Pierce Pettis
Pierce Pettis (born April 14, 1954) is an American singer-songwriter from F… Read Full Bio ↴Pierce Pettis (born April 14, 1954) is an American singer-songwriter from Fort Payne, AL.

A former staff writer for PolyGram Publishing in Nashville, Pettis' musical career was started in 1979 when Joan Baez covered his song, "Song at the End of the Movie", on her album Honest Lullaby. Following that release, Pettis became heavily involved in the "Fast Folk movement" in New York in the 1980s alongside artists such as Shawn Colvin and Suzanne Vega.

In 1984, Pettis released his first independent solo album, Moments, followed by a string of releases for High Street Records; While the Serpent Lies Sleeping, Tinseltown and Chase the Buffalo. None of these releases have made Pettis a household name, but his music has become extremely popular with other artists. His songs have been covered by artists like Dar Williams ("Family" on Mortal City), Garth Brooks ("You Move Me" on Sevens), Dion & the Belmonts, Sara Groves, Randy Stonehill and others.

In the early 1990s, Pettis developed a working relationship with songwriter and producer Mark Heard. Pettis was performing with Heard at the Cornerstone Festival in July of 1992, when Heard had a heart attack on stage. Heard finished the show, but collapsed off-stage afterwards and died the following August. That loss led to the start of a tradition for Pettis, who has started off each of his albums with one of Heard's songs since 1993's Chase the Buffalo, where he recorded Heard's "Nod Over Coffee". Other Heard covers include "Satellite Sky" (1996's Making Light of It), "Tip of My Tongue" (1998's Everything Matters), "Rise from the Ruins" (2001's State of Grace) and "Another Day in Limbo" (2004's Great Big World.) Pettis also appeared on a 1994 tribute to Heard entitled Strong Hand of Love.

In 1996, Pettis signed on with Compass Records and released Making Light of It, produced by David Miner (T-Bone Burnett, Elvis Costello), and featuring Derri Daugherty and Steve Hindalong of The Choir.

Two years later Everything Matters was released, produced by Grammy award winning Gordon Kennedy (who is best known for co-writing Eric Clapton's "Change the World.") Pettis followed that release with State of Grace in 2001, which featured cover art by the late southern folk artist Howard Finster.

2001 saw Pettis' most regionally oriented album, State of Grace released. 2004's Great Big World record saw Pettis collaborating with a number of other songwriters. In 2009 That Kind of Love included less of a regional focus. 2013 saw Pettis, along with Tom Kimmel and Kate Campbell, form the New Agrarians and release a debut album on the independent Due South label.

2019 saw the release of his album "Father's Son".

Pettis tours frequently, alternating between solo shows, concerts with the New Agrarians, and a double bill with his daughter Grace Pettis.
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Pierce Pettis Lyrics


7 X 70 Don't know what gets into me, Spirit is willing, but the…
A mountaineer is always free I'm one of the few Proud to be standing I walked up…
Affectionate Girl She's a very affectionate girl That's all she knows how…
Alabama 1959 Chicken wire floats in the big parade, Marching bands and t…
All in good time Cross my heart and hope to die (All in good time) But…
Another Day in Limbo Pray for the foothills, home to the drone of power…
Anybody's Girl Sing my soul from a stool in the corner, love…
Appalachian Bloodlines Appalachia where the dark sky rolls Coal fields lie so…
Black Sheep Boy Oh, the black sheep boy, he's a son of mine, And…
Can't Get Away From My Love There's no way you can lose it, There's no way you…
Chase the Buffalo Indians of long ago Followed after buffalo They found a us…
Come Home I remember how you loved this holy city in the…
Comet A comet streaked across the sky while I was sleeping, Broke…



Cracker Jack Ring Diamond captures the light, Holds it inside, like a genie i…
Crying ground No need to hide what's going on Your story's all over…
Depending On Gravity I've always had this fear of heights I don't like…
Don't Ever Want to be Without You It's a blessing in my life, It's a lesson I have…
Down in the flood Crash on the levee, mama, Water's gonna overflow, Swamp's …
Envelopes of Light At the sign of the times He hesitates to navigate his…
Family Can you fix this Its a broken heart It was fine Then…
Farewell Farewell to Newport Town, Farewell, Rhode Island Sound, Ju…
From Way Up Here From way up here, as far as you can see, From…
Georgia Moon 'neath Antebellum mansions Where the ancient floorboards s…
Ghost Town Ghost town, You used to be mine, but you went away,…
God Believes in You When you start to doubt if you exist, God believes…
Grandmother's Song My grandmother wrote poetry that she rarely let other people…
Great Big World I'm more tired than you as I reach down to…
Hallelujah Song I saw your face – hallelujah, And I was touched by…
He Burns For Her Flowers on the wall after the fall, Blooming like the flowe…
Hold On To That Heart Molly works on the children's ward The ones that aren't…
Hole in My Heart Don't want to be alone in this house without a…
I Am Nothing I stutter when I try to speak the language of…
I Will Be Here You make a lot of money You make a lot…
I've got a hope Man is born to trouble All the days of his…
Kingdom Come 1, 2, 1, 2, 3… On a street called "Straight" I…
Legacy It is a legacy It was handed down to me Poor dirt…
Leonardo Leonardo was a most energetic man, They say he talked inces…
Lion's Eye Walking blind through the wardrobe and into the night, A st…
Little Man Little man, he smiles at me, He ain't got no hair,…
Little river canyon Little River Canyon, swimming with the snakes Pretty green …
Long way back home Was that the highway calling me Or just my nervous energy …
Love Will Always Find Its Way Can't stop a river, don't even try it, Carry you away, Cau…
Love Will Find You Again You been stumbling 'round this tumbleweed town like a bird…
Love's Gonna Carry Me Home These days I'm noticing things (The) smell of the rain (…
Mickey LeLand Station wagons order burgers through the drive-in intercom, …
Miriam No banners were unfurled When God stepped into the world …
Moments Moments, People only die for… People only live for moments…
Moontown Every day these hills all turn to indigo at twilight That's…
My Heart Goes Out My heart goes out, like a flame in the wind, My…
My Life Of Crime I have been an outlaw All my grownup life Just ask…
My Little Girl First bike – pigtails fly, pedals whirl, Careful, there she…
Natchez Trace A tunnel cuts into this greenness Under the roof of…
Neutral Ground Oh, the train pulled into New Orleans and I made…
No Big Deal Not gonna fall this time Back in the same old…
No More Sad Songs Not going on the road no more Let some other fool…
Nod Over Coffee All the unsaid words that I might be thinking 
And all…
Nothing but the truth Hurry. copy down this dream Before the dawn steals it away …
Nothing But the Wind If you should see me stop and scan the hot…
One Who Got Away Got a ten-speed strapped to the back of her Volkswagen…
Pastures Of Plenty It's a mighty rough row that my poor hands have…
Rise from the ruins There ain't nobody asks to be born There ain't nobody…
Rodeo Around the World I hear your wicked laugh, Sunlight through an open window a…
Satellite Sky Why do I lie awake at night Think back as…
Shady Grove Red fox jump into my path, Shining there in the sun, Then…
So Many Words I want to write this song inside me, I want to…
Song of Songs When your garden is wet with the morning dew I will…
State of grace Oh I wash my hands And I take my place…
Stickman A stickman sits upon his bed His eyes sunk way back…
Talk Memphis Listen to you move your mouth, Bet you come from way…
That Kind of Love Can't be bought, or sold, or faked: that kind of…
The Longing I'm a fish out of water upon this stage, Longing, Flipping…
Thin Red Line Saw an old man on a high wire, trying to…
This Ain't Love Her hair was tossed like Spanish moss Hanging long and…
Tinseltown Home of the homeless, Free of the land who've lost their…
Tip of My Tongue There's an oasis in the heat of day; there's a…
To Dance To dance – a perspective of bones, a musical bath, It's…
Trying to Stand in a Fallen World Won't you take this down for me Down to the highway…
Veracruz When the night comes rolling in my thoughts roll back…
Wandering Moon All the grass is turning brown, Autumn leaves are softly fa…
We will meet again If I don't get to see you, Will I see you…
When I Grow Up When I grow up I won't have to think, I won't…
Words Said in the Dark If I tell you I love you, let the words…
you Green leaves shiver on that tree Seasons turn like traffic l…
You Did That For Me Don't have to cry anymore, Don't have to worry about what's…
You Move Me Here's how life seans to me Life is just therapy Real expe…
You Need a Love You got such a bad attitude, Too much guilt and other…
You're Gonna Need This Memory Green leaves shiver on that tree Seasons turn like traffic l…
You're Not There The presence of your absence follows me On trains and at…


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