I eagerly anticipated the release of Pierce Pettis’ State of Grace (Compass Records) for many months. Over the years, I had developed a great affinity for the singer-songwriter through his albums and live performances, and I had heard rumors that the theme of this album was the South, the region that both Pettis and I call home. Though Pettis has written a great volume of songs as a Polygram staff songwriter, some of my all-time favorites are about the Southland, so his talent in capturing the area was already established. When the album was released late last summer, I found myself in a state of grace of my own, as every high expectation I had was met and exceeded by Pettis’ latest project.

Like every Pettis album released in the past decade, State of Grace begins with a cover of a Mark Heard song, this time “Rise from the Ruins.” Pettis does great justice to the song, arranging it with a gospel feel that suits its content. As much as I enjoy the first track, for me the album begins with the first few dozen barres of the second song, the melody of the Doxology picked softly on an acoustic guitar. The words of the title track begin soon after: “Oh I wash my hands / and I take my place / bow my head / and clean my plate / I think and act / and I talk this way / for I was raised / in a state of grace.” From there, the song goes on to expound upon the landscape and people of his native Alabama.

Each song has a different perspective, but all capture the magic of the South. “Georgia Moon” describes youthful love birthed in the Gone With the Wind world of movies and proud old cities. “’Neath Antebellum mansions / where the ancient floorboards sag / and the Spanish moss sways gently as / a tattered Rebel flag / Strolling past wrought iron fences / tipped with rusty spikes / I felt the softness of your hand / you were beautiful that night.” The very next track was birthed out of West Virginia’s state motto, “A Mountaineer is Always Free,” and documents the independent spirit of the land.

“Moontown” tells the tale of a dry, sleepy Panhandle town where peace and dreams are cultivated. One last geographical song, “Little River Canyon,” is about the swimming hole that Pettis frequented as a teenager. It describes not only what they did at the Canyon, but also who they were then. “So deep into the landscape we did not realize / that we had been talking in accents all our lives / Just a vague sense of the world passing by / like out of state tags rolling down I-59.”

Other songs deal with themes of life, such as being patient for the future (“All in Good Time”) or allowing yourself to break down and cry (“Crying Ground”). “Long Way Back Home” documents the difficulty in returning to your roots, even when you truly desire to. Pettis also wrote a sweet song for his daughter living overseas called “We Will Meet Again.” “If I don’t get to see you I will see you again / And if I don’t get to hold you I’ll hold you again / In the mystical union of a love that never ends / We will meet again… It’s not a long, long time / just the twinkling of an eye / Oh, I know we will meet again.”

The disc ends with the song “I’ve Got a Hope.” I’ve made it known that if I have a memorial service when my earthly life is finished, I want it to end with an acoustic solo of this track. The last verse asserts, “Lest I should stumble / I try not to forget / that every hair is numbered / every footstep, every breath / and this life that I’m living / It will not end in death / I’ve got a hope / that is not in this world.”

Pierce Pettis is best known as the guy who pens tunes for the likes of Garth Brooks. I will always consider him one of the most gifted songwriters of our time, using word and song to describe the mundane and the magical all around us. State of Grace is a great example of his tremendous talent, but be forewarned, he has one of those raspy singer-songwriter voices some people need time to get used to.