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Came to note the same.
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Thought you might appreciate this, by Mary Gauthier on Fbook:
Nanci Griffith was a teacher to me, she showed me folk music, she educated me on what came before. She spoke my language, sang her way into my being. I loved her music and saw her perform many, many times.
I got to work with her a bit when I was getting started, and I got to know her some after I came to Nashville. She was always kind to me, generous. A profound influence on me, her spirit will always remain alive inside her music.
The first year I lived in Nashville, I was invited to a party at music photographer Jim McGuireās house that became a song circle with Guy Clark, Lyle Lovett, John Hiatt, Joe Ely, Steve Earle and Nanci Griffith. It was a wonderful night, and I was on the edge of my seat, desperately wanting to go from being in the audience to swapping songs with that group of legends. I knew I was in deep waters, the new kid in town, but oh how I longed to sit in that circle. Iād deeply admired everyone in it for years. As the music was winding down, Nanci looked over and asked, āMary, would you play us a song?ā I knew her because Iād opened a string of shows for her a month prior.
I was absolutely thrilled when she invited me to play. I sat in the chair she offered, took her guitar into my hands, and played āOur Lady of the Shooting Stars.ā The other songwriters closed their eyes and nodded as I played, some smiled. No wild applause, no pyrotechnics when the song ended. But the smiles and nods made me feel like I belonged. I still had a long way to go, but joining that circle was validation that moving to Nashville had been a good decision. Holding my own in that circle of songwriters whose records I owned and whose careers I followed gave me confidence. Being around songwriters I deeply admired humanized them and made the star I was reaching for feel less distant.
When I was done, I handed Nanci her guitar back. She shook her head and said, āKeep it.ā I froze, holding her engraved, signature sunburst Taylor 612 cutaway guitar in mid-air,question marks in both of my eyes. āItās yours,ā she said. āWhen I moved to Nashville, Harlan Howard gave me his guitar. Iām giving you mine.ā I was speechless but somehow found the courage to say,āWill you sign it?ā
She signed, āFor Mary, because YOU WILL sing.ā
I found out later itās an old Nashville tradition to pass on a guitar. Itās an attempt to stay on the good side of the muse and the mystery. Some songwriters believe it is one way to keep songs flowing. Harlan gave Nanci one of his guitars because he felt there were no more songs left in it for him but there might be some in there for her. Nanci had done the same for me. Welcome to Nashville, kid. Remember to stay on the good side of mystery and paradox; theyāre your wheelhouse, now.
RIP Nanci, and thank you. Your guitar is in my hands right now, I play it, remember your kindness, your music, and the influence you had in my life, and I cry.
Working in Corners (Nanci Griffith)
Itās a southern road west of New Orleans
Iām fightinā off a cold
From these winter rounds
Houston, sheās just around the corner
But I think Iāll stop off here in Lafayette
Lord and have me another round
Iāve been workinā in corners all alone at night
Pullinā down whiskey
Keepinā my eyes away from the lights
Iāll never be a fool but I will gamble foolishly
Iāve never let go of love
Till I lost it in my dreams
I donāt want to go to sleep
'Cause I just might dream
Iām stronger now, there was a man in my hometown
He sang so pretty
Iām glad he turned my head around
But Iād forgotten how to play a one night stand
Lord I didnāt have a word to say
Just holdinā that strangerās hand
Iāve been workinā in corners all alone at night
Pullinā down whiskey
Keepinā my eyes away from the lights
Iāll never be a fool but I will gamble foolishly
Iāve never let go of love
Till I lost it in my dreams
I donāt want to go to sleep
'Cause I just might dream
These city streets at five in the morninā
I wouldāve stopped to phone you
But Iām almost home
At my back door
Thereās a porch light thatās shininā
I just donāt mind livinā here by myself
If I leave it on
Iāve been workinā in corners all alone at night
Pullinā down whiskey
Keepinā my eyes away from the lights
Iāll never be a fool but I will gamble foolishly
Iāve never let go of love
Till I lost it in my dreams
I donāt want to go to sleep
'Cause I just might dream
I donāt want to go to sleep
'Cause I just might dream
Donāt want to go to sleep
You know I sure can dream
And I sure can dream
Sure can dream
LISTEN HERE nanci griffith - workin' in corners - YouTube
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Thatās just lovelyā¦ I love that song, too. One my favorites by her.
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Meaningless to USians but he was well-loved here.
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Thatās another big shock, I had no idea he was ill. 
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He was looking pretty rough on 8 out of 10 Cats back in 2019. There are several threads on Reddit back then asking what happened to his voice and his apparent weight loss.
Very sad news.
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Same with the much missed Paul Ritter, they kept it quiet for obvious reasons but he didnāt look great on the final series of Friday Night Dinner.
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I hesitated to post this here, in case anyone who did not know him took umbrage. But it is hilarious.
Sean Lock almost destroys his career with one joke.
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I know this news to going to overlap with the coronavirus thread(s) but it still has to go here
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According to this obit, he was 84.
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