Dar Williams: Music was Decided for Me (REISSUE), ep. 314

Dar Williams: Music was Decided for Me (REISSUE), ep. 314

Author: The Bluegrass Situation June 12, 2025 Duration: 1:03:07

(Editor’s Note: Welcome to our Reissue series! For the next several weeks, Basic Folk is digging into the archives and reposting some of our favorite episodes alongside new introductions commenting on what it’s like to listen back. This episode featuring Lizzie No interviewing Dar Williams originally posted on October 14, 2021. Enjoy!)

Dar Williams, originally from Mount Kisco, New York, grew up in an era and a household where everyone was tearing down the old ways of doing things while learning new ways of expressing themselves. For Williams, this meant participating in theater and learning to play instruments. She attended Wesleyan University where she studied theater and religion. A deep engagement with matters of the heart and spirit continues to permeate her work today.

After college, Dar found herself in Boston, immersed in the singer-songwriter scene. She wrote and released her album, ‘The Honesty Room,’ which changed everything. That project started her on a path to becoming a venerated performer in the folk space; she was even on the original Lilith Fair lineup, which included too many musical legends to name here. It was a dream come true to talk with Dar about that experience, about what it might take for another Lilith Fair to happen, and about the current climate for women in the music industry.

Dar’s album, ‘I’ll Meet You Here,’ was released on October 1, 2021. It's a beautiful collection of songs mostly recorded pre-COVID, but hit a number of road bumps on its way to release. It deals with time, acceptance, and places and small towns – topics about which Dar Williams is a master storyteller.

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There's a certain magic that happens when musicians are given the space to talk not just about their craft, but about the life that feeds it. That's the heart of Basic Folk, a series of conversations that feel more like catching up with an old friend than a formal interview. Hosts Cindy Howes and Lizzie No bring a genuine curiosity and easy warmth to each episode, creating an environment where artists often share stories and insights they might not elsewhere. Since 2018, this podcast has carved out a vital niche, actively seeking to honor and platform the incredible, sometimes under-the-radar, voices within the roots music world. You'll find a beautifully diverse tapestry of sound and experience here, from technical wizards and Grammy-winners like Molly Tuttle to culturally pivotal figures like Leyla McCalla, all united by their connection to folk music's expansive tradition. Produced by The Bluegrass Situation, each episode digs into the personal journeys, creative struggles, and quiet triumphs that shape the music. It’s less about celebrity and more about substance, offering listeners a chance to intimately understand the people behind the songs. Tune in for thoughtful, humorous and deeply human dialogues that remind you why folk music, in all its forms, remains a powerful force for storytelling and connection.
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