Finding Lucinda follows a young singer-songwriter on a road trip of self discovery to trace the roots of their musical hero Lucinda Williams. Amidst self-doubt and uncertainty, ISMAY sets out from the family ranch in Northern California and travels to Texas, Louisiana and Tennessee. There ISMAY meets Lucinda’s early collaborators, digs through the archives to uncover hidden treasures, and visits the studios and venues where Lucinda got her start. Interviews include Charlie Sexton, Buddy Miller, and Mary Gauthier. Finding Lucinda is ultimately a story about not knowing whether you have what it takes to be the artist you want to be, and looking for answers on how to move forward anyways. It’s about finding a small way to be more like your hero.

Season 1 ‘Finding Lucinda’ is a deep dive into the life and work of Lucinda Williams. Using archival material and interviews from the making of the documentary ‘Finding Lucinda’ as well as analysis from other artists, this season seeks to understand how Lucinda Williams became the iconic songwriter she is today with a focus on her early years.

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As we join the story, Ismay has been living and working on their family ranch for almost a decade – and they're looking for change. For several years the independent singer-songwriter has been playing in a Lucinda Williams tribute band and writing their own music. An opportunity to record an album sparks a new and different idea: to instead embark on a road trip to uncover the early days of Lucinda's music career and, hopefully, find a way forward creatively. However, they are plagued by self doubt about whether pursuing music can still be worthwhile for them. But in spite of this uncertainty, Ismay dives into research to see where a journey across the country – and further into the life and music of Lucinda – could lead.

Credits:

Distributed by The Bluegrass Situation

Produced and mixed by Avery Hellman for Neanderthal Records LLC

Music by ISMAY and The Lake Charlatans

Artwork by Avery Hellman

Guests: Mary Gauthier, Wolf Stephenson, John Grimaudo, Charlie Sexton

Special thanks to: Joel Fendelman, Liz McBee, Rose Bush, Mick Hellman, Chuck Prophet, Jonathan McHugh, Jacqueline Sabec, Lucinda Williams & Tom Overby

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Ismay arrives in Austin, Texas to dig through the Collections Deposit Library at the University of Texas in order to understand the life of Lucinda Williams' father, Miller. A poet and teacher, Miller Williams overcame setbacks to become a prominent writer. Ismay discovers his personal writings, letters, and photographs, highlighting his mentorship and the artistic community that shaped Lucinda's career.

Credits:

Distributed by The Bluegrass Situation

Produced and mixed by Avery Hellman for Neanderthal Records LLC

Music by ISMAY

Artwork by Avery Hellman

Austin Recording --

Recorded at The Collections Deposit Library at UT Austin, with records from The Harry Ransom Center

Sound recordist: Rodrigo Nino

Producer: Liz McBee

Director: Joel Fendelman

Co-Director: Rose Bush

The Caterpillar and Of History and Hope appear courtesy of Rebecca Jordan Williams

Special thanks to: Mick Hellman, Chuck Prophet, Jonathan McHugh, Jacqueline Sabec, Lucinda Williams & Tom Overby

references:

Don't Tell Anybody the Secrets I Told You by Lucinda Williams

Living on the Surface, New and Selected Poems by Miller Williams

The Ways We Touch, Poems by Miller Williams

Making a Poem: Some Thoughts about Poetry and the People Who Write It

https://oxfordamerican.org/web-only/the-kinship-is-real

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/miller-williams

https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/southern-tenant-farmers-union-35/

https://www.jstor.org/stable/26671158

https://poets.org/poet/miller-williams

https://muse.jhu.edu/article/740832

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPIgETlWaas

https://poets.org/inaugural-poems-history

https://news.uark.edu/articles/26213/miller-williams-remembered-as-poet-educator-co-founder-of-university-of-arkansas-press

https://www.rrr.org.au/explore/news-articles/things-you-possibly-didnt-know-about-lucinda-williams

https://www.swtimes.com/story/opinion/2016/11/16/a-poetically-proud-published-poet/24533470007/

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