* Dwight Yoakam -- He's the long, lanky Kentucky-born cat who rediscovered the rich vein of country music known as the Bakersfield sound (think Buck Owens and Merle Haggard). But Yoakam also added a fresh twist to the sound, including a healthy dose of roots rock and early rock 'n' roll. Thus, his appeal attracts a broader audience than the typical country crooner. He is also known acting in such movies as "Sling Blade" and "Wedding Crashers."
Yoakam's hits include a remake of Johnny Horton's "Honky Tonk Man" and Dave Alvin's "Long White Cadillac," both recorded with guitar-playing legend Pete Anderson.
In June, he was honored as one of Billboard's top country artists of the past 25 years.
* Junior Brown -- Austin, Texas-based Brown likes to tell of how the idea for his signature instrument, the guit-steel (a combo pedal steel/Fender six-string hard-body electric), came to him in a dream. Brown loved playing both instruments, but was limited to playing one at a time before inventing his hybrid beast. The mighty double-pronged twanging attack that ensued drove him to national fame.
Brown can always be counted on to dress up nice in suit and tie and Stetson hat, in classic country fashion, and sports a rich baritone in the Johnny Cash school of singing.
His music also features a great sense of humor, well demonstrated by his popular compositions, "Venom Wearing Denim" and "My Wife Thinks You're Dead."
* Dave Mason -- Many people became aware of this British singer/guitarist when he launched into international fame with the band Traffic in the late '60s. He wrote their song "Feelin' Alright," which became a monster hit for Joe Cocker.
Mason left Traffic after three albums to play with numerous other artists, before going solo and hitting a big hit with his song, "We Just Disagree."
He is still playing 100 shows a year, and was honored earlier this year with the Hollywood Music in Media Career Achievement award.
* Martin Sexton -- What makes the Massachusetts-based Sexton stand out from other recent folk artists is a stunning vocal range and a truly soulful delivery along the lines of Van Morrison and Al Green.
Sexton made a name for himself with a self-produced cassette tape that he released in 1991. He managed to sell 15,000 copies of it as he traveled the U.S. playing small shows, garnering high critical marks as he went.
His most recent effort is "Sugarcoating," which appeared this spring on Kitchen Table Records. The album features Sexton compositions about everything from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to the aftermath of romantic breakup.
* Robben Ford -- The California-born Ford is known first and foremost as a guitarist of rich and diverse talents. He considers himself a bluesman first, pointing to the legendary Chicago guitarist Mike Bloomfield as his foremost influence.
Ford has backed such varied talent as Charlie Musselwhite, George Harrison, Miles Davis, Jimmie Witherspoon and Joni Mitchell.
In the '70s, Ford helped found The Yellowjackets, a ground-breaking commercial jazz combo, and also made his mark with his brothers in the bluesy Charles Ford Band.
Honored as one of the 100 greatest guitarist of the 20th century by Musician magazine, Ford has won five Grammys for his work. Recent years have seen Ford returning to his blues roots. His latest record is "Soul on Ten" from 2009, a live album from Concord Records.
Sources: www.allmusic.com, www.billboard.com, artists' Web sites, previous interview with Junior Brown, www.allaboutjazz.com, www.imdb.com.
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