The songs of Lucinda Williams, raw and steeped in hard-won resilience, will fill the Upper Jay Art Center Recovery Lounge when a lineup of Adirondack musicians performs a one-night tribute to the influential songwriter.

Led by drummer and venue founder Scott Renderer, the April 25 performance will feature an ensemble of regional performers interpreting songs from across Williams’ catalog. Renderer explains, “I approached the Lucinda Project the same way I selected and cast plays when I was running the Lounge. If the source material is strong, you love it, and stay true to it, in this case, the music, you stand a very good chance of having a great show. It goes without saying that I am a huge fan. Lucinda is deep and raw and sweet and sexy. The band is populated with talented musicians I have shared the stage with on and off over the last couple of decades. It’s a family with a lot of spark, and I’m pretty sure Lucinda would approve. Expect to hear music that spans her entire career. ”

Lucinda Williams shaped American roots music with songs that blend rock, folk, blues, and country for decades. Her newest album leans into themes of endurance and resilience, qualities that resonate strongly with musicians who grew up playing small stages and building communities far from the spotlight.

The tribute will bring together a cross-section of performers from the Adirondack region: Drew Sprague (guitar and vocals), Shamim Allen (guitar and vocals), Eric Klotzko (keys), Chris Kowanko (accordion and vocals), Orra Sprague (vocals), Annie Stoltie (violin and vocals), Larry Stone (guitar and vocals), Jesse Murphy (bass), and Scott Renderer on drums.

“This particular group of musicians is such an exciting collaboration, spanning generations and decades of history with the Recovery Lounge. We’re so grateful that Scott (founder of Upper Jay Art Center) is bringing them all together with this project. It means the world to have folks who have been such an integral part of the Lounge community use their talents to help us continue the magic,” said Gabrielle Schutz, artistic director for the Recovery Lounge.

The concert will take place in the Recovery Lounge, a century-old workspace reimagined as a performance space at the Upper Jay Art Center. The venue occupies a former Model T Ford factory turned re-upholstery shop, and its name nods to the building’s history of restoring worn furniture, which is a fitting backdrop for music that finds beauty in rough edges and lived experience.

Schutz describes the ‘vibe’ of the space as “a unique venue that is both warm and welcoming, while being full of potential for the unexpected.”

The show begins at 8:00 PM on  April 25 and is pay-as-you-wish, with donations going towards the continued programming and operational costs of Upper Jay Art Center. For more information or to RSVP/donate ahead of the show, please visit The Lucinda Williams Project concert website.

The Upper Jay Art Center (UJAC), located at 12198 9N (North), Upper Jay, NY 12987, was founded as a place to enjoy music, theater, and visual art. The UJAC’s performance space,  Recovery Lounge, has become an essential gathering place in the Ausable River Valley, bringing an eclectic array of professional musicians to this rural corner of the northeast Adirondacks throughout the year and staging plays by classic and contemporary playwrights, acted by an ever-expanding troupe of local talent.