Sweet Relief: A Benefit for Victoria Williams

The album was created in 1993 to raise funds for singer-songwriter Victoria Williams after she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Its success led to the founding of the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund, a nonprofit that continues to assist musicians facing health crises.

The compilation features a range of alternative rock and folk artists, including Pearl Jam, Soul Asylum, Lou Reed, and Lucinda Williams. Each artist contributed a cover of a Victoria Williams song.

Pearl Jam recorded a cover of Victoria Williams' song 'Crazy Mary' for the compilation. The track became one of the most well-known recordings from the album and helped bring significant attention to the benefit effort.

Victoria Williams was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic disease affecting the central nervous system. Her diagnosis and lack of adequate health insurance directly inspired the creation of the album and the Sweet Relief fund.