Lucinda Williams

Sparse songs of longing and wanderlust infused with mystery

Born in Lake Charles, La. in 1953, singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams moved from place to place as a child, living all over the South as well as in Mexico and Chile. Inspired by the blues and Bob Dylan, Williams began playing guitar at age 12, and by her early 20s she was performing in public. After struggling in the Austin and Houston folk scenes, Williams journeyed to Jackson, Miss., where she recorded her 1979 debut album Ramblin' on My Mind, an assortment of blues and country standards. The following year she released Happy Woman Blues. The album was recorded with a full backing band and contained Williams' original material.

Williams eventually relocated to Los Angeles and signed to Rough Trade, where she recorded a 1988 self-titled album that blended country, blues and folk. Though recruited by RCA, Williams left the label without releasing a record, preferring the creative control offered by the indie label Chameleon, who issued the album Sweet Old World, in 1992.

Apparently the six year hiatus between World and Williams' next album, the 1998 effort Car Wheels On A Gravel Road, wasn't wasted time. The album was both a commercial and critical success, netting Williams an award in the Best Contemporary Folk Album category at the 41st Annual Grammys.

Williams' latest effort, Essence, was released in 2001 on the Universal alt - country imprint Lost Highway Records.

Lucinda Williams
Guitar Chords and Tablature