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Lucinda Williams reveals she’s recovering from a stroke she suffered last year

The 68-year-old singer-songwriter is expected to make a full recovery.

Lucinda Williams onstage

Photo: Steven Ferdman / Getty

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Americana singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams has revealed that she suffered a stroke last year and is now in recovery.

Speaking to Rolling Stone, the 68-year-old said she suffered a stroke on 17 November 2020 while she was in the shower. She managed to get the attention of her husband, who happened to be on the phone with their doctor at the time.

Williams said she spent a week in intensive care, followed by a further five weeks at a rehabilitation centre. She later found out that she had developed a blood clot on the right side of her brain.

“An ambulance came and got me and we told them not to put the big siren on. We didn’t want to alarm the neighbours or anything,” Williams told Rolling Stone. “But they put the siren on.”

Williams is expected to make a full recovery as doctors detected no sign of brain damage – but for now, she is unable to play guitar or walk without the help of a cane.

“What happens is your brain gets all… the wires get all crossed and you have to retrain your brain basically, to tell your arm to do whatever it is you’re trying to do,” Williams said. “So that’s the biggest challenge.”

In the meantime, Williams has been busy writing music. And fortunately, she said the stroke doesn’t affect her singing.

“The main thing is I can still sing. I’m singing my ass off, so that hasn’t been affected,” Williams said. “Can’t keep me down for too long.”

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