Griffin House was born and raised in Springfield, Ohio. His father worked in a tire shop and his mother helped place children with foster families. In high school, the athletically gifted House landed a role in a musical and was surprised to learn that he had a natural talent for singing. House bought his first guitar for $100 from a friend, turned down a golf scholarship to Ohio University and instead went to Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and started to teach himself how to play the guitar and write songs. House began writing and recording and issued his first independent release, Upland, in 2003. His music attracted attention from Nettwerk, a Vancouver-based management company and record label, and House partnered with the label's American branch to issue Lost & Found in 2004. In August 2004, on CBS Sunday Morning, music journalist Bill Flanagan raved about Lost and Found, putting the newcomer on his short list of the best emerging songwriters in the U.S. “I bought House’s CD after a show in New York City,” said Flanagan, “and this never happens: I took it home and must have listened to it 20 times that weekend. I was knocked out.” Several self-released albums followed, and in 2008 House released Flying Upside Down, produced by Jeff Trott and featuring Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench. House has released the majority of his records on his imprint label, Evening Records. House has toured extensively, opening for artists such as Ron Sexsmith, Patti Scialfa, Josh Ritter, John Mellencamp, Mat Kearney, and The Cranberries. Since 2007 House has been a national headliner. He lives in Nashville, Tennessee.
He recorded a cover of the Jackson Browne song, "These Days" for the Everwood soundtrack album. Both that song and "Amsterdam" were later featured in the show. He also is featured as a contributor to the Jackson Browne tribute album, "Looking Into You," singing "Barricades of Heaven."
Nettwerk, House's sometimes-label, released a compilation called as a free internet download for Valentine's Day of 2007, featuring other artists such as Barenaked Ladies and Chantal Kreviazuk. His contribution was the Homecoming cut, "The Guy That Says Goodbye To You Is Out Of His Mind".
His song "Waterfall" was featured in 2007 Rembrandt Oral Health commercial, nationally aired.
His song "Just a Dream" appeared in Rescue Me.
His song "Better than Love" was featured in Season 5 of One Tree Hill and in the film Not Since You and the Japanese/American movie Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac
His song "When the Time Is Right" was featured in the sixth episode of A Gifted Man and in the 4x22 episode of Brothers & Sisters.
