Lucinda Williams bound for Palatine

Country-rock singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams has recorded but a handful of albums since first appearing on the Smithsonian Folkways record label in 1979. But in the intervening years she has become a critical darling and the subject of almost cult-like affection from her fans. Her diverse musical approaches have netted her Grammy Awards for best country song (for Mary Chapin Carpenter’s recoding of “Passionate Kisses”), best contemporary folk album (for her career-making 1998 release “Car Wheels on a Gravel Road”) and best female rock performance (“Get Right With God”).

What Williams’ body of work may lack in bulk, it more than makes up for with a level of passion, intensity and honesty in both her lyrics and her intimate, emotional vocal delivery.

The singer brings her band to Durty Nellie??s, 180 N. Smith St., Palatine for a show at 8 p.m. Tuesday night. Blake Mills shares the bill.

Diversions spoke to Williams about her latest album, “Blessed,” her surprising recent level of songwriting productivity and the perception in some corners that her recent marriage and newfound happiness may blunt her artistry. The conversation was informative, insightful and, at times, contentious.

Q: Reading through some of the press materials, it’s almost as if there seems to be this fear that your finding a level of relative happiness might jeopardize your work. It’s almost as if happiness and art are mutually exclusive. What do you make of this? Should fans hope for your happiness because they appreciate your music or for your unhappiness so that you keep a perceived edge in your work?

A: I think it’s more that there’s this misconception that people think you can only write when you’re in crisis mode. And that’s just such a misconception. If I were truly unhappy, I wouldn’t be able to write. It’s really kind of the opposite. It’s really hard to explain. The truth is, when you’re really content, that’s when you’re able to write. Now, you might be writing about something that made you feel bad at one time. But when I’m in a bad mood, really unhappy, I’m not going to be able to write.

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