Dar Williams @ The Triple Door

Monday & Tuesday, November 14-15 • 7:30 pm

Singer-songwriter Dar Williams has built a loyal following for well-crafted songs and her knack for taking a personal observation and making it seem universal. “You’re Aging Well” was first released in 1993 and sought to redefine the limitations of growing old, an unexpected theme for a performer then in her twenties. And when she re-recorded it for her last album, 2021’s I’ll Meet You Here, it took on a greater resonance; here, she’s living the future she imagined a quarter-century ago and still looking ahead to the future, even as her voice shows the passage of time.

It’s a comforting message, and her current tour is a double celebration, seeing her return to live work and promoting her latest book. Once the pandemic put touring on hold, she spent time writing How to Write a Song That Matters, which has received kudos from the likes of fellow artists like Mary Chapin Carpenter, who’s hailed the book for its insights into the creative process. The book is a natural extension of the songwriting retreats she’s hosted over the years, and its strength is that it’s an engaging read even if you’re simply a music fan who has no interest in writing a song.

These shows are also unique in that they are “all request”—meaning that you get to determine the setlist. Go to her website to leave your requests. Then stick around afterward; post-show, Williams will sell and sign her books. Nashville’s self-proclaimed “troubadour of truth,” Crys Matthews, opens the evening.