She learned to play the guitar by watching a PBS TV series hosted by Laura Weber and started to write her own songs. Her first performance was at the Red Lion club in Austin, when she was 12. She listed the songwriter Odetta as one of her key influences, and defined herself by saying: “You take a whole lot of Woody Guthrie and a whole lot of Loretta Lynn, swoosh it around and it comes out as Nanci Griffith.” Noble, Richard E. (2009). Number No. 1: the story of the original Highwaymen. Denver: Outskirts Press. pp.265–267. ISBN 9781432738099. OCLC 426388468. From a Distance (US cassette single sleeve). Bette Midler. Atlantic Records. 1990. 4-87820. {{ cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) ( link) Nanci Griffith recorded it first in her 1987 album Lone Star State of Mind. Nanci Griffith stated that a songwriter Julie Gold sent her the song in 1986, asking Griffith what was wrong with it, as Gold had sent it to many artists and record companies but none wanted to record it. Griffith answered that she loved it so much the moment she heard it and that she wanted to hear it performed personally by Gold. This established a relationship between the two with Griffith being the first to record "From a Distance" in her Lone Star State of Mind album. Griffith was inducted into the Texas Heritage Songwriters Association's Hall of Fame in February 2022 at the Paramount Theatre in Austin. [22] [23] [24] The Blue Moon Orchestra [ edit ]

On September 22, 2023, a tribute album, More than a Whisper: Celebrating the Music of Nanci Griffith, was released by Rounder and Concord Records. The compilation featured covers of Griffith's songs by her friends and fans, including Sarah Jarosz, John Prine, Kelsey Waldon, Billy Strings, Molly Tuttle, Emmylou Harris, Lyle Lovett, Kathy Mattea, Brandy Clark, Shawn Colvin, Ida Mae, Steve Earle, Aaron Lee Tasjan, Todd Snider, Iris DeMent, Mary Gauthier and The War and Treaty. [31] Discography [ edit ] Studio albums [ edit ] Year Griffith suffered health problems. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1996 and thyroid cancer in 1998. A case of Dupuytren’s contracture caused her to lose flexibility in her fingers. Aswad, Jem (August 13, 2021). "Nanci Griffith, Grammy-Winning Singer-Songwriter, Dies at 68". Variety . Retrieved August 13, 2021. Otoobong from NigeriaThe song is a spirit fiiled; only when you understand the meaning of it. it's only for those who believe in God and its supernatural power. She recalled being strongly affected by seeing her fellow Texan Townes van Zandt perform, singling out his song Tecumseh Valley, the kind of finely drawn narrative that would become a trademark of her own work.Sandbloom, Gene (September 21, 1990). "Top 40: Music Meeting" (PDF). The Network Forty. p.28 . Retrieved March 21, 2020. That's What I Like" – Christopher Brody Brown, James Fauntleroy, Philip Lawrence, Bruno Mars, Ray Charles McCullough II, Jeremy Reeves, Ray Romulus & Jonathan Yip (songwriters) (2017)

Griffith's high school boyfriend, John, died in a motorcycle accident after taking her to the senior prom, and subsequently inspired many of her songs. [5] She was married to singer-songwriter Eric Taylor from 1976 to 1982. In the early 1990s, she was engaged to singer-songwriter Tom Kimmel. [28] Death [ edit ] Dansby, Andrew (August 13, 2021). "Texas legend and Grammy-winning folk singer-songwriter Nanci Griffith dies". Houston Chronicle . Retrieved December 30, 2022. Lefty Frizzell, Nanci Griffith, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Mark James To Join Texas Songwriters Hall Of Fame, musicrow.com, May 28, 2021 Regarding her songwriting process, Gold told us: "Fortunately, words and music usually come together for me. I had been playing around with the lyric and the concept for a few weeks but when I finally sat down at the piano, it all sort of happened at once. I can only write at home. I can only write at a piano. I can only write alone, though I'm trying to change my ways. In some ways that song took me a lifetime and in some ways it took me around 2 hours.As for me, I only write when I feel I have something I MUST say. Then, I try to say it in as universal but personal a way as I possibly can. I always try to take the scenic route musically and lyrically. The job of a song is to take a person on a musical journey for 3 minutes. In those 3 minutes you can transport your listener to a better, higher place. When they return to their starting point, hopefully they'll be changed forever for the better. Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol.8, no.27. July 9, 1991. p.45 . Retrieved September 16, 2020. Breihan, Tom (September 22, 2023). "Stream The New Nanci Griffith Tribute Album Feat. Steve Earle, Billy Strings, Iris DeMent, & More". Stereogum . Retrieved September 23, 2023. Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 9174." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 11, 2019.

From a Distance (UK CD single liner notes). Bette Midler. Atlantic Records. 1990. A7820CD, 7567-78611-2. {{ cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) ( link)Lou Siffer from Denver, Dc From a serious or possibly idiotic point of view.(I don't believe in god, or satan.) This song might explain the reasons for the state of the world today. "From a distance" everything is perfect. And god is watching us "from a distance." Her career spanned a variety of musical genres, predominantly country, folk, and what she termed "folkabilly." [1] Griffith won a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album in 1994 for her 1993 recording, Other Voices, Other Rooms. [9] This album features Griffith covering the songs of artists who were her major influences. One of her better-known songs is " From a Distance," which was written and composed by Julie Gold. Similarly, other artists have occasionally achieved greater success than Griffith herself with songs that she wrote or co-wrote. For example, Kathy Mattea had a country music top five hit with a 1986 cover of Griffith's " Love at the Five and Dime" and Suzy Bogguss had one of her largest hits with Griffith (and Tom Russell)'s " Outbound Plane". [10] [ citation needed] From a Distance (Japanese mini-CD single liner notes). Bette Midler. Atlantic Records. 1990. AMDY-5032. {{ cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) ( link) She recorded four more albums, the last of them being Intersection, recorded at her Nashville home with Pete and Maura Kennedy and the percussionist Pat McInerney. Two of its songs Come On Up Mississippi and Bethlehem Steel reflected some of Griffith’s social and political concerns. Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" – Thaddis "Kuk" Harrell, Beyoncé Knowles, Terius Nash& Christopher Stewart (songwriters) (2009)