how cute is SHE?

Cute? Yes. Amazing? Definitely. Legendary? Always.
Before I begin oding to Patty Griffin, I'd like to share a story.

Monday night I went to a friend's brand new house in Mt. Juliet that she won on a reality t.v. show so we could watch a personal screening of the show that will publicly air on Saturday May 5 (yes, really.) I told her, I'm going to see Patty Griffin at the Ryman tomorrow night! She said, "oh yeah!?, the one with the red hair?!" I said, "yes!" and immediately felt in my heart that this friend did not know who Patty Griffin was, but was instead, erringly referring to KATHY GRIFFIN!

Oh yes. Yes she did.

Errrrr.....

On to a happier story.

Patty was beautiful, and humble, and soulful, and girly. All the things I love about her, plus. She wore a light green sparkly cocktail dress with flaming red stilettos that mirrored her hair. She was a vision. She's also very tiny. Did you know that? Yes, very tiny.

She pranced onto the stage like a child approaching the gifts under the tree on Christmas morning. She was giddy, and Nashville sat in silent awe as she carefully sat down at the piano to begin with a little french diddy her grandmother used to sing. I wish I knew what she was singing about. It sounded like love wrote a lullaby, but it was probably about turnip greens. It doesn't really matter either way. It was magnificent.

After that she stood and chose a guitar and the band came out and they were miraculous and moving and I promise nobody's voice laces a cello and upright bass like Patty's. There were moments when you could not decipher her from the strings. And then there were moments when all you heard was her big melodic bellow coming from that tiny whimsical frame. And she would giggle when we clapped as if it were all too much for little 'ol her. I love when they're humble.

Patty took us on a ride all the way from Stay On the Ride (my personal fav from Children Running Through) to Trapeze, to the only "happy" song she ever wrote - Burgundy Shoes, to an acoustic Mary during which the entire audience let out a collective and audible breath when she sang its first note, to Gettin' Ready which fulfilled the 'rock your face off' concert requirement, and of course a love song for her dog. Can you guess it? It's only her biggest, newest single right now. Yup. Heavenly Day. Wrote it for her dog. That's what she said. And then she closed the show with three songs, one being Rain. I swear I thought raindrops would fall through the ceiling at her mere symphonic request.

At the end of the evening, when all was sung and done, I was a satisfied fan. I felt it was much more than a showcase of rare talent and genuine character. I felt like Patty had come to see us -Nashville, to play at the famed Ryman, to walk among ghosts and leave her own spirit drifting in the shadows of history. To take the stage and present a song or two that would leave her heart, travel through her lips and be received as a gift. That's what it felt like. So thanks Patty. And come again.

For a couple of other (more eloquent) accounts of the experience that is Ms. Griffin-Live at the Ryman, go here and here.