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Acclaimed singer-songwriter Patty Griffin is back with her first full-length album in over six years, and Nashville.com has your first look at what promises to be one of the year’s most poignant releases. Titled Crown of Roses, Griffin’s 11th studio album will arrive July 25 via her own PGM Recordings imprint in partnership with Thirty Tigers — and pre-orders are available now.
Griffin previewed the record this week with “Born In A Cage,” a beautifully atmospheric, western-laced ballad that balances warm fiddle and the gentle shimmer of the santur. More than just a sonic statement, the track carries deep emotional weight. Griffin shares that the song was inspired by her late mother’s observations as she neared the end of her life — watching the natural world change outside her window as wildlife slowly disappeared.
“At the end, my mom was noticing that the songbirds weren’t showing back up in the spring, and rabbits and all kinds of animals were disappearing,” Griffin recalls. “Even the coyotes moved into Maine because they lost their habitat. There were all these changes to the delicate balance, and it must’ve been really hard to see.”
Crown of Roses continues Griffin’s legacy of using vivid storytelling, rich emotion, and poetic nuance to explore universal themes — love, grief, resilience, hope, and self-examination. With cover art featuring a photo from her mother’s wedding day, the album feels deeply personal, yet universally resonant.
Griffin’s longtime collaborator Craig Ross returns as producer, alongside trusted band members David Pulkingham (guitar) and Michael Longoria (drums), creating a sonic journey that flows from stripped-down folk to dreamy Americana and even flashes of gospel blues. The album also features a notable guest vocal from Robert Plant on the ethereal track “Long Time.”
Earlier this year, Griffin introduced the album with “Back At The Start,” a shadowy shuffle that kicks off side one. Written during the pandemic and almost scrapped, the track finds new life here, setting the tone for the introspective journey to come.
“If I try to hit things on the nose, they don’t feel authentic to me,” Griffin explains. “If I can emotionally dance around things, it feels like I can be more honest singing it.”
To celebrate Crown of Roses, Griffin will embark on a co-headlining tour this fall with the Rickie Lee Jones,including a Nashville stop at the Ryman Auditorium on Oct. 13th. GET TICKETS HERE!
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