Ismay travels across Nashville to the Station Inn to meet with legendary folk singer-songwriter Mary Gauthier. This episode of Finding Lucinda is different from those in the past – rather than interviewing a character from Lucinda Williams' history, Ismay speaks to Mary because of their shared experiences as fans and devotees of Lucinda's music. Mary reveals that her most well known song was in fact directly derived from techniques Lucinda uses in her songwriting. This conversation turns out to be incredibly revelatory, as wisdom Mary imparts allows Ismay to discover that what they initially thought this journey was all about may in fact be completely upended. ----------------------------Finding Lucinda is out September 9th 2025Pre-order on Apple TV: https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/finding-lucinda/umc.cmc.ims4vnyo6ibk1v6hgmqhta8dwww.findinglucinda.com----------------------------Interested in sponsoring us? Contact BGS: https://bit.ly/SponsorBGSPods----------------------------Finding Lucinda is Distributed by The Bluegrass SituationProduced and mixed by Avery Hellman for Neanderthal Records LLCMusic by ISMAYArtwork by Avery HellmanNashville Recording: Recorded at The Station Inn Sound Recordist: Rodrigo NinoProducer: Liz McBeeDirector: Joel FendelmanCo-Director & Cinematographer: Rose BushSpecial thanks to: Mick Hellman, Chuck Prophet, Jonathan McHugh, Sydney Lane, Don Fierro, Jacqueline Sabec, Rosemary Carroll, Lucinda Williams & Tom Overby----------------------------Saved By a Song by Mary GauthierDon’t Tell Anybody the Secrets I Told You by Lucinda Williamshttps://stationinn.com/information/https://acousticguitar.com/mary-gauthier-helps-veterans-turn-stories-into-songs-on-rifles-and-rosary-beads/https://folkworks.org/article/folkworks-article-mary-gauthier/
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54:05
Buddy Miller talks Car Wheels on a Gravel Road
Ismay drives to Nashville to share the incredible never-before-heard tape they found during their road trip journey with friend Buddy Miller. He has been known to have contributed essential parts to Lucinda's breakthrough, 'Car Wheels On A Gravel Road.' Ismay reviews the commonly told story about the making of this record, how fraught it was, and realizes that there actually is important history to uncover – history that reveals a more interesting and unexpected truth about why this record was so challenging to make. Ismay discusses Lucinda's history in L.A., where she met a critical collaborator Gurf Morlix and subsequently made her albums 'Sweet Old World' and 'Lucinda Williams.'Interested in sponsoring us? Contact BGS: https://bit.ly/SponsorBGSPodsFinding Lucinda is Distributed by The Bluegrass SituationProduced and mixed by Avery Hellman for Neanderthal Records LLCMusic by ISMAYArtwork by Avery HellmanNashville Recording —Recorded at Hummingbird Hill StudioSound Recordist: Rodrigo NinoProducer: Liz McBeeDirector: Joel FendelmanCo-Director & Cinematographer: Rose BushSpecial thanks to: Mick Hellman, Chuck Prophet, Jonathan McHugh, Sydney Lane, Don Fierro, Jacqueline Sabec, Rosemary Carroll, Lucinda Williams & Tom Overbyreferences:Working with Lucinda Williams - Gurf Morlix from Otis Gibbs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_x-fBaD2cwThe Working Songwriter podcast - Lucinda Williams from Joe Pug: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQ7ONKzCeFI&t=2372shttps://web.archive.org/web/20160603134220/http://nodepression.com/article/buddy-miller-disquisition-centrality-love-and-faith-music-buddy-miller-and-several-otherhttp://famouspalomino.com/https://historicplacesla.lacity.org/report/685475f1-055c-4096-bcdf-8ae69f32cb71https://trouserpress.com/reviews/lucinda-williams/Don’t Tell Anybody the Secrets I Told You by Lucinda Williams
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1:00:56
Treasures from the Tape Vault
In the most exciting moment of the Finding Lucinda road trip thus far, Ismay hears from interviewee Wolf Stephenson that there is some archival material he wants to share from the concrete tape vault. After sitting on the shelf for 40 years, Wolf has finally brought three boxes down to review. He finds that there is something mysterious and unexpected in the third box, so Wolf and Ismay try to get to the bottom of what in the world this mystery box contains. This piece of never-before-heard material gives Ismay insight into Lucinda's musical development and the choices she made as a creative person. But most importantly, discovering this treasure gives Ismay an opportunity to see themself in a way they never have before.Interested in sponsoring us? Contact BGS: https://bit,ly/SponsorBGSpodsFinding Lucinda is Distributed by The Bluegrass SituationProduced and mixed by Avery Hellman for Neanderthal Records LLCMusic by ISMAYArtwork by Avery HellmanJackson Recording —Recorded at Malaco StudiosSound Recordist: Rodrigo NinoProducer: Liz McBeeDirector: Joel FendelmanCo-Director & Cinematographer: Rose BushSpecial thanks to: Mick Hellman, Chuck Prophet, Don Fierro, Jacqueline Sabec, Rosemary Carroll, Lucinda Williams & Tom Overbyreferences:https://www.malaco.com/malaco-continues-to-expand-eights-years-post-tornado-destruction/http://www.andersonfairthemovie.com/
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Visiting Malaco Studios
Ismay travels from Texas to Mississippi, to visit the studio where Lucinda Williams made her first record. There, Ismay interviews Wolf Stephenson, who was the engineer that day in 1978, to learn about what happened during the session and whether Lucinda was confident through that initial challenge of recording. They discuss what results when artists get rejected and what keeps certain artists moving forward in spite of various roadblocks. Stephenson oversaw the development of Malaco Records, which produced R&B, soul, and gospel hits. Elsewhere in the episode, Ismay also takes time to visit the stretch of country between Austin, Texas and Jackson, Mississippi in order to understand the landscape that informed Lucinda's work.Interested in sponsoring us? Contact BGS: https://bit.ly/sponsorBGSpodscredits:Finding Lucinda is Distributed by The Bluegrass SituationProduced and mixed by Avery Hellman for Neanderthal Records LLCMusic by ISMAYArtwork by Avery HellmanJackson Recording —Recorded at Malaco StudiosSound Recordist: Rodrigo NinoProducer: Liz McBeeDirector: Joel FendelmanCo-Director & Cinematographer: Rose BushSpecial thanks to: Mick Hellman, Chuck Prophet, Don Fierro, Jacqueline Sabec, Rosemary Carroll, Lucinda Williams & Tom Overbyreferences:https://earlyblues.org/blues-locations-mississippi-jackson/ https://www.malaco.com/studios/Don’t Tell Anybody the Secrets I Told You by Lucinda Williamshttps://www.clarionledger.com/story/life/intune/2016/05/05/lucinda-williams-recorded-1st-album-jackson/83941954/https://web.archive.org/web/20160319194923/http://www.knowla.org/entry/1962/
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Lucinda's First Guitarist
Ismay travels to Anderson Fair in Houston, Texas, a famed music venue with a unique history that includes legends like Lyle Lovett and Nanci Griffith. Ismay tracked down a special character from Lucinda's early career, who had largely been missing from the national music scene since the '70s. There they discover how artists' paths diverge and contemplate what we're all looking for when we seek out careers in music.Interested in sponsoring us? Contact BGS: https://bit.ly/sponsorBGSpodscredits:Finding Lucinda is Distributed by The Bluegrass SituationProduced and mixed by Avery Hellman for Neanderthal Records LLCMusic by ISMAYArtwork by Avery HellmanHouston Recording —Recorded at Anderson FairSound Recordist: Rodrigo NinoProducer: Liz McBeeDirector: Joel FendelmanCo-Director & Cinematographer: Rose BushSpecial thanks to: Tim Leatherwood, Mick Hellman, Chuck Prophet, Don Fierro, Jacqueline Sabec, Rosemary Carroll, Lucinda Williams & Tom OverbyReferences:https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://repository.rice.edu/bitstreams/f46d1776-6b7d-4bba-9e16-f4d70234d003/download&ved=2ahUKEwja_fX6yvmNAxVJs1YBHUUaIyMQFnoECBcQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1hKyfGMJRk2_0t4lVFp_DMhttps://folkways.si.edu/folkways-records/smithsonianhttp://www.andersonfairthemovie.com/https://folklife.si.edu/legacy-honorees/moses-asch/smithsonianDon’t Tell Anybody the Secrets I Told You by Lucinda Williamshttps://www.villagevoice.com/interview-lucinda-williams-on-getting-paid-250-for-her-first-record-mad-men-and-her-favorite-place-in-new-york-city/“Lyle Lovett Goes Back to His Beginnings” The Boston Globe, November 4th 2012“Griffith Honors Songs that Shaped Her Career” The San Francisco Examiner, July 19th 1998
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.Finding Lucinda is distributed by The Bluegrass Situation Podcast NetworkInterested in sponsoring us? Contact BGS: https://bit.ly/sponsorBGSpods
Australia