Grace Griffith releases "My Life" single [Video]

Grace Griffith, multi-award winning American vocalist, who helped discover and inspired Eva Cassidy, is on the brink of a UK breakthrough.

"My Life", the debut single from Grace Griffith's seminal album Sailing, is setting up to become a UK hit. Despite living with Parkinson's disease for over 13 years Grace continues to write and record music including this critically acclaimed record.

After Grace's music was first championed by folk guru Mike Harding, her poignant and stirring "My Life" track was noticed and broadcast by fellow Radio 2 DJ and vocalist Michael Ball, declaring it to be 'absolutely stunning'. Following a huge audience response the track went on to be playlisted across the whole station.

A trained physical therapist Grace spent her early adult days healing with her hands and her evenings pursuing her childhood passion for music with a healing voice that reached far beyond her fingertips.

As Grace Griffith's musical reputation quickly grew so did her audience and one regular face in the crowd was that of an unknown singer Eva Cassidy.

For Eva, Grace's music became an inspiring force helping to shape her own musical path. The women became friends and after learning of Eva's illness, Grace phoned her record label (Blix Street) on Eva's behalf, pleading, "We've got this wonderful nightingale I'm afraid we're going to lose, may I send you a tape?" Although Eva's life was tragically cut short in 1996, her beautiful voice went on to touch millions of listeners and the Songbird album received posthumous global recognition.

Meanwhile, in 1998, Grace's own life became more complicated after the on-set of Parkinson's disease. Despite the challenges that the illness threw in her path Grace continued to record and release albums to widespread critical acclaim and in the process collected a dozen Washington Area Music Association Awards (WAMMIEs) including Artist of the Year in 2000. In 2006 Grace underwent pioneering Deep Brain Stimulation surgery at Johns Hopkins University Hospital. Grace initially benefitted from the still experimental procedure, but as the batteries ran down, her voice ran out. Then came a minor miracle. Although doctors could not assure her of a positive result, they suggested that she might benefit from changing and upgrading the batteries (done in March, 2010), and Voila! It worked! Not perfectly, but she now has more energy and more voice.

Bill Straw, Founder, Blix Street Records, picks up the story "When Grace gave me the news, I had coincidently started compiling an album that combined a variety of Grace tracks from different sources and periods. The general idea was to illustrate what her friends and fans in the DC area, her record label, a growing number of fans around the world and yes, Eva Cassidy, already knew - namely, that Grace Griffith is one of the world's great unsung singers. The goal was to create a "Super Album" that, much like Eva's 'Songbird' album, would elevate a relatively unknown artist to her rightful place among her peers."

Grace Griffith - "My Life" video:

With across the board critical acclaim and national radio support it seems that this goal has now been realised, Sailing is indeed a "Super Album" and Grace has finally achieved the recognition she has long deserved.

Following the inspiring response to her music from the UK, Grace is following her "My Life" success with her life - currently working on an autobiography about life with music and Parkinson's.

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