NSDLD Cover of the Day: Lucinda Williams is "Tryin' to Get to Heaven Before They Close the Door" plus "The Rising"

If you were going to create a Mt. Rushmore for the genre loosely known as country-rock, Lucinda Williams would have to be one of the four artists on it. (Who'd be the others? Let me know your thoughts down where the drunkards roll in the comments section.) For me, "Tryin' to Get to Heaven Before They Close the Door" was the greatest song on Time Out of Mind, so I'm especially glad Lucinda decided to make it a staple in her live sets between 2013 and 2015. This version is from a semi-acoustic show with Doug Pettibone on February 2, 2103, at the Dakota Jazz Club in Minneapolis. Thanks to Perks for the recording!

Tryin' to Get to Heaven Before They Close the Door - Lucinda Williams

Today's bonus cut is Lucinda's cover of "The Rising," the title track from Bruce Springsteen's 9-11 inspired Grammy-winning album. I'm a huge Springsteen fan, but his post-Tom Joad studio work has left me mostly cold. It's just too big for my taste--the sounds overpower the songs. For me, Lucinda gets this one just right. It's from her performance on June 22, 2015, in Ocean City, New Jersey.

The Rising - Lucinda Williams

Thanks Ed Tyre for the recording!