Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Nanci Griffith - EFMF 2011

When I was a student in university, I used to watch a program on a cable station called American Music Shop. It was on that show that I discovered Nanci Griffith. A singer/songwriter from Texas, her voice was sweet and her words profound.

Griffith writes about life, love, and social issues. Her delivery is sincere, with a dash of humour. Her Sunday afternoon concert at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival had an audience of dedicated fans and those new to her work. She introduced all of her songs thoroughly, creating a very intimate atmosphere despite the large crowd, as everyone got to know a little bit about the woman behind the songs: her late mother, her love of the soap All My Children, her passion for human rights. Despite having a cold ("That's what I get for going to Calgary," she joked) her voice was as crisp as the cool breeze circulating between the stages.

I recognized many of her songs within the first few bars (as did others, judging by the applause) and listening to them live brought me back to those more carefree days while gaining a deeper appreciation for Griffith's vast talent.

Seeing Nanci Griffith live was like meeting an old friend after many years - things have changed, yet that familiar bond is still there. ~Paula E. Kirman

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