Country picks

It's been more than 20 years since Shawn Colvin sang alongside Chapel Hill's Red Clay Ramblers in playwright Sam Shepard's Broadway production, "A Lie of the Mind." Since then, the acclaimed singer-songwriter has carved a career of her own, built around insightful lyrics, compelling melodies and an uncompromising intimacy with her music and her fans. Moving far from her native South Dakota, first to New York City and now to Austin, Texas, Colvin has earned Song of the Year and Record of the Year Grammy awards for her 1996 song "Sunny Came Home." She's also landed roles in television's "Suddenly Susan" and "The Larry Sanders Show" and lent her voice to a character in "The Simpsons." Tonight, Colvin will perform at the Clayton Center, showcasing songs from her catalog and her latest CD, "These Four Walls."

Darius Rucker, lead singer for Hootie and the Blowfish, has gone country with his latest CD, "Learn to Live." Hear for yourself how he stacks up to the likes of Alan Jackson, Vince Gill, and Johnny Cash tonight at City Limits (see Page 11).

On Tuesday, sensational singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams returns to the Triangle for a show at Memorial Auditorium. Williams will showcase songs from her album, "Little Honey," which is set for an Oct. 14 release.