Anyse

My first Album by Lucinda Williams was “Happy Woman Blues'” from Folkways. I play “folk” music and I heard that she was from the South and even from Louisiana as well. Then I learned about her dad as poet laueate for the state of Lousiana. I was “sold” on Lucinda from that day on. I guess that this “dates” me pretty much. However, her birthday is the same as mine and she is only 1 year younger than I.

I got to see her gor the first time at Tahoe last August. The scope of songs for that night (I copped the play list that Lucinda used as well – man, she made a lot of mistakes and it was so much fun with her singing out of tune, capoed wrong and all that). Laughter was there and the feelings that she can pull out of me are so wonderful and, at times, overwhelming. Her song, “Sweet Old World,” actually saved my life as I went through some really hard times and was committed (I checked in) twice or suicidal ideation due to poor health for 7 years (now, I am in my 15th year of “poor health” and still here and doing somewhat better). This song went through my head and I would cry for hours and hours as I felt so empty and so darkened with depression. I no longer do this, but I will thank Lucinda for saving my life until my time is nigh.

Now, she is happy and her output is still strong and beautiful. I have a few of the LA recordings and I am going to go ahead and get the New York set. If I am not “fulfilled” enough (yeah, sure!), I will get the LA set as well (I have 3 of them and I now only need the last two). I love, as someone else here said, the feeling that we are listening to the “Director’s Cut” and that we are getting, straight from Lucinda, the story behind every song. From this, I feel a grreater sense of her and her own life, which has been hard in its own way, especially when it comes to relationships. I thought that, when I saw her in Tahoe, I would get the Lucinda from various YouTube posts. Instead, I got someone who was really “there,” her with the music and the audience and the audience with her and her music as well. When I listened to her “Live at the 920 Club” on NPR, I was so angry that people were so rude, yelling nonsense and stupidity and just uncalled for yelling and loudness. I saw some of this lack of respect as well in the YouTube videos. At Tahoe, all were “with” Lucinda and she was with the audience. It was like a flow of good energy, love, “the rhythm, the blues.” I will see her again when she comes to California and, this time, I hope it doesn’t cost $450 for the room, the show and food for less than 18 hours! It was worth it but, just maybe, I could see her twice in a single week for less than that! I will let you all know.

Take care . . .