Williams was born in Lake Charles, Louisiana , the daughter of poet and literature professor Miller Williams and an amateur pianist. Her parents divorced in the mid-1960s with Williams' father gaining custody of her and her younger brother and sister. Her father worked as a visiting professor in Mexico and different parts of the American South including Baton Rouge , New Orleans , Jackson, Mississippi , and Utah before settling at the University of Arkansas . His daughter started writing when she was 6 years old and showed an affinity for music at an early age, and was playing guitar at 12. Williams's first live performance was in Mexico City at 17, as part of a duo with her friend, a banjo player named Clark Jones.Bukowski, Elizabeth. Salon.com|Salon . Retrieved on January 11, 2000.

Career

Early years

By her early 20s, Williams was playing publicly in Austin and Houston, Texas|Houston , Texas , concentrating on a folk-rock-country blend. She moved to Jackson, Mississippi|Jackson , Mississippi , in 1978 to record her first album, for Smithsonian / Folkways Records . Titled '' Ramblin' , it was a collection of country and blues covers. She followed it up in 1980 with Happy Woman Blues , which consisted of her own material. Neither album received much attention.

In the 1980s, Williams moved to Los Angeles , California (before finally settling in Nashville, Tennessee ), where, both backed by a rock band and performing in acoustic settings, she developed a following and a critical reputation. While based in Los Angeles, she was briefly married to The Long Ryders|Long Ryders drummer Greg Sowders , whom she had met in a club. In 1988 Rough Trade Records released the self-titled Lucinda Williams (album)|Lucinda Williams , which was produced by Gurf Morlix . The single "Changed the Locks," about a broken relationship, received radio play around the country and gained fans among music insiders, including Tom Petty , who would later cover the song.

Its follow-up, Sweet Old World (Chameleon, 1992), also produced by Morlix, was a melancholy album dealing with themes of suicide and death. Williams' biggest success during the early 1990s was as a songwriter. Mary Chapin Carpenter recorded a cover of " Passionate Kisses " (from Lucinda Williams ) in 1992, and the song became a smash country hit for which Williams received the Grammy Award for Best Country Song in 1994 (Chapin also received a Grammy for her performance of the song). She duetted with Steve Earle on the song "You're Still Standin' There" from his album I Feel Alright . In 1991, the song "Lucinda Williams" appeared on Vic Chesnutt 's album West of Rome .

Williams had garnered considerable critical acclaim, but her commercial success was moderate. Emmylou Harris said of Williams, "She is an example of the best of what country at least says it is, but, for some reason, she's completely out of the loop and I feel strongly that that's country music's loss." Harris recorded the title track from Williams's Sweet Old World for her career-redefining 1995 album, Wrecking Ball (Emmylou Harris album)|Wrecking Ball .

Williams also gained a reputation as a perfectionist and slow worker when it came to recording; six years would pass before her next album release, though she appeared as a guest on other artists' albums and contributed to several tribute compilations during this period.

Car Wheels on a Gravel Road

The long-awaited release, 1998's Car Wheels on a Gravel Road , was Williams' breakthrough into the mainstream and received a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album . Containing the single "Still I Long for Your Kiss" from the Robert Redford film The Horse Whisperer , the album received wide critical notice and soon went gold. The single "Can't Let Go" also enjoyed considerable crossover radio play. Williams toured with Bob Dylan and on her own in support of the album. An expanded edition of the album, including three additional studio recordings and a second CD documenting a 1998 concert, was released in 2006.

In 1999, Williams appeared on Return of the Grievous Angel: A Tribute to Gram Parsons , duetting with David Crosby on the title track of the tribute album.

Williams followed up the success of Car Wheels with Essence (album)|Essence (2001). This release featured a less produced, more down-tuned approach both musically and lyrically, and moved Williams further from the country music establishment while winning fans in the alternative music world. She won the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance for the single "Get Right With God", an atypically uptempo gospel-rock tune from the otherwise rather low-key release. The title track includes a contribution on Hammond organ by alternative country musician Ryan Adams .

Her seventh album, World Without Tears , was released in 2003. A musically adventurous though lyrically downbeat album, this release found Williams experimenting with talking blues stylings and electric blues.

Recent work

In 2006, Williams recorded a version of the John Hartford classic " Gentle on My Mind (song)|Gentle On My Mind ," which played over the closing credits of the Will Ferrell film Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby .

Williams was a guest vocalist on the song "Factory Girls" from Irish punk-folk band Flogging Molly 's 2004 album, " Within a Mile of Home ," and appeared on Elvis Costello 's The Delivery Man . She sings with folk legend Ramblin' Jack Elliott on the track "Careless Darling" from his 2006 release "I Stand Alone."

In 2007, Williams released West (Lucinda Williams album)|West , for which she wrote more than 27 songs. The album was released on February 13, 2007. It addresses her mother's death and a tumultuous relationship break-up. Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair praised it, saying "Lucinda Williams has made the record of a lifetime—part Hank Williams , part Bob Dylan, part Keith Richards circa Exile on Main St. ..."

In the fall of 2007, Williams announced a series of shows in Los Angeles and New York. Playing five nights in each city, she performed her entire catalog on consecutive nights. These albums include the self titled Lucinda Williams , Sweet Old World , Car Wheels on a Gravel Road , Essence (album)|Essence , and World Without Tears . Each night also featured a second set with special guest stars. Some of the many special guests included Steve Earle , Allison Moorer , Mike Campbell (musician)|Mike Campbell , Greg Dulli , Mark Oliver Everett|E , Ann Wilson , Emmylou Harris , David Byrne , David Johansen , Yo La Tengo , John Doe (musician)|John Doe , Chuck Prophet , Jim Lauderdale and Shelby Lynne . In addition, each night's album set was recorded and made available to the attendees that night. These live recordings are currently available on her website and at her shows.

The next album from Lucinda Williams wrapped recording in March 2008. Titled Little Honey , it was released on October 14 of that year. It includes 13 songs—among them, "Real Love" and "Little Rock Star," the latter inspired by music celebrities in the press, like Pete Doherty and Amy Winehouse . "Little Honey" also includes a cover of AC/DC's "Long Way to the Top" and "Rarity," inspired by singer-songwriter Mia Doi Todd.Gamboa, Glenn. . PopMatters . October 13, 2008.

In July 2008, though "Little Honey" had yet to be released, Paste (magazine)|Paste magazine.com listened to an advance copy and rated the duet between Williams and Elvis Costello on the song "Jailhouse Tears" as the #5 all time greatest country/rock duets.

Williams released a cover of Shel Silverstein's famous song " The Ballad of Lucy Jordan " in June 2010 as part of the Twistable, Turnable Man tribute album.
Her 2008 concert appearance at the Catalyst, Santa Cruz, contained an announcement by the city's mayor that September 6 would henceforth be Lucinda Williams Day.

On March 1, 2011, Williams released a new album, Blessed (Lucinda Williams album)|Blessed .

Engagement and Marriage

In 2006, Williams announced her engagement to former Universal Music Group / Fontana Distribution music executive Tom Overby. Although she first told reporters the marriage would take place that year, she still described Overby as her fiancé in 2008. Professionally, Overby became her manager in May 2007. Overby also co-produced Little Honey .

On September 18, 2009, Williams performed at First Avenue (nightclub)|First Avenue in Minneapolis and married Overby on stage in front of her fans before her encore.

On September 19–20, 2010, Williams performed at George's Majestic Lounge in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Her father Miller Williams was in attendance and opened the September 19th show with remarks and poetry. The reason for the special shows, announced just days before, is unknown. The show dates do correspond to the one-year anniversary of her reported marriage.

David Lee Powell petition

Williams's website featured a petition by Amnesty International to stop the execution of David Lee Powell in Texas. Powell was convicted in 1978 for the shooting death of 26-year-old Austin police officer Ralph Ablanedo during a traffic stop. He was tried twice since the death penalty came in to effect and was sentenced to death both times, in 1991 and 1999. Powell was executed by lethal injection on June 15, 2010. Williams's website stated it was cruel and unusual punishment for Powell to serve a life sentence and be executed afterwards. She wrote a song in honor of Ablanedo and stated that the proceeds would be donated to Ablanedo's family.

Discography

Charted songs

Year	Song	Adult Top 40	Triple A	Album
2003	"Righteously"	36. Billboard (magazine)	align="center"	World Without Tears
2008	"Real Love"	align="center"	22. Billboard (magazine)	Little Honey

Albums

Year	Album	Billboard . Retrieved on October 7, 2008.
Year	Album	US	CAN Country	CAN	UK	AUS	AUS Country	SWE	NL
1979	'' Ramblin'
1980	Happy Woman Blues
1988	Lucinda Williams
1992	Sweet Old World ^A
1998	Car Wheels on a Gravel Road	65	14		144	69	5	60
2001	Essence	28		44	63	59	2	47
2003	World Without Tears	18		27	48	80	32	24	81
2005	Live @ The Fillmore	66			107		4	43
2007	West	14	3	18	30	53	5	10	29
2008	Little Honey	9	1	18	51	68	1	25
2011	Blessed	15	-	23	55	63	7	15	40

^A Reached position 25 on the Top Heatseekers chart.. Billboard (magazine)| Billboard . Retrieved October 7, 2008.

DVD

2005 - Lucinda Williams - Live from Austin, TX

11 Nov 2008 Lucinda Williams—Live From Austin TX ’89 : her 13 Oct 1989 appearance on Austin City Limits (65 minutes):

(all songs composed by Williams except as noted)
1. Big Red Sun Blues
2. Wild and Blue 3. Am I Too Blue
4. Crescent City
5. Nothing in Rambling 6. The Night's Too Long
7. Abandoned
8.I Just Want To See You So Bad
9. Side of the Road
10. Price to Pay
11. Disgusted 12. Something About What Happens When We Talk
13. Passionate Kisses
14. Changed the Locks
15. Happy Woman Blues

Guest appearances

1988 - Various Artists -- "Dark Side of Life" on A Town South of Bakersfield, Vols. 1 & 2

1990 - Various Artists -- "Which Will" on True Voices

1990 - The Band of Blacky Ranchette -- "Burning Desire" on Sage Advice

1992 - David Rodriguez (singer-songwriter)|David Rodriguez -- "Deportee (Plane Wreck at Los Gatos)" on The True Cross

1993 - Various Artists -- "Pancakes" on Born to Choose

1993 - Various Artists -- "Main Road" on Sweet Relief: A Benefit for Victoria Williams

1993 - Jimmie Dale Gilmore -- "Reunion" on Spinning Around the Sun

1993 - Michael Fracasso -- "Door #1" on Love & Trust

1994 - Various Artists -- "You Don't Have Very Far to Go" on ''Tulare Dust: A Songwriter's Tribute to Merle Haggard

1994 - Various Artists -- " Positively 4th Street " on In Their Own Words, Vol. 1 - Live Performances from the Bottom Line, New York City

1994 - Julian Dawson -- "How Can I Sleep Without You" on How Human Hearts Behave

1994 - Lisa Mednick -- "A Different Sky" on Artifacts Of Love

1995 - Terry Allen (country singer)|Terry Allen -- "Room to Room" and "Black to Black" from Human Remains

1995 - Kieran Kane -- "This Dirty Little Town" on Dead Rekoning

1995 - Chris Gaffney -- "Cowboys to Girls" on ''Loser's Paradise

1996 - Various Artists -- "The Night's Too Long" on Lone Star: Original Soundtrack from the Film

1996 - Steve Earle -- "You're Still Standing There" on I Feel Alright

1997 - RB Morris -- "Glory Dreams" on Take That Ride

1997 - Ray Wylie Hubbard -- "The Ballad of the Crimson Kings" on Dangerous Spirits

1997 - Donnie Fritts -- "Breakfast in Bed" on ''Everybody's Got a Song

1997 - Bo Ramsey -- "Desert Flower" on In the Weeds

1998 - Hayseed -- "Precious Memories" and "Credo" on Melic

1998 - Robbie Fulks -- "Pretty Little Poison" on ''Let's Kill Saturday Night

1998 - Various Artists -- "Here in California" on Treasures Left Behind: Remembering Kate Wolf

1998 - Nanci Griffith -- "Wings of a Dove" on Other Voices, Too (A Trip Back to Bountiful)

1998 - Various Artists -- "Come to Me Baby" on ''Wolf Tracks: A Tribute to Howlin' Wolf

1999 - Leftover Salmon -- "Lines Around Your Eyes" on The Nashville Sessions

1999 - Various Artists -- "Return of the Grievous Angel" with David Crosby on Return of the Grievous Angel: Tribute to Gram Parsons

1999 - John Prine -- "Wedding Bells"/"Let's Turn Back The Years" on In Spite of Ourselves

1999 - Little Milton -- "Love Hurts" on Welcome to Little Milton

1999 - Evie Sands -- "Cool Blues Story" on Women in Prison

1999 - Chip Taylor -- "Through Their Mother's Eyes" and "If I Don't Know Love" on Seven Days in May...a love story

1999 - Bonepony -- "Sweet Bye and Bye" on ''Traveler's Companion

2000 - Sue Foley -- "Empty Cup" (harmony vocals) on ''Love Comin' Down

2000 - Kevin Gordon -- "Down to the Well on Down to the Well

2000 - Chip Taylor -- "Head First", "Annie on Your Mind" and "The Ghost of Phil Sinclair" on The London Sessions Bootleg

2001 - Kasey Chambers -- "On a Bad Day" on Barricades & Brickwalls

2001 - Matthew Ryan (musician)|Matthew Ryan -- "Devastation" on Concussion

2001 - Various Artists -- " Cold, Cold Heart " on Timeless: Hank Williams Tribute

2001 - Ralph Stanley and Friends -- "Farther Along" on Clinch Mountain Sweethearts

2001 - Various Artists -- "Nothin'" on A Tribute to Townes Van Zandt

2001 - Chip Taylor -- "Could I Live with This" and "The Ship" on Black and Blue America

2001 - Various Artists -- "Angels Laid Him Away" on Avalon Blues: A Tribute to the Music of Mississippi John Hurt

2002 - Various Artists -- "Lately" on ''Going Driftless: An Artist's Tribute to Greg Brown

2003 - Various Artists -- "Hang Down Your Head" on Crossing Jordan - Original Soundtrack

2003 - Terri Binion -- "GayleAnne" (harmony vocal) on Fool

2003 - Various Artists -- "Hard Times Killing Floor Blues" on Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues: The Soul of a Man

2003 - Colin Linden -- "Don't Tell Me" on Big Mouth

2004 - Graham Parker -- Your Country

2004 - Flogging Molly -- "Factory Girls" on Within a Mile of Home

2004 - Elvis Costello -- "There's a Story in Your Voice" on The Delivery Man

2004 - Willie Nelson -- "Overtime" on It Always Will Be

2004 - Various Artists -- "Pyramid of Tears" on Por Vida - A Tribute to the Songs of Alejandro Escovedo

2004 - Various Artists -- "Down to the Well" with Kevin Gordon on No Depression: What It Sounds Like, Vol. 1

2004 - Tony Joe White -- "Closing In on the Fire" on The Heroines

2005 - North Mississippi Allstars -- "Hurry Up Sunrise" on Electric Blue Watermelon

2006 - Tim Easton -- "Back to the Pain" on Ammunition

2006 - Ramblin' Jack Elliott -- " Careless Darling " on I Stand Alone

2006 - P.F. Sloan -- "Sins of a Family" on Sailover

2006 - John Brannen -- "A Cut So Deep" on Twilight Tattoo

2006 - Anne McCue -- Koala Motel

2006 - Various Artists -- "Bonnie Portmore" on ''Rogue's Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs, and Chanteys

2006 - Doug Pettibone -- "Two of Us" and "She Belongs to Me" on The West Gate

2007 - Various Artists -- " Honey Chile " on '' Goin' Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino

2007 - John Platania -- "In Memory of Zapata" on Blues, Waltzes & Badland Borders

2008 - Various Artists -- " Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys " on The Imus Ranch Record

2008 - Carrie Rodriguez -- Mask Of Moses on "She Ain't Me"

2009 - Susan Marshall -- " Don't Let Me Down (The Beatles song)|Don't Let Me Down " on Little Red

2009 - Various Artists -- " Positively 4th Street " on The Village: A Celebration Of The Music Of Greenwich Village

2009 - M. Ward -- " Oh Lonesome Me " on Hold Time

2010 - Various Artists -- "Kiss Like Your Kiss" w/ Elvis Costello on True Blood - Music From The HBO Original Series Volume 2

2010 - Various Artists -- " The Ballad of Lucy Jordan " on Twistable, Turnable Man: A Musical Tribute to the Songs of Shel Silverstein

2010 - Ray Davies -- "Long Way From Home" on See My Friends (album)

2010 - Jimmy Webb -- " Galveston (song)|Galveston " on Just Across The River *2010 - Various Artists -- Performed on the song "Somebody Somewhere (Don't Know What He's Missin' Tonight)" from Coal Miner's Daughter: A Tribute to Loretta Lynn (2010).

2011 - Over the Rhine (band) -- " Undamned " on The Long Surrender

2011 - Michael Monroe -- "Gone, Baby Gone" on Sensory Overdrive

2011 - Amos Lee -- "Clear Blue Eyes" on Mission Bell

2011 - Blackie & The Rodeo Kings -- "If I Can't Have You" on Kings & Queens

2011 - Steve Cropper -- "When I Get Like This" on Dedicated: A Salute To The 5 Royales

2011 - Steve Cropper -- "Dedicated To The One I Love" on Dedicated: A Salute To The 5 Royales

2011 - Tom Russell -- "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" on Mesabi

2011 - Various Artists -- "I'm So Happy I Found You" on The Lost Notebooks Of Hank Williams

2012 - Walter Rose -- "Driving South" on Cast Your Stone

2012 - Various Artists -- "Tryin' To Get To Heaven" on Chimes Of Freedom: The Songs Of Bob Dylan

Awards and nominations

Grammy Awards

The Grammy Award s are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States for outstanding achievements in the record industry . Williams has received three awards from 14 nominations.

|-
| align="center"| Grammy Awards of 1993|1993 || Passionate Kisses (songwriter - performed by Mary Chapin Carpenter). CNN . February 4, 1999.. The New York Times . March 3, 1994. || Grammy Award for Best Country Song|Best Country Song || |-
| align="center" rowspan=2| Grammy Awards of 1999|1999 || "Can't Let Go" || Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance|Best Female Rock Vocal Performance || |-
| Car Wheels on a Gravel Road || Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album|Best Contemporary Folk Album || |-
| align="center" rowspan=4| 44th Grammy Awards|2002 || "Essence" || Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance|Best Female Pop Vocal Performance || |-
| "Get Right With God". BBC News . February 28, 2002. || Best Female Rock Vocal Performance || |-
| " Cold, Cold Heart " || Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance|Best Female Country Vocal Performance || |-
| Essence (album)|Essence || Best Contemporary Folk Album || |-
| align="center"| 45th Grammy Awards|2003 || "Lately" (from ''Going Driftless - An Artists' Tribute to Greg Brown ) || Best Female Country Vocal Performance ||
|-
| align="center" rowspan=2| 46th Grammy Awards|2004 || "Righteously" || Best Female Rock Vocal Performance || |-
| World Without Tears ||Best Contemporary Folk Album || |-
| align="center" rowspan=2| 50th Grammy Awards|2008 || rowspan="2" | "Come On" || Grammy Award for Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance|Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance || |-
| Grammy Award for Best Rock Song|Best Rock Song || |-
| align="center"| 52nd Grammy Awards|2010 || Little Honey || Grammy Award for Best Americana Album|Best Americana Album || |-
|align="center"| 53rd Grammy Awards|2011 || "Kiss Like Your Kiss" (From True Blood ) || Grammy Award for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media|Best Song Written For Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media || |-
| align="center"| 54th Grammy Awards|2010 || Blessed_(Lucinda_Williams_album)|Blessed || Best Americana Album ||

Copyright Citations

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1. Hank Williams 2. Mary Chapin Carpenter 3. Steve Earle 4. John Prine 5. Emmylou Harris 6. Gillian Welch 7. K.D. Lang

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