Sami Jo "It Could Have Been Me" (MGM South, 1974) (LP)

Sami Jo "Sami Jo" (MGM South, 1975) (LP)
(Produced by Jimmy Bowen)
The last album from this promising '70s singer. Sami Jo was apparently caught up in a bunch of label mergers, and despite moderate success on the charts, she wound up getting dropped in the late '70s... Maybe it's just as well, since this record was kind of awful. The first side has a bunch of overblown, heavily orchestrated countrypolitan soul songs, while Side Two veers off into country-disco territory. To be fair, Sami Jo may have been ahead of her time: she came out of the Muscle Shoals studio scene that generated a lot of white R&B and Southern Rock hits in the '70s, though her career steered towards a softer countrypolitan sound. Later on, this type of white-girl soul-sister material would top the charts in the hands of artists such as Reba McEntire, KT Oslin and Wynona Judd -- I'm not a fan, but I can see where this was coming from, and if you're into the style, this is probably a record you'd want to check out.

Les Sampou "Sweet Perfume" (1993)

Les Sampou "Fall From Grace" (1996)

Les Sampou "Les Sampou" (1999)

Les Sampou "Borrowed And Blue" (2001)

Les Sampou "Lonesomeville" (Self-Released, 2010)
(Produced by Les Sampou, David Ogden & Andy Plaisted)
A sweet, twangy set with deep blues roots... There are echoes of Delbert McClinton, Lucinda Williams, Bonnie Raitt and various other roots-music heroes, amid a strong set of original material. Ms. Sampou might be living in Lonesomeville, but she originally hails from Connecticut... and for a Yankee, she does a nice job getting greasy and gritty... Best on the uptempo numbers, with some nice David Lindley-esque slide guitar. Worth a spin!

Crystal Sands "Crystal Sands" (Ah-Ha Records, 2008)

Crystal Sands "Hard Times" (2009)

Sarah "Sarah" (Hub Records, 1987) (LP)

Sarah "Sarah Too" (Hub Records, 1988) (LP)

Ann Savoy & Linda Ronstadt "Adieu False Heart" (Vanguard Records, 2006)
Going by the name of "the Zozo Sisters," country-rock doyenne Linda Ronstadt and cajun chanteuse Ann Savoy resume the partnership that sparkled and shone on the Evangeline Made compilation a few years back. This is a sweet set of uniformly lovely tunes, some more cajun than others, but all featuring gentle acoustic backing and wonderful vocal harmonies. Old-timey picker Dirk Powell lends his talent to the mix, as do a Balfa and Broussard or two, and the cream of the bluegrass studio crew... There's not much variety in the tempo or tone, but if pretty music is what you're looking for, this disc would be hard to beat.

Ann Savoy & Her Sleepless Knights "If Dreams Come True" (Memphis International, 2007)
Having long since secured her place in the firmament of the modern cajun revival, Ann Savoy is steadily shoring up her bona fides as one of the finer, most confident vocalists in the roots music ouvre. On this elegant outing, she sings swing with a lighthearted authority, her command of jazz timing and old-school pop sensibility coming through loud and clear... There's a smattering of French in the song titles, but it comes from the other side of the Atlantic -- from the work of Django Reinhardt and Georges Ulmer -- and the swampy side of her sensibility is largely left behind. Crooning her way through standards by Joe Burke, Benny Goodman, Rogers & Hart, Ray Noble and Dorothy Fields, Savoy makes all that old jazz sound new and fresh, a joyful expression of her own inner muse, and not just another retro-torch run-through. It's quite a lovely record... If you've enjoyed her recent collaborations with Linda Ronstadt, et. al., you should love this album as well!

Ann Savoy & Her Sleepless Knights "Black Coffee" (Memphis Records, 2010)
(Produced by Joel Savoy & Ann Savoy)
A heavy-hitter in the cajun music revival, in recent years Ms. Savoy has turned her attention to jazz, blues and swing, and this swell set picks up where her last record, If Dreams Come True left off, with another set of brisk, joyful acoustic jazz. She's probably best on the uptempo numbers (such as the snappy gypsy-jazz version of "I Cried For You,") but even on the ballads she sings with such conviction and a feeling of fun that you can't help but be drawn in. Her accompanists are in a similarly cheerful mode, and although this is a compact little quintet, they sure to make a big, big sound. A swell set of jazz and swing oldies, with a few French chanson classics thrown in as well. Fun stuff!

Martha Scanlan "The West Was Burning" (Sugar Hill Records, 2007)

Becky Schlegel "Dandelion" (Lilly Ray Records, 2010)
(Produced by Becky Schlegel & Brian Fesler)
A diverse, folk/alt-country set from this Midwestern bluegrasser-gone-crossover singer-songwriter... Schlegel originally hails from the Dakotas, and moved to Minneapolis in the 1990s to become part of the Twin Cities folk scene. Her first couple of albums were straight bluegrass, and it's hard to avoid the comparison with the better-known post-twang superstar Alison Krauss. I mean, really, the likeness is there in bloth her vocal tone and in the mix of musical styles, with Schlegel using bluegrass colorings amid multi-textured pop-country ballads. I don't mean this in a denigrating way: if you like Alison Krauss, you're gonna want to check this gal out as well.

Eloise Schwarz & Tracy Schwarz "Down Home With..." (Folkways Records, 1978)

Dawn Sears "What A Woman Wants To Hear" (Warner Brothers, 1991)

Dawn Sears "Nothing But Good" (Decca Records, 1994)

Dawn Sears "Dawn Sears" (2002)

Dawn Sears "A Christmas Dawn" (2008)
An independently-released holiday album, mainly filled with standards... Available through Dawn Sears' website, www.dawnsears.com.

The Secret Sisters "The Secret Sisters" (Universal-Republic Records, 2010)
(Produced by Dave Cobb)

The Secret Sisters "Put Your Needle Down" (Universal-Republic Records, 2014)

Jeannie Seely - see artist discography

Marilyn Sellars "One Day At A Time" (Mega Records, 1974) (LP)

Marilyn Sellars "Gather Me" (Mega Records, 1975) (LP)
(Produced by Clarence Selman)
She had a big hit on her previous album, but country stardom was steadily drifting away after that. Not hard to see why, listening to this disc: Sellars was clearly a second-stringer, imitative of Loretta Lynn and Lynn Anderson, but a far stiffer, more brittle vocalist, and the generic countrypolitan arrangements behind her are both bombastic and haphazard. She's trying too hard and the musicians are just punching the clock. I was also put off by the strident tone of the album's second track, "Red Skies Over Georgia," a Civil War Confederacy grievance song about the poor Southerners beset by those nasty Northerners hellbent on destroying their "way of life" -- a familiar old tune, and kind of a broken record, but I'm sure there are Confederate apologists out there who will groove on it. Whatever. Gene Dobbins

Marilyn Sellars "Marilyn" (Zodiac Records, 1976) (LP)

Marilyn Sellars "Raised On Country Sunshine" (Koala Records, 1979) (LP)

Marilyn Sellars & The Minnesota Boychoir "Take Me Back To Minnesota" (Twin Track Records, 1996)

Marilyn Sellars "Marilyn Sellars" (Madacy Records, 2006)
3-CD set of gospel and patriotic songs...

Jo Serrapere "My Blue Heaven" (One Man Clapping, 1998)
A bluesy, acoustic string-swing set from one of the co-founders of the Uncle Earl bluegrass band... This is more of a Tin Pan Alley-tinged outing, with sweet, reflective vocals, which are well suited to her high, sweet timbre.

Jo Serrapere "Tonight At Johnny's Speakeasy" (2003)
Here Serrapere 's playing with a full band behind her, occasionally with the volume cranked up to, oh, say 7 or 8, so the slide guitar gets a little grungy but not too loud... Nice mix of styles, with a hefty dose of string-swing retro that reminds me a little of old Dan Hicks. She splits the vocals with her bandmates, but you may find yourself more drawn to her songs. Pretty nice!

Linna Shane & The Sons Of The Purple Sage "Western Favorites" (Tops Records, 1958-?) (LP)
Singer Linna Shane was actually the nom-de-twang of Linna Biatress Schames (1929-1988) a Southern California cowgal who recorded with at least one edition of the Sons Of The Purple Sage, a western/cowboy act which had several permutations. Apparently, Shane's husband also plays on this album, and she may have been the "girl" singer on some of their other albums... The history of the band is a bit murky... There was one version of the group which came about when western music star Foy Willing split the difference with a guy called Buck Page who had a competing band also named the Riders Of The Purple Sage. Page started to perform as "The Sons Of The Purple Sage" although it looks like it was one of those things where various fly-by-night labels used the name to record a number of albums, either because they won it through a business contract, or because no one was able to enforce the ownership of the name. (I welcome input from anyone with more concrete information...) At any rate, there were about a half-dozen albums released under the Sons Of The Purple Sage, with musicians such as Tex Fletcher and Bob Wheeler, as well as the mysterious Ms. Shane. Although I suspect that this LP was cobbled together from various sources, the liner notes say that Bob Wheeler is the band's leader, and though there are a few different lead vocalists, I'm guessing he's the guy who sounds like Hank Snow. Most of the vocals are male, with Linna Shane adding some rather prissy lead vocals on a few tracks... The real draw here is the solid musicianship -- this is a fun album that's pure West Coast '40s/'50s country, mixing cowboy stuff with proto-honkytonk and western swing. Some great Hawaiian-style steel guitar, a little pedal steel perhaps, and of course plenty of chugging accordion. If you like that sound and that era, you may be surprised at how good this record is!

Maia Sharp "Maia Sharp" (Concord Records, 2002)
Ooooohhhhhh... I get it....! Maia Sharp is Randy Sharp's daughter...! I remember Randy from when I lived in Fresno and he was a big-fish-in-a-small-pond songwriter-producer who was moving out of town to hit it big in Nashville, or something like that... Ahhhh... I see. That explains a lot. Apparently she's had songs recorded by the Dixie Chicks and others, though her own stuff has been kind of off the radar, saleswise. This is apparently her second album; haven't heard it yet, but when I do, I'll give you an update.

Maia Sharp "Fine Upstanding Citizen" (Koch Music, 2005)
This gal has gotten some good press pegging her as a breakout "Americana" artist, but I'm not buying it... There are some acoustic moments on this disc, but mostly it's pretty rock-oriented, the kind of stuff that gets a big boost when it's included on the soundtrack to some teen-oriented show on broadcast TV, and is in the same general turf as Patty Griffin, Kim Richey or Lisa Loeb. Her voice kinda bugs me, though, and the arrangements are a intrusively loud and formulaic... Doesn't do much for me, though I can see how it would make plenty of other folks hop up for joy... If the rockin' singer-songwriter thing does it for you, you might want to check this out.

Maia Sharp "Eve And The Red Delicious" (Crooked Crown Records, 2006)

Maia Sharp "Echo" (Crooked Crown Records, 2009)
The twang component seems pretty minimal, but it certainly qualifies as "adult alternative," and there's some crossover between the two. Seems more of a Mary-Chapin Carpenter or Aimee Mann kinda thing, although when she pumps up the arrangements on a tune or two, things get kind of Martina McBride-ish. I'm not really sure I should be tracking her work here, though.

Sunday Sharpe "I'm Having Your Baby" (United Artists, 1975) (LP)
(Produced by Larry Butler, Johnny Slate & Larry Henley)
The lone LP by singer Sunday Sharpe, a distant also-ran in the Top Forty field who also released a handful of singles up through '77, and performed regularly on the Hee-Haw TV show. She fell just short of the Top Ten with the lead single from this album, an answer song/cover of Paul Anka's "She's Having My Baby," delivered from a woman's perspective, but no less creepy as a result... Sharpe was a bright, poppy vocalist, with a girl-groupish style similar to that of Skeeter Davis and Brenda Lee, and finds comfortable accompaniment by the (uncredited) studio pros, as well as the string arrangements by Bill Justis. She covers other pop-oriented songs such as Anka's "Put Your Head on My Shoulder," and "Mr. Songwriter," from the Tommy Boyce catalogue, though on Side Two she settles into a more country-sounding mode, where she proves herself an adequate, Donna Fargo-ish mid-'70s ballad singer. Of note among her twangier tunes is one by Linda Hargrove ("I Never Loved Anyone More") and one song that she wrote herself, "It's A Beautiful Night For Love." Nothing earthshaking, but if you enjoy this era of Nashville pop -- in between the trad and neotrad eras -- this album fits right in.

Crystal Shawanda "Dawn Of A New Day" (RCA, 2008)

Crystal Shawanda "I'll Be Home For Christmas" (2009)

Victoria Shaw "In Full View" (Reprise Records, 1995)

Victoria Shaw "Victoria Shaw" (Reprise Records, 1997)

Victoria Shaw "Old Friends, New Memories" (Taffeta Records, 1999)
(Produced by Jon Vezner)

Victoria Shaw "Bring On The Love" (Taffeta Records, 2008)

SheDaisy "The Whole Shebang" (Lyric Street Records, 1999)
A second-string country-pop band that came up during Nashville's pre- and post-Millennial flirtation wth the glitzy production of the "boy band"/Brittney era. These gals were marketed as "country" almost by default, and derided as Dixie Chicks wannabees. Like many of their contemporaries, they dip into soul-style vocals and cluttered, overly-complicated pop arrangements. Nonetheless, the band's bright sound and earnest presentation -- as well as their wholesome image, a product of their Mormon upbringing -- won them a sizeable and devoted fan base. I'm sure there are folks who dig their sound, though for the most part it doesn't do much for me.

SheDaisy "Brand New Year" (Lyric Street Records, 2000)
A holiday album, with pretty much the same high-gloss production approach as their secular records. For more Christmas music, see my Hillbilly Holiday section.)

SheDaisy "Knock On The Sky" (Lyric Street Records, 2002)

SheDaisy "Sweet Right Here" (Lyric Street Records, 2004)
(Produced by Dan Huff & SheDaisy)
I read somewhere about how this disc marked a turn towards a more "country" sound, away from the perky teeniebopper pop of their earlier albums... Dunno so much about the "more country" part of that equation, but this is certainly a more mature-sounding album, with the 'Daisy gals tackling social issues and reflecting on their life in the Nashville biz. Musically, this didn't wow me -- not my cup of tea -- but I was intrigued by the lyrical content. Some of it's the same old prefab profundity that's seeped into mainstream country, but some of it stands out as more personal and heartfelt. In particular, I was intrigued by their willingness to take a playful poke at their own core audience -- Christian evangelicals -- in the song "Love Goes On," wherein they roll their eyes at a nosy, Bible-thumping neighbor: "...Mrs. Jones next door is still extreme/Goes on and on about the Bible/What comes around still goes around..." It's not, like, the heaviest social satire ever, but given the current level of spiritual pushiness in this country, it's refreshing for a band known in part as religious role models to acknowledge a little give and take, and to let us know they don't go for the super-uptight, dogmatic version of Christianity. Fans who have been following this band over the last few years should like this album a lot -- it's very "pop," but it's also a record than feels like we're watching the artists growing up, right before our eyes. More power to' em.

SheDaisy "Fortune Teller's Melody" (Lyric Street Records, 2002)

SheDaisy "The Best Of SheDaisy" (Lyric Street, 2008)

Patti Shelton "Patti Shelton, Touches You" (Gold Sound Records, 1980) (LP)
(Produced by Tommy DeVito, Robin Freeman & Mike Lyman)
Commercially-oriented country by a young gal from Nevada -- a bit too lush and overly-emotive for my tastes, though there's some resonant original material on here. According to the liner notes, Ms. Shelton started performing publicly when she joined a local rock covers band at age fifteen; she also sang backup in Vegas for a lineup of the Platters, and for the Johnny Harras Show, and somewhere along the line caught the attention of would-be record mogul Tommy DeVito (best known as the odd man out in Frankie Valli's group the Four Seasons.) DeVito seems to have lined Shelton up to demo some songs for Sherl Milett's Moondance Music publishing company -- all the songs but one are credited to Moondance, including a couple written by Patti Shelton. She had a good set of pipes, but could have used a little coaching on her delivery -- along with Bill Shostak's swelling countrypolitan arrangements, her performance tilts towards the overripe and gooey, but it's not that out of line with the sound of the times -- a bit like Crystal Gayle, or late-vintage Lynn Anderson. The title track, "She Touches You," was written by Bat Henderson and Hal Blu, and it's a pretty searing weeper with an effective refrain, about how "every time she touches you, it hurts all over me." Probably too poppy for most twangfans, though if you enjoy off-brand countrypolitan, you might want to track this down.

Ashton Shepard "Sounds So Good" (MCA-Nashville, 2008)
(Produced by Buddy Cannon)
She's been hailed as the next big thing in neo-traditional country, and newcomer Ashton Shepard sure does deliver a fine set of steel-drenched lovin'-and-partyin', have your beer and cry in it too kinda country. It's a powerful mix of honkytonk and countrypolitan, reminiscent in many ways of the glory years of Billy Sherrill and George Jones. Comparisons to Gretchen Wilson are inevitable as well: although Shepard is a little less balls-out, AC-DC tattoo-ish about it, she still makes it a point to fight for her right to party (on songs like "I Ain't Dead Yet") but she comes off less like a biker chick and more like a smart college kid who likes to cut loose on the weekend. Never mind that a couple of songs are virtual repeats of one another ("I Ain't Dead Yet" and "Not Right Now" share almost identical themes and lyrical motifs...) What's key here is the power of Shepard's voice and the clarity of her vision. She wrote or co-wrote almost all the songs on here, and like her fellow twang-top forty teen prodigy, Taylor Swift, Shepard really seems to get -- and to love -- what is great about real deal, twangy old-school country. This is an impressive debut, and like many of this decade's crop of powerful young female country stars, I'm looking forward to seeing where she goes from here, and hope that the industry will allow her a long enough career for her to continue growing into her considerable talent. Check it out.

Ashton Shepherd "Where Country Grows" (MCA Nashville, 2011)
(Produced by Buddy Cannon)
Hmmm. Bummer. I really liked the simplicity of Shepard's first album, the whole back-to-basics, girl-next-door rural vibe. This follow-up, though, seems really self-conscious, overly stylized and bombastic. There's plenty of twang, but it's on top of bigger, slicker, less soulful modern production, and it sounds like an affectation, whereas before she seemed twangy by nature. It happens to a lot of artists: you get some success, followed by some show-biz advice, and then you lose your bearings. Of course, it might sell a bazillion copies; I'm often on the "wrong" side of this argument. But for my money, a gal who sounded potent and sincere a couple of years ago now sounds like a parody of what she once stood for. Oh, well. I'll check back in a couple of years and see what album #3 sounds like.

Jean Shepard - see artist discography

Dianne Sherrill "Dianne Sherrill" (NCP Records, 1976) (LP)
(Produced by Jim Vest & Mark Sherrill)
This was the lone solo album for singer Dianne Sherrill, though she also cut a few singles for the Monument label. Sherrill came to Nashville in 1970, performed on Hee Haw, was a vocal coach, backup singer, etc., and became born again at some point... Gospel music seems to have become her sole focus after that. Anyway, this album features a bunch of cover tunes, stuff like "Hey Good Lookin'," "Storms Never Last," "Silver Threads And Golden Needles," and "Stand By Your Man."

Michelle Shocked "Texas Campfire Takes" (Mighty Sound Records, 1987)
Well, okay, so maybe she's not exactly an officially sanctioned, bona-fide "alt.country" artist... But then again, why quibble about labels? Shocked was certainly there when the current "Americana" boom was just getting underway, and I've always thought of her as having a strong, positive influence on its growth. This is an interesting set of informal, live performances by this intelligent, unassuming alt-folkie, made at the start of her career, when she was making the rounds of various "women's music" gatherings. Shocked was particularly cool, though, for opting to emulate Woody Guthrie rather than lesbian folk icons such as Tret Fure or Holly Near, who often tended to be a bit dreary and un-fun. These solo acoustic recording aren't completely electrifying, but they are a nice, unpretentious look at her early work. It's especially charming when you hear some truck whiz by on the freeway while she's crooning out a tune... now, that's authenticity!! The new 2-CD edition expands greatly on the original, single-disc set, and has been re-released on Shocked's own Mighty Sound label.

Michelle Shocked "Short Sharp Shocked" (Polygram/Mighty Sound Records, 1988)

Michelle Shocked "Captain Swing" (Polygram/Mighty Sound Records, 1989)

Michelle Shocked/Various Artists "Arkansas Traveler" (Mighty Sound Records, 1991)
An expanded, updated reissue of Shocked's 1991 guest-fest extravaganza. She sure scored as far as the cast of thousands she was able to assemble for this far-reaching project... Roots music luminaries such as The Band, Alison Krauss, Taj Mahal, Doc Watson, Dan Crary and Norman Blake join old-timers like Pops Staples and Jimmy Driftwood (wow... he was still around??), as well as rock bands like The String Cheese Incident, Hothouse Flowers and Uncle Tupelo... Quite a lineup! The album never really catches fire as far as my ears go, though... Dunno exactly why; their hearts all seemed to be in the right place, but there's not a lot of snap, crackle or pop to the songs themselves.

Sidesaddle -- see artist profile

Jenny Simpson "Jenny Simpson" (Mercury-Nashville, 1998)
(Produced by Garth Fundis & Ray Methvin)
This starts out okay, with a couple of prefab, uptempo girl-powerish singalong twang-tunes, notably the single, "Ticket Out Of Kansas," which might even get you nodding your head and tapping your toes to the chorus. You think, aw, this ain't bad at all, and then it all goes downhill from there. Simpson soon sinks into bland, awkward, overreaching pop arrangements, and the country side of the equation falls away before some rather misguided crossover dreams. Oh, well. It started out kind of fun.

Nancy Sinatra & Mel Tillis "Mel & Nancy" (Elektra Records, 1981) (LP)
Um, yes... it's that Nancy Sinatra, singing duets with lanky honkytonk veteran Mel Tillis... And it's a pretty scary record, even though there were a couple of minor hits on it. She's, well, passable when they keep the material uptempo, in a sort of sub-Loretta Lynn way, but the slower songs are pretty painful. The same is true with Mel, but less so -- he's good, but given to cheesy excess. Plus the upbeat/novelty numbers aren't really strong enough to make up for the schmaltz... The football-themed "Play Me Or Trade Me" is a nice idea, but kind of a clunker, and the ballads are sheer torture. This one you can skip.

Margie Singleton -- see artist discography

Elena Skye & The Demolition String Band "One Dog Town" (North Hollow Records, 1999)
(Produced by Greg Garing, Boo Reiners & John Siket)
Scrappy "Americana" twang from this Hoboken-based band, who were once a bluegrass act, but have clearly leapt into a wider-ranging, indiebilly twang. Skye's voice doesn't floor me, and the production i general is a bit rough and DIY, but their hearts are definitely in the right place. The album's one gem is "It Still Hurts," a novelty number that fits well into the old honky-tonk tradition.

Elena Skye & The Demolition String Band "Like A Prayer" (EP) (North Hollow Records, 1999)
(See also: Demolition String Band.)

Heather & Shannon Slaughter "County Clare" (Elite Circuit Records, 2013)
(Produced by Wes Easter, Shannon Slaughter & Heather Slaughter)
The second "solo" album by guitarist Shannon Slaughter, joined this time by his wife Heather and their band, County Clare. Its modern bluegrass with a traditional feel and contemporary themes... Perhaps the most notable track on here is also the most controversial, the anti-abortion weeper, "They Never Got The Chance," in which the lost accomplishments of unborn babies are mourned, as are the choices of naive almost-mothers who were too quick to pull the plug. Heather Slaughter tries really hard to sound evenhanded and thoughtful on this one -- even grudgingly inserting a line about how the folks at the clinics give some, meagre advice to these women before performing the procedure -- but in its essence this is a condescending and judgmental narrative, sure to stir the emotions of right-to-life listeners, but unlikely to persuade others. There are also interesting cover tunes, such as a version of "If I Were A Carpenter" and Rodney Crowell's "Even Cowgirls Get The Blues," along with a mix of secular and gospel material, including a bunch of original tunes from the Slaughters and their band. These guys were okay, though I found the abortion song to be kind of a turn-off.

Patsy Sledd "Yours Sincerely" (Mega Records, 1973) (LP)
(Produced by Larry Rogers)
A fine album of traditional-sounding country, with plenty of fiddle and pedal steel guitar (and even a hint of bluegrass twang!) This was the debut disc by Missouri-born Ms. Sledd, who was a protege of George Jones and Tammy Wynette, who were then the reigning king and queen of country music. Unfortunately, their influence didn't translate into success on the country charts -- she did okay for a couple of years, then kinda faded from sight. It's a shame, really, because this is some fun, fine country music. Sledd sounded a lot like superstar Lynn Anderson, though these songs are consistently more gritty and upbeat than Anderson's flowery, opulent countrypolitan offerings, with some swell steel guitar from Lloyd Green. If you see an old copy of this album, definitely pick it up and give it a spin.

Patsy Sledd "Chip Chip" (Mega Records, 1974) (LP)

Connie Smith - see artist discography

Emma Smith "Memories" (Old Homestead Records, 1991)

Kenny Smith "Studebaker" (Sugar Hill Records, 1997)

The Kenny & Amanda Smith Band "Slowly But Surely" (Farm Boy Records, 2001)

The Kenny & Amanda Smith Band "House Down The Block" (Rebel Records, 2003)
A nice, solid truegrassy set, with several original songs written by the Smiths and lots of well-chosen material from the likes of Becky Buller, Buck Owens, Tim Stafford and even a tune from western swing singer Tommy Duncan. The Smith's predilection for country songs doesn't get in the way of their pickin', though, and this is a pretty fast-paced album, with solid guitar work by Kenny Smith and banjo plunkin' by Steve Huber (along with Smith, a veteran of the Lonesome River Band...) The Smith Band's sound isn't super-flashy, but it is impressive in a not-too-perfect, not-too-slick, still-got-our-roots-intact kinda way. None of these songs really leapt out at me, but the album as a whole was quite good. Worth checking out!

The Kenny & Amanda Smith Band "Always Never Enough" (Rebel Records, 2005)

Kenny & Amanda Smith "Tell Someone" (Rebel Records, 2006)
A fine all-gospel bluegrass set with sweet vocals and soulful but understated picking; the singing takes the front seat here, and all voices are raised in praise. A couple of tunes are too intense for me, but mostly this is the kind of sweet bluegrass gospel that I really like. Nice song selection, and plenty of heartfelt emotion to back it up. If you like the genre, you'll love this album.

Kenny & Amanda Smith "Live And Learn" (Rebel Records, 2008)
(Produced by Kenny & Amanda Smith)
The husband-wife team of Kenny and Amanda Smith have honed their sound to perfection, presenting high-power contemporary bluegrass with strong traditional roots and an eye fixed firmly on the future. Amanda Smith's voice has never sounded sweeter, as she delves into a series of songs both old and new, from the chilling Appalachian murder ballad, "Cruel Willie" and some bluesy barnburners to gentler, more contemplative contemporary folk-grass, such as the softly inspirational "Do The Best You Can" and "You're Gonna See Me Shine." Sound familiar? Yeah, it'll also ring a bell if you pick up this fine new album, which contains numerous glittering gems -- it's the Alison Krauss formula, with Smith's dulcet tones easily matching those of Ms. Krauss, and musicianship that's also on a par with the better-known Union Station band. If anything, when the Smiths stick to the rootsy stuff, they play in a more rugged, raucous style than the AKUSers, who sometimes sound a bit too formal and controlled. On the folk-tinged tunes, though, the similarity is quite powerful, and the songs are as well: if you like modern bluegrass leavened with thoughtful, intelligent folk overtones, then this is an album you'll want to check out. There are several on here that I've come back to time and time again, and I'm sure I'll continue to do so for years to come. Recommended!

Margo Smith - see artist discography

Sammi Smith - see artist discography

Valerie Smith "Patchwork Heart" (Rebel Records, 1998)

Valerie Smith "Turtle Wings" (Rebel Records, 2000)

Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike "No Summer Storm" (Rebel Records, 2002)
A yummy treat for those who wish gals like Alison Krauss could just "keep it real" a little bit more... Missouri native Valerie Smith covers some ornate, poetically written, poppish material -- along with plenty of good, old-fashioned stompy-style bluegrass -- but she does it with an untamed rural edge. Her vocals are still admirably rough-hewn, although it's clear she knows the lay of the land in modern bluegrass-landia and could easily smooth everything out and be more crossover-y... The title track is one of those slightly-overwritten grassipolitan tunes that seem to be so popular with the big-spending, big city crowd, but the picking is pretty straightforward, and doesn't get all flowery. A pretty solid album by a pretty solid band.

Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike "That's What Love Can Do" (Bell Buckle Records, 2005)

Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike "Wash Away Your Troubles" (Bell Buckle Records, 2006)

Valerie Smith & Becky Buller "FestivaLink Presents Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike At Wintergrass: 2/24/07" (FestivaLink, 2007)

Valerie Smith & Becky Buller "Here's A Little Song" (Bell Buckle Records, 2008)

Joyce & Earl Songer "Early Country From Detroit: 1949-1951" (Old Homestead Records, 1993) (LP)
Raw, old-school hillbilly music from a husband-wife duo based in postwar Detroit... The material is a mix of sentimental ballads from the '30s Carter Family stringband tradition along with tougher, more worldly honky-tonk and hillbilly boogie, though even the honky-tonk songs have an old-fashioned feel, sort of a cross between the Delmore Brothers and Ernest Tubb. A little-known hillbilly filly with a Kitty Wells-ish voice, Joyce Songer mostly has a background role, singing harmony on a few songs, though Mr. Songer is clearly in the bandleader and featured performer throughout... Their band, the Rocky Road Ramblers, wasn't packed with hotshot superpickers, but their robust rough edges are a big part of their charm. I guess they must have been contemporaries of the York Brothers, in the scrappy Great Lakes country scene.

Southern Reign "Southern Reign" (Step One Records, 1988) (LP)
A mixed-vocals group featuring singer Patsy McKeehan...

Sissy Spacek/Various Artists "Coal Miner's Daughter" (MCA Records, 1980)

Sissy Spacek "Hangin' Up My Heart" (Atlantic Records, 1983)
(Produced by Rodney Crowell)

Billie Jo Spears - see artist discography

Devon Sproule "Don't Hurry Heaven" (Tin Angel Records, 2009)

The Stairwell Sisters "The Stairwell Sisters" (Yodel-Ay-Hee Records, 2003)

The Stairwell Sisters "Recording No. 2: Feet All Over The Floor" (Yodel-Ay-Hee Records, 2005)
The second album by this SF-Bay Area fivesome is a fine set of squeaky, raspy old-time music with plenty of fiddle, banjo and twang... The songs are a nice mix of older material from the public domain and a half dozen originals written by the band members... These gals -- Lisa Berman on guitar, Martha Hawthorne on bass, Evie Landin on banjo, Stephanie Prausnitz sawing on the fiddle and Sue Sandlin on guitar -- hail from several other local bands and have a nice, relaxed feel as a band. Their new material fits right into the classic old-timey vibe -- if you like your stringband music "crooked" and uncompromised, like, say, Jim & Jennie or the Crooked Jades, this is a fine record to check out... (Available through www.stairwellsisters.com )

The Stairwell Sisters "Get Off Your Money" (Yodel-Ay-Hee Records, 2008)
(Produced by Lloyd Maines)
Another fun, rollicking set from this Bay Area quintet, with a canny mix of oldies and originals, tunes like "Stay All Night" and "Silly Liza Jane" next to new compositions such as Sue Sandlin's "Shuffle And Shine," which as a pleasantly Stephen Foster-esque sentimentality to it... The Sisters continue to get the old-timey feel right without succumbing to the style's more dour side... Fun stuff!

Karen Staley "Wildest Dreams" (MCA Records, 1989)

Karen Staley "Fearless" (Warner Brothers, 1998)

Tammy Faye Starlite "Used Country Female" (Diesel Only Records, 2003)
A rock-heavy twangcore concept album about a sex-drenched country evangelical gal who likes nooky and drugs as much as she likes going down on her knees to praise the Lord. It opens with a foul-mouthed, sacriligious parody of Rick Springfield's "Surrender," and amplifies the theme with numerous songs such as "Misguided Magdalene," "Highway 69," and the menstrual-themed "Ride The Cotton Pony," as well as cover tunes like the Jules Styne showtune, "I Knew Jesus (Before He Was A Star)" that seem to fit into the album's theme. I think they're aiming for a profane, "Rocky Horror"-ish shock value, and for rebellious listeners recently in the thrall of a Christian education, the transgressive mix of religious and sexual themes may provide a great cathartic thrill. However, if you were already paying attention to the punk and Goth rock revolution of the late '70s and early '80s, you'll probably find all of this pretty old-hat: Wayne County or Diamanda Galas approached a lot of the same issues with much greater artistic impact. For those of us not caught up in Catholic or Evangelical theology, it's all one big shoulder shrug. Also: this isnÕt as "country" as one might hope; Tammy and her boys seem to have been having fun, but it doesn't mean a lot to me. I did enjoy her version of Marshall Chapman's "Don't Make Me Pregnant," the only performance that really stands on its own, outside of the context of the album.

Tammy Faye Starlite "On My Knees" (EP) (American Blonde, 1999)

Lucille Starr/The Canadian Sweethearts "Side By Side: Pop And Country/Lonely Street" (Collector's Choice, 2004)
The Canadian Sweethearts were the husband-wife duo of singer Lucille Starr and guitarist Bob Regan, who were regional faves in the 1960s, dabbling in a wide variety of pop styles, in addition to a healthy base of fairly twangy country. This CD combines two albums recorded in 1968 for Epic Records -- Side By Side: Pop And Country and Lonely Street, which was released as a Lucille Starr solo album... It's a little bit staid, but a nice time capsule, nonetheless. Also see Lucille Starr's solo albums.

Lucille Starr/The Canadian Sweethearts "Eeny Meeny Miney Moe" (Hydra Records, 2003)
Early rock'n'roll/rockabilly oriented material... and it's pretty fun! Interesting intersection of hick-oriented country and teenybopper pop. Also includes some of Starr's solo pop recordings ("The French Song" etc.) and lots of kooky novelty tunes, such as a surfabilly version of the Scottish bagpipe tune, "Highlands Lassie." Definitely worth checking out.

Lucille Starr "The French Song" (A&M Records, 1964) (LP)
A mix of pop and country (mostly pop) with a bunch of bonus tracks added to the CD reissue.

Lucille Starr "Lonely Street" (Epic Records, 1968) (LP)

June Stearns & Johnny Duncan "Back To Back" (Columbia Records, 1968)
What an odd couple! I'm not sure why these two were paired up to begin with, but it probably had something to do with the label figuring, what the heck -- nobody's heard of either of these two, why not throw 'em both in and see if they can swim. Since Johnny Duncan's career was the one that really took off, and because he had a certain "outlaw" sheen during much of the 1970s, most folks would probably assume that the beehived young Ms. Stearns was the one holding him back, and making this disc more mellow. Think again! Check out her followup album (her only other record), and you'll find that she was anything but wimpy or demure! On this disc, though, nothing ever really catches fire -- both singers seems to be playing by the rules, and the arrangements are pretty rinky-dink. Not cloying, but not great.

June Stearns "River Of Regret" (Columbia Records, 1968) (LP)
(Produced by Frank Jones)
A fairly robust, husky-voiced singer who reminds me in equal parts of Melba Montgomery and "Walkin' After Midnight"-style Patsy Cline, Stearns is a forgotten member of Nashville's late '60s generation... Despite the lackluster cover art (which shows a nervous-looking, stiff Stearns sitting by a flowing river bank, guitar in hand...) this is actually a pretty fun album. Studio producer Frank Jones provided her with a solid, bluesy backup, and she took it and ran. There are a few awkward passages, but for the most part this is a remarkably rootsy record. Includes an appropriately raunchy version of "Plastic Saddle," and similarly steamy tunes such as "Habit Not Desire" and "The Future Ex-Mrs. Jones," which is a pretty awesome cheatin' song. She really had it going on... wonder what ever happened to this gal...!

June Stearns "Many Sounds Of Country Music" (Whiteway Records)
(Produced by Earl White)

Steel Magnolia "Steel Magnolia" (EP) (Big Machine Records, 2010)
Slightly twangy soul duets from Meghan Linsey and Joshua Scott Jones, aka Steel Magnolia, the winners of a CMT cable talent show... The band's perky single, "Keep On Lovin' You," hit the Top 10 before a physical (CD) version was available for sale. Their soul-infused pop sound isn't quite my style (reminds me of Hall and Oates...) but they must have struck a chord with contemporary country fans, 'cuz these kids have hit the big time. The introductory EP also includes a couple of live tracks, including a rollicking, twangy version of Dwight Yoakam's "Fast As You."

Steel Magnolia "Steel Magnolia" (Big Machine Records, 2011)
(Produced by Dan Huff)
Singers Joshua Scott Jones and Meghan Linsey specialize in rock-pop country, drenched in American Idol-style soul vocals. It might be a winning formula commercially, but I can't make any emotional connection to this disc at all: everything is so technical and precise, it's difficult to imagine these two feeling anything for each other, either falling madly in love or feeling guilty for falling for someone else. The first half of the album reprises their earlier singles, but the second half holds a few new tunes and some surprises as well: the gentle vibe on "Without You" is a nice change of pace, and the reggae riddims on "Rainbow" and "Eggs Over Easy" show some musical diversity. Mostly, though, a cranky traditionalist like me will find it hard to get into the whole warbly, white-soul thing... I just like my country music twangy, beer-soaked and sad. Does that make me so wrong? Or just plain old-fashioned?

Wendy Burch Steel "Open Wings" (Dragonfly Bridge Records, 2012)
(Produced by Laurie Lewis)
Bluegrass-tinged, country-flavored folk music from Berkeley, CA. This album features several original songs by Ms. Steel (great name for an Americana singer!) as well as traditional material and bluegrass oldies from the catalogs of the Dillards and Bill Monroe. The backing band features Laurie Lewis and some of her pals (such as Todd Phillips, Tom Rozum and John Schott... a talented crew, for sure!) Lewis also sings harmony, as does Nell Robinson, another addition to the Bay Area bluegrass scene. This is a little more "folkie" than I go for, but a nice, local, DIY album nonetheless. If you're a Laurie Lewis/Kathy Kallick fan, you'll appreciate this as well.

Jo Ann Steele "Country Girl" (Bulldog Records, 1984) (LP)
(Produced by George Richey, Marty Robbins & Billy Sherrill)
This one's a bit of an oddity for the British-based Bulldog label, which usually served as a cheapie reissue imprint for odds-and-ends collections of established American country artists. In this case the material is still reissued, though from a variety of sources -- mainly old singles -- but from a gal who seems to have kicked around at the edges of fame for a long time, without a complete LP of her work until this set came together, several years after she'd left the scene. Jo Ann Steele (1948-2008) was originally from rural Alabama, and came to Nashville in the 1960s as the then-wife of Eddie Crandall, a producer and talent scout who worked closely with Marty Robbins. Robbins was one of several high-profile industry movers and shakers who took a swing at making Steele a household name, along with Pete Drake, Billy Sherrill and finally George Richey in the late 'Seventies. She initially seems to have been pitched as one of the late '60s girl-group tinged gal singers such as Norma Jean or Connie Smith, to whom she shares more than a passing vocal similarity. Alas, while this album gathered a bunch of her more obscure recordings, her best-known singles are missing from the list, which is a shame, since future collections seem a little unlikely. One track, "Bits And Pieces," is credited to Jo Ann Steele, though others seem to have been songwriters demos for folks such as Bobbie Jayden, who wrote several tracks on here.

The Steele Sisters "...And Their All Girl Group The Miss-ty Blush" (Miss-Ty Blush Records, 1969-?) (LP)
According to the mildly salacious liner notes by their manager, T. H. Williams (of "Beaverwood Talent" in Hendersonville, TN) the Steele Sisters -- Judy and Pati -- did a lot of military gigs, including tours at bases in Greenland and throughout the tropics. These Michigan gals were apparently really sisters and were really named Steele, and led an all-female band sometime during the late 1960s and early '70s. Their repertoire spanned both pop and country material, including country hits such as "Harper Valley PTA," "By The Time I Get To Phoenix," "Little Green Apples," and pop material like "Proud Mary," "Spinning Wheel," "Sugar Sugar" and "Wipe Out." There's no date on this souvenir album, but looking at the set list, my best guess would be that this was recorded in either late 1969, or early 1970... Sadly, the names of the other bandmembers are also not given, though an autographed copy was signed by Julene Stanley and Kelly Mabrey, as well as the two sisters. The group was also known (circa 1970) as "JP And The Miss-ty Blush," with the same manager, and appears to have stayed together in one form or another at least through 1974, when Miss-ty Blush was listed in a Billboard magazine's national survey of artists who played college campus gigs. Beyond that? Your guess is as good as mine.

Lisa Stewart "Lisa Stewart" (BNA Records, 1993)
(Produced by Richard Landis)
A fairly unremarkable album by a gal who went on to be a TV show host on CNN. Slower-paced stock arrangements surround a modest voice; Stewart goes out of her way to sound like Patsy Cline on several tracks, and sort of Reba-esque on others... None of it to particularly moving effect.

The Stoneman Family "28 Big Ones" (King Records, 2000)
One of the most generously programmed of the recent King/Gusto releases, with over two dozen tracks included (as opposed to their usual skimpy eight or ten songs...) The Stonemans were an old-timey family act with deep, deep country roots ("Pop" Stoneman was an early country star, way back in the 1920s...!!) During the 1960s folk boom, they found a new resurgence of interest in their music, and tried to hit the bigtime, mixing their old-fashioned mountain rambling with the glitzy modern show-biz style of the new Nashville. It wasn't always an easy balance to make, particularly as the venerated but aging vocalist, Pop Stoneman, slowed them down quite a bit. His two daughters, Donna and Roni, (mandolin and banjo) were dazzling instrumentalists, and you can hear them tearing it up on a few of the instrumental tunes on this disc, but the vocal numbers are a little clunky, and the rest of the band rarely seemed to be able to keep pace with the gals. Still, it's a great assortment of material, ranging from gospel and novelty numbers to topical ballads like "The Sinking Of The Titanic" and "Heroes Of Bataan," written about the conflict in WWII. I'm not sure of the vintage of these recordings, but it's pretty recent, to be sure -- early 1970s, perhaps?

Strange Creek Singers "Strange Creek Singers" (Arhoolie Records, 1972)
An old-timey classic, joining Hazel & Alice later with Mike Seeger and Tracy Schwartz of the New Lost City Ramblers. They open the album with a shape-note song ("When I Can Read My Titles Clear"), just to let us know that they've got the real low-down on this mountain music... Then they gradually ease into more melodic, bluegrassy terrain. It's great stuff from start to finish, originally recorded between 1968-70.

Little Debbie Stringer "Hi, I'm Debbie" (Johnny Dollar Records, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Johnny Dollar)
A protege of Nashville producer Johnny Dollar, singer Debbie Stringer was said to be eleven or twelve years old when she recorded this album, although she looks older on the cover photo. At any rate, Stringer hailed from Byers, Colorado, and was steered towards Dollar, who saw her as a latter-day Brenda Lee-style preteen prodigy. They recorded a single in '76, with two songs that aren't included on this album -- "Jumpin' Gee Willickers" and "Mothers And Fathers." For this session, she was backed by some high-power studio pickers, including folks like steel player Buddy Emmons, bassist Roy Huskey Jr., drummer Jerry Kroon and guitarist Dale Sellers... not bad for a little kid! Side One of the album is heavy on cover songs -- a slew of Hank Williams oldies, rounded out with covers of Barbara Fairchild's hit, "Teddy Bear Song," and Olivia Newton-John's "Let Me Be There." Side Two seems to have more originals, including cutesy novelty material such as "I Feel All Grown Up" and "Gee Whiz Ain't It Funny." Stringer was still doing local shows throughout the 'Seventies, though gradually they dropped the "little" nickname... Not sure what happened to her after this.

Sugarland "Twice The Speed Of Life" (Mercury Nashville, 2004)
(Produced by Garth Fundis)
Three struggling contemporary-folkish singer-songwriters from Atlanta turn their hands towards blatantly super-commercial Top Country Nashville fare, with decidedly iffy results. I kind of liked the single, "Baby Girl," even though it shamelessly lifts its catchiest hook from Terri Clark's "Three Mississippi," and even though the concept's a bit simplistic (a gal who's set off for Nashville sings to the folks back home, asking them to send some money; by the end of the song, she's sending cash to them, 'cuz she's made it in the big time). When I got the full album, though, I was less than thrilled. Lead singer Jennifer Nettle's phony, exaggerated twang ("Deeeeeeeeerre mom and dad...") plays poorly through the length of the album; she's trying to pull a Martina McBride, but sounds like a complete poseur. Plus, her vocal tone isn't just piercing and distinctive, it gets to be downright irritating. Likewise, the band overplays its hand on the lyrics and the hook-heavy production; even amid the elaborate formulae of the Nashville music factory, this album sounds overly prefab and contrived. I just don't buy it; they don't have real country soul, and they also don't have the sense of control it takes to really pull something like this off. Frankly, this record is so aggressively hit-oriented that it's kind of exhausting to listen to... (That being said, they'll probably wind up being the act of the century, since I pooh-poohed 'em straight out the gate.) (Postscript: Sure enough, after about a full year of aggressive promotion, they went Top 10. "Deeeeeeeeerre mom and dad..." "Deeeeeeeeerre mom and dad..." "Deeeeeeeeerre mom and dad..." "Deeeeeeeeerre mom and dad..." "Deeeeeeeeerre mom and dad..." Guess the egg's on my face!)

Sugarland "Enjoy The Ride" (Mercury-Nashville, 2006)
(Produced by Byron Gallimore, Kristian Bush & Jennifer Nettles)
The opening tracks on Sugarland's second album come as a pleasant surprise -- "Settlin' " and "County Line" both have a relatively simple sound, at least compared to the band's forceful, uber-jangly, overbaked (and wildly successful) commercial debut. Ah, at last! I sighed, they've learned how to keep it simple! Well, the slick, thick Nashville sound kicks in soon after that, but they still don't lay it on as thick as they did before. It turns out the reason is that the group has shed one of its principal members, songwriter-singer Kristen Hall, and now tailors its sound entirely towards the vocals of Jennifer Nettles, who acquits herself nicely. The record is, understandably, formulaic -- you don't hit the top of the Country charts without going over-the-top, musically speaking -- but it's a calmer, more easily digestible affair, and has moments of understatement that give me hope that they might tap into something closer to old-school country... Wouldn't that be nice? Doubtless some fans will feel cheated -- where's Kristen?? -- but I prefer this less hyperactive mix. The band itself seems a little conflicted about its future: on one hand, the album title seems to hint at an uneasiness about the impermanence of fame, though on the other hand, they close the record with a belated theme song, "Sugarland," which might come in handy if they stay together for a while. I dunno, I hadn't expected myself to be so amenable to this record... So I guess you can count me among the folks who are curious to see where it goes from here.

Sugarland "Love On The Inside" (Mercury-Nashville, 2006)

Sugarland "Live On The Inside" (Mercury-Nashville, 2009)
(Produced by Kristian Bush & Jennifer Nettles)
A few years ago, Sugarland started out with a big bang, topping the charts, filling the airwaves, becoming stars. As this live album, a combination CD and concert DVD shows, though, since then they've gone to another level. You can hear it in the reverent murmur of the audience, and in the self-aware superstar purr of lead singer Jennifer Nettles: Sugarland has become the kind of "you changed my life, I worship you" band that gets a special kind of super-fan. Their songs have become more poetical and profound, as well (although with dips into poppy raunch that are meant to keep them in the just-plain-folks category...) Wynonna Judd comes to mind right away, with the modern pop-meets-tailored twang style, seasoned with constant bluesy soul-mama intonations. I suspect that there's some overlap in the fan base as well; it's a formula that works. I still think Nettles is overdoing it with the exaggerated twang, but hey -- who am I to argue with success? The big attraction for many fans will be the high-definition live footage from a concert in Lexington, where you can not only hear, but see the connection between Sugarland and their fans. One thing that's really cool: there's no overlap between the songs on the audio and video discs, a nice bonus for consumers in these troubled times.

Sugarland "The Incredible Machine" (Mercury Records, 2010)

Kay Summers "...Sings Nashville Greats" (Autumn Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Bobby Sikes)
Piano player Kay Summers was playing a lounge act in Biloxi, Mississippi when she went to Nashville to record this set, playing in a stripped-down trio with studio pros Roy Huskey on bass and Will Ackerman on drums... There's no date on this, but the repertoire is all covers of mainstream country songs of 1950s/mid-'60s vintage, along with a couple of Kris Kristofferson covers... So... maybe 1972-75-ish?

Sunshine Ruby "Sweetheart Of The Big D Jamboree" (Binge Discs, 2005)
A fascinating, though flawed, set of rarities from a child star of the early 1950s regional country circuit. When she was just barely in her teens, Texas-born Ruby Jewell Bateman landed a slot in the Dallas-based Big "D" Jamboree, a Lone Star answer to the Grand Ole Opry radio and stage show. Like other regional shows, the Jamboree served as a farm team for the national stage, and talent scouts from RCA Records signed Ruby up early in 1953. Not much came of it -- she had a couple of (pardon the pun) minor hits, but the sixteen tracks on this album pretty much cover her recording career. There are riotously funny hillbilly gems, such as the risque "That Ain't In Any Catalog," and the jaunty "Too Young To Tango," which had more of a pop flair to it. These early tracks were, paradoxically, Ruby's best -- later that year her voice deepened and became quite husky. Instead of sounding like a little boy, she suddenly sounded like a fey lumberjack, and her songs lost a little bit of their sparkle and charm. The studio crew seemed not to take these sessions too seriously, with guitarist George Barnes, in particular, taking the opportunity to drift off on jazzy improvs, rather than stick to the hillbilly twang that best suited the young girl's voice. While she was game for some unusual, inventive phrasing, it mostly didn't work, and Ruby seemed to have been cast adrift in the studio system, doing a Brenda Lee act a couple of years before Lee came along... A few duets with teen idol Tommy Sands fell flat as well, and while there's still an undeniable charm to this disc, the standout tracks are the exception, not the rule. Still known only on a regional level, Sunshine Ruby apparently quit show business in 1955, marrying and "settling down," as they called it back then... And that was that. Folks who are delving into the history of women in country music will definitely want to check this out -- a few tracks are a real hoot and when the music clicks, it really clicks. (Available through the Binge Discs label.)

Sunshine Ruby "Western Swing In Its Prime " (Binge Discs, 2006)

Cindy Sweeney "Private Stash" (CGC Records, 19--?) (LP)
(Produced by Cindy Sweeney, Jim Parks & Steve William)

Sunny Sweeney "Heartbreaker's Hall Of Fame" (Self-Released, 2006)
God bless Texas! That little state has got more real country music in its little finger than the rest of the country has in its collective craw. Newcomer Sunny Sweeney is the latest example of the Lone Star State's amazing ability to produce the sort of super-twangy, super-indie honkytonk that makes folks like me look forward to tapping our toes and drinking our beers for year to come. Possessed of a squeaky little rasp that seems equal parts Tanya Tucker and Iris Dement, Sweeney sings with true conviction and pure delight, infusing each song with sincere emotion and a swinging sense of fun. Her band twangs along at a rapid-fire clip, slathering on sweet fiddle, pedal steel and bouncy guitar -- all pure catnip for the hard-country crowd. The song selection can't be beat, either, ranging from several great Sweeney originals to a pair of Jim Lauderdale tunes, a cover of Lacy J. Dalton's ode to Nashville, "16th Avenue," and a version of Iris Dement's "Mama's Opry" that's so achingly sincere, you'll find it hard to believe Sweeney didn't write it herself. Lauderdale makes an appearance himself, singing a fine duet on Keith Sykes' "Lavender Blue," while fiddler Bobby Flores -- a longtime indie-Texas stalwart -- helps anchor the band. All in all, a really nice record and a kickass debut that should set Sweeney on the path to win a much wider audience. Recommended! (See her website for more info: www.sunnysweeney.com )

Sunny Sweeney "Concrete" (Republic Nashville, 2011)
(Produced by Brett Beavers)

Sunny Sweeney "Provoked" (Aunt Daddy Records, 2014)

Sweethearts Of The Rodeo - see artist discography

Taylor Swift - see artist discography

Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter "Reckess Burning" (Self-Released, 2002)

Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter "Oh, My Sweet Girl" (Barsuk Records, 2004)
On her debut album, Seattle's Jesse Sykes proved herself an able re-interpreter of the folk-country tradition, crafting unusual, alluring acoustic-based numbers that nodded towards an indie-rock background, but held their own on the playing field of acousto-crossover music. On her second record, Sykes delves more explicitly into rock music, with leisurely, deliberate electric guitar lines that snake through her allusive lyrics, and some of the most beautiful vocals and baffling lyrics you're likely to hear for some time. Sykes has set herself squarely in the firmament of mature, mysterious artists such as Beth Orton and Elliott Smith, singers whose melodies and songwriting will echo seductively in your mind, even if their allusive interior monologues prove impenetrable to the outside world. This is an album filled with one gorgeous song after another. The meandering words draw you in, even if their meaning slips away faster than your apprehension, and Sykes herself has taken on a new gravitas as a singer, echoing the soulful depth of England's June Tabor or the incandescence of Sinead O'Connor. Sorry if I'm being too effusive, but this is a record that will stick with you for years to come, a disc you have to live with and love, an album that will change its appearance each time you listen to it, like a plain-looking river rock that becomes opalescent when wet. And, yes, the country elements are still in there -- seems like everybody in indieland loves the pedal steel these days; albums like this represent the highwater mark of its appropriation. This is a really nice record, well worth checking out.

Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter "Like, Love, Lust And The Open Halls Of The Soul" (Barsuk Records, 2007)

Sylvia - see artist discography

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Hick Music Index
Sisters Who Swung: Women In Jazz & Blues

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