Dar Williams describes modern life as “a highway, filled with deep, exotic colors and beautiful delicate things as well as the perils that come from moving so fast.” Her 13th album, Hummingbird Highway, due September 12 on Righteous Babe Records, celebrates these vivid glimpses she gathers as a touring musician. Williams, drawing from her background as a playwright, fills the album with nuanced characters whose stories unfold in just a few minutes. The title track is sung from the perspective of a child speaking to a parent who is often away and sometimes struggling; the child treasures blooming columbines and cinnamon bark, while imagining “pirates” in the parent’s turbulent world. Williams reflects that these pirates can be both internal and external, but the child always roots for joy.

Since 2013, Williams has led songwriting workshops, encouraging students to let songs discover their own direction. This approach inspired “Tu Sais Le Printemps,” a light, bossa nova single, written in the midst of dark headlines. Support from fellow retreat leader Beth Nielsen Chapman reinforced Williams’ trust in following her creative instincts.

The album’s collaborative spirit is evident, with Ken Rich producing most tracks and Dave Chalfant contributing two. Songs like “Put the Coins on His Eyes” feature Daisy Mayhem’s energetic roots-rock, while Bryn Roberts supplies hooks and sonic landscapes. There’s rowdy “studio magic” on the Richard Thompson cover “I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight,” and meditative depth in “Sacred Mountain,” centering a Buddhist narrator navigating activism and contemplation.

Williams sees how people connect, chronicled in her book What I Found in a Thousand Towns. She celebrates local festivals, strong unions, and community activism. Coming home, she finds meaning in everyday civic life—organizing group sings, thrift sales, and serving on community boards. Hummingbird Highway ultimately explores perspective, resilience, and finding beauty amid the unpredictable.

‘Few are as familiar with the soul of the music industry as Dar Williams…(she)… is still pressing on the gas of her creativity... As far as her upcoming album goes, we can expect more of Williams’ clever lyrical arrangements.’ – AMERICAN SONGWRITER August, 2021

‘As usual, Williams evades schmaltz; although it finds its positive streak, “Today and Every Day” is based around present-day realities, facing climate change head-on from its opening moments. Still, its music inspires from the moment one sprightly flourish throws the song’s curtains open.’ – POP MATTERS August, 2021

‘If you haven’t heard Dar Williams’ name before, it’s probably because you’re not a professional songwriter — in that sphere, she’s been a legend for decades now. Among her other great attributes, she has that most elusive of gifts: the ability to write a complicated song that sounds simple…Yet another quiet triumph from one of our finest songwriting talents.’ – CD HOT LIST

(recommended releases for libraries) August, 2021

‘The album unfolds like one big song and finds just the right places to land a punch and plant a kiss.’ - COPPER MAGAZINE September, 2021

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