Singer and songwriter Dar Williams became a major figure in the contemporary folk music community in the 1990s with her warmly observational songs which are often leavened with gentle wit and pithy wisdom. Williams' music is tuneful and makes room for upbeat pop influences as well as more somber acoustic sounds, and deals with topical and feminist themes in a manner that's human and grounded rather than didactic. 1997's End of the Summer was Williams' first creative breakthrough after some promising early efforts, 2005's My Better Self was an album that blended streamlined contemporary pop sounds with personal lyrics, and 2021's I'll Meet You Here was a mature and introspective collection about facing life's uncertainties.