Bakewell date for Dar Williams

She has a fanatical following in the States built on her time touring the college circuit in the early 1990s.

An early fan of her music was Joan Baez, who took Dar out on the road and has since recorded several of her songs.

Dar has released nine studio albums, plus Cry, Cry, Cry, a collaboration with Richard Shindell and Lucy Kaplansky, as well as two live albums.

Selling around a million albums to date, she has been named one the few most influential singer-songwriters of her time by Rolling Stone magazine.

Her latest studio record, Emerald, marks a dramatic confluence between her experiences and broader contemporary culture - and what it means to be a song-writer at this moment in history.

Those who have seen Dar live know she is funny, communicative and powerful. An accomplished singer; her three-octave voice is supple and fluid. Her writing focuses on topics such as politics, religion, sexuality, and family.

Dar’s passion for the big picture has led to a long-held connection to social and environmental issues, which she nurtures by getting involved with various projects, including community gardening and lobbying for renewable energy in the upstate New York town where she lives.

She performs at Bakewell’s Medway Centre on Sunday, May 22, at 7.30pm. US singer Leslie Pike is her support act.

Tickets £13 in person from the venue (weekdays) or buy online at www.wegottickets.com.