Steel Magnolia - Self-Titled

Meghan Linsey and Joshua Scott Jones have had one of the longest-running hits of 2010 on Country Radio with “Keep On Loving You,” and their debut CD was the first major release in the genre in 2011. From the sounds of it, it looks like it just might be a year to remember...

Rockin' Acoustic Circus – Lonestar Lullabye

Bluegrass continues to evolve and thrive, thanks to dynamic music coming onto the scene, most notably by Tulsa newcomers, Rockin’ Acoustic Circus. Founded and led by accomplished musician Rick Morton back in 2007, five of his students make up the rest of the ensemble of home-schooled prodigies – ages 15 – 17. “Lonestar Lullabye” is the band’s new album, featuring a sound that is mature...

Mel Tillis - You Ain't Gonna Believe This

Over the course of his Country Music Hall of Fame career, Mel Tillis has tried---and succeeded at just about everything. He’s been a successful singer, songwriter, television personality, and even a comedian. Well, that last one might be a little bit misleading----until now. During his peak years on the charts in the 1970s, Tillis carried home six “Comedian Of The Year” awards from the readers of ...

Matt Turk – American Preservation

An album of cover tunes is really all about the choices made of which tracks to include, and how those selections are interpreted. Americana artist Matt Turk takes that challenge in his recent self-released collection of 11 classic and traditional songs, “American Preservation.” What appear to be some questionable choices at first glance of the track list, wind up being stand-outs on this ...

Josh Kelley - Georgia Clay

While some fans of just Country Music might know Josh Kelley as the brother of Lady Antebellum’s Charles, he has had a great career in Pop music over the years, with “Amazing” and “Only You” being two of his biggest hits. Now, the Georgia boy has come home to the Country, and does so with a very impressive debut disc for MCA. Kelley states in the liner notes for the album that he was aiming...

Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors - Chasing Someday

It’s a fact that when most people are asked about the music that comes from Nashville, most think that it’s usually Country. While that is true to a large extent, the nickname is “Music City, U.S.A.,” and that encompasses many musical genres and sub-genres. The same could easily be said of the latest project from Drew Holcomb and Company. You listen to the opening track, “Fire And dynamite...

Chris Cavanaugh – Self-titled

This may be the first generation experiencing a different kind of record industry, but one thing that hasn’t changed is that solid songs are still the stuff that makes a country artist. Missouri native Chris Cavanaugh is part of that wave of new artists who also happens to write his own material, and his songs are worthy of ears hungry for something tasty. Cavanaugh’s self-titled, self-produced CD ...

Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press - Memories

There are not many sounds more pure than the ageless tenor of Bobby Osborne. For many years, his vocals combined with the musical prowess of his brother Sonny kept Bluegrass fans enthralled over the years during their time together as The Osborne Brothers. Though the two no longer perform together, Bobby is still out there with Rocky Top X-Press Band, hitting those notes as beautifully ...

Skyler – Long Gone

Optimistic love songs are fuel for teen machine pop/rock artist Skyler. The Maine native and Berklee College of Music student has co-written five of them for his latest EP “Long Gone.” Each song has a radio ready full-band sound, and Skyler infuses them with his youthfully energized delivery...

Scott Schmidt – Timepiece

Certain brass and woodwind instruments, such as trombone, trumpet and saxophone, add special va-va-voom sex appeal to a record like nothing else can. Scott Schmidt - big-voiced front man of New Orleans “horn-powered dance band” The Boogie Men – has recently released his solo album showcasing his knack for the high-energy pop rock experience and his love for those in-your-face...

Michael Hurwitz and the Aimless Drifters - Chrome on the Range

The colorful tradition of Western music storytelling lives on in the works by Wyoming native Michael Hurwitz. His latest on Meadowlark Records is “Chrome on the Range,” a collection of twelve self-penned and two cover tunes, delivered with the voice of an honest cowboy – well-worn, dusty, easy going and nothing fancy - just the way you’d imagine. Starting with “Your Dancin’ Shoes,” a ...

Peter Rudy - Mud Shack

A debut album ought to define and set an artist apart from the pack. San Francisco singer/songwriter Peter Rudy does just that with his offering on Big Chief Records, “Mud Shack,” produced by Jeffrey Halford and Adam Rossi. All ten tracks are written by Rudy, who conjures up an independent spirit of days gone by with characters that travel by buckboard, have whiskers, use a broom...

Colin Gilmore – Goodnight Lane

It had been nearly six years since his last full-length CD was released, when West Texan Colin Gilmore rounded up his latest ten-best tunes and recorded them under the title, “Goodnight Lane.” This new body of work shows a musical diversity in style and maturity in songwriting for the young artist. Steered along organic productions by Lloyd Maines, Eric McKinney and Scott Mathews, Gilmore ...

Natalie Howard – Self-Titled

Natalie wants to go to the prom, I mean the CMAs. She’s got the dress, the corsage, and the date with the quarterback. She’s had her hair done, her toenails painted—and in the words of Deana Carter, she even shaved her legs for this. So let’s talk about the dress - I mean the songs. They’re co-written with James Dean Hicks, Rob Crosby, Tommy Lee James, Terry McBride … some of Nashville’s....

Muriel Anderson - Wildcat

Muriel Anderson is Superwoman. I know that’s a bold statement to make, but I’ve got the proof to back it up:She’s composed music since she was 6. She was the first woman to win the National Fingerpicking Guitar Championship. She hosts the renowned “Muriel Anderson’s All Star Guitar Night.”She’s released eight CD’s, five DVD’s, and guitar books.She founded the Music for Life Alliance charity.... In the middle of the whirlwind that she calls