Duo, Missouri Mile is comprised of sisters, Sheena and Sheila. Their new EP, Exit 214 consists of seven songs written by the siblings along with the producer of this Americana-style project and noted songwriter, Byron Hill. The songs are well-crafted and Missouri Mile’s delivery is full of family harmonies and right on the mark, particularly on the opening cut, “I Can Feel The Fall Coming” and “He’ll Have Another.”

Adam Pope’s The America That I Know EP opens with almost two minutes of historical moments recorded during pivotal times in the United States. From there Adam rolls into the first song, “The America That I Know.” Having written all the songs, Adam delivers a heartfelt performance on the material crafted from his beliefs and thoughts about America. “This Song’s For The Man” will resonate with people across the country.

Rod Ballou’s CD, Where Hell Meets High Water includes eight songs that Rod co-wrote including the fun song, “Gramma’s Got A Lover.” This project is straight ahead country music produced by Chip Martin and delivered with expertise by Rod. From songs like “It’s All In How You Look At It” to “Broke Ain’t Fun,” Rod is convincing and the songs are solid.

Australian-based group, Born n’ Bred’s release, Australian Red Dirt, is jammed with music that sounds like it came straight out of Texas or Oklahoma. Their “red dirt” style is evident throughout the project including songs like “The Letter Red” and “Let It Be Real.” The vocals are earthy and honest and are surrounded nicely by their edgy musical style.

The trio, Year Of October, comprised of Phlecia Sullivan, Josh Sullivan and Seth Sizemore, displayed true passion and determination in the recording and writing of this project, Stories. Recorded in “The Spare Bedroom” they took great care and delivered a strong project - their rock-oriented style is fresh and appealing. We should be hearing a lot more from this group.

Pinecastle Records has a reputation of releasing some of the best Bluegrass music and this CD, Reborn, by Mark Newton & Steve Thomas is no exception. Opening with “Old McDonald,” the duo takes us back to the farm with a fun twist on “eieio.” From there, they make a transition to the more serious, “The Key.” Newton & Thomas have a nice easy style that just makes you want to hear more!

Kentucky native, Jeni Carr delivers an earthy and soulful country album of mostly self-penned tunes. Her vocals capture attention particularly on songs like “Over And Done.” The material is well written with the stand-out song being “Grace.” The production is solid and although sometimes edgy it maintains a nice country feel. This CD should garner Jeni Carr some attention in the music world.

Bobby Chitwood kicks off his album Gravity with the rockin’ and fun song, “Barn On The Rooftop” and ends it with the steamy “Put Your Lips Here (On Mine).” The CD shows a lot of depth and strong material from start to finish. Bobby’s vocals are appealing, confident and compelling and combined with a well-constructed production makes this album a must listen. Keep watching this Texan!

Western music has a rich heritage from Gene Autry to Sons of the Pioneers and The Ball Family continues to carry that torch nicely with the release of Cowboy’s Last Words. The family harmonies of Gary Ball, Sue Ball and Sherry Ball Luster are rich and authentic and mixed with a solid Western production makes you feel like you’re on the prairie underneath a beautiful Western sky.

Jeff Olson’s Tradin’ Big Wheels For Guitar Strings is a traditional country album interweaved with some truck drivin’ music and a little bit of a blues accent on occasion. Jeff wrote all eleven songs and conveys each one with a personal touch. The “big rig” story song, “The Legend of Black Mountain” highlights Jeff’s hard-core country vocals and writing skills.

The Homeplace CD by Bobby Cyrus is a slice of country music heaven. Bobby’s powerful vocals compliment the well-crafted lyrics - seven of which he had a hand in writing. Tom T. Hall (“A Rose For Marie”) and Billy Ray Cyrus (“Milkman’s Eyes”) add memorable moments, but Bobby really shines on songs like “Carved Our Names In Stone” and “Send Me Wings.” “Homeplace” a recitation by Bobby’s father ends this very personal CD.

Andy Joe Stewart’s A Little Love CD is a refreshing breeze of West Coast country music. Although his background in Los Angeles is not so country, he delivers each of these ten songs with vocal ease and believability. From the uptempo “Sweet Darlin’” to the heartfelt and emotional “Turn The Radio On,” this project is a pleaser from start to finish.

Don McNatt wrote/co-wrote all but one of the twelve songs included on his CD, Have Songs, Will Travel. There is certainly an assortment of material from the opening bluesy song, “Singing A Song” to the humorous, “Ripped Up Tore Up.” Don even includes a Christmas song, “Tomorrow It’s Going To Be Christmas.” Don approaches each song with enthusiasm and conveys the varied styles with precision.

Keith Pearson’s CD, The Bluegrass Collection, is ten songs of bluegrass pleasure. From “Bluegrass Lullaby” to “Talkin’ To The Lord,” Keith’s rendition is on the mark with each and every number. It is obvious that Keith is at home musically and the instrumental, “Vladivostok Two Step” is a lively piece that is quite entertaining.

Gordon Wilcox’s Break The News CD is a stroll down the traditional country music memory lane. There’s enough steel guitar, dobro, and fiddle to make any traditionalist tap their toes. Gordon begins the album with “Single Yellow Rose,” delivering it with honesty and sincerity. He ends the project with the country gospel tune, “Jesus Don’t Turn Me Away.” A nice collection dedicated to his daughter.

Opening the CD with the uptempo, uplifting song, “Dream On Savannah,” Joanna Mosca immediately makes a statement with her clear and crisp vocals telling the story with believability and heart. The 6-Song EP, produced by Bryan White, brings attention to her ability to take a song and make it her own including “Keep On Driving” and “Where Does Good Love Go” (a duet with Richie McDonald), both of which are captivating.

Victoria Ray’s CD, Read My Lipstick, is sure to garner her much attention from contemporary country music fans The project is well-produced and her vocals are on target. The edgy, attitude-driven title-cut, “Read My Lipstick” is progressive and should get some radio play. She slows it down on “Just A Dream” and her vocals are haunting and appealing.

Bobby Yates CD, Have You Ever Really Listened, is a lesson in traditional country music. His style is immersed in heritage and is surrounded by the musicianship of Hank Williams Drifting Cowboy Band (Jerry Rivers, Don Helms, Bob McNett and Hillous Butrum). The song, “’Neath A Cold Grey Tomb Of Stone” is particularly chilling. There’s plenty of tradition here for anyone who likes Hank Williams.

Gator and the Sundown Band’s CD, A Chill Coming On delivers eleven traditional country music favorites like “Folsom Prison Blues,” “Working Man Blues” and “He Stopped Loving Her Today.” The title cut “A Chill Coming On” was written by Gator and is a likeable song. While there’s not a lot new here, it is a gracious tribute to traditional country music and the legends of the past.

Ten by Nu-Blu is simply a delicious feast of bluegrass music. From the opening toe-tapper, “That Road,” to each song following, there is a dynamic and deep rooted sound that pays homage to tradition but yet has a spark that is edgy and new. Their harmonies and musicianship compliment the vocals nicely. “The Seed” is a stand out song - heartwarming and thoughtful. All in all, this is a first-class bluegrass CD.

Clay Alston continues to walk that traditional line with the release of Nashville Bound. From originals like “Another Round” to covers like “The Only Daddy That’ll Walk The Line,” Clay delivers each song with a traditional flair surrounded by the sweet country sounds of fiddle and steel guitar. Having written five of the ten songs, Clay’s songwriting skills are also displayed on this authentic country project.

Bobby Atkins’ album 100% Country is just that - pure country! He has taken fourteen vintage country songs and made them his own - beginning with “New Patches” and ending with “Family Bible” plus an abundance of tradition in between with songs like “There Goes My Everything,” “Ring Of Fire” and “Hello Darlin’.” Bobby’s vocals are distinctly traditional and are sure to please a classic country music connoisseur.

Billy Jones Bluez’s album I’m A Bluesman proves just that - Billy knows the blues. From “The Iceman” to “You And Me” there’s plenty of traditional blues mixed with a funky fresh style of his own. The music compliments his strong vocal delivery especially osman.n songs like “Love Nobody Else” and “I’m Yo’ Freak.” There’s true emotion evident in this project - a must for any blue

Marty Robbins is a country music legend and it’s only natural that tributes would evolve. In A Tribute To Marty Robbins, David Wayne compliments this extraordinary artist performing such memorable songs like “My Woman, My Woman, My Wife” and “A White Sport Coat (And A Pink Carnation)” and while it’s always hard to compete with the original, David does a fine rendition of Marty’s material.

Thomas White’s CD, Country Lives On is overflowing with self-penned truly traditional country music. He hits the mark on each and every song. Backed by some of Nashville’s best musicians, his songs come to life with a vocal delivery made with the soul of a country music troubadour. From the first song “The Good Kind” to the final cut, “Mingo County,” Thomas White is exceptional. Country lives on!

The Roys have, yet again, recorded an amazing bluegrass album, this one entitled, Gypsy Runaway Train. The project is a mixture of original compositions and familiar standards like Merle Haggard’s “Ramblin’ Fever” and Bill Monroe’s “Blue Moon Of Kentucky.” Their sweet harmonies and unique blend have captured the essence of each song - making it their own. This is bluegrass at it’s best.

This Canadian trio is comprised of Nikki English, Keith Robertson and Matt Williams. Their seven-song self-titled EP has a refreshing contemporary country style with noteworthy harmonies. The songs are well-written with all members contributing to the material selection. From “Highway Headin’ Out Of Town” to the acoustic “Wherever You Are,” this collection offers a distinct and memorable sound.

Richard Lynch is The Last Of A Dying Breed as the title declares. This album is brimming with traditional country music which Richard delivers with confidence and ease. His vocal honesty is felt in each song – and his enjoyment of the music shines through particularly on songs like “The More I Like My Dog” and “We Drink A lot Alike.”

Carl Michael delivers a thirteen song CD entitled 13 Stories with a rock ‘n roll style that’s all his own. His vocal approach is raw, emotional and edgy throughout this all original hard hitting material. Of particular interest is the slower “Don’t Apologize” and the drivin’ rocker “Sick Of The Drama.” Carl’s earthy vocal style wraps itself around his unique lyrics making this an enticing project.

Bobby Lewis opens up his CD, Here I Am Again Country Variety Pack with a self-penned tune entitled “Alice In Wonderland” - a well-written song and aptly delivered. He ends the album with “World Of Love,” a first-rate duet with Diane McCall. With a long history in country music, Bobby knows how to record a true country music album - plenty of fiddle and steel wrapped around his smooth, seasoned vocals.

George Ducas is well-known for his songwriting abilities with songs cut by numerous artists including Garth Brooks and George Jones. His new CD, 4340, spotlights not only his writing, but his honky-tonk vocals as well. From the timely ballad, “Ain’t That Crazy,” to the rowdy, “Give Me Back My Honky Tonk,” George delivers his brand of alt. country – a mix of Texas and Tradition with a hint of Contemporary. Nice!

This CD, Carco Clave with Doug Jernigan is for country music fans who love the steel guitar. On this production, Carco plays pedal and lap steel, lead and rhythm guitar, bass and baritone guitar. Doug Jernigan joins in playing pedal steel on nine tracks bringing the crying steel sound to the forefront in this instrumental album featuring classics like “Faded Love,” “There She Goes” and “I Can’t Help It If I’m Still In Love With You.”

Songwriter, Dale Allen, wrote or co-wrote the twelve songs included on his CD, Twelve Steps From A Six-Pack. Jammed with traditional country music, Dale’s unpolished vocals bring each song to life with sincerity and fun - even yodeling on “Yodel Lady.” From “Bars On The Door” to the title cut “Twelve Steps From A Six-Pack,” Dale Allen keeps it country.

Durwood Haddock is an award-winning songwriter with classics like “There She Goes” to his credit. This traditional country CD, Keep ‘Em Dancin’ includes plenty of fiddle and steel guitar with a Texas swing flavor. Most of the material was written by Durwood with only four covers on this twelve song album. The project has a straightforward production which surrounds Durwood’s rough and raw vocals nicely.

Under the watchful eye of producer, D. Scott Miller, teenager, Skylar Elise, has released a six song self-titled EP. Skylar’s vocals are quite developed for her age and the songs are geared for the young country music audience. She wrote one song “You Wish,” which stands out on the project. Skylar should garner some attention as she continues to develop her talent - the country music world will be hearing more from her.

Allen Karl’s Christmas In My Heart CD would be a welcome addition to any country music holiday collection. Allen’s smooth delivery of songs like “Little Hometown At Christmas” and the familiar “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” is warm and genuine. There is also the recognizable “Santa Looks A Lot Like Daddy.” Allen Karl adds a touch of traditional country to this holiday season.

The group, Texas Gray (consisting of Allen Vinyard, Randy Henderson, Greg Hatley, and Tim McInroe) offers up an album, Get Rowdy And Yell, full of original material with a Texas honky-tonk style. While the production and vocals are raw and unpolished, there are some gems here like the ballads “A Smoother Blend Of Whiskey” and “Pride Is A River.”