It's been a banner year for folk singer Patty Griffin. In addition to the long anticipated release of her lost third album,
Silver Bell, she also released another stunning album,
American Kid, in May, and hit Nashville's Ryman Auditorium last Monday. You may be familiar with The Dixie Chicks cover of "Top of the World," which was originally penned by Griffin and was a part of the
Silver Bell album. She included that song in her set, but the primary focus of the evening was in Griffin's reflection upon her family, specifically the men in her family. More than a few cuts from
American Kid focused on the life and times of her father. Stirring piano ballad "Irish Boy" told the tale of a wild night from her father's youth in one of Boston's town squares, while "Get Ready Marie" was inspired by a photo from her grandparents' wedding.
In the photo, she said her grandmother looks like she'd made the biggest mistake of her life, while her grandpa looked like he couldn't wait to get his hands on her! She displayed an incredible sense of warmth and reliability with a few personal stories throughout the night. She also showed off various nuances of her sound, including the old-timey gospel stomp of "Death's Got a Warrant," the instrumental interplay of "Faithful Son," and the Spanish flair of "Mil Besos." "Flaming Red" and "Please Don't Let Me Die in Florida," meanwhile, gave Griffin and her band a chance to kick up their boots. The latter got a big boost from a bluesy electric lead guitar, which gave the song a kick it didn't have on the studio recording.
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| Patty Griffin created a sense of nostalgia with stories of her family. |
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