![Lucinda Williams Show Pays Tribute to Musicians, Venues](https://lakevillejournal.com/media-library/rock-folk-country-singer-songwriter-lucinda-williams-has-put-together-six-shows-exploring-iconic-music-stars-and-styles-as-a-fun.jpg?id=48213580&width=980&quality=90)
Rock/folk/country singer/songwriter Lucinda Williams has put together six shows exploring iconic music stars and styles as a fundraiser for performance venues such as the Mahaiwe in Great Barrington, Mass.
Photo by David McClister
Lucinda Williams kind of epitomizes what we think of as American country music: Sassy, twangy and a little weary.
Like many performers, Williams has had some time on her hands because of COVID-19 and like many performers she is trying to find ways to support the concert and show venues across the country and around the world where she has performed during her long career (she recorded her first album in 1978 and is now 67; she is, in case you’re wondering about her thick molasses accent, from Louisiana).
She’s come up with a six-part fundraising series of shows that will begin on Thursday, Oct. 29, with streaming in our area at the Mahaiwe Theater in Great Barrington, Mass., and the Bardavon in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
The shows promise to be in-depth and unexpected, with great singing.
For those who are unfamiliar with Lucinda Williams: Even music fans of a certain age who don’t consider themselves country music fans are devoted to her, and especially her album “Car Wheels on a Gravel Road,” which won a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album when it came out in 1998. My personal favorite song on that album (since you asked) is the title song; I also particularly like the title song from her next album, called “Essence.”
She also wrote the song “Passionate Kisses,” which was a hit for singer Mary Chapin Carpenter — and was the title song for Carpenter’s 1993 album (seeing a title-song trend here). Carpenter’s version is wonderful, too, but Williams’ version is more raw and raucous and gravelly.
The first four shows in the series have been announced already, and now that you know a little about her own work you won’t be enormously surprised by the singer/songwriters she’s chosen to honor in her series, which is called Lu’s Jukebox.
First up, at 8 p.m. on Oct. 29, is, “Running Down a Dream: A Tribute to Tom Petty,” in celebration of what would have been his 70th birthday.
Next will be “Southern Soul: From Memphis to Muscle Shoals,” at 8 p.m. on Nov 12; “Bob’s Back Pages: A Night of Bob Dylan Songs,” at 8 p.m. on Nov. 19; and “Funny How Time Slips Away: A Night of ’60s Country Classics,” at 8 p.m. on Dec. 3. There will also be shows on Dec. 17 and 31 (what better way to spend a quarantined New Year’s Eve than cozy at home with Lucinda Williams?).
All the shows are ticketed, and are meant to raise revenue for the performance halls that have been pretty much shut down for months by the pandemic. The two local theaters that are participating are the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in Great Barrington, Mass., and the Bardavon Opera House in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
In the press materials for the show, Williams says that, “We’ve actually wanted to do a cover series for a long time now, but never had the time with my touring schedule.
“I guess the silver lining in all of this has been to be able to really get inside the songs of some of my favorite artists — see what makes them tick. My hope for this project is that we’ll be able to help as many venues as we can. They’re our homes, as artists. We have to take care of them, for the sake of live music to come.”
Williams will also sneak in a few original songs or favorites from her catalog, when appropriate.
The basic ticket information is that you can buy one show for $20 (which is available to stream for 48 hours after the live stream). For $25 you can get the digital access plus an audio download of the show. For $30 you also get a physical CD of the show and for $35 you get a vinyl LP.
To stream the shows, beginning with “Running Down a Dream: A Tribute to Tom Petty” at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 29, you have to download a program called Mandolin. There are step-by-step instructions at the Lu’s Jukebox website, https://boxoffice.mandolin.com/pages/lucinda-williams-livestream-series?....
To order tickets and have them benefit the performance venue of your choice, go to the organization’s website, click on “tickets” and you will be linked to the box office website; then your theater will get the credit for your ticket purchase.
Charlie the labrador retriever must wear a cone while he recovers from a bear attack on Wednesday, July 17.
CORNWALL — An eight-year-old black labrador retriever named Charlie was mauled by a bear in his yard on the evening of Wednesday, July 17.
Phyllis Nauts, his owner, said she did not hear or see the fight and only realized what had happened when Charlie came inside for mealtime.
“When it was time for dinner he came into the house and didn’t seem interested, which, if you know anything about labs, is unusual,” she said. “He collapsed on the kitchen floor. As I petted him I realized there was blood on his flank.”
Nauts said the bite marks were deep and roughly the width of a dime. Charlie could not make it upstairs to sleep, so Nauts arranged dog beds in the kitchen and slept with him on the floor.
The next morning she took Charlie to Millerton-based veterinarian Caroline Cannon, who put him on a combination of antibiotics, pain killers, rabies boosters, and tender love and care. She also condemned Charlie to a cone collar while he healed.
As of Friday, July 19, Nauts reported her beloved lab is on the mend. “He’s chipper and up and about.”
Charlie the black lab was bitten by a bear July 17. Bite marks on both flanks left deep wounds in the dog.Phyllis Nauts
Nauts said she has seen bears on her property for many years but has never experienced an incident like this.
“I’m concerned there may be a rogue bear out there,” she said.
Nauts reported the attack to Cornwall Town Hall, who will forward the information to the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.
Riley Moriarty
Of thousands who attempt to walk the entire length of the Appalachian Trail, only one in four make it.
The AT, completed in 1937, runs over roughly 2,200 miles, from Springer Mountain in Georgia’s Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest to Mount Katahdin in Baxter State Park of Maine.
While a thru hike often begins as a solitary pursuit, hikers weave into one another’s lives on the journey. Hikers Liam Hickes, James Outlaw, Jackson O’Brasky, and Riley Moriarty – Hero, Outlaw, Rabbi, and White Claw as they are known on the trail – were strangers back in March but have now traveled together for months.
Great Falls, Falls Village.Provided
Before the trail, Moriarty – originally from Columbia, South Carolina – worked as a carpenter and lived in a yurt in Asheville, North Carolina. He went on a weekend long camping trip with friends and dreamed of a longer excursion in the woods.
Outlaw too craved adventure. Growing up in Atlanta, Georgia, he had hiked sections of the AT with his dad and always wanted to do the full trek. While working at a food truck in Boone, North Carolina, he decided to commit to the challenge.
Hickes is also from Atlanta and had no idea the AT started in Georgia until reading author Andy M. Davidson’s book “When Sunday Smiled.” Inspired by the story of a retired Navy officer, he began to plan his own journey. Following service in the Marine Corps, he got on the trail as early as possible, hoping to be surrounded by fellow hikers.
O’Brasky spent much of his life among crowds in the cities of Hartford and New York City and sought the wilderness as an escape. A painter by trade, he applied for the Elizabeth Greenshields Grant with a proposal to hike the AT. After losing his job, O’Brasky received the grant and embarked on this six-month quest.
Liam Hickes.Provided
Life on the trail can be monotonous. “People romanticize thru hiking, but it’s important to remember that it’s just walking,” said Outlaw. A night of burgers, beer, and civilization is sure to lift spirits and remedy the backcountry blues.
But mostly the hikers enjoy settling into the steady rhythm of a slower, quieter existence: taking siestas on hot days, letting thoughts wander, and gradually moving forward. “I get bored very easily, and I really have not been bored often out here,” said O’Brasky.
Throughout the journey, these individuals have confronted wildlife, weather, and rugged terrain: praying not to flip while rafting down the Shenandoah River, laughing in delirium through a North Carolina snowstorm, befriending wild ponies, and soaking up stories of strange characters they meet.
Jackson O'BraskyProvided
When the trail tests their resilience, they manage to sustain a gentle hum of optimism. A moment of sunshine can erase all recollection of the storm that soaked their belongings.
With everything they need in their packs – tents, sleeping bags, three days’ worth of food – they are not tied to societal expectations or any physical place. Each roams freely and independently, deciding when to push and when to rest, but they camp together almost every night. Comradery makes the undertaking less daunting and memories more meaningful. “Being around others who want the same thing I want enhances everything,” said Hickes.
James Outlaw.Provided
Chipping away at this objective bestows a rewarding sense of accomplishment. “It’s always a big deal,” said Moriarty, “30 miles was a big deal. 100 miles was a big deal. I was really impressed with myself. Now it’s 1500, but it’s the same kind of feeling.”
As they approach Katahdin, minds wander to life post-trail. Hickes plans to start school in Louisiana with friends, while O’Brasky is unsure whether he will stay in New York City. Moriarty is considering joining the Coast Guard (though first he must figure out exactly what they do) and Outlaw is looking forward to a potential move to Colorado.
While they will put down their packs — at least temporarily — these men will carry willingness to be uncomfortable and determination to persevere wherever they go.
The clambake returns to SWSA's Satre Hill July 27 to support the Jane Lloyd Fund.
The 17th Annual Traditional New England Clambake, sponsored by NBT Bank and benefiting the Jane Lloyd Fund, is set for Saturday, July 27, transforming the Salisbury Winter Sports Association’s Satre Hill into a cornucopia of mouthwatering food, live music, and community spirit.
The Jane Lloyd Fund, now in its 19th year, is administered by the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation and helps families battling cancer with day-to-day living expenses. Tanya Tedder, who serves on the fund’s small advisory board, was instrumental in the forming of the organization. After Jane Lloyd passed away in 2005 after an eight-year battle with cancer, the family asked Tedder to help start the foundation. “I was struggling myself with some loss,” said Tedder. “You know, you get in that spot, and you don’t know what to do with yourself. Someone once said to me, ‘Grief is just love with no place to go.’ I was absolutely thrilled to be asked and thrilled to jump into a mission that was so meaningful for the community.”
Disbursements from the fund are made upon the written recommendation of a social service agent, town social worker, hospice care provider, visiting nurse, counselor, or pastor. These funds must be used for day-to-day expenses such as mortgage, rent, insurance, utilities, heating oil, car payments, and transportation to and from doctor appointments or cancer treatment appointments. “We’ve never turned anyone away,” said Tedder. “We have had to ask people to wait a little bit, but we have never said no, which in 19 years is amazing.”
Behind the scenes of the clambake, a team of 75 dedicated volunteers help make the event happen. Even getting the seafood from Fitchburg, Mass., to Salisbury is a journey all its own. “We meet up at the Mass Pike and do the switch,” Tedder explained. “We clean the clams and bag them...all with volunteers from the community.” Because of the generous sponsors and volunteers, all the money raised is donated. “Like the lady who does the flowers for the event,” said Tedder. “She decorates the tables and the tents, and she goes to Salisbury Garden Center, and they say, ‘Take what you need and bring it back when you’re done.’ It’s wonderful that everyone knows what we do and why we’re doing what we’re doing — it’s for such a good cause and there’s such a big need.”
The clambake meal tickets are your golden key to this feast, but fear not if seafood isn’t your thing. There will be a variety of options, including hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken sandwiches, clam chowder, and vegetarian options. And let’s not forget the dessert table of community-contributed delights, and an ice cream experience that promises to satisfy any sweet tooth. There will also be live music at The Music Circle with Eliot Osborn and Friends of The Joint Chiefs.
The actual clambake is quite the spectacle. Said Tedder, “The guys build a kiln out of wood with river rocks in the middle. They light it on fire until the rocks get really, really hot. Then they pull away the wood, cover the hot rocks with seaweed, and put bags of corn, clams, potatoes, and lobsters on top. It’s covered with large wet tarps and steams for about 40 minutes. After that, we have four teams of servers who serve 350 people.”
Tedder shared that her favorite part of the event is getting up to thank everyone. “It’s nerve-wracking, but it comes from my heart,” she said. “The most meaningful thing is that I get to read notes from people that have written in to say thank you and what it’s meant to them. It’s heart-wrenching in such a positive way because they say things like, ‘I wasn’t going to live and the Jane Lloyd Fund gave me hope, it gave me a reason to live.’ It’s incredible how deeply we touch someone’s life.”
For more information and tickets, go to www.thejanelloydfund.org