Griffith Takes No Prisoners

Nanci Griffith is a national treasure that you need to discover. If you have not heard this singer/songwriter, OTHER VOICES, OTHER ROOMS is a great place to start. This cd is a departure from other work that Griffith has released as it is comprised of the songs of other writers rather than her own. The choices are thoughtful and her performance is superb. She chooses songs performed by such disparate talents as John Prine, Woody Guthrie and Garth Brooks. She kicks butt and takes no prisoners, SPEED OF THE SOUND OF LONELINESS, DO RE MI and NIGHT RIDER'S LAMENT are her songs now. Sorry, guys, but it's true.

I played the album for my mother-in-law (pretty risky business, at best) to see if she "could relate" to Tom Paxton's CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER WHERE I'M BOUND or Woody Guthrie's DO RE MI because of the very strong 40s/ Weaver's flavor. She couldn't, but I certainly can. For those of you know Towne Van Zandt's work, Nanci claims TECUMSEH VALLEY as her song now, with Arlo Guthrie singing harmony. It doesn't matter if you're a cowboy, a communist or a lesbian (or all three), there is something in this cd that will reach out and grab you.

I find the disc on my player time and time again. I may not touch it for three months, then it's back on the player and the songs sound fresh and new, as if I'm hearing the cd for the first time. Griffith has a clear, compelling voice that takes me with her on night rides, talks with children and we mourn the death of a hooker . . . I'm so there and you will be, too. All you have to do is listen.

Come on, a million people have heard her live by now. She has "tore up" Austin, sells out the Britt Festival in "Oh so hip" Ashland every year and has captured me and my buying dollars. I strongly suggest that you plunk down the plastic at Amazon or hie yourself to your local purveyor and pick up a copy of OTHER VOICES, OTHER ROOMS by Nanci Griffith tomorrow.