I learned a new word during this interview you’re about to hear with Big Thief’s Adrianne Lenker and the deeply under appreciated singer-songwriter Tucker Zimmerman:
Numinous.
It means “having a strong religious or spiritual quality; indicating or suggesting the presence of a divinity.”
Numinous. That’s how Tucker described the experience of recording the album Dance of Love, with Big Thief as his backing band, and the album’s producer. Released in October, Dance of Love is a collection of absolutely gorgeous folk tunes, written and amassed by Tucker over many, many years. It’s beauty derives not only from what is actually on the album, but also from the spirit behind it — of kindred creative souls finding each other, across generations, across international miles, to make something gentle and singular and true.
About twelve minutes into the interview, Adrianne tells the story of how she first heard Tucker’s 1980 album Square Dance while getting a tattoo in Colorado. She was instantly mesmerized, and introduced his music to her Big Thief bandmates. They were all baffled that they’d never heard of him before, baffled that he wasn’t more well-known, in general.
Now 83 years old, Tucker began releasing albums back in 1969, and there are so many treasures to be discovered in his extensive catalog since then.
In addition to discussing the collaboration and how it happened, they each share how they first connected with their own creativity as a child, and I couldn’t help but notice how profoundly their current artistic approach carries the long reverberation of their first, naive awareness of their creative side.
It was a joy to get these two back together (along with Tucker’s wife, Marie Claire, who has a cameo at the beginning) for a conversation I feel honored to have witnessed.
Tucker will be on tour in early 2025. Get tickets here. Adrianne's latest solo album, Bright Future, is nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Folk Album.