Gretchen Peters (born November 14, 1957 in Bronxville, New York) is an Amer… Read Full Bio ↴Gretchen Peters (born November 14, 1957 in Bronxville, New York) is an American singer-songwriter in the folk/country genre. An accomplished song-writer, she won the Country Music Association Song Of The Year award in 1994 for "Independence Day", a hit at the time for Martina McBride. She was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2014.
Though born in New York, Peter's was raised in Boulder, Colorado, and then moved to Nashville in the late 1980s. There, she found work as a songwriter, composing hits for Martina McBride, Etta James, Trisha Yearwood, Patty Loveless, George Strait, Anne Murray, as well as for Neil Diamond and co-writing songs with Bryan Adams. She has twice been nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Country Song, in 1995 and 1996, and was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Original Song in 2003.
Peters has released a string of studio albums of her own. The title track of her 1996 debut album The Secret of Life was later recorded by Faith Hill in 1999.
In the case of her new album, 'Blackbirds,' "juice" is certainly understatement. Recorded in Nashville, the album features a who's who of modern American roots music: Jerry Douglas, Jason Isbell, Jimmy LaFave, Will Kimbrough, Kim Richey, Suzy Bogguss and more. But it's not the guests that make 'Blackbirds' the most poignant and moving album of Peters' storied career; it’s the impeccable craftsmanship, her ability to capture the kind of complex, conflicting, and overwhelming emotional moments we might otherwise try to hide and instead shine a light of truth and understanding onto them.
'Blackbirds' is, in many ways, an album that is unafraid to face down mortality. But rather than dwell on the pain of loss, the music finds a new appreciation for the life we're given.
If anyone can open up that conversation, it's Peters. Inducted into the prestigious Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2014, she has long been one of Music City's most beloved and respected artists, known never to shy away from darkness and struggle in her writing. Martina McBride's recording of her stirring "Independence Day," a song that deals with domestic abuse, was nominated for a Grammy and took home Song of the Year honors at the CMAs, and her work has been performed by everyone from Etta James and Neil Diamond to George Strait and Trisha Yearwood. "If Peters never delivers another tune as achingly beautiful as 'On A Bus To St. Cloud,'" People Magazine wrote, "she has already earned herself a spot among country's upper echelon of contemporary composers."
'Blackbirds' follows Peters' 2012 album 'Hello Cruel World,' which NPR called "the album of her career" and Uncut said "establishes her as the natural successor to Lucinda Williams." If anything, though, 'Blackbirds' truly establishes Peters as a one-of-a-kind singer and songwriter, one in possession of a fearless and endlessly creative voice.
Though born in New York, Peter's was raised in Boulder, Colorado, and then moved to Nashville in the late 1980s. There, she found work as a songwriter, composing hits for Martina McBride, Etta James, Trisha Yearwood, Patty Loveless, George Strait, Anne Murray, as well as for Neil Diamond and co-writing songs with Bryan Adams. She has twice been nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Country Song, in 1995 and 1996, and was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Original Song in 2003.
Peters has released a string of studio albums of her own. The title track of her 1996 debut album The Secret of Life was later recorded by Faith Hill in 1999.
In the case of her new album, 'Blackbirds,' "juice" is certainly understatement. Recorded in Nashville, the album features a who's who of modern American roots music: Jerry Douglas, Jason Isbell, Jimmy LaFave, Will Kimbrough, Kim Richey, Suzy Bogguss and more. But it's not the guests that make 'Blackbirds' the most poignant and moving album of Peters' storied career; it’s the impeccable craftsmanship, her ability to capture the kind of complex, conflicting, and overwhelming emotional moments we might otherwise try to hide and instead shine a light of truth and understanding onto them.
'Blackbirds' is, in many ways, an album that is unafraid to face down mortality. But rather than dwell on the pain of loss, the music finds a new appreciation for the life we're given.
If anyone can open up that conversation, it's Peters. Inducted into the prestigious Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2014, she has long been one of Music City's most beloved and respected artists, known never to shy away from darkness and struggle in her writing. Martina McBride's recording of her stirring "Independence Day," a song that deals with domestic abuse, was nominated for a Grammy and took home Song of the Year honors at the CMAs, and her work has been performed by everyone from Etta James and Neil Diamond to George Strait and Trisha Yearwood. "If Peters never delivers another tune as achingly beautiful as 'On A Bus To St. Cloud,'" People Magazine wrote, "she has already earned herself a spot among country's upper echelon of contemporary composers."
'Blackbirds' follows Peters' 2012 album 'Hello Cruel World,' which NPR called "the album of her career" and Uncut said "establishes her as the natural successor to Lucinda Williams." If anything, though, 'Blackbirds' truly establishes Peters as a one-of-a-kind singer and songwriter, one in possession of a fearless and endlessly creative voice.
Everything Falls Away
Gretchen Peters Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by Gretchen Peters:
A Cool Goodbye Will I see you tonight with the moon in your…
A Room With A View I drive a cab in Brooklyn, I like my job…
American Tune Many's the time I'v been mistaken And many times confused …
Billy 4 There's guns across the river about to pound you There's la…
Black Ribbons I built this house with my bare hands On the shores…
Blackbirds The blackbirds came at dusk and they roosted in the…
Blessing in Disguise Are you lonely? Are you crying? Are those teardrops in your…
Blue Mountains of Mexico I found a postcard from long ago In a drawer yesterday Com…
Border Town Carmelita was a street angel but she kept her halo…
Camille The moon had a fight with the parking lot light And…
Careful How You Go On a midnight survey of the town No place special, just…
Child of Mine I can't fight your dragons anymore They no longer live behin…
Chill Of An Early Fall Well his old friend From his own end Of town dropped by…
Christmas Time Is Here Christmas time is here Happiness and cheer Fun for all Th…
Circus Girl I work the high wire in the center ring Defyin' gravity,…
Dark Angel I got no use for harps and wings I got no…
December Child What babe is this who cries no tears? Who brought you…
Don't You Know Quit my job and cashed my check Pawned the pearls around…
Drowning in You You blow in harder than a hurricane I'm always standing in…
Eddie's First Wife Eddie's first wife was a vision The bride on the wedding…
England Blues We'll take the red eye flight and leave Nashville way…
Five Minutes I've got five minutes to sneak a cigarette Five minutes to…
Germantown It's Friday night down in Germantown You're ridin' shotgun w…
Ghost There was a girl who used to live here Sometimes you…
Guadalupe There are ghosts out in the rain tonight High up in…
Hello Cruel World Haven’t done as well as I thought I would I’m not…
I Ain't Ever Satisfied I was born by the railroad tracks Well the train…
I Don't Know Quit my job and cashed my check Pawned the pearls around…
I Was Looking For You I was born with a hunger nobody could name Mama said…
I Wonder As I Wander I wonder as I wander out under the sky How Jesus…
Idlewild They're in the front seat, he's got the radio low And…
If Heaven If heaven was an hour it would be twilight When the…
Imogene Imogene, she lives in Reno All alone with thirteen cats Ever…
In a Perfect World Baby, I've been thinking About me and you Baby, I've been …
In the Bleak Midwinter In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan Earth stood h…
Independence Day Well, she seemed all right by dawn's early light Though she…
Jezebel Oh Jezebel, you can't just tell them how you feel They…
Jubilee I got nothing to hold me here My old friends have…
Like Water Into Wine Baby, open up that bottle Come and lay down by my…
Lilies of the Field Billy had a yearning and an ache inside So he got…
Little World Baby lock that old front door Got a good red wine…
Love Baby, where are you tonight? I'm lookin' good, I feel alrigh…
Main Street Right through the middle of our town A two lane, two…
Museum I am an artist, I won't crawl I'll paint a picture…
My Last Go Round What sweet love have I come by On my last go…
Nashville On a childhood highway through a night alone I was barely…
Natural Disaster weatherman says there’s gonna be sun surely to god i’m not…
Northern Lights Deep in December, the year has grown old The days have…
Old Paint I ride an old paint, I lead an old Dan I'm…
On A Bus To St. Cloud On a bus to St. Cloud, Minnesota I thought I saw…
Over Africa Under Kilimanjaro she guards her young And she speaks to th…
Paradise Found I got a fine house, I got a deep well I'm…
Prairie in the Sky I ride a big blue roan I carry all I own In…
Pretty Things I knew a girl who said that beauty kills Dulled the…
Revival I went walking one night on Tupelo street All the way…
Saint Francis St. Francis walking on the water All his lambs have gone…
Snowin on Raton When the wind don't blow in Amarillo When the moon along…
Song For A Winter's Night The lamp is burnin' low upon my table top The snow…
Souvenirs I set out like Kerouac in my American car Carryin' a…
Summer People I got sand between my toes and beach tar on…
Sunday Morning there's a dog a'barking there's no sunday parking no standin…
The Aviator's Song You fell out of the sky when you were 21 Your…
The Lady of the House Open up your suitcase and show me what you got I…
The Matador I threw a rose to the matador, not sure who…
The Secret of Life Couple of guys sittin' around drinkin' Down at the Starligh…
The Way You Move Me It's something like grace, the way you look at me Kinda…
These Cowboys Born Out of Their Time He's a cowboy, he was raised in Ohio He got married…
Thirsty What makes your heart so bitter? What makes your road so…
This Town This town is a lot like me Sadder and wiser than…
This Uncivil War There's a silence on the front lines You can cut it…
This Used to Be My Town The altar boys are sneaking cigarettes The friends and neigh…
To Say Goodbye Children playin’, night is fallin’ Stars are winkin’ in the …
Tomorrow Morning Baby you just slipped right through my fingers Baby took th…
Waitin' On Mary Joseph walked to Bethlehem Found no room there at the inn An…
Waiting for Amelia True north is hard to find These long, long nights play…
Waiting For The Light To Turn Green It's raining in my coffee cup Comin' down since I got…
When All You Got Is A Hammer There′s a bible on the table There's a bottle on the…
When You Are Old When you are old and tired and gray And wear your…
Wolves January's always bitter But Lord this one beats all The wind…
You Don't Even Know Who I Am She left the car in the driveway She left the key…
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Catherine S. Todd
Wasn’t a cloud in the sky when the news arrived
Just another bluebird day
Just a voice on the phone saying I’m sorry
Everything falls away
So I went down to the sea to look for you
Found the moon and the Milky Way
Watched the tide take back what it gave to me
Everything falls away
I live in the fear that my heart will break
I look for the thing that’ll cure the ache
Just one thing that the world can’t take away
I want to dive beneath the undertow
Down to the bones of the earth below
I want to know, I want to know – where did you go?
I saw you so clear in a dream last night
Diving from the cliffs at Echo Bay
The arc and the pause and the slow descent
Everything falls away
Richard Murray
This is Wonderful!
Few artists can connect with my soul the way Gretchen can.
Thank you 😊
Ed Reuther
Somewhat haunting and stunningly beautiful song! Gretchen Peters' voice is superb.
Charlie Hopkins
One of the best songs I have ever listened to.
Christine Linge
I just can't get enough of listening to that beautiful voice! <3
Lise Liddell
Gretchen Peters is a poet and prophet at the very top of the pyramid of songwriting, in my mind. (The only other person who's at the top for me is Leonard Cohen.) And then there is that voice of hers - so beautiful and full of expression. Blackbirds is one of the best albums I've ever heard in my life. Gretchen just keeps getting better. Beautiful.
Frank Gesarek
Joni, Bob, Leonard, Paul, Van, Neil and Gretchen are in the same echelon. Some touch your soul, others your heart and some speak to your mind. But Gretchen pulls on all strings with a delicate balance of unassuming sympathy.
Sara J Welch
I love the songs she writes, too! A couple other great singer/ songwriters I know of are Patty Griffin and Kim Richey. Just thought I'd let you know in case you like them too!
John Jackson
Outstanding, as are all the songs on this CD.
shadowbody
Ridiculously beautiful... I am so glad I discovered you last week!
PinkAngel360
This song takes my breath away. My very favorite Gretchen Peters song.