Lucinda Williams Getting Married Onstage

Esteemed alt-country singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams plans to get married later this month at the famous Minneapolis nightclub First Avenue. According to the Star Tribune, Williams will follow the lead of one of her musical heroes, Hank Williams, who also married the second time around onstage back in 1952, when she ties the knot with former Best Buy executive and her current manager, Tom Overby, during her Sept. 18 gig.

For Williams, 56, the venue has a special meaning as it was one of her favorite hangs while she recorded her 2001 album 'Essence' in the Twin Cities area. But the actual idea for the couple to marry in between Lucinda's main set and encore was hatched by the performer's dad, poet and fellow Hank loyalist Miller Williams.

First Avenue general manager Nate Kranz first took the call for the unusual booking. "We're really excited about it," Kranz told the Star Tribune, describing how Williams' booking agent called him and said, "I've got a weird one for you ..."

"We've had a lot of awesome shows with Lucinda over the years," Kranz continued, "but this one will probably be the most memorable." The Los Angeles-based couple isn't the first to marry inside the venue, but they may be the highest profile pair to exchange rings at the club that helped launch the careers of local icons like the Replacements and Soul Asylum.

Since being introduced by friends about five years ago, Overby -- a Twin Cities native -- has become instrumental in Williams' career, serving as her manager and even earning a co-producer's credit for last year's album 'Little Honey.' Williams -- who is celebrating her 30th year in music -- was briefly married in the 1980s to Long Ryders drummer Greg Swoders.

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