Downtown Church

Downtown Church is the sixth studio album by American singer-songwriter Patty Griffin, released on January 26, 2010, by Credential Recordings, a Christian label distributed by EMI. The album was recorded in Downtown Presbyterian Church in Nashville and features different styles. Griffin has stated that she recorded the album to explore her feelings about religion. The album debuted at number 38 on the Billboard 200 and topped the Billboard Christian Albums and Folk Albums charts. The critical response was "generally favorable". On December 1, 2010, the album received a Grammy nomination for Best Traditional Gospel Album. On February 13, 2011, Downtown Church won the Grammy for Best Traditional Gospel Album. This was Patty Griffin's first Grammy award, after previously being nominated for Best Contemporary/Folk Americana Album for Children Running Through in 2007. Background and recording Griffin has stated that she did not have a background in gospel music before recording Downtown Church. She had appeared on the 2009 compilation Oh Happy Day: An All-Star Music Celebration in a duet with Mavis Staples. Peter York, president of the EMI Christian Music Group, suggested Griffin record a gospel album, and she agreed under the condition that Buddy Miller work as producer. Miller agreed and found the Downtown Presbyterian Church, Nashville, after which the album was named, and where the album was recorded in January 2009. The album was recorded in collaboration with Buddy Miller, Emmylou Harris, Shawn Colvin, gospel group The Fairfield Four, Jim Lauderdale, Raul Malo, Mike Farris, and Julie Miller. The recording took five days, one day rehearsal and four days playing, and was described as sometimes exhausting. Downtown Church consists of cover songs, traditional songs, and original songs by Griffin, and Billboard has described the album as a "gospel-style record" influenced by traditional country music and blues. Griffin stated that the album was an attempt to familiarize pop fans with gospel music and that she intentionally used different styles to "mix it up". A Spanish hymn, "Virgen de Guadalupe", was suggested by Michael Ramos, a member of Griffin's band. Griffin stated that she had listened to Christian songs by Bob Dylan, but failed to connect to them, and wrote her songs partly in reaction to their certainty and her ambivalence about rigid doctrine.