Patty Griffin loves her job.

She said so more than once to an impassioned audience of 100 or so Saturday (Jan. 27) at Schubas Tavern in Chicago.

Lucky us.

Making her third stop on a tour to promote her soon-to-be released sixth CD, Children Running Through, Griffin’s passion for her work produced a 1-hour, 45-minute set that was intimate, rousing and, occasionally, amusing.

Backed by a guitarist, percussionist and stand-up bass, the songstress from Austin, Texas, returned for the first of two sold-out shows at the small Wrigleyville neighborhood room where she remembered playing some of her first shows as a headliner.

Griffin easily is worthy of larger venues, and, in fact, will return to Chicago in March to play a bigger, as-yet-unnamed hall.

The intimacy of the smaller room Saturday made for a special late evening as Griffin and her band worked their way through such familiar favorites as her opener “Kite Song,’’ as well as “Making Pies,’’ “Be Careful,’’ “Icicles’’and “Useless Desires.’’

Well, the latter, at least was familiar to the audience. Griffin had fun with an awkward moment, laughingly humming over a handful of forgotten lyrics while the room carried the tune.

Griffin’s set was anchored by several strong selections from her newest effort, which will be available on Feb.6. Highlights included a jazzy offering, “You’ll Remember,’’ early in the night; a ringing, rocking “No Bad News;’’ the bluesy, talky “Stay on the Ride;’’ and the gentle “Burgundy Shoes.’’

The latter was a loving tribute to her mother, and, she said, one of two efforts produced from a friend’s challenge to “write something happy.’’

The second of those is, perhaps, her new CD’s most beautiful song, the genuinely upbeat and decidedly uplifting “Heavenly Day,’’ a love song, Griffin deadpanned, that she wrote for her dog.

A late in the night highlight was the gospel-tinged “Up to the Mountain (MLK Song),’’ a tremendously beautiful song that revealed the powerful reach of Griffin’s wonderful voice.

Also among her closing numbers were the haunting “Top of the World’’ and the defiant “Truth.’’ Both songs have been covered, of course, by the Dixie Chicks. She has been covered as well by Linda Ronstadt, Bette Midlar and Emmylou Harris, among others, but she, as she showed Saturday at Schubas, Griffin deserves to be known as more than a songwriter.

She is a gifted performer and a tremendous entertainer.

Patty Griffin’s Official Site