Patty Griffin DOWNTOWN CHURCH

Personnel: Doug Lancio, Buddy Miller (guitar); Russ Pahl (pedal steel guitar); Stuart Duncan (fiddle); John Catchings (cello); John Deaderick (keyboards); Jay Bellerose (drums); Bryan Owings (percussion).Audio Mixer: Buddy Miller.Recording information: Buddy's Home Studio; Downtown Presbyterian Church; Studio G!.Photographer: Traci Goudie.In many respects, art is about the process that goes into the creation of the work as much as the work itself; the path that leads to a final creative vision can often mean as much to the art as the physical technique or the initial inspiration. It's a process not unlike faith, in which the road to spiritual understanding plays a powerful role in informing one's beliefs, and both art and faith play a crucial role in Patty Griffin's seventh album, Downtown Church. While Griffin has described herself as a "lapsed Catholic," she's also spoken of herself as a seeker who believes in the spiritual dimensions of music, and she's a passionate devotee of class