There once was a time when, at my house, a new Lucinda Williams record was something of a major event. I’m talking back when she only put out an album every five years or so. Then, after a seemingly endless wait, she would put out 
something like Sweet Old World
Man, those were the days.
Lately she’s been a lot more prolific than she was back then. Her latest release, “West
Early in her career, Lucinda Williams gained a reputation for being a perfectionist. It took her five years to make a record. Her live shows were rare and elusive – rumors of her being difficult abounded. But with each release she got better, both in her songwriting and delivery. It was always worth the wait.
As I’ve heard it, during the recording of her breakthrough record "Car Wheels On A Gravel Road," she terminated the relationship with long time guitarist – producer Gurf Morlix. Steve Earle stepped in to finish the production and the results were her best record to date, one with Steve’s fingerprints all over it. It launched her into the big time, selling lots of records, winning a Grammy and garnering critical praise as one of the best living American songwriters.