Although it hasn’t always been apparent in her own songs, Patty Griffin has long loved gospel music.

You could hear evidence of her gospel influence in some of her work since her 1996 debut, but she’s never delved so completely into the gospel music tradition as she does on her latest album, “Downtown Church” — a record that is an unabashed homage to one of America’s most important and deeply rooted musical styles.

The disc was recorded over a five-day period, with the help of such kindred musical spirits as guitarist-producer Buddy Miller, fiddler Stuart Duncan and singers Emmylou Harris, Raul Malo, Shawn Colvin, Julie Miller, Regina McCrary and Ann McCrary. And, to really capture the old-fashioned gospel vibe, they recorded it in the historic Downtown Presbyterian Church in Nashville.

Patty Griffin — who comes to the Power Center on Thursday with Buddy Miller as the first event of the Ann Arbor Summer Festival — is acclaimed as a writer of her own confessional, emotionally-intense songs, but the album only features two of Griffin’s own compositions. The rest are her interpretations of either traditional / public-domain songs, or of songs written by other writers (the iconic Hank Williams and cult hero Jim Lauderdale among them.)

And she really does dig deep into the gospel and Christian-hymn tradition, working up some soul-stirring performances of trad songs like “All Creatures of Our God and King,” “Wade in the Water,” “Move Up,” Virgin de Guadalupe,” and the gospel-blues classic, “If I Had My Way” (which has also been recorded many times over the years under the title “Samson and Delilah.”) She also tackles some 20th-century songs, like “We Shall All Be Reunited,” from 1929 and “Waiting for My Child,” from 1963. Listen to Patty Griffin "All Creatures of Our God and King" (MP3).

She even takes on Williams’ melancholy, spiritually themed “House of Gold” and does a sassy rendition of Leiber & Stoller’s R&B nugget “I Smell a Rat,” which was originally recorded by Big Mama Thornton.

Some of the tracks are done up in trad-gospel fashion, some (like “Move Up”), are revved up with a rocking-gospel beat, and others (like the Hank song) are more in the country-gospel vein.

Griffin says that her decision to do this kind of record was born out of her desire to turn pop music fans on to a style of music that is either largely unfamiliar or not very well understood. And, given her own affinity for gospel music, she wanted to share that affection with her own audience.

One of her biggest musical influences was the legendary Staple Singers, who began as a gospel group and then morphed into a soul-music act in the ‘70s.

“In my life, it goes like this: The Beatles, Aretha Franklin and the Staple Singers,” Griffin told the New York Times earlier this year. “The Staples are that big for me.” Although Griffin is also a fan of R&B, she has a special fondness for the Staples earlier sides, from the ‘50s and ‘60s.

“Recording in a church was my idea, because of the Staples’ recordings,” Griffin continued. “You can hear the feet shuffling and the page turning in those recordings. Those places are built to sing in. I didn’t want to record this in a box.”

Indeed, Griffin actually sang from the church’s pulpit. And what a church it is — by all accounts, it is a magnificent structure, built in 1849, and designed in the Egyptian Revival style by the architect William Strickland. It was also used as a hospital for Union soldiers during the Civil War.

In fact, the inspiration for doing this album can be traced to a Staples connection. Griffin sang a duet with Mavis Staples and the Tri-City Singers in ’09 for the album “Oh Happy Day: An All-Star Music Celebration.” After that, EMI exec Peter York suggested that Griffin consider doing an album of gospel songs, and she replied, “That would be great, as long as Buddy Miller is producing it.”

Miller has worked with Griffin often in the past, including tours with her, Harris and Colvin — an act billed as “Three Girls and Their Buddy.” Miller will also be part of Thursday’s show. He’ll do an opening set, and then will join Griffin’s band when she takes the stage, says Summer Festival Executive Director Robb Woulfe.

“Downtown Church” shimmers with Miller’s arty, sometimes edgy guitar work and with his signature, atmospheric sonic imprint, which sometimes evokes Daniel Lanois’ similarly ambient guitar tones and production style.

Griffin has been consistently building her fan base over the last 14 years, on the strength of albums like “Living with Ghosts,” “Flaming Red,” “1000 Kisses” and “Children Running Through.” She’s been hailed by critics for her emotive songs and expressive vocals, which she employs with sass, sensuality, grit, soul and verve on “Downtown Church.”

One Ann Arbor fan of Griffin’s is another singer, Deb Wood, who’s a member of the local country-folk-pop vocal trio All About Eve, along with Katie Geddes and Debra Goodell.

“She’s definitely employed a gospel tone even on some her previous records,” says Wood. “I’ve always liked her very soulful approach to singing. She's this teeny little woman with big voice. Whatever she’s singing, her voice is always clean and pure, especially in her high notes, where she delivers some really pure tones.”

Although “Downtown Church” is mostly covers, Wood is also an admirer of Griffin as a songwriter. “When I heard her first album, ‘Living With Ghosts,’ the songs just struck me as very raw and real. The lyrics felt very personal, and really resonated with me,” says Wood.

“But sometimes she writes songs that are not as raw, and more tender. And I like that, whether the songs are raw or tender, it sounds like the emotions are coming from deep inside her. She’s definitely not a ‘surface’ singer.”

Kevin Ransom is a free-lance writer who covers music for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at KevinRansom10@aol.com.

Patty Griffin performing a new song on "Live from the Artists Den":