From A Distance: The Very Best Of Nanci Griffith

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From that point on, Griffith named every band she fronted, big or small, the Blue Moon Orchestra. The clear desire, I assume, was to honor and recall that album's familial spirit. The core of the band stayed with her for the long haul." in: "Music Remembrance: Singer-songwriter Nanci Griffith (1953-2021)", by Daniel Gewertz, artsfuse.org, September 14, 2021 Evergreen (Love Theme from A Star Is Born)" – Barbra Streisand& Paul Williams (songwriters) / " You Light Up My Life" – Joe Brooks (songwriter) (1977) From a Distance" became an international commercial success after it was covered by American singer Bette Midler for her seventh studio album, Some People's Lives (1990). World events at this time gave the song a resonance as an anthem during the Gulf War. [6] It reached number one on the US Billboard Adult Contemporary chart and number two on the Billboard Hot 100. [7] The song went on to win a Grammy for Song of the Year in 1991 and a "3 Million Airs Award" from Broadcast Music Incorporated. The song also reached the top 10 in Australia, Canada, Ireland, and New Zealand. In the United Kingdom, the song peaked at number six following a re-release in 1991, having originally failed to make the top 40 when released concurrently with Cliff Richard's version. In an 2020 retrospective review, Matthew Hocter from Albumism stated that the song "showcases her magnificent vocality, coupled with lyrics entrenched in hope and peace." [13] Conversely, Midler's recording of the song ranked at number 37 on VH1's list of the "50 Most Awesomely Bad Songs Ever." [14] and ranked at number 14 on Blender Magazine's list of "The 50 Worst Songs Ever". [15] Criticisms focus on the song's lyrical content and the production of Midler's version.

Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. ISBN 978-0-89820-177-2. 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 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] Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own" – Adam Clayton, David Evans, Laurence Mullen& Paul Hewson (songwriters) (2005)Sandbloom, Gene (September 21, 1990). "Top 40: Music Meeting" (PDF). The Network Forty. p.28 . Retrieved March 21, 2020. Not Ready to Make Nice" – Emily Burns Erwin, Martha Maguire, Natalie Maines Pasdar& Dan Wilson (songwriters) (2006) 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.” In 1978, at the age of 22, I came to New York in pursuit of my dream of being a songwriter. And while dreams are essential, they don’t pay the rent. For years, I worked various temp jobs while gigging at night and sending songs out whenever possible. I demonstrated vacuum cleaners, Mr. Coffees and toaster ovens. I worked the flea markets, as a proofreader, for a dentist and at a venetian blinds factory.

Sweeting, Adam (August 15, 2021). "Nanci Griffith obituary". The Guardian . Retrieved August 15, 2021.Not to put too much philosophical weight on the lyrics of a pop song but it's just something that popped into my head when I first heard the song. Nanci recorded “From a Distance” on her first album for MCA. I remember sitting at The Bottom Line the first time I saw her perform it live and observing her audience sing along. That’s when I realized that my life would never be the same.

From a Distance (US 7-inch single vinyl disc). Bette Midler. Atlantic Records. 1990. 7-87820. {{ cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) ( link)

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Terfa from Mbakaange, VandeikyaIf only Alfred Noble's prize is given for best peace song. I see no better song to vouch for than,From a distance. To me it's a millennium song for PEACE ! VH1.com: Shows: 50 Most Awesomely Bad Songs...Ever: Countdown". June 7, 2004. Archived from the original on June 7, 2004 . Retrieved April 24, 2021. Steve from Gaithersburg, MdDuring her testimony before an Intellectual Property Rights task force on September 14, 2004, Ms. Gold said: