With a voice that cuts straight to the heart and a style that maximizes the emotional potential of modern folk, singer/songwriter Patty Griffin emerged on the Americana scene in the '90s. Sometimes Griffin sets a scene of despair and devastation, as on the pain-wracked "Rain," but she can also lay out a landscape full of spiritual challenges and perseverance, like on the ultimately inspirational "Up to the Mountain (MLK Song)." At the core of it all, her music expresses an inner strength powerful enough to transcend everyday troubles.