Apr 13, 2007

Griffith gives torch songs a rekindling

By Paul Freeman / Entertainment Writer

Nanci Griffith is a singer/songwriter of tremendous heart. So it seems natural for her to record an album of torch tunes. The result, "Ruby's Torch," is a warm and wonderful collection of remarkable songs, some familiar, others more obscure, but all enhanced by the distinctive flavors Griffith adds.

"In the past, I've dabbled with the classic pop song genre and my audiences really like it," she says. "It was just time to do an entire CD of torch songs."

Most of the public associates torch songs with 1930s and 1940s standards. However, other than "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning" (most famously recorded by Frank Sinatra), Griffith has chosen more modern compositions, including Jimmy Webb's poignant "If These Walls Could Talk" and three from Tom Waits, the title tune among them.

"A torch song for me is a song that comes straight from the heart, about matters of the heart," Griffith said.

Griffith is a compelling songwriter who has penned such timeless tunes as "Outbound Plane," "Gulf Coast Highway" and Kathy Mattea's No. 1 hit "Love at the Five and Dime." On this album, she drew on her own work for only two tracks, tonally different interpretations of "Brave Companion of the Road" from 1989's "Storm" and the title track to 1991's "Late Night Grande Hotel."

Of exploring other writers' material, Griffith says, "It's always a growing experience as a songwriter, when you sing someone else's work. When you're singing the material of a Tom Waits or a Jimmy Webb, there's always a learning curve there."

Griffith had worked with an orchestra before, on her album "Dustbowl Symphony," but this time around it was different.

"It was a bit unusual for me, without my guitar. But it was very freeing. I discovered how easy it is to walk in and become a diva overnight," she quipped.

A few of the new album's songs were previously hits for other people. "I had to overcome that thought in my mind," Griffith said. "'Bluer Than Blue,' for instance, Michael Johnson played all the guitar on this record and that was his first hit. 'When I Dream' was my friend Crystal Gayle's first hit. Trying to get their voices out of my head each day when I would walk into the studio was a challenge. I wanted to make it my own or not do it."

Now she's offering her moving renditions of these songs live, on the road, with her Blue Moon Orchestra. "We're doing a Tony Bennett combo - Michael Johnson on guitar, James Hooker on the keys, Pat McInerney on a little cocktail drum kit, Alana Rocklin on the upright bass."

Griffith said she was excited about returning to the Great American Music Hall. "It's always been one of my favorite venues in the world. It's a wonderful, old-style theater. There are just so few of them left ... in the U.S., for sure."

Griffith loves the United States passionately enough to want to see the nation act responsibly. She works tirelessly on behalf of land mine victims and veterans.

"I came about the land mine issue initially from watching Princess Diana work with the Mines Advisory Group, based out of the U.K. I became interested in that organization and from that became involved with the Vietnam Veterans of America foundation," she said.

"With the land mines, and now the IEDs (Impovised Explosive Devices) we're seeing in Iraq and Afghanistan, it's very important to clean up behind ourselves."

At the time of the 2004 presidential elections, Griffith said she would consider moving overseas if Bush were re-elected. "I seriously contemplated leaving the country," she said. "Then I was in the liquor store one day and I ran into Brenda Lee. Brenda Lee said, 'You can't leave the country - we need you!' I said, 'Okay, Brenda Lee has spoken. I'm not leaving the country.' It was great of her to do that. I do play at the Grand Ole Opry and it is important for me to be part of the community.

"It's not really brave to say, 'If we're not going to play with my ball, I'm going to go home.' The brave thing to do is to stay here and fight it out."

Griffith, who will soon team with Buddy Holly's Crickets for an album celebrating that band's 50th anniversary, is definitely a battler. She's won two bouts with cancer, first breast and then thyroid.

"What it gave me was a great appreciation of this gift of being able to play music, to enrich my own life with music and the lives of others," she said. "And it gave me a great appreciation for the moment and living in the moment."