Nanci Griffith’s newest CD, Ruby’s Torch, released last Tuesday. It was produced by Peter Collins (Indigo Girls, Sandra McCracken, Jewel, Bon Jovi), engineered by Trina Shoemaker (Sheryl Crow, Emmylou Harris, Steven Curtis Chapman), and arranged and orchestrated by Kris Wilkinson and Larry Paxton. It was the first big project I worked on (as copyist and programmer) after moving to town 8 months ago. Peter decided to record it the way things used to be done, with the 13 piece string section and rhythm section recording together with Nanci in the vocal booth. While all the songs are great, some of the highlights, in my opinion, are Bluer than Blue, Grapefruit Moon, If These Walls Could Speak, When I Dream, and Please Call Me, Baby.
Bluer Than Blue was a hit for Michael Johnson in the 70′s, so it was cool to have him as the guitarist for these sessions. And three of the songs Nanci covered are Tom Waits song, with great lyrics such as “We do crazy things when we’re wounded / Everyone’s a bit insane” (Please Call Me, Baby).
Nanci’s interpretations of these songs are growing on me the more I listen to it. I’m sure I’ll be enjoying this CD for a long time to come.