Jack Ingram sings with Patty Griffin on upcoming CD

"There are those artists who're so distinctly themselves - and they're the ones I always find myself drawn to, the kind I hope to be," Ingram said. "There is only one George Strait: such a gentleman, such a cowboy, such a singer... and there's only one Patty Griffin: such a writer, such a voice, such a spirit. To be able to work with both of them - in such different ways - in less than 24 hours really makes me look at what is possible if you know who you are and what you want your music to mean."

Ingram and Griffin entered Martie McGuire's Austin studio and emerged a couple hours with Seeing Stars, a song Ingram wrote with Tomkins. "Patty was generous enough to sing on two songs on 'Electric,'" Ingram said. "She has a voice that's just silver and emotion - you feel everything. To have her on What Makes You Say and One Thing was a thrill; knowing what she could do to Seeing Stars makes this one of the highlights of this record we're making. It's a special song and it's the magic Seeing Stars should have."

As for Strait, Ingram said, "If you learn one thing from George Strait. It's simple: Be true to who you are. Don't chase trends. Don't pretend to be something you're not. Don't do anything that doesn't feel right...and always always maintain the quality of your music. If you do that, maintain your dignity and treat people right, you've done something really special and I know for me, the idea of being my own man and knowing that's the way he'd do it has kept me at it when there wasn't much else."