Lucinda Williams definitely puts the “plus” in ‘Country Plus.’

She got her start as a modest country-folk artist, kicking around New Orleans, Austin and Houston before testing the waters in New York and Los Angeles. Over 10 albums and 33 years, she has emerged as one of the most respected songwriters of her generation.

Williams’ style has grown rougher around the edges over the years, with a gritty and muscular blues sound bumping up against the fiddles and acoustic guitars. She has also indulged (with often beautiful, sometimes frustrating results) in her share of art-rock, experimenting with spoken-word tracks and ambient sounds.

Like many artists I love, Williams has worked wonders with a non-traditional voice (I considered making ‘Non-Traditional Voice’ one of my genome categories at one point). Her lazy drawl sometimes suggests she’s hammered but always betrays a world-weariness that lends authenticity to her work.

In addition to the ‘Country Plus’ category, Williams scores as a ‘Folk Rock Derivative’ and ‘Melancholy’ artist.