The contribution of early ’70s southern rock to country music is often underestimated. Whether it was the independent streak found among its leaders or their location outside established music towns, the musical rebellion had a strong influence on the outlaw country crowd. Waylon and Willie both covered the Allmans, while Hank Jr. covered Marshall Tucker. [...]

Ralph Stanley has surrounded himself with some of the most talented young voices in bluegrass since the death of his brother Carter in 1966. Though they’re all great vocalists themselves, it’s Ralph’s voice that consistently comes through, planting itself deeply inside and holding on.
This new compilation, featuring some of his best singing partners, highlights material [...]

Fame is a fickle mistress, and Johnny Bond’s career in country music is evidence of just how much that is true. Bond was an amazingly versatile talent, as many performers of his age had to be. He was a singer-songwriter, comedian, film sidekick, session player (listen to a Gene Autry record and you’ll hear Bond’s [...]

Between 1978 and 1982, the Washington, D.C., area was a breeding ground for the disease of rockabilly. One of the contagions spreading the fever was Billy Hancock, an area native who knocked out several twang-laden LPs and singles that boldly bared their country and hillbilly influences, yet emerged distinctly original. Hancock has since returned to [...]

The Continental Drifters’ 1994 self-titled debut sent a minor tremor through the roots-rock world. The fabled supergroup of Mark Walton (Dream Syndicate), Vicki Peterson (Bangles), Susan Cowsill (of those Cowsills), Peter Holsapple (dB’s), Robert Maché (Steve Wynn) and drummer Carlo Nuccio had finally committed its five-songwriter attack to CD — but the band’s label, Monkey [...]

Rick Nelson was the first rock ‘n’ roll star whose rise can be linked directly to television. Nearly a quarter-century before the advent of MTV, “The Adventures Of Ozzie And Harriet” gave him a national stage to perform and promote his latest singles. The show’s influence was confirmed when Nelson met Elvis Presley at a [...]

Little Feat has really been a series of different bands with only two constants, keyboardist Bill Payne and drummer Richie Hayward, and a long shadow cast by the late Lowell George. Hotcakes And Outtakes allows for some perspective on the band’s three-decade career. It also demonstrates how fragmented their history really was, and still is.
Little [...]

Gram Parsons gets heavy credit as one of the pioneers and true talents of country rock. In the 27 years since his death, no one has matched the beautiful fragility of his voice or his novelistic sense of country songwriting (i.e., “$1000 Wedding”). Though Parsons may not have been an overly prolific writer, the few [...]

Bob Wills is in the Country Music Hall of Fame, and when there’s a tribute to his music and memory, it’s no surprise to see Merle Haggard or Willie Nelson or Marty Stuart taking part. But did his bands play much country music? He had the most renowned and influential big band in the Southwestern [...]

By now we’re all aware of the profound role played by Bear Family in the documentation of vintage country music, and of the first-rate nature of their compilations when measured by recording quality, comprehensiveness, and annotations. But this may be their most important box set yet. The Jimmie Rodgers, Hank Snow, and Carter Family sets, [...]