Dar Williams tours ‘Promised Land’ this fall

After an August 24 concert with Judy Collins, folk-pop songstress Dar Williams will be ready to hit the road for the fall leg of her U.S. tour. The next set of performances begins September 12 in Somerville, MA, and concludes with shows on November 7 and 8 in Alexandria, VA. Grammy nominated Shawn Mullins will be the main support for the tour.

The 24-date tour of theaters and performance halls will take Williams from coast to coast in support of “Promised Land,” her first studio album of original material in more than three years. The effort is scheduled for pre-tour release on September 9.

Williams, who is known for her intelligent songwriting and storytelling, has described the new album as a departure from her usual work. “On this one, I was paring the stories down to their core,” she noted on her Web site. “I wanted the songs to sound simple and down to what they were meant to be, which is hard to do. It takes a lot of knowledge to get to the point where you can say what you need to say — no more, no less.”

The New York native got her start in the Boston music scene when she moved to the city to pursue a career in theater. After picking up a guitar and penning some lyrics in the early ’90s, Williams released her debut “The Honesty Room” in 1993. In all, she has released ten studio albums, including the eponymous record from her cover song side project, Cry Cry Cry.

Shawn Mullins is currently scheduled to appear with Williams for all dates through September. He is best known for his 1998 single “Lullaby,” which received a Grammy nomination for Best Song. Mullins debuted in 1991 with “Everchanging World,” and has released 12 albums in all. On March 11 he released “Honeydew,” which he has been supporting on his own tour dates.

Dar Williams itinerary:
(Dates subject to change.)

* with Judy Collins