Out now: Griffin House's 'Rising Star,' with Joy Williams duet

Singer-songwriter Griffin House has released Rising Star, his 13th album. It features co-writes with fellow Nashville musicians Brian Elmquist (The Lone Bellow), Joy Williams (The Civil Wars), and longtime collaborator Jeff Trott (Sheryl Crow), with the first two lending their voices to the recordings.

House also stars in the full-length documentary film “Rising Star”, set for release this year; co-produced with music video director and filmmaker Shane Drake, the film chronicles House's life as a musician and traveling artist, juggling fame and reality. The film features music from his new album as well as his previous catalog. The album is available on CD and vinyl, and digitally via iTunes.

With the help of old friends Paul Moak and Grammy-winning “Album of the Year” producer Ian Fitchuk, Rising Star was done at Moak’s legendary recording studio, The Smoakstack. 

“It was so good to reunite with them and work together again,” House says about Moak and Fitchuk, who helped House make his very first record many years ago. “It’s amazing to watch these guys I started out with in the very beginning who are now world-class musicians and producers winning Grammys. This album seemed to come together with a little more grace and ease than records I’ve made in the past, and I think so much of that is attributed to how good the people I got worth with on this record are, they all just happen to be really good friends too.”

Rising Star opens with its title track, written with House’s old touring buddy, Faroe Islands singer/songwriter Teitur. 

“We thought of as many country cliches as we could, and we started to tell the story of a ‘rising star’ who moves to Music City with a guitar and a dream, like so many do,” says House of their songwriting process.

“At first it was just a song that made us laugh, but as time went on, I liked ‘Rising Star’ so much I decided to put it on my new record.”

The album’s penultimate song is sung as a duet with co-writer Williams. “We worked on the words for an hour or two, and then out of nowhere, she sang this beautiful chorus,” remembers House. “We broke for lunch and came back and finished it that afternoon. It was one of those songs that took years to live and only one short day to write.” 

About Griffin House:

Recording and performing for over 15 years, Griffin House has toured with John Mellencamp, The Cranberries, Josh Ritter, Mat Kearny and Brett Dennen. House continues to headline almost 100 shows a year in the U.S. 

Tour dates:

August 14 – Dallas, TX – Opening Bell Coffee

August 15 – Austin, TX – The 04 Center
August 16 – Houston, TX – McGonigel’s Mucky Duck
August 17 – Fort Worth, TX – The Post at River East
September 5 – Knoxville, TN – Open Chord
September 6 – Bluffton, SC – Roasting Room Lounge & Listening Room
September 7 – Decatur, GA – Eddie’s Attic
October 1 – St. Louis, MO – The Duck Room
October 3 – Milwaukee, WI – Shank Hall
October 4 – Evanston, IL – Space