Her accent is foreign, but it sounds sweet to me

I was incredibly lucky to see Nanci Griffith [MOJO 336] over 200 times. My aim was always to get front row seats, which I often did. At the end of the show I would give her roses and slink embarrassed back to my seat. This happened a number of times until she actually said to me, “Why don’t you come backstage?” From then on I went to most gigs on the tour.

Given her Texas background, I wanted to go there, particularly to walk down the streets of Austin. I got to meet her sister and brother in-law, and her father drove me from Dallas to Houston. I also have nice memories of dinner with her after her final show with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, and getting invited on the tour bus on a trip to the Giant’s Causeway on a rare day off.

Nanci Caroline Griffith was a strong, independent woman who ploughed her own path, which didn’t help her career. Despite selling out show after show, including multiple nights at the Albert Hall and big venues in Dublin, she should have been bigger. Other people had hits with her songs. When I heard the news I was devastated, but she was latterly very frail and had fought off at least two bouts of cancer. I’m feeling very down but will cherish all the special memories. She was always incredibly kind and generous to me. Hopefully she will keep me a place at the bar. Howard Young, Helensburgh