​Lucinda Williams (from the album Lucinda Williams Sings The Beatles from Abbey Road

​Lucinda Williams (from the album Lucinda Williams Sings The Beatles from Abbey Road

​Lucinda Williams (from the album Lucinda Williams Sings The Beatles from Abbey Road on Highway 20 Records) (by Lee Zimmerman) 
With a career that stretches back some 45 years, and includes any number of classic recordings — her eponymous third album (which yielded her oft-covered standard “Passionate Kisses”), Car Wheels on a Gravel Road, Sweet Old World, Essence, This Sweet Old World, and her last offering, the descriptively titled Stories From a Rock and Roll Heart (based on her memoir of the same name), it’s safe to say that no female artist other than Emmylou Harris and Dolly Parton ranks higher on the Americana pantheon than Lucinda Williams. With three Grammy Awards and some 17 Grammy nominations, two Americana Music Awards, a proclamation by Time magazine citing her as ‘America’s best songwriter’, a listing by VH1 as one of the ‘100 Greatest Women in Rock & Roll’, and an Honorary Doctorate of Music degree from the Berkeley College of Music, her storied stature has not only been earned, but acknowledged as well. 
Nevertheless, Lucinda Williams has never been shy about acknowledging her influences. Her series of classic covers albums, Lu’s Jukebox, has, up until now, consisted of efforts dedicated to the music of The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and Tom Petty. However, Lucinda Williams Sings The Beatles from Abbey Road provides a certain distinction, given that that its twelve songs were actually recorded in the same studio that provided the setting for the vast majority of the seminal recording sessions. 
Naturally, however, any attempt to cover the Beatles’ music brings a certain risk. No one, no matter how skilled or savvy they may be, can ever hope to compete with the iconic originals. Even when allowing for a distinctive spin, any possibility for positive comparison is often limited from the get-go.

In this case, with help from producers Ray Kennedy & Tom Overby alongside her regular backing band — Butch Norton (drums), David Sutton (bass) and Doug Pettibone (guitars and backing vocals) — as well as Marc Ford on guitars, Richard Carson on keys, and Siobhan M. Kennedy contributing backing vocals, Williams takes no chances. For the most part, she doesn’t veer from the archetypical arrangements, and yet, at the same time, she also manages to infuse her own identity and imprint as well. The Lennon songs in particular — “Don’t Let Me Down”, “Yer Blues”, and “I’m So Tired” are given a certain edge and angst that neatly complements the initial attitude and intent. So too, she clearly conveys the erstwhile emotion that originated with “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”, “Let It Be”, “Something”, and “The Long and Winding Road”, even while ensuring the sentiment would still sound sincere.
The only time she veers from the template, as on “With a Little Help from My Friends”, she chooses to echo Joe Cocker’s rendition without real regard for the Ringo read.
Ultimately then, Lucinda Williams Sings The Beatles from Abbey Road is best seen as Williams’ love letter to her idols, rather than any attempt to undermine the originals. Given that devotion, the sensitivity and sincerity clearly shine through. (by Lee Zimmerman)
Listen and buy the music of Lucinda Williams from AMAZON
 
For more information, please visit the Lucinda Williams website