A misleadingly little-known figure from the West Coast country scene of the 1950s and ’60s, Stewart first came to my attention via his 1959 hit “Wishful Thinking” included on Rhino Records’ indispensable Hillbilly Fever series. That song is the first of 29 tracks on this exemplary reissue that attempts, quite successfully, to make a case [...]

It’s easy to hear hints of the Louvin Brothers’ sweet, high harmonies in the music of the Flying Burrito Brothers, the Jayhawks and others. Now it’s easy to hear the Louvins themselves on this 24-cut best of collection. The Louvins — Ira on vocals and mandolin and Charlie on vocals and guitar — played a [...]

Released in 1976 and available for the first time on compact disc, Hazel and Alice is an old-time country music album that ranges from blues to hymns to a capella ballads and has influenced artists from Emmylou Harris to Bob Dylan to the Judds. Hazel and Alice originally were a bluegrass duo, but by [...]

Who is the best country music vocalist working today? Well now there’s a question to spur endless debate. But of course, it’s fairly predictable which names will immediately surface — Johnny Cash, George Jones, Dwight Yoakam, Don Walser …. wait. Don who?
Unfortunately, there [...]

First of all, this is not a history lesson on Buck Owens and the Buckaroos. For that and many other wonderful things, check out the Buck Owens box set on Rhino Records. What follows is merely an attempt to spread the word on what might have been the baddest band of their time. To wit: [...]