2002 Winter Marquee Live

Most of the songs are among her best-known ones, but Griffith is one of those performers who can make even old favorites sound fresh on stage. Classics like "I Wish It Would Rain" and "Listen To the Radio" are just as addictive here as the first time you heard them, and "Gulf Coast Highway" (never among my favorites from her catalog, but I know I'm outvoted on that one!) gets yet another righteous revival. "I'm Not Drivin' These Wheels" and "Traveling Through This Part of You" get my votes for this collection's biggest revelations; the studio versions of both were always a bit forgettable for me, but the performances here are irresistible.

The covers are also terrific. This performance of John Prine's "Speed of the Sound of Loneliness" tops both the original and Griffith's previous recording of it, but Julie Gold's "Good Night New York" really steals the show. Written years before 9/11 as a tribute to past generations of immigrants, it unavoidably has more than one meaning now. There is only one new original song featured here, "Last Train Home" (at least I think it's new), but it's a scorching Texas tale which features some of her all time best lyrics, guaranteed to make good use of your "repeat" button. Here's hoping she's written more songs like this one for the next album - and in the meantime, this one is a more than welcome addition to her collection.

Recorded (the liner notes don't say where) on the "Clock Without Hands" tour, this CD features both recent and older. It brings tunes like "Listen to the Radio" back into play, and it also allows her to try on the music of others. She covers classic songwriters like Phil Ochs and Bob Dylan, and current major names like John Prine and the late Townes Van Zandt.

Griffith is one of those gifted musicians, rare in this day of teen-pop and boy bands, who sounds as good live as in the studio. It's a joy to listen to her swing through the tracks, plainly loving making music as much as we love listening. She's backed by a skilled band who fill out her sound, and they really help her sound good.

This is the kind of CD you can stick in the player and listen to over and over again. I have, in fact, done so. I recommend you do the same.

I think one of the reasons may have been the dropping of the narrative between songs which were such a highlight of "One Fair Summer Evening" - talk to any Nanci fan about popcorn machines and you'll bring back the whole introduction with references to vanilla cokes and getting off the bus at South Austin. Buy the DVD instead! I'm going to