Although Michelle Shocked was first discovered via a live recording made at a folk festival in the mid 1980s, the singer-songwriter did not release another live album recorded at such a festival until TO HEAVEN U RIDE, a live set recorded at the 2003 Telluride Bluegrass Festival. Far removed from her original stark folk-songwriter mode, TO HEAVEN U RIDE is Shocked in front of an African-American-style gospel group, including a vocal quartet and a full electric band, featuring pedal steel guitarist Nick Forster of the gospel group Hot Rize. The set list is similarly gospel flavored, featuring powerful versions of standards like "Study War No More," "God Bless the Child" and "Wade in the Water."