Lucinda Williams' love affair with Minneapolis continues.

The alt-country queen, whose manager/boyfriend is a Twin Cities native, will kick off a 30th anniversary tour at First Avenue on Sept. 18, a precursor to a pair of ambitious three-night stands in New York and Chicago a few weeks later. Ticket info is not yet available.

Williams, 56, promises to play songs from all nine of her albums at the shows, including 2001's "Essence," which she recorded in Minneapolis.

The tour marks the release of her first record, "Ramblin'," issued in 1979 on the Smithsonian Folkways label. Last year, she promoted her latest disc, "Little Honey," by performing it live via her website from First Ave.