Nanci Griffith, the Grammy-winning popular singer-songwriter, has died at the age of 68.
The Texan singer-songwriter was known for songs like “Love at the Five and Dime,” which she celebrated the south.
A statement from Griffith’s representative to the Associated Press confirmed the news of his death. No cause was revealed.
“It was Nanci’s wish that no further formal statements or press releases be made for a week after her passing,” Gold Mountain Entertainment said in a statement.
Griffith, the youngest of three siblings, was born in Seguin, Texas, on July 6, 1954. Her family moved to Austin shortly after. His father, Marlin Griffiths, was a graphic artist and barbershop quartet singer, his mother Ruelene was a real estate agent and amateur actress. His parents divorced in 1960.
Griffith began her singing career by performing at a local café at age 12. Her father took her to see Townes Van Zandt as a teenager and she recalled being “in awe of his eloquence and his lyrics,” she told Texas Monthly in a 1999 interview.
Their debut album, There’s a Light Beyond These Woods, was released in 1978, with a cover designed by Griffith’s father. The title track of her third album, Once in a Very Blue Moon, was covered by Dolly Parton for her 1985 album Real Love.
Among Griffith’s best-known songs was “From a Distance,” which was later covered by artists such as Bette Midler and Cliff Richard.
Among those who paid tribute to the singer was Texas Monthly executive editor Michael Hall, who shared his interview with Griffith in 1999.
“She could be sensitive and thin-skinned, also a nuanced performer,” he wrote. “Townes Van Zandt said his version of ‘Tecumseh Valley’ was ‘the best version of any of my songs.’
Griffith was diagnosed with cancer at least twice, first with breast cancer in 1996 and again, this time with thyroid cancer, in 1999.