Archive

Mark Lanegan is what the late Bill Hicks wouldve called a six-lighters-a-day man, sounding not only like he smokes cigarettes by the truckload, but eats the ashtrays too. When coupled with the heavy psychedelia of his former band the Screaming Trees, his ocean-deep, molasses-thick baritone resulted in sonic assaults of

Mary Chapin Carpenter was one of country musics biggest success stories of the 1990s, earning five Grammy Awards and multiple platinum albums. Her literate songwriting, dry wit and feminist perspective made her a welcome antidote to the hat acts of the era. Time Sex Love, her first collection of new

On his latest album, Robbie Fulks rollicks through a bakers dozen overlooked classics from the country firmament. But anyone expecting the singer to retread well-worn standards by Hank Williams, Merle Haggard or George Jones will be surprised, though not disappointed. Fulks instead mines country history for oughta-be-better-known numbers by Wynn

As a descendent of Florida homesteaders, Richard "Dickey" Betts spent his youth playing old-time music, including Irish folk tunes and bluegrass. Betts brought that upbringing, combined with his love of Django Reinhardt and Jimmie Rodgers, to the Allman Brothers Band. Deferring to Duane Allman's leadership in

With four albums of their own under their belt, The Band knew a few things. They'd had all that training -- mostly years of "Midnight Rambles" with Ronnie Hawkins -- in enough beer halls and strip joints right up the center of the U.S. and

Ralph Stanley's time, it appears, has finally come. At 74, he's in the center of the critical praise heaped on old-time and bluegrass music's first platinum-selling CD, the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack, his beyond-bluegrass stardom certified by articles appearing everywhere from Country