Can't Let Go by Lucinda Williams

All eyes were on Lucinda Williams as she recorded her 1998 album, Car Wheels on a Gravel Road: She was already the reigning queen of alt-country, and advance word said that her new album would be the breakthrough. Then she got hit by a major bout of perfectionism: She wound up recording three different sets of sessions, the album took five years to finish, and even Williams started getting miffed as journalists started wondering if Car Wheels would ever see the light of day.

She had the last laugh, however: When finally released, Car Wheels was hailed as her best work to date (and we’ll add that it’s one of the perfect Southern road-trip albums). And she’s produced five more CDs in a relatively quick time since then.

Though Williams is most acclaimed as a songwriter, “Can’t Let Go is one of the few she didn’t write: Randy Weeks of the band Lonesome Strangers did the honors.

Lucinda Williams’ father Miller Williams has written several books of poetry and recited at President Clinton’s 1997 inauguration.

On vocals, think sultry: This is an earthy song and you want to approach it accordingly.

The rhythm section will have to master the country player's knack of bring both fast and precise: The drum part requires your stronger hand to do all the 16th notes it can manage.

On guitar there are a lot of fast chord/HOPO switch-ups; be ready to slide from orange to green in a hurry.

Still going strong. In 2002, Time Magazine named her America’s best songwriter.