Griffith, Nanci (1953–)
Griffith, Nanci (1953–)
American folksinger and writer. Born Nanci Caroline Griffith, July 6, 1953, in Seguin, Texas.
Began playing guitar and singing in bars at 14; graduated from University of Texas and taught kindergarten briefly; began recording for independent labels (1970s); signed with MCA (1980s) and gained moderate success with 1st album, Lone Star State of Mind (1987); reached #1 in Ireland with cover of Julie Gold's "From a Distance" (1987); signed with Elektra Records (1990); won a Grammy for album Other Voices, Other Rooms (1993), which feataured covers of songs by Bob Dylan, John Prine, and Emmylou Harris; ventured into classical music, recording album Dust Bowl Symphony with London Symphony Orchestra (1999); also writes novels and short stories; maintains strong Irish fan base.