In a free concert downtown, alt-country legend Lucinda Williams stunned.
Last Saturday, a large crowd gathered in the Guthrie Green for a free Lucinda Williams concert. Williams is a Grammy-winning country rock artist who has influenced a generation of artists. Her 1998 album “Car Wheels on a Gravel Road” was a great commercial and critical success, and largely shaped the modern Americana genre with her innovative fusion of blues, country, indie and rock.
The audience in the park was multigenerational, with preschoolers playing tag and elderly couples laid back in lawn chairs. Some were true fans, sitting right up against the stage and wearing Lucinda Williams t-shirts, while others seemed to just enjoy the ambiance and free music.
Around 8 p.m., the Seattle-based soul-jazz group Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio came on as Williams’s opener. Supporting keyboardist and frontman Delvon Lamarr were Oklahoma native Brice Calvin on guitar and Atlantan Sam Groveman on drums. The trio provided a joyful hour of playful but technically excellent funky jazz.
Punctuated by witty quips from Lamarr, their music was captivating. From a brilliant and inventive cover of Curtis Mayfield’s “Move on Up” to their original, sometimes improvised, melodies, it was a truly engaging hour of unique music. The three have not been playing together for very long, as the touring members of the trio change frequently, but the three instruments truly seemed to be in conversation with each other. Solos from each musician also demonstrated their individual talents (and who doesn’t love a funky keyboard solo?).
Soon enough, it was time for an abrupt switch from upbeat modern funk to gritty 90s blues rock as Lucinda Williams came out with her band. She started out immediately with the raucous 1998 hit “Can’t Let Go,” a Randy Weeks cover that has become one of her most well-known songs. After her crowd-pleasing opening, she alternated between hits and deeper cuts, providing something for everyone in the audience.
In true country legend fashion, Williams provided each song with long winded stories about relationships, road trips, old friends, and beloved towns. She painted a picture of America as she perceives it through both her stories and music. Songs like “West Memphis,” about a controversial court case involving three teenagers in Arkansas, carry on the tradition of oral history by passing on notable stories through music.
Williams also paid homage to friends and relationships through song. “Stolen Moments” is her tribute to Tom Petty, while “Lake Charles” tells the story of an old flame who was infatuated with the city. She spoke about overcoming recent health struggles before playing her 2020 release “You Can’t Rule Me.” Her setlist was varied, from the more bluesy “Car Wheels on a Gravel Road” to the mellow folk ballad “Fruits of My Labor.”
Williams’s songwriting is incontestably gorgeous, incorporating visceral imagery of Southern life. Her band was also exceedingly dynamic and in tune with each other. From synchronized guitars to stunning harmonica solos, the band’s musicianship was truly extraordinary. The group seemed like old friends who were all truly passionate about their art.
Getting to see Williams would be a treat in itself. Her influence on modern music truly cannot be overstated. The advent of indie folk in the 2000s and 2010s can be drawn to her innovation, and she is consistently listed as an inspiration for up-and-coming musicians. Getting to see her for free with an amazing opener on a beautiful October night and in a joyful community setting made the evening even more wonderful.
