Dar Williams is a longtime Ark favorite who finds the personal in the political and the universal -- and sets folk commitment to great pop tunes. Dar has always kept audiences guessing. Are her songs autobiographical? They're so vivid, and they seem so personal, that you assume they must be. But Dar says that she prefers to write about and for other people. Her songs tell stories of politics, religion, sexuality, and family, and the grassroots activism she has practiced often finds its way into her music. Dar has been riding high with a new double album, "Many Great Companions," that's produced by Gary Louris of the Jayhawks; he also serves as duet partner on a selection of Dar classics. Asked about what insights she gained from the experience of working on the project, Williams says her love of the three Js–Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez and Judy Collins–came through loud and clear. “I really did sound a lot more than Joni Mitchell than I realized,” Dar says with a wry smile.