Music City Roots Rebroadcast of Donna The Buffalo

For those on the east coast, like us, who lost power watching Music City Roots right before Donna the Buffalo performed; the video is available for rebroadcast. Four tunes start around the 1:51 mark, yea  "Love Time", "Round Ball", and a medley included. Plus a tribute to Charlie Louvin.  And as usual a special thanks to Jim Lauderdale and the Loveless Cafe for broadcasting great Roots music.

The Paul Thorn Band - Live in Your Home

On Saturday, January 29th Paul Thorn and the Paul Thorn Band are live broadcasting a concert from Muscle Shoals, Alabama - the music capital of the South. Never heard of Thorn? Here's what we had to say about the last time we saw him live: Paul Thorn & Patrick Sweany @ the Rams Head Onstage. The cost for a ticket is just $6.99 and like all pay per view events; you just need one ticket per household - invite friends, family, neighbors over. Got other plans for Saturday night like us. Then still purchase the ticket because the show will be available online for a month following the performance. We will be having Breakfast with the Paul Thorn Band Sunday morning. PURCHASE TICKETS HERE. Enjoy the show.

Merlefest News: Live Facebook Chat with Jim Lauderdale Regarding the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest

Internationally renowned artist Jim Lauderdale, volunteer chairperson of MerleFest’s Chris Austin Songwriting Contest, will participate in a live chat on Facebook on Tuesday, February 1, at 7:00 pm EST. The live chat with Lauderdale will take place at the social media site on the official page for the contest, found at MerleFest’s “Chris Austin Songwriting Contest.” Fans and aspiring writers can join the chat with questions for the acclaimed singer/songwriter about the songwriting contest and songwriting in general, giving them the rare opportunity to interact with one of the most celebrated artists in contemporary music. In order to take part in the chat, a participant must have a Facebook account, and be a “fan” of MerleFest’s “Chris Austin Songwriting Contest” page.

Lauderdale, a Grammy®-winning performer and songwriter, is known for successes in both country and bluegrass music. He is among Nashville's "A" list of songwriters, with songs recorded by artists such as Patty Loveless, George Jones, The Dixie Chicks, Solomon Burke, Mark Chesnutt, Dave Edmunds, John Mayall, Kathy Mattea, Lee Ann Womack, Gary Allan, Blake Shelton, Vince Gill and George Strait. While Lauderdale hails from the Carolinas, his career has taken him all over the United States and abroad, making him an international recording artist with an ever-growing fan base.

Hosted by MerleFest 2011 and now in its 19th year, the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest is an extraordinary opportunity for aspiring writers to have their original songs heard and judged by a panel of Nashville music industry professionals.

Contest entries for the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest are now being accepted via three methods: U.S. Mail (P. O. Box 121855, Nashville, TN 37212,) Sonicbids and American Songspace. But don’t delay: the deadline for submissions is February 18, 2011.

Net proceeds from the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest support the Wilkes Community College Chris Austin Memorial Scholarship. Since its inception the scholarship has awarded over $35,000 to 71 deserving students. The 2010-2011 Chris Austin Memorial Scholarship recipients are Mary R. Griffith and Thomas Noah Russell.

Previous winners of the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest include Gillian Welch, Tift Merritt, Michael Reno Harrell, Adrienne Young, Martha Scanlan, David Via and Johnny Williams - isn’t it time that your name is added to this list?!?

For additional information about the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest, call the contest hotline at 1-800-799-3838 or email Laurie Brintle Hayes, CASC coordinator at laurie.hayes@wilkescc.edu.

Join the chat on February 1 - and send in your songs!

Reminder - The Greencards Coming to the Barns of Wolf Trap in Early February

The Greencards will make their debut at The Barns at Wolf Trap,1645 Trap Road in Vienna, Virginia on Wednesday, February 9, 2011. We are very excited about this opportunity for the band to perform in this premier venue known for its warm atmosphere and wonderful acoustics. All seats are reserved and tickets can be purchased now at the box office or online by clicking on this advance ticketing link. Tickets to this show make excellent last minute holiday gifts.

================ About The Greencards ============

This  critically acclaimed Austin-formed / Nashville-based band’s love and respect for Americana, bluegrass and country brought them together in 2003. The Greencards have:

• Toured multiple dates with Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Rosanne Cash, Kasey Chambers and Tim O'Brien just to name a few;
• Earned the Americana Music Association Award in 2006 for “Emerging Artist of the Year”; and
• Landed Grammy nominations for 2008 and 2010.
  

Originally from Australia, an urge to challenge themselves and test the limits of any established genre has guided singer / bassist Carol Young, and mandolin master Kym Warner (accompanied by fiddle and guitar) on their first three albums.

The Greencards released their fourth album in April 2009. Fascination is the band’s most daring project to date. Meticulously crafted arrangements serve as springboards for exhilarating improvisations. While technically breathtaking and acoustically driven, The Greencards have consistently moved towards a sound of their own.

The Greencards appeared at several festivals in 2009 such as Austin City Limits, Telluride, Walnut Valley (Winfield), MerleFest, Lollapalooza and the Cayamo Cruise. They were at MerleFest again in 2010 as well as Grey Fox and Winfield.

Visit The Greencards' CD Baby page to hear samples from of their various projects. You can also join them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/thegreencards

MerleFest 2011 Announces Twenty Additional Performers

WILKESBORO, N.C. (January 20, 2011)—Twenty additional artists have been added to the lineup for MerleFest 2011, presented by Lowe’s and slated for April 28 -May 1. The newly expanded list of announced artists includes:

• Blind Boy Chocolate and the Milk Sheiks      
• Laura Boosinger                                             
• The Corklickers                                  
• The Freight Hoppers                           
• Green Grass Cloggers                         
• Buddy Greene and Jeff Taylor                       
• Mark Hembree                                    
• Wayne Henderson                                          
• Bobby Hicks                                       
• The Infamous Stringdusters                            
• Sarah Jarosz                                                    
• Bill Keith                                                        
• Rusty Knox                                        
• Roberta Kogut
• Lazybirds                    
• Beth Molaro
• Bryan Sutton                                                   
• Tone Blazers                                       
• Roland White                                                  
• Brian Yerman and the Yermaniums

For a full list of festival performers, please visit www.merlefest.org. Additional lineup announcements will be forthcoming.

Artists participating in MerleFest 2011 will join host Doc Watson on the campus of Wilkes Community College for a celebration of “traditional plus” music—a term Doc coined to describe the unique mix of traditional, roots-oriented sounds of the Appalachian region, including bluegrass and old-time music, and expanded to include Americana, country, “plus whatever other styles we were in the mood to play,” Doc explained.

“‘Traditional plus’ really carries meaning for us at MerleFest - and as can be seen with the list of newly announced performers, we never lose sight of the ‘traditional’ part of that phrase,” comments Festival Director Ted Hagaman. “By offering a lineup that reflects a wide spectrum of musical styles, we’re presenting a festival that appeals to all.”

With over 90 artists performing on 14 stages during the course of the event, MerleFest is an entertainment value. Ticket purchases can be made on the web at www.merlefest.org or by calling 1-800-343-7857. An early bird ticket discount is available through March 13, 2011. Additionally, up-to-the-minute information about the festival can be obtained through the festival’s e-newsletter and through Facebook and Twitter.

MerleFest was founded in 1988 in memory of Eddy Merle Watson as a fundraiser for Wilkes Community College Endowment Corporation and a celebration of “traditional plus” music. Scheduled for April 28 – May 1, 2011, the event is held on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina.

The 9 Songwriter Series - Coming Soon to the Galaxy Hut

This coming Monday, January 24th, nine local songwriters will be appearing at the Galaxy Hut, in Arlington (Clarendon) Virginia. The show starts at 9:00 and has a minimal cover charge ($5).  We've seen several of these artists previously - starting with Justin Trawick and Ken Wenzel - who are worth seeing again. Plus, Chris Behrmann, from Bad Luck Blue Eyes.

Justin Trawick * Melissa Branin * Ken Francis Wenzel * Danni Rosner * Chris Behrmann * Bobbie Allen * Alexis George * Joanne Kim * Adrian Krygowski

Michael Arnone's 20th Annual Crawfish Festival

We are starting to plan for June festivals and one at the top of our list is Michael Arnone's 20th Annual Crawfish Festival, held June 3rd through 5th at the Sussex County Fairgrounds, Augusta New Jersey. That's northwestern New Jersey for most of us. The festival "started as a small crawfish boil for 70 people homesick for boiled crawfish in 1989, has turned into Michael Arnone's 20th Annual Crawfish Fest. Featuring the best Music and Food that Louisiana and New Orleans has to offer. Cajun, Zydeco, Delta Blues, New Orleans R&B, Brass, Gospel and Jazz on 3 Stages". And as usual, the lineup offers the best in these genres at very reasonable prices: $35.00 for one day; $60 for two days; plus other package rates.

• The Radiators
• The New Mastersounds Featuring Art Neville
• George Porter Jr & Runnin' Pardners
• Tab Benoit
• Sonny Landreth
• Cowboy Mouth
• Geno Delafose & French Rockin' Boogie
• The Savoy Family Band
• Guitar Shorty
• Anders Osborne
• Nathan & The Zydeco Cha Chas
• Bonerama
• Carolyn Wonderland
• The Iguanas
• The Tin Men
• Devon Allman's Honeytribe
• Mem Shannon and The Membership
• Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes
• Cedric Watson & Bijou Creole
• The Bridge
• Matt Angus Thing with Anthony Morgan's Choir
• High & Mighty Brass Band
• Johnny Ace and Sidewalk Zydeco
• Brother Joscephus and the Love Revival Revolution Orchestra
• Polka Dot
• Summer Rae McLaughlan
• Swingset Mamas

DelFest - Chugging Closer - Initial Lineup Released

The 4th Annual DelFest will be returning to the Allegany County Fairgrounds in Cumberland MD, May 26-29, 2011. As usual, the festival is headlined by the host - The Del McCoury Band. The initial set of performers is listed below. If purchased by January 17th, a four-day adult pass is only $115 - so start making your Memorial Weekend plans now.

• Yonder Mountain String Band
• The Travelin’ McCoury
• Punch Brothers
• Psychograss
• Emmitt-Nershi Band
• Preservation Hall Jazz Band
• Jesse McReynolds
• Trampled by Turtles
• The Infamous Stringdusters
• Joe Craven
• Sierra Hull & Highway 111
• Davisson Brothers Band
• Head For The Hills
• Tussey Mountain Moonshiners

Justin Jones, Jason Isbell, American Aquarium - One Night Together at the 9:30 Club

For those of us in the Washington D.C. area, this Friday January 14th provides a rare triple treat downtown at the 9:30 Club: Justin Jones and The Driving Rain, Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit, and American Aquarium. We'd go see each of these acts individually - but all together under one roof - this is one night not to miss. Justin Jones is a local artist, who has finally received recognition to headline such an event. He has a powerful raw sound that holds an audience. Hope he plays "California". Jason Isbell is the former  Drive By Truckers guitarist and songwriter who moved on to a solo career with the 400 Unit. We've seen Isbell with the Truckers, solo, and fronting his new band - each time completely entertaining. Not only is he a guitar wizz - but also a formidable songwriter. We first caught American Aquarium at last year's Floydfest and as is our background - loved their alt-country, rootsy sound. Add in some old school country pedal steel, some rockin' guitar work, and a tight sound and this is a band going places.

The Michael Clem Trio & Peyton Tochterman at Jammin Java

This past Friday, January 7th we witnessed a great evening of music at Jammin Java featuring The Michael Clem Trio and Peyton Tochterman. It was perhaps, the largest crowd we've seen in a couple years at the venue - which is testimony to either a healthier economy or affection for these artists. (Michael Clem was a former member of the popular folk-rock group Eddie From Ohio.) And The Michael Clem Trio was quite entertaining - Clem is a witty songwriter. See his clever song "Even Owls Get The Blues", later this week at MyJoogTV.

We attended that evening to see our friend Peyton Tochterman who is now performing as a solo artist. And I think the singer-songwriter model works for him. His songwriting is at times humorous - other time serious - but he has a stage demeanor that that legitimately works. Besides a slight physical similarity at times he sounded like a solo Patterson Hood of the Drive By Truckers. See for yourself. Each day this week we will be posting a new video from that show at MyJoogTV and the first song, "A Mortal Planet" really reminds me of Hood. Check him out.

Boudleaux Bryant's Love Hurts - Who Hasn't Recorded It

For Christmas, I received two entirely different gifts, the first focusing on the Everly Brothers, the second on Keith Richards; yet separately they both led me down a twisting path to one of my favorite songs of all times: Love Hurts. The song was written and composed by famed songwriter Boudleaux Bryant, who along with his wife Felice, wrote approximately 1,500 songs which were ultimately recorded. Now that's a songwriting team.

The first gift was The Everly Brothers - All-Time Greatest Hits. While listening to the CD, I was reminded how much of the duo's success was a direct result of the Bryants; songs like Bye Bye Love, All I Have To Do Is Dream, Wake Up Little Susie, and Bird Dog. One of the Everly Brother's hit songs omitted from this compilation was the aforementioned Love Hurts. This omission encouraged me to dig deep into the archives and pull out The Osborne Brothers From Rocky Top to Muddy Bottom The Songs of Boudleaux and Felice Bryant. And yes, they penned Rocky Top. But this CD includes a very interesting version of Love Hurts sung at a much faster than the Everly Brothers' version.

The next night I started reading the second gift,  What Would Keith Richards Do?: Daily Affirmations from a Rock and Roll Survivor. Yea, I was hoping it was Life; but maybe next time. Several times this book mentioned Richard's relationship with Gram Parsons, and I faintly recalled speculation that Parsons is the real author of Wild Horses. I decided to conduct a youtube search to find any performances together but instead found more Love Hurts - first a duet between Richards and Norah Jones and second a duet between Parsons and Emmylou Harris. 

Truth be told, none of these artists were the original source when I first heard the song as a pre-teen. This version was the rock ballad performed by Nazareth, who's rendition may have been the most popular as it climbed to #8 on the Billboard Top 100. Now that's quite a versatile song: The Everly Brothers, Osborne Brothers, Gram Parsons, Emmylou Harris, Keith Richards, Norah Jones, Nazareth; as well as Roy Orbison, Jim Capaldi, Don McLean, Joan Jett, Cher, Paul Young, Pat Boone, Heart, Juice Newton, Sinéad O'Connor, Rod Stewart, Robin Gibb, and many more.

Q & A With The John Hartford Stringband - "Memories of John"

Last month the Grammy nominations were announced and while most music fans focus on the major categories, there is plenty of excellent music hidden in other categories. One of these is Category 68: Best Traditional Folk Album and the nominees are quite impressive:

• Genuine Negro Jig Carolina Chocolate Drops [Nonesuch]
• Onward And Upward Luther Dickinson & The Sons Of Mudboy [Memphis International]
• Memories Of John The John Hartford String Band [Compass Records/Red Clay Records]
• Maria Muldaur & Her Garden Of Joy Maria Muldaur [Stony Plain Records]
• Ricky Skaggs Solo: Songs My Dad Loved Ricky Skaggs [Skaggs Family Records]

We've followed most of these acts over the years, except for The John Hartford String Band (Bob Carlin on banjo, Matt Combs on fiddle, Mike Compton on mandolin, Mark Schatz on bass, and guitarist Chris Sharp) - the last touring band of the late John Hartford. In fact, I never really followed Hartford until two years ago after hearing The Farewell Drifters perform "In Tall Buildings" at Merlefest.  (For the brevity sake, I won't publish a biography but for those interested, start at JohnHartford.com.)

On the 10th anniversary of Hartford's passing The John Hartford Stringband released Memories Of John a CD containing 14 tracks "some are well known to John Hartford fans; others are complete renderings of sketches that John Hartford left behind. Guest artist include Alison Brown, George Buckner, Béla Fleck, Tim O’Brien, Alan O’Bryant, Eileen Carson Schatz. And from deep in the Hartford archives audio of the man himself, John Hartford."

To learn more about this project we conducted an email interview with two members of the band, guitarist Chris Sharp (CS) and banjoist Bob Carlin (BC).

1. What was the vision for starting Memories for John?

BC: To honor John on the 10th anniversary of his passing, and to bring attention to his life and music.

CS:  I felt it was time to bring the band back together and make a CD to honor John's music as well as to release some songs that John worked hard on, but never had a chance to record. After seeing how the project was received, and now the Grammy nomination, I believe that we are doing what we set out to do; our part in the effort to keep John's memory alive and well.

2. What were the criteria for selecting the songs for the CD?

BC: Chris asked the fans through the internet, asked the band and asked himself what should be on the CD, There are many great songs that didn't make the CD, but there is only so much room on one disc. 

CS: As Bob mentioned I did a lot of questioning online, band members were asked for their input, I tried to remember songs from stage shows, and looked over every CD I either own or could get to search for material. The band's help was instrumental in deciding the material. I also think that discussing material put us all on the same "steam"boat and caused the band to coalesce, which made the recordings much more heartfelt and meaningful, in my opinion. In addition to all of this I went through a lot of material that John had recorded over the years. This was a wonderful experience and gave us the 2 gems he performs on the CD.

3. Bela Fleck, Alison Brown, Tim O'Brien, Alan O'Bryant and Eileen Carson Schatz: did these artists have previous relationship with John?

CS: Everyone on the CD had strong ties to John. That was a prerequisite when we were thinking of guests to include, and as the band discussed them. John had spent a great deal of time working with many of these performers and each one of them has the utmost respect for John and his music. We chose people who not only had the connection to John but also seemed to fit the particular song they are on. Besides John, I can think of no one other than Alan to sing "Delta Queen Waltz", for example.

4. Obviously there is a market for this CD in the older Bluegrass community - but have you noticed a reception from younger listeners?

BC: Toward the end of our association with John, his audiences were getting younger. I expect we have a good following among the "twenty-somethings" as well as among John's older fans.

CS: Again, Bob's answer is what immediately came to mind on this one. Towards the end of John's career so many young people were being introduced to him. He really was on an upswing overall in his career when he was taken from us, specifically with the younger audience. Many bands have formed in the last decade or so that were in some way, if not outright, inspired by John. Most of the bands I'm referring to have a following made up mostly of that younger generation and they routinely do John's material. They also have a tremendous amount of respect for him and they are also helping to keep his memory, legacy, and music alive. There are also well established acts, such as Tim O'Brien and Sam Bush, who perform John's material and are being followed by younger audiences. I have went the long way around this question but the point is that it's a concerted effort by a lot of people to maintain John's legacy. A large amount of this attention is being soaked up by younger audiences. I hope that "Memories Of John" is reaching to these same people and letting them hear John's material, both old and new.

5. And similarly - although it may be too early to tell, has the Grammy nomination exposed John's music to a wider audience.

BC: Let's hope so, as I mentioned, that is one of our goals.

CS:  I would say the Grammy nomination has done quite a bit to expose John's music to more people. Since the nominations were announced there has been a huge upswing on our personal site as well as on Amazon in sales. To me this would support the notion that the nomination has been extremely helpful in getting the word out. It is the Grammys after all :)

6. There's a lot of competition in the Best Traditional Folk Album - Carolina Chocolate Drops, Ricky Scaggs, Maria Muldaur, Luther Dickinson.  Collectively or as individual musicians, have any of you performed with these artists? 

BC: Of course, we are all well aware of the musical contributions of these peers and that it is indeed an "August" collection of performers this year. I'd like to think that I at lease indirectly helped and influenced the Carolina Chocolate Drops in their formative stage. And, I've had interactions with Ricky's daughter Molly as she was learning the clawhammer banjo style.

CS:  I have personally performed on stage with Ricky Skaggs a few times but out of this lineup he's the only one.

7. How did you get notified about the Grammy nomination - phone call - telephone message?


BC: We just read the lists as they were posted online.

CS:  I was watching the show and checking online at the same time. However, Emilee Warner, of Compass Records, called and told me the news before my search yielded results. (Thanks Emilee!!!)

8. Did John ever receive a Grammy nomination during his lifetime? 

BC: Many. John liked to say he received Grammy's for bluegrass music before there was a category! I believe he received four: two for "Gentle on my Mind", one for the Mark Twang album, and one for his participation in the soundtrack for "Oh Brother Where Art Thou".

9. With the success of this CD, is there a chance for a 2nd effort?

CS: At this time I don't see a second CD coming out. The last song, "Fade Out", was meant to allow John himself to close this particular chapter. I agree with Bob that we have said what we wanted to say with this project and unless something drastic happens to change our minds then I would say this will be the only CD we release as the "John Hartford Stringband".

Top 100 Americana Albums of the Year

The Americana Music Association announced its year end Top 100 Albums of the Year.  The Top 100 albums are based on those records reported to the Americana Airplay Chart during the period of November 17, 2009 through November 15, 2010. The Top Ten most played albums, as charted on the Americana Airplay Chart are: 

1) Various Artists, Crazy Heart Original Motion Picture Soundtrack / New West

2) Rosanne Cash, The List / Manhattan 

3) John Hiatt, The Open Road / New West

4) Carolina Chocolate Drops, Genuine Negro Jig / Nonesuch

5) Ray Wylie Hubbard, A Enlightenment B Endarkenment Hint There Is No C / Bordello/Thirty Tigers

6) Robert Earl Keen, The Rose Hotel / Lost Highway

7) Band Of Heathens, One Foot In The Ether / BOH Records

8) The Avett Brothers, I And Love And You / Columbia 

9) Patty Griffin, Downtown Church / Credential

10) Reckless Kelly, Somewhere In Time / Yep Roc

11) John Mellencamp, No Better Than This, Rounder

12) Darrell Scott, A Crooked Road, Full Light 

13) Merle Haggard, I Am What I Am, Vanguard 

14) Alejandro Escovedo, Street Songs of Love, Fantasy 

15) Willie Nelson, Country Music, Rounder 

16) Lyle Lovett, Natural Forces, Curb/Lost Highway 

17) Carrie Rodriguez, Love And Circumstance, Ninth Street 
18) Robert Plant, Band of Joy, Rounder 

19) Paul Thorn, Pimps & Preachers, Perpetual Obscurity 

20) Los Lobos, Tin Can Trust, Shout! Factory 

21) Jim Lauderdale, Patchwork   River, Thirty Tigers 

22) Cross Canadian Ragweed, Happiness And All The Other Things, Universal Records South 

23) Red Molly, James, Independent 

24) Chip Taylor , Yonkers   NY, Train Wreck

25) Yarn, Come On In, UFO 2

26) John Prine, In Person & On Stage, Oh Boy

27) Tift Merritt, See You On The Moon, Concord

28) Various Artists: Twistable Turnable Man, A Musical Tribute To The Songs Of Shel Silverstein, Sugar Hill 

29) Dave Rawlings Machine, A Friend Of A Friend, Acony 

30) Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Speed Of Life, NGDB 

31) Kevin Welch, A Patch Of Blue Sky, Music Road

32) Johnny Cash, American VI: Ain't No Grave, American/Lost Highway 

33) Elliot Randall & The Deadmen, Caffeine & Gasoline, ER 

34) Ray LaMontagne & The Pariah Dogs, God Willin' & The Creek Don't Rise, RCA 

35) Shelby Lynne, Tears, Lies & Alibis , Everso/Fontana/CO5 

36) Marty Stuart, Studio B Sessions, Sugar Hill 

 37) Sam Bush, Circles Around Me, Sugar Hill 

 38) Will Kimbrough, Wings, Daphne 

 39) Corb Lund, Losin' Lately Gambler, New West 

 40) Elizabeth Cook, Welder, Thirty Tigers 

 41) Kevin Deal, 7 Seven, Blind Nello 

 42) Allison Moorer, Crows, Ryko 

 43) Ryan Bingham & The Dead Horses, Junky Star, Lost Highway 

 44) Eleven Hundred Springs, This Crazy Life, Smith Entertainment 

 45) Guy Clark, Somedays The Song Writes You, Dualtone 

 46) Dierks Bentley, Up On The Ridge, Capitol / Sugar Hill

 47) Patty Loveless, Mountain Soul II,

Saguaro Road

 48) Drive-By Truckers, The Big To-Do, ATO/RED 

 49) Tim O'Brien, Chicken & Egg, Howdy Skies 

 50) Eilen Jewell, Butcher Holler - A Tribute To Loretta Lynn, Signature Sounds

 51) John Fogerty, The Blue Ridge Rangers Rides Again, Verve 

 52) Suzi Ragsdale, Best Regards & Less Of The Same, Stark Raven 

 53) Various Artists, Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows: Songs Of John Prine, Oh Boy 

 54) Great American Taxi , Reckless Habits, Thirty Tigers 

55) Peter Wolf, Midnight Souvenirs , Verve

 56) Mary Gauthier, The Foundling, Razor & Tie 

 57) Jakob Dylan, Women And Country, Columbia

 58) Two Tons of Steel, Not That Lucky, Smith Entertainment

 59) Norah Jones, The Fall, Blue Note 

 60) Stone   River Boys, Love On The Dial, Cow   Island Music

 61) Mary Chapin Carpenter, The Age Of Miracles , Zoe 

 62) Court Yard Hounds, Court Yard Hounds, Columbia

 63) Delbert McClinton, Acquired Taste, New West 

 64) Jason & The Scorchers, Halcyon Times, Courageous Chicken

 65) Hank III, Rebel Within, Curb 

 66) Will Hoge, The Wreckage, Ryko 

 67) Martin Sexton, Sugarcoating, Kitchen Table 

 68) Cadillac Sky, Letters In The Deep, Dualtone 

 69) John Evans, Lollygaggin', Smith Entertainment 

 70) Steel Wheels, Red Wing, Independent 

 71) Blue Rodeo, The Things We Left Behind, Telesoul

 72) Chuck Prophet, Let Freedom Ring, Yep Roc 

 73) Justin Townes Earle, Harlem River Blues, Bloodshot

 74) Holmes Brothers, Feed My Soul, Alligator 

 75) Tom Russell, Blood And Candle Smoke, Shout! Factory 

 76) Sara Petite, Doghouse Rose, Sweet P 

 77) Doug and Telisha Williams, Ghost Of The Knoxville Girl, No Evil

 78) Radney Foster, Revival, Devil's River 

 79) Nora Jane Struthers, Nora Jane Struthers, Blue Pig Music 

 80) Various Artists, Coal Country Music, Liaison Records 

 81) Somebody's Darling, Somebody's Darling, Shiner 

 82) Cindy Bullens, Howling Trains And Barking Dogs, MC

 83) Infamous Stringdusters, Things That Fly, Sugar Hill 

 84) Fred Eaglesmith, Cha Cha Cha, Lonesome Day 

 85) Joe Pug, Messenger, Lightning Rod 

 86) Keller And The Keels, Thief, SciFidelity 

 87) Matt the Electrician, Animal Boy, Independent 

 88) Bill Kirchen, Word To The Wise, Proper American 

 89) Rebecca Loebe, Mystery Prize, Independent 

 90) Tom Gillam, Had Enough?, Smith Entertainment Records 

 91) Crooked Still, Some Strange Country, Signature Sounds 

 92) James McMurtry, Live In Europe , Lightning Rod

 93) Terri Hendrix, Cry Till You Laugh, Wilory 

 94) Shelley King, Welcome Home, Lemonade 95) Frazey Ford , Obadiah, Nettwerk

 96) Otis Gibbs, Joe Hill's Ashes, Wanamaker Recording Company 

 97) Mavis Staples, You Are Not Alone, Anti 

 98) Eric Bibb, Booker's Guitar, Telarc 

 99) Texas Tornados, Esta Bueno!, Bismeaux Records 1

100) Rosie Flores & The Pine   Valley Cosmonauts, Girl Of The Century, Bloodshot