Ranging from personal to political, 13 Ways to Live is a benefit album featuring songs by prominent Texas musicians such as Patty Griffin, Alejandro Escovedo, Eliza Gilkyson. Bukka Allen, Robbie Gjersoe and Brian Standefer, of the Austin based Screen Door Music, first conceived the project the day the Iraq war started. One of the goals was to provide a forum for musicians to convey their feelings, thoughts and ideas about the war in Iraq, as well as to raise funds to help the victims of the war in Iraq.