Nanci Griffith has made a career out of perfecting her folk music sound. She has released over 25 albums, won Grammys and secured her place in folk history. After three decades, it's time for a drastic change. Ruby's Torch, the singer/songwriter's latest release, is a collection of intimate torch songs. Some were written by the artist herself, others by her musical heroes such as Willie Nelson and Tom Waits.

      "Recording an entire record of torch songs has been a dream come true for me," says Griffith, "and something my listeners have been asking me to do for many years."

      But these are not your standard torch songs. Ruby's Torch features an eclectic array of influences such as "When I Dream," which was originally performed by Crystal Gayle and Willie Nelson. "If These Walls Could Speak" is a tribute to Jimmy Webb. But the greatest tribute goes to Tom Waits, who penned three numbers on the album: "Grapefruit Moon," "Ruby's Arms" and "Please Call Me, Baby." The only hint of classic crooning appears on "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning," which was popularized by Frank Sinatra.

      "The challenge in performing these songs is that you have to somehow remain true to the spirit of the song but infuse it with your own story," Griffith explains. "If you don't fill the song with your own emotions, then you really are just going through the motions."

      Griffith is backed on this album by the Blue Moon Orchestra, which has been performing with her since 1986, so it's only fitting that they be part of the process of reinventing two of her previous recordings, "Brave Companion of the Road" and "Late Night Grande Hotel."

      "Sometimes you find whole new personalities in songs when you perform them in a new setting," Griffith observes. "It's like looking at a landscape from different angles. You can really appreciate all the textures and features of the terrain if you approach it from different directions."

      Griffith has branded her style as being uniquely "folkabilly," which combines her folk and country roots. She learned guitar at the age of 8 in her hometown in Texas by watching a Saturday morning PBS series, and began writing her own songs because she found that easier than learning how to play other people's work. Her first professional gig was at a local bar when she was just 14. Her gigs were chaperoned by her parents until she was old enough to go it alone.

      She became known for her gritty voice and somber lyrics. Her career has been showered with success. Bob Dylan requested that she sing "Boots of Spanish Leather" at his Madison Square Garden anniversary concert. Emmylou Harris, the Dixie Chicks, Kathy Mattea, Suzy Bogguss and Willie Nelson have all performed and recorded her songs. And she has five Grammy nominations, including a win for 1993's Other Voices Other Rooms, and two more for her performances on albums by the Chieftains.

      But the ride hasn't been without bumps. She was treated for breast cancer in the summer of 1996. In 1999 she had to fight thyroid cancer. But overcoming these challenges, she has recovered and bounced back. She published her first book, Nanci Griffith's Other Voices - A Personal History of Folk Music, a companion to the Other Voices album. She performed in Third World countries and has supported causes such as the abolition of landmines in Vietnam, Cambodia and Kosovo. She was the first to record Julie Gold's Grammy-winning classic "From A Distance," and it was this version that was used twice to awaken astronauts on space shuttle missions.

      Griffith launches her Cabaret tour in February. For more information, go to www.nancigriffith.com.