Badlands "Badlands" (CMH Records, 1981)
(Produced by John Wagner)
This appears to have been an unsuccessful attempt by the CMH bluegrass label to break into the world of commercial, Top 40 country. The Badlands band included several talented musicians, as heard on electrified instrumentals such as "Bad Axe Boogie," but lead singer Jackson D. Kane was kind of a dud, and the band had to slow things down to a slightly sluggish tempo to accommodate his leaden phrasing... Overall, they seem to have been aiming for a sort of urban cowboy vibe, ala Johnny Lee, punctuated with some hot picking, but they never quite catch fire, and they never made it near the charts. One track, a goofy novelty version of the oldie "Big Ball In Cowtown," features guest appearances by Merle Travis and Joe and Rose Lee Maphis, who were some of CMH's big stars at the time. This is worth a spin, I guess, but keep your expectations low.

Razzy Bailey -- see artist profile

Baillie & The Boys -- see artist profile

Adam Baker "Singles" (EP) (BMP Records, 2007)
This is kind of cool... Adam Baker was a real second-stringer who hailed from Oklahoma... He released a handful of songs on the mega-obscure Avista label in 1986-87, and narrowly missed the chance to crack into the bottom of the Top 40. This MP3-only reissue gathers all four of his Avista chart entries, stuff that otherwise would have been lost to the vagaries of time. Some of it's fairly decent; towards the end there, he started getting a little more synthy, but the first couple of tunes have a decent amount of twang. Anyway, if this guy was on your radar in a "whatever happened to..." kinda way.. Well, here he is!

Butch Baker "We Will" (Mercury Records, 1989)
Tennessean Butch Baker had a string of reasonably successful singles from 1984 on... This album from '89 was his only full-length release, though, and failed to crack into the Top 40, despite the traction from his earlier work...

Baker & Myers "Baker & Myers" (Curb Records, 1995)
The duo of Gary Baker and Frank Myers... Baker was formerly from the band the Shooters, which had modest success in the late '80s but broke up after a few years plugging away. Afterwards, Baker concentrated on songwriting, frequently working with Myers as his writing partner. They scored a #1 hit with "I Swear," which was a huge success for John Michael Montgomery in 1994, briefly crossed over into the Pop charts, as well as Alabama's "Once In A Lifetime," which also topped the charts. This success gave Baker & Myers a chance to record as a duo. This album didn't really do much -- one track almost cracked into the Top 40 -- but it's a nice bit of Kenny Loggins-ish soft-pop country with smooth duo harmonies. If you like old Loggins & Messina records from the '70s, or early Lonestar albums, you ought to like this, too. (Baker & Myers also penned some hits for Lonestar and other artists, both as solo composers and as a team. This was their only album.)

David Ball -- see artist profile

Frankie Ballard "Frankie Ballard" (Warner Nashville, 2011)

Roger Ballard "A Little Piece Of Heaven" (Atlantic Records, 1993)

The Bama Band "The Bama Band" (Compleat Records, 1985) (LP)
Hank Williams, Jr.'s backing band had a pretty good "solo" run in the '80s... Not that they ruled the charts or anything, but they did get to put out several full albums of their own material...

The Bama Band "Solid Ground" (Mercury Records, 1988)

The Bama Band "Takin' Off The Edge" (Capitol Records, 1990)

Bandana "Bandana" (Warner Brothers, 1985) (LP)
A moderately successful Top Forty country band, Bandana released only one album, which was recorded after a string of singles dating back to 1982, including one Top 20 hit, "The Killin' Kind," which peaked at #17. The album didn't do so well, though, generating one more modest hit, "Outside Lookin' In" (#18) and several others that found the band slipping further down the charts. You know how that story goes. This proved to be their only full album, and sadly didn't reprise any of their earlier singles; nor does it include a couple of tentative singles that came out afterwards, before their label dropped the axe. The lead guitarist player, Tim Menzies, left Bandana before it broke up and started a solo career as "Tim Mensy," enjoying success first as a Nashville songwriter, then as a solo artist with a couple of major label albums under his belt. The original lineup of the band included Tim Menzies on guitar, as well as Jerry Fox (bass), Jerry Ray Johnston (drums), Joe Van Dyke (keyboards), and lead singer Lonnie Wilson, with Menzies proving to be the most successful member to survive the band's implosion. I suppose if there's ever some really big resurgence of interest in mid-'Eighties country-pop, someone could put together a retrospective that would include all of Bandana's "lost" singles, along with the tracks on this album.

The Band Perry "The Band Perry" (Universal Republic Records, 2010)
(Produced by Nathan Chapman, Paul Worley & Matt Serletic)
I guess that singer Kimberley Perry is supposed to be the bad-girl version of Taylor Swift, with the same mix of pop-savvy teen-sensation twang and junior-high diary lyrics, with a hint of Gretchen Wilson tough-girl sass in there as well, and more controversial lyrics. For example, the suicide-friendly "If I Die Young" will probably upset a parent or two, but it's painful to listen to less because of the familiar, self-pitying teen angst than because of its utter artlessness... This bluntness of Perry's lyrics is repeated in song after song, with the upside that it rings true as teenage self-absorption: perhaps the most emotionally effective song on the album is "Walk Me Down The Middle," in which she tells her new boyfriend to show her off to everyone in town, particularly his old ex, who never deserved him anyway. It's a totally shallow song, but it does sound like something a teenager would write, if not actually say out loud. I do think that Ms. Perry has what it takes to make it big, although I'm not sure the whole family-band concept works for her: flanking Kimberly are her two brothers, Neil and Reid, who with their shaggy rocker hair and ready-for-the-WB telegenics, are credited with co-writing many of the songs on this album. They also accompany her on some -- but not all -- the songs, playing mandolin and bass, although on most of the album it's a crew of Nashville studio musicians who provide the real oompf. As long as she's leaning on the teen-popstar angle, I guess they're useful, but in the long run, she can probably ditch her sibs and make it on her own. For now, though, Taylor doesn't have that much to worry about: this album has enough adolescent navel-gazing to build up a younger fan base, but Perry's going to have to up her game as a songwriter if she wants to attract older fans. Time will tell.

The Band Perry "Pioneer" (Republic Records, 2013)
(Produced by Dan Huff)
High-tech Nashville stuff, basically loud, overproduced rock-pop with fiddles and mandolin. I dunno why Kimberly Perry still hasn't ditched her siblings to go solo, but it doesn't really matter. I don't try and make a habit about being snobby and dismissive about modern Top Forty country, but sometimes I can't help it. This really doesn't do much for me -- it feels soulless and phony, and I've got better stuff to listen to.

Moe Bandy -- see artist profile

R. C. Bannon -- see artist profile

Ava Barber "Country As Grits" (Ranwood Records, 1977) (LP)

Ava Barber "You're Gonna Love Love" (Ranwood Records, 1978) (LP)

Glenn Barber "A New Star" (Hickory Records, 1970)

Glenn Barber "The Best Of Glenn Barber" (Hickory Records, 1972)

Glenn Barber "Glenn Barber" (Hickory Records, 1974) (LP)

Glenn Barber "Warm All Over Feelin' " (51 West Records, 1979) (LP)

Glenn Barber "The Most Wanted Man From Tennessee" (Brylen Records, 1982) (LP)

Glenn Barber "First Love Feelings" (Tudor Records, 1983)

Glenn Barber "Saturday's Heroes Are Gone" (Tudor Records, 1984)

Glenn Barber "Close But No Cigar: The Crazy Cajun Recordings" (Edsel Records, 2000)

Bobby Bare -- see artist profile

Jack Barlow "Baby, Ain't That Love" (Dot Records, 1969)

Jack Barlow "Son Of The South" (Dot Records, 1969) (LP)

Jack Barlow "Catch The Wind" (Dot Records, 1972)

Jack Barlow "I Live The Country Songs I Sing" (Antique Records, 1975)

Randy Barlow "Arrival" (Republic Records, 1977) (LP)

Randy Barlow "Fall In Love With Me" (Republic Records, 1978) (LP)

Randy Barlow "...Featuring Sweet Melinda" (Republic Records, 1979) (LP)

Randy Barlow "Dimensions" (Paid Records, 1980) (LP)

Randy Barlow "Who's Randy Barlow? -- A Journey Toward Fame" (Self-Released, 2009)

Shane Barmby "Let's Talk About Us" (Polygram Records, 1989)

Shane Barmby "Jukebox Symphony" (Polygram Records, 1991)

Kathy Barnes -- see artist profile

Max D. Barnes "Rough Around The Edges" (Ovation Records, 1980) (LP)
Songwriter Max D. Barnes didn't make much of a splash as a recording artist -- the singles from these two LPs pinged around in the back rungs of the Top 100 -- but as a composer, he was a hitmaking machine. "Who's Gonna Fill Their Shoes," by George Jones, "Chiseled In Stone" by Vern Gosdin, "Storms Of Life" and "I Won't Need You Anymore (Always And Forever)" by Randy Travis, and "Thank God For The Radio" by the Kendalls are just a fraction of his remarkable output... Barnes might not have had his name in lights as a result of his own records, but it's always nice to hear a songwriter covering their own material...

Max D. Barnes "Pieces Of My Life" (Ovation Records, 1981) (LP)

Bobby Barnett "Lyin', Lovin' And Leavin' " (Columbia Records, 1968) (LP)
(Produced by George Richey)
Hey, don't worry: I never heard of him, either. Oklahoma's Bobby Barnett had a few chart entries in the early part of the decade, though "Love Me, Love Me" off of this album was his last big hit, and it was all downhill from here. At any rate, he was a likeable if unremarkable singer, with an odd, uneven voice reminiscent of Bill Anderson or Hank Locklin... It was the preponderance of drinking songs on this disc that caught my attention, including a good version of "What Made Milwaukee Famous," and a few even more interesting novelty tunes, like "End Of The Lyin' " and "(I'm The) Finished Product Of The Brewer's Art." Nothing earthshaking, but I thought it was a keeper.

Bobby Barnett "Heroes, History And Heritage Of Oklahoma, Vol. 1" (Heritage Records, 1975) (LP)

Bobby Barnett "Heroes, History And Heritage, Vol. 2" (19--?) (LP)

Bobby Barnett "American Heroes And Western Legends" (Bear Family Records, 1997)
An intriguing curiosity -- a slew of "history" songs about western icons such as Pretty Boy Floyd, Wyatt Earp (and all the principal characters in the OK Corral saga) as well as many native American leaders such as Crazy Horse, Sequoyah and Geronimo. Why the record is such a curio is because it seems to have been made fairly late in the came, sometime during the 1970s, about a decade after the heyday of this kind of historical songs. It's pretty good, though, if you go for that sort of thing. The real gem here, though, is a local pride anthem, the robust and gleefully goofy "Oklahoma's OK," which I'm sure folks must still be singing to this very day, down around Tulsa and thereabouts.

Mandy Barnett "Mandy Barnett" (Elektra Records, 1995)
An unabashed Patsy Cline copycat (she actually portrayed Cline in the stage musical, "Always, Patsy Cline...") Tennessee native Mandy Barnett gets extra points for draping a jazzy torch song arrangement around Jim Lauderdale's loopy "Planet Of Love," but immediately loses traction on the generic "young country" grind of "Maybe," the song that follows. In general, she seems to have a good sense of material to cover (Willie Nelson's "Three Days," for example...) and is fairly "rootsy," at least in comparison to her Nashville contemporaries. Still, outside of the Patsy-isms, she's not that tremendous of a vocalist, and if she doesn't have the right arrangements behind her, Barnett's music lapses into mediocrity fairly fast. Mellow, easy on the ears and a nice change of pace, but she still doesn't really wow me.

Mandy Barnett "I've Got A Right To Cry" (Sire Records, 1999)
(Produced by Owen Bradley)
An absurdly derivative recreation of Patsy Cline's smooth, pioneering proto-countrypolitan sound. Legendary Decca arranger Owen Bradley -- who produced many of Cline's biggest hits -- helps sculpt this album, and studio veterans such as pianist Pig Robbins and guitarist Harold Bradley re-fabricate the feel of the old Decca sessions. Nonetheless, this dose of old-timer authenticity doesn't compensate for Barnett lack of Cline's slick, bluesy bite and sweet, soulful delivery... When not simply mimicking Patsy's intonations, Barnett slips perilously close to approximating Linda Ronstadt's lesser efforts. Sure, the song selection is cool (not a Cline cover among the lot), but neither Barnett nor her band are speaking with an original voice, and this homage founders in comparison to the real thing. Pleasant, and easy on the ears, but kind of self-defeating.

Mandy Barnett "Winter Wonderland" (Crackerbarrel Records, 2010)

Joe Barnhill "Joe Barnhill" (Capitol Records, 1990)

Jeff Bates "Rainbow Man" (RCA Records, 2003)
(Produced by Kenny Beard, Scott Hendricks & David Malloy)
Nice one! Opening with a fun Bubbadelic ode to the joys of good ole boy anthems, Bates does a pretty good job balancing those low, rumbly George Jones notes with a lighter, growling croon. The songs are pleasantly gimmicky, following the more traditionally-oriented country formulas, mixing Hank Jr.-ish redneck/working man anthems with tough-but-sensitive romantic anthems that recall the best work by Conway Twitty or Alabama. ("Long Slow Kisses" is a bit suspect... I mean, who ever heard of a country song where some dude talks about lighting candles in the bedroom? But he sure gets pretty raunchy on "I Wanna Make You Cry," which he promises to do with his masterful lovemaking... Yikes! That's kinda nasty.) Bates is clearly derivative of innumerable artists, but in a really good way. It's rare that I hear a contemporary commercial country album that I can listen to from end to end without flinching at over half the songs... This one has a pretty good hit ratio, though -- I think it's pretty darn listenable and worth checking out, if you're into old-school Moe Bandy-style rowdiness.

Jeff Bates "Leave The Light On" (RCA Records, 2006)

Jeff Bates "Jeff Bates" (Black River Records, 2008)

Jeff Bates "One Day Closer" (Black River Records, 2011)
A 6-song EP of inspirational songs...

Phil Baugh "Live Wire!" (Sundazed Records, 2005)
A nice set of hot hillbilly tunes, some instrumentals and some songs, featuring whiz-bang guitarist Phil Baugh, who worked extensively with singer Vern Stovall and with Ray Price's road band, and also as a popular session player in the 1960s and '70s. His deliciously twangy style had a deceptive chunkiness to it, coloring but not obscuring his technical mastery of the bright-toned Telecaster electric gee-tar. This best-of collection is pretty sweet -- a bunch of lively, irresistible twang tunes that includes his two charting singles from 1965, "Country Guitar" and "One Man Band" (both modest successes...) Fun stuff that was made to be played loud. Highly recommended!

Susi Beatty "One Of A Kind" (Starsong Records, 1990)
The Starsong label was one of the last gasps of country indie labels in an increasingly corporate Nashville landscape, with singer Susi Beatty one of their most successful artists. The music is a somewhat muted mix of '80s synth-twang and early '90s "young country," while Beatty's vocals are kind of so-so. She scraped the lower rungs of the Top 100, but sort of faded from sight after this lone album came out.

Bob Beckham "Just As Much As Ever" (Decca Records, 1960)
A footnote, really. Although he had a minor country hit with his cover of "Crazy Arms," Bob Beckham was much more of a mainstream pop singer, in the Bobby Darin/Jimmy Darren mould... There's not really any twang on here, and the arrangements are straightforward pop-vocals material. From a country standpoint, totally skippable.

Molly Bee -- see artist profile

Carl Belew -- see artist profile

The Bellamy Brothers -- see artist profile

Dierks Bentley "Dierks Bentley" (Capitol Records, 2003)
If you want some modern-day commercial country that's still got some bite to it, newcomer Dierks Bentley is your guy. A youthful, appealing performer whose first single, a rootsy, mildly raunchy farmer's daughter tale called "What Was I Thinkin'?" places him squarely into the neo-Bubbadelic camp, even though he also indulges in a few of the inevitable goopy pop ballads of the contemporary Nashville scene. I have to confess, it was the video for "What Was I Thinkin'?" (which is embedded on the CD) that really won me over to Bentley... He comes off as friendly, cheerful and unassuming, and the song is pretty darn catchy when you get down to it. "Bartenders, etc..." is another swell honkytonker, and at the album's end, Bentley teams up with the Del McCoury Band, an outgrowth of his friendship with bluegrass fiddler Jason Carter, who he met while kicking around the open mic clubs in Nashville. Bentley seems to have real country roots and a self-effacing down-to-earthiness that brings Alan Jackson to mind -- commercial, but not too cloying or popped-out. A fine debut, by a feller worth keeping an eye on!

Dierks Bentley "Modern Day Drifter" (Capitol Records, 2005)
(Produced by Brett Beavers)
If you want some modern-day commercial country that's still got some kick to it, newcomer Dierks Bentley is your guy. This is his second album, and he's still a very appealing performer with deep country roots and a good-humored, rugged musical appeal. This time around you can hear him straining for a hit, but he hasn't yet given in to the pressure to overdo everything and gush out some gooey, too-slick power ballad or whatever; plus, his honkytonk side hasn't gotten all watered down with wimpy, secondhand Southern rock riffs. Nope, Bentley's keeping it real with lots of twang and a jaunty fiddle that provides a running commentary alongside his humorous lyrics He also still adds bluegrass picking into the mix, a sound that helps make his work stand out amid all the other modern Nashville albums... There's no song on here that leaps out at you the way his breakout single, "What Was I Thinkin'," did in '03, but no doubt the hits will be there, and the back-to-basics beer drinkin' anthem, "Anything Domestic" shows he's still got his sense of humor. This album's a winner, as far as I'm concerned.

Dierks Bentley "Long Trip Alone" (Capitol Records, 2006)
Nice new album from one of my favorite young commercial country artists... Newcomer Dierks Bentley recently joined the Opry, but he's still positioning himself as an outlaw-style industry outsider, name-checking George Jones in the red-dirt anthem, "Band Of Brothers," and giving a shoutout to his fellow road warriors, Cross Canadian Ragweed, in "Free And Easy Down The Road I Go." Bentley has a boyish likability that seems genuine and fresh; plenty of the Nashville hat acts seem like they've gone to celebrity finishing school to learn exactly the right way to project whatever image they've adopted, while Bentley still seems like a guy who just loves playing music and is still having lots of fun with life on the road. True, there are plenty of unnecessary chord changes and bombastic arrangements, but he seldom floats into the gooey pop-soul crooning that superstars like Tim McGraw embrace. Relatively speaking, Dierks Bentley is keeping it real, using twangy acoustic banjo runs and crisp, concise electric guitar riffs to frame his earnest, distinctive vocals. His songs also seem real, with lyrics that tilt towards emotional vulnerability and romantic-yet-manly inclinations like getting speed tickets 'cause you can't wait to get back home and see the gal you can't stop thinking about... Also rather interesting is his blunt rejection of the holier-than-thou version of activist, evangelical Christianity, in the song "The Heaven I'm Headed To," which takes us back to a version of Christianity that accepts and redeems the humanity of all people, saints and sinners alike, and shows Bentley to be more independent of the mores of contemporary Nashville than any of his light Southern rock/twang romps... A pretty remarkable song, really! Can't wait to play it on a gospel set someday.

Dierks Bentley "Greatest Hits -- Every Mile A Memory: 2003-2008" (Capitol Records, 2008)

Dierks Bentley "Feel That Fire" (Capitol-Nashville, 2009)
Nashville Top 40 from one of my favorite 21st Century country stars... This one took a while to win me over... At first it seemed to overproduced and too overwrought (which it is on many songs) but Bentley snuck up on me with several of the slower tunes, notably sweet ballads like "I Wanna Make You Close Your Eyes" "I Can't Forget Her," which sound soulful and sincere. What's funny about this record is that Bentley, who made his mark as a jovial, thinking-man's good-old boy excels on the slow tunes here, and it's the rompy-stompy songs like the single "Feel That Fire" that fall flat, for some reason. One exception is the album's closer, "Last Call For Alcohol," a bluegrass novelty number with Bentley's pal Ronnie McCoury picking some fine mandolin; "Beautiful World" his positive-thinking duet with Patty Griffin, is simply gorgeous, and definitely worth a spin.

Dierks Bentley "Up On The Ridge" (Capitol Records, 2010)

Dierks Bentley "Home" (Capitol Records, 2012)
(Produced by Brett Beavers & Luke Wooten)
A swell set of songs devoted to just plain having fun and not taking life too seriously... Bentley continues to be one of Nashville's most charming, amiable and down-to-earth Top 40 stars, particularly on songs like the album's opener, "Am I The Only One," where a good-timin' guy wonders why all his old buddies have settled down and quit partying, and "Diamonds Make Babies," where he warns one of those same pals about the unpredictable, intoxicating powers of a sparkly engagement ring. Fun stuff. It's too bad, though, that so many of these songs are so thickly layered with "big" Nashville production -- a lot of these songs would have sounded better if they'd been a shade or two simpler, especially since Bentley carved out a niche for himself a few years back by bringing bluegrassy acoustic twang back into the Music City mainstream. All in all, though, Dierks is one of the headliners you'd most like to have a beer with, as this album amply proves.

Dierks Bentley "Riser" (Capitol Nashville, 2014)
(Produced by Ross Copperman)

Stephanie Bentley "Hopechest" (Epic Records, 1996)
(Produced by Todd Wilkes and Paul Worley)
The lone album by this clear-toned singer-songwriter from Georgia. Bentley initially made her mark as Ty Herndon's duet partner on "Heart Half Empty" (which is featured here, as well as on one of his albums) although a few tracks on this album were modestly successful as singles. Like many aspiring Nashville artists, Bentley was more successful as a songwriter: she wrote "Breathe," which as a huge hit on Pop and Country for Faith Hill, as well as hits for singers such as Martina McBride, Jo Dee Messina, and Pam Tillis. As that list might imply, she was pretty solidly in the pop-crossover style of modern Nashville music, and this album reflects that, largely through the by-the-numbers production, with a bright, but bland, sound. Still, I wish Bentley'd had the chance to go further as a recording artist... she had a nice voice, with a Nanci Griffith-ish feel on some songs, though also capable of getting a little gritty when she wanted to give a song more of a rootsy feel.

Barbi Benton "Barbi Doll" (Playboy Records, 1974) (LP)
(Produced by Eddie Kilroy, Tom Pick & Roy Shockley)
An actress and popular Playboy "bunny," Barbi Benton also was a regular on the Hee Haw TV show, and parlayed that gig into a moderately successful country career, which saw the release of several albums during the 1970s... On the Playboy record label, no less! Born in New York and raised in Sacramento, Benton began modeling as a teen and shed her birth name, Barbara Klein, for a less Jewish-sounding monicker chosen by Playboy magnate Hugh Hefner. On this country-oriented debut album she was partly saddled by the kind of bland, simpy material expected of countrypolitan gals, kicking the album off with a cover of "The Teddy Bear Song," also covering the more uptempo "Queen Of The Silver Dollar," which was also recorded by Emmylou Harris the following year, as well as some other Shel Silverstein material. The backing band included a predictable wealth of talent, such as fiddler Johnny Gimble, pickers Dave Kirby and Bobby Thompson, and pianist Ron Oates, giving this set a smooth, professional sound, if not a giant slew of chart-topping hits. As an actor, Benton moved from comedic work into more dramatic roles with appearances on various TV shows and B-movies, including over a half-dozen appearances on Fantasy Island, playing several "different" characters. Ah, disco-era show biz.

Barbi Benton "Barbi Benton" (Playboy Records, 1975) (LP)
(Produced by Eddie Kilroy, Randy Kling, Tom Pick & Roy Shockley)
This album included her biggest hit, "Brass Buckles" which hit #5 on the charts... Outside of a duet with Mickey Gilley, this was her biggest commercial success. Not surprisingly, she's backed by an all-star Nashville studio band, with superpickers galore -- Stu Basore, Dave Kirby, Russ Hicks, Charlie McCoy, Bobby Thompson, Jerry Whitehurst, et.al.

Barbi Benton "Something New" (Playboy Records, 1976) (LP)
(Produced by Robert Appere, John Arrias & Mark Howlett)

Barbi Benton "Ain't That Just The Way" (Playboy Records, 1978)

Barbi Benton "Kinetic Voyage" (Takoma Records, 1988) (LP)

Barbi Benton "Barbi Benton" (Max Cat Records, 2010)

Matraca Berg -- see artist profile

Crystal Bernard "Girl Next Door" (River North Records, 1996)
Actress (and singer) Crystal Bernard is perhaps best known for having sung the goofy anti-evolution novelty number, "The Monkey Song" on the Jerry Falwell show back in 1972 when she was just a little kid. Her father was an evangelical preacher who was in Falwell's orbit and they must have thought it was really cute having her and her sister Robin sing about how silly primate evolution was. But hey, "The Monkey Song" got her and her sister into show business, so I guess whatever works... Anyway, she did a lot of TV work and recorded a couple of albums as well. This one's the most country, and grazed the middle rungs of the Top 100. If you like glossy pop-country, this might be of interest... it's not terribly distinctive, but for the genre, it's okay.

Crystal Bernard "Don't Touch Me There" (Platinum Records, 1999)
There's a teensy bit of twang in here, but mostly I'd consider this a gooey pop album... I suppose fans of Sara Evans, et. al. could get into this... Doesn't do much for me, though.

John Berry -- see artist profile

Craig Bickhardt & Thom Schuyler "Precious Child" (Warner Brothers, 1993)
A dramatic, gospel-themed nativity album recorded with Bickhardt's former SKB bandmate, Thom Schuyler...

Craig Bickhardt "Easy Fires" (Stone Barn Records, 2001)
Songwriter Craig Bickhardt originally appeared on the 1982 Tender Mercies soundtrack, had an early hit, but didn't make much noise afterwards... Bickhardt became better known as a songwriter, penning Top Ten hits for folks like The Judds, Steve Wariner and Ty Herndon... In the joined the short-lived trio of SKB (Schuyler, Knobloch and Bickhardt, along with Fred Knobloch and Thom Schuyler) This is one of his later albums, more of a songwriter's showcase than a bid for the big brass ring.

Craig Bickhardt & Jack Sundrud "Idlewheel" (2006)

Craig Bickhardt "Brother To The Wind" (2009)

Craig Bickhardt "No Road Back: A Retrospective" (2010)

Big House "Big House" (MCA Records, 1997)
(Produced by Peter Bunetta, Monty Byrom & David Neuhauser)
Amiable, bluesy, bar-band commercial country, with a subtle Allman Brothers/jam band undertone (did they name the band after the Allman Brothers museum? Seems likely...) Singer Marty Byrom has an easygoing blues/white soul vibe, matched by the retrained slide guitar... Folks who like Tom Petty but wish he were a little mellower might dig these guys. This debut disc had a few modestly successful singles; the highest charting was "Cold Outside," which hit #30, though that turned out to be the band's peak. Worth a spin... A little bland, but at least it's different than most of the stuff out of Nashville.

Big House "Travelin' Kind" (MCA Records, 1998)
Their sophomore album tanked and the band got the boot, reemerging a couple of years later as an indie act... You can kind of see why: if this album had come out in the 1970s it would have been hailed as an Eagles-y country-rock gem, but it was an uneasy fit for late-'90s Nashville. Plus, it's a little too laid-back, even for folks looking for someone with a rootsy-but-mellow sound. If you like easygoing, bluesy twang, this is worth checking out, but after a while it does feel a little too flat. Well, see what you think.

Big House "Woodstock Nation" (Dead Reckoning Records, 2000)
A laid-back set with echoes of J.J. Cale, NRBQ and other bluesy, rootsy, twang-friendly rockers... Not as overtly commercial-sounding as their old albums, but they do sound like they were enjoying themselves...

Big House "Never Ending Trail" (Big House Records, 2008)

Big & Rich "Horse Of A Different Color" (Warner Nashville, 2004)
(Produced by Big Kenny, John Rich & Paul Worley)
(This duo became monstrously successful chart artists, on the basis of this album. Here's what I wrote when it originally came out: ) I guess these guys -- Big Kenny and John Rich -- want to be a country comedy version of Brooks & Dunn, although the results are decidedly mixed. Some of their songs are fairly straightforward country, others are overproduced train wrecks. I was turned off by the shrill, heavily arranged single, "Wild West Show," and took my sweet time getting around to the rest of the album. But then when I finally did, the novelty song "(Why Does Everybody Want To) Kick My Ass" cracked me up. But why they had to tack some lame pseudo-rap on at the end of the track, after the actual song came to an end, is completely beyond me. I guess they're supposed to be a comedy act; which is supposed to excuse all manner of excess and indulgence. Even so, these two strike me as guys who had a hard time with impulse control: with Martina McBride's producer Paul Worley behind the board, they just didn't know when to let well enough alone, and got a little too caught up in the studio "magic" at their disposal... As a result, some fairly catchy songs sound way too cluttered by the time we get to hear them. A mixed bag. Irritating, and not always on purpose.

Big 'N' Rich "Big 'N' Rich's Big Galactic Fan Pak" (Warner Brothers, 2004)
Oh. My. Gawd. This is soooooooooo lame! I imagine the inward shuddering of countless commercial country DJs and station managers who secretly loathe these guys but are too scared to say so, lest they buck the trend... I mean, sure, I can halfway understand how younger Top 40 country fans who are bored by actually listening to country music could've thought that BNR's cow-rap novelty hit, "Save A Horse, Ride A Cowboy" was a real hoot... But how could anyone seriously be expected to enjoy a slipshod, self-indulgent, masturbatory toss-off like this? The audio disc features a monotonous, shoddily-produced "dance mix" of "Save A Horse," in which the duo's thin vocals are laid bare, followed by a couple of unplugged versions of other, equally unworthy tunes, and some truly tedious stream-of-consciousness ramblings by a jet-lagged, fame-besotted Big & Rich. It's an homage, I suppose, to the rambling, drugged-out Christmas singles that the Beatles used to put out in the late 1960s, with the key difference being that the Beatles actually were witty and clever (and they were the Beatles!) while Big & Rich are just two loudmouthed mooks who just can't gobble up their fifteen minutes of fame fast enough. This is what passes for celebrity in Nashville these days? Sigh. It's almost enough to make you nostalgic for Doodles Weaver. Oh, yeah, I almost forgot... then there's the second disc, which has some sort-of videos on it (they lip-synch to a few tunes, but talk over the music to explain why and when they wrote them, etc.), and a bunch of scrapbook photos, too... I guess that's the real reason anyone would buy this, but it also didn't win me over... Anyway, I'm sure the folks who thought "Save A Horse" was a total laugh riot will feel they got their money's worth with this memento... For the rest of us, though, by all means steer clear of this dog. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Big 'N' Rich "Comin' To Your City" (Warner Brothers, 2004)
Yawn.

Big 'N' Rich "Between Raising Hell And Amazing Grace" (Warner Brothers, 2007)
Yawn.

Big 'N' Rich "Greatest Hits" (Warner Brothers, 2009)
Still yawn.

Big 'N' Rich "Hillbilly Jedi" (Warner Brothers, 2012)
This would be the dark side of the Force. Where's a laser blaster when you need one...?

Big Kenny "The Quiet Times Of A Rock And Roll Farm Boy" (Bigger Picture Records, 2009)
A solo album from one of the Big 'N' Rich dudes. It's horrible. Dull production and a weak voice. Can these guys go away now?

Billy Hill "I Am Just A Rebel" (Reprise Records, 1989)
(Produced by Chris Hammond & Billy Hill)
The debut disc (and only album) from the Americana-adjacent twangband Billy Hill, an alliance of several guys who'd been kicking around Nashville for a while, some of who had made records of their own before teaming up for this one. The band included several songwriters, notably guitarist Bob DiPiero, slide player Dennis Robbins and lead singer John Scott Sherrill, backed by Buck Baxter on pedal steel, legendary Muscle Shoals pianist Barry Beckett, Bessyl Duhon (accordion), Glen Duncan (fiddle and mandolin), as well as Steve Earle's bassist Reno Kling and drummer Martin Parker. Plenty of exaggerated, overly broad twang -- but twang there is, and novelty lyrics galore, making this actually a fairly catchy album. They didn't conquer Nashville or anything, but the record's sure fun to listen to.

Vicki Bird "I'm Gone" (Aaron Records)
Another album from a one-time Hee Haw cast member... I guess she was on a revival edition of the show, between 1989-91. Haven't heard it yet, but I am kind of curious... Well, maybe just a little bit.

Clint Black - see artist discography

Jeanne Black "A Little Bit Lonely" (Capitol Records, 1961) (LP)
Mostly known as a one-hit wonder, in 1960 Jeanne Black sang "He'll Have To Stay," an answer song based on the Jim Reeves classic, He'll Have To Go." That song hit the Top Ten, and is included here on her lone solo album, although lightning didn't strike twice and Ms. Black faded from sight with amazing finality. Alas.

Black Tie "When the Night Falls" (Bench Records, 1990)
This trio of heavy-hitters included singer Billy Swan, Randy Meisner of the Eagles (and Poco), and Jimmy Griffin, of the Remingtons. This album includes their sole chart entry, a cover of the old Buddy Holly tune, "Learning The Game," which crept up to the middle of the Top 100...

Blackhawk "Blackhawk" (Arista Records, 1994)
The debut album by this inoffensive, easy-on-the-ears, soft-rockin,' harmony-singin' trio. Doesn't really float my boat, but I can see the appeal -- it's '70s soft rock brought into a country context. Although it must be admitted that lead singer Henry Paul has an, um, distinctive voice, it may get on your nerves after listening all the way through, there's still something appealing and down-to-earth about these guys. The first half of this album peppered the Top Ten with hits when this came out; the other five songs -- none of which have made it onto a best-of package -- are all of an equal calibre... If you're a fan of the band, this album is worth tracking down for the non-hit tunes...

Blackhawk "Strong Enough" (Arista Records, 1996)
(Produced by Mark Bright)

Blackhawk "Love & Gravity" (Arista Records, 1997)
(Produced by Mark Bright)
Their third album was kind of a downer. Soft, sappy, mopey romantic material performed at a sluggish pace, with mellow soft-rock arrangements. It's well-crafted, I guess, but pretty unexciting.

Blackhawk "The Sky's The Limit" (Arista Records, 1998)
(Produced by Mark Bright & Tim DuBois)
This disc has a little more life to it, and more likeable material. It's still too deliberate and overly controlled, with the understated sensitive-guy lead vocals and three-part harmony behind him, but some of the songs'll catch your attention if you give it a chance... "There You Have It" had a good hook and a catchy chorus, and other than the over-cooked harmonies, "Nobody Knows What To Say" is a pretty nice song about the aftermath of a broken romance... It's not a great record or anything, but it has its moments. At least they seem to have recovered from the slump they were in the year before.

Blackhawk "Spirit Dancer" (Sony Records, 2002)

Blackhawk "Greatest Hits" (Arista Records, 2000)

Blackhawk "Greatest Hits - Live" (Fuel 2000 Records, 2008)

Blake & Brian "Blake & Brian" (Curb Records, 1997)
(Produced by Chuck Howard)
The duo of Blake Weldon and Brian Gowan were a made-in-the-studio concoction that had moderate success as performers (one song in the middle of the Top 100) but some durability as songwriters: Gowan later pitched several songs to newcomer Rodney Atkins, and also released a few solo albums a few years later. This is pretty generic stuff, swinging between '70s-style soft-pop/country rock and uptempo numbers that are perky but still pretty unchallenging. I think for me the lone standout track would be the Dwight Yoakum-flavored "Shut Up Heart," which is kind of funny and fun. Blake & Brian released a couple of singles after this album came out; maybe in the future Curb will include them in a "best-of" edition...

Jewel Blanch "I Can Love You" (CBS, 1982) (LP)
An award winning album (in Australia) from singer Jewel Blanch, the daughter of Aussie troubadour Arthur Blanch... She had a couple of songs that cracked into the American charts a few years earlier, but information about her career is pretty hard to track down. Anyone got any info?

Blue County "Blue County" (Curb Records, 2004)
(Produced by Dann Huff & Doug Johnson)
A couple of weatherbeaten, Redford-ish blondes, Aaron Benward and Scott Reeves craft an oddly off-kilter style of commercial country, with long, rambling lyrics drenched in nostalgia and deliberately rustic motifs... lots of songs about mischeiveous little boys growing up in simpler times, etc... The singing style is a bit strained, but somehow it works out alright -- I'm not wild about this album, but I did find it consistently listenable. Okay, so here's the dirt on these two: Benward is a Christian pop singer with several albums under his belt -- Reeves was a soap opera actor (on Days Of Our Lives for over ten years!) So, obviously, they are open to charges of being country poseurs, but overall I'd have to say this ain't bad... Producer Dan Huff crafts a fine, lightly Southern-rockish feel to the albums, and though it seems they repeat themselves thematically and musically, it works. Funny, though, how a born-again Christian rocker would record a raunchy country song like "Good Little Girls" (the single, which wasn't actually the best song on here), but hey, who am I to argue with the artists?

Blue Sky Riders "Finally Home" (3Dream Records, 2013)
(Produced by Peter Asher & Blue Sky Riders)
A country-oriented outing from none other than '70s AOR superstar Kenny Loggins, working with Nashville songwriter Gary Burr, in a trio rounded out by singer Georgia Middleman, who's sung backup for several old (1980s) country stars. It's basically soft-pop comfort food: if you're a fan of classic '70s pop (and Loggins in particular) this album is a real treat. Loggins still has a supple voice and pretty much sounds like he did back in the day, and with Middleman in the mix there's also a strong echo of Fleetwood Mac (or, for a more modern reference, of Sugarland and/or Lady Antebellum...) I'd peg this as more of an adult-pop album than as a "country" record, although Loggins did have a lot of success as a crossover songwriter in the '70s countrypolitan scene, and when he adds some twang, it sounds good. This band might not light the Country charts on fire, but I think they'll definitely find a lot of fans.

Liz Boardo "Liz Boardo" (Roell Records, 2006)
I'm not sure, but I think this CD is a reissue... It doesn't include either of Boardo's (minor) hits from 1987, but it definitely has an '80s feel. Anyone know for sure?

Suzy Bogguss - see artist discography

James Bonamy "What I Live To Do" (Epic Records, 1996)
The debut album by this Florida-born pretty-boy, a hat act dude who sounds good on the fast numbers (such as the album's openers, "She's Got A Mind Of Her Own"), and pretty darn callow on slower songs like "All I Do Is Love Her" and "I Don't Think I Will." This disc's a mixed bag -- I thought I was really gonna get into it when I heard the first few tunes, but it quickly started to seem less and less exciting or original. Really, he's just a so-so singer, but he does have some surprising flourishes of pure, dumb fun.

James Bonamy "Roots And Wings" (Epic Records, 1997)

Bobby Bond "On The Country Side" (Time Records, 1964) (LP)

Bobby Bond "...Sings Hits Made Famous By Roger Miller And Other Country Songs" (Somerset Records, 1965) (LP)
I have to confess, I have a strange fascination with the "sound-alike" artists who recorded entire albums of knockoff imitations of popular hits for shady labels such as Crown, Spin-O-Rama, Somerset and others. Bobby Bond was one of these sound-alike artists, who did, um "tribute" records to Roger Miller and Jim Reeves, but who also scored a minor hit with a 1972 cover of Jim Croce's "You Don't Mess Around With Jim." The sound-alike albums are a real historical curio: often they were packaged in such a way to make you think that the original artist and the real versions were included on the album, and there was an obvious attempt to bilk folks out of their hard-earned cash. Someday I'd love to research them (although I suspect someone already has...) Anyway, here are Mr. Bond's contributions to the genre...

Bobby Bond/Earl Cupit "A Country Boy Looks Down That Lonesome Road" (Somerset Records, 1966)
A split LP with Cupit singing Side One, and Bond on the flip. All the songs are covers of popular country and folk-country songs of the era, including songs by Bobby Bare, George Hamilton IV, etc.

Bobby Bond "I Remember Jim Reeves" (Somerset Records, 1966) (LP)

Johnny Bond - see artist discography

Debby Boone "The Best Of Debby Boone" (Curb Records, 1990)
Another one of the Curb label's refreshingly straightforward best-of sets... This compact, ten-song collection includes Boone's biggest hits from the late 1970s, when she was both a huge MOR pop star, and a semi-legitimate country singer. All the albums these songs came from appear to be out-of-print, so this is probably the best way to hear them. Keep in mind that her biggest hit, "You Light Up My Life," is perhaps the single most heinous pop song of the 1970s. After this era, Boone devoted herself almost entirely to recording Christian pop. Oh, and FIY, she's Pat (see below) Boone's daughter... and Red Foley's granddaughter, too! What a family!

Debby Boone "You Light Up My Life" (Curb Records, 1977) (LP)

Debby Boone "Midstream" (Curb Records, 1978) (LP)

Debby Boone "Debby Boone" (Curb Records, 1979)

Debby Boone "Love Has No Reason" (Curb Records, 1980) (LP)

Debby Boone "Savin' It Up" (Curb Records, 1980) (LP)

Larry Boone "Larry Boone" (Eeee Records, 1981) (LP)
(Produced by Paul Sacco)
Years before Larry Boone cracked his way into the Nashville scene and became a successful chart artist, he cut this album of all-original material with producer Paul Sacco playing about half the instruments. There's no fiddle or pedal steel or mandolin or banjo on here, but there's still some twang, and that's all that counts, really, isn't it?

Larry Boone "Larry Boone" (Mercury Records, 1988)

Larry Boone "Swingin' Doors, Sawdust Floors" (Mercury Records, 1989)

Larry Boone "Down That River Road" (Mercury Records, 1990)

Larry Boone "One Way To Go" (Columbia Records, 1991)

Larry Boone "Get In Line" (Columbia Records, 1993)

Pat Boone "Texas Woman" (Hitsville Records, 1976) (LP)
I met Pat Boone once - shook his hand at a music conference where he was promoting his rather gimmicky heavy-metal "comeback" album. It was a strange moment, a little creepy actually, yet I found him oddly charismatic and earnest. Well, anyway, enough about me. That heavy metal gig wasn't the first time Boone dabbled in genres other than soft pop... Here, for example, is Boone's main foray into the country field, an album that included a minor Top Forty hit ("Texas Woman") and a handful of other tunes that charted somewhere in the Back Forty. It ain't the rootsiest, most rootin' tootin' honky-tonk record you'll ever hear, but it's an interesting slice of '70s countrypolitan...

Pat Boone "Tribute To Elvis Presley" (ABC Records, 1977) (LP)
Back in the day, pop crooner Pat Boone was often reviled by rock fans as a super-square white guy who "ripped off" Black R&B artists by covering their songs and scoring hits in the pop charts while they struggled to find work, or get proper royalty payments for their work. I always thought that narrative was a tad simplistic, though I also never gave much thought to Boone or his career, or whether or not he was a poseur. The "square" part always seemed pretty accurate. Anyway, in a way it's fitting that during his 1970s country phase, Pat Boone paid honor to his fellow 'Fifties idol, since Presley also got a lot of that same "white-guys-stealing-black-music" flak. The only edition of this album that I've seen of this album came out in the Netherlands, though I'm sure it must have come out in the States as well.

Randy Boone "Ramblin' Randy" (Decca Records, 1965) (LP)
Actor Randy Boone (Pat's cousin...), who was billed as "the singing star" of the 'Sixties TV western, The Virginian, made a couple of albums ala Gale Garnett, Lorne Greene and Ricky Nelson... This set of countrified faux folksongs has its charms, though it didn't make a dent in the charts. My main interest in this album came when I noticed that the Gosdin Brothers, Rex and Vern, accompanied Boone on over half the tracks... They add some ooompf and bounce, as well as contributing a couple of original tunes -- the zippy "It's All Right" and "Oh Me, Oh My." Boone hardly had what you could call a great voice, and his solo acoustic folk tunes are pretty silly, but the full-band material with the Gosdins certainly has its moments.

Randy Boone & Roberta Shore "The Singing Stars Of The Virginian" (Decca Records, 19--?) (LP)

Tony Booth - see artist discography

Bobby Borchers "Bobby Borchers" (Playboy Records, 1977) (LP)
(Produced by Eddie Kilroy)
An outstanding album of sad, sad cheating songs and raw, erotic ballads. This record is very reflective of the '70s swingers scene, but where many Nashvillers of the era approached the newfound sexual openness of the era in kind of a leering, naughty-little-boy kind of way, songwriter Bobby Borchers crafted an impressive set of emotionally dense songs, focussed on the repercussions of impulsive love and the shifting balances of power in adult relationships. Every track on here is worthwhile, with standouts including "Cheap Perfume And Candlelights," "Lunchtime Lovers," and the scathing "Someone's With Your Wife Tonight, Mister." As complex as the lyrics themselves is the shifting point of view from song to song: some that revel in cheating and sexuality, others that explore the downsides, some repentant, others resigned, with glimmers of joy amid the seediness and sadness that runs throughout. Borchers is also a convincing stylist, with strong traces of Waylon Jennings and Merle Haggard, buoyed by sleek, sympathetic backing, notably the pedal steel of Russ Hicks. An excellent '70s country album... Highly recommended!

Bobby Borchers "Denim And Rhinestones" (Playboy Records, 1978) (LP)

Crystal Bowersox "Farmer's Daughter" (Sony-Jive/19 Recordings, 2010)
(Produced by David Bendeth)
Normally I'm not that big on bashing former American Idol contestants just because they were American Idol contestants... I mean, Carrie Underwood's alright, and I think she was on there once, right? Anyway, the reason I don't like this album (and I'm apparently in the minority) is because the arrangements are uneven and awkward, and Bowersox's voice doesn't really wow me. It's kind of a clunky mix of folkish "adult pop" and brash Nashville Top 40... and was pitched as a rock record (where it did pretty well.) I dunno, I mean I get that the photogenic, twenty-something Bowersox has some of same the youth appeal as Taylor Swift, but she strikes me as a lesser light. But I can see the appeal, and I am curious to see where she goes from here...

Crystal Bowersox "Once Upon A Time..." (EP) (Self-released, 2012)
Released on the heels of her Idol success, this 5-song EP is in more of a singer-songwriter-y mode, and very demo-tapey... Also not as country as her major-label stuff; more of a folkie feel, somewhere between, oh, Lucy Kaplansky and Taylor Swift. Doesn't really resonate with me.

Crystal Bowersox "All That For This" (Shanachie Records, 2013)
(Produced by Steve Berlin)
American Idol runner-up Crystal Bowersox has dabbled in twang, but I'm not sure I'd really call this rock-soul outing a "country" record. Still, a tune like "Till The Whiskey's Gone" could make it in the charts... Meanwhile, folks who are into mainstream-y genre-busters like Shelby Lynne might want to give this a whirl. There's a pretty similar soul-tinged, rootsy vibe.

Margie Bowes "Margie Bowes Sings" (Decca Recrds, 1966) (LP)
She was not a great singer, it's true, but Margie Bowes had a welcome roughness to her (in comparison to some of the other country gals of the time...) She was a minor player in the early '60s, marrying Doyle Wilburn in '61 and cutting a few singles here and there, as well as several excellent duets with George Jones. This was her first big break, a full-length LP for Decca. The label obviously pressured her into singing as much like Loretta Lynn as possible, and she does a fine job of it, particularly on songs that have a good backbeat... On ballads she was a little shakier, and while she doesn't necessarily display much individuality on here, this is still a nice record, particularly for anyone looking into the history of women in country music. Worth checking out.

Margie Bowes "Today's Country Sound" (Decca Records, 1968) (LP)
A fun album if you can track it down. Sure, the musicians are mostly phoning it in, but there's still some spunky material and a few good novelty songs. There's also an odd, interesting assortment of little-known songwriters, including up-and-comers like John Hartford and Tom T. Hall (whose "Mrs. Cooper's Tea Party" is an album highlight, as well as one by Willie Nelson. She also recorded a couple of tunes by gals like Lola Jean Dillon ("Lonesome Woman") and Betty Robinson ("Baby's Back Again") And check this out: she recorded "D-I-V-O-R-C-E" a right around the same time Tammy Wynette did; wonder who won that chart battle?

Roger Bowling "Then I'll Stop Loving You" (NSD Records, 1984)
Between 1970-82, Roger Bowling released seventeen singles prior to this album... And, as far as I can tell, none of that material (which is where all his chart action was) has ever been collected onto an album.

Don Bowman - see artist discography

Boy Howdy "Welcome To Howdywood" (Curb Records, 1992)
(Produced by Chris Farren)
Welcome to Mulletsville, is more like it... But despite their '90s fashion faux pas, these guys had a relatively rootsy sound, at least for Nashville of that era... Sort of in the Marty Stuart/Marty Brown neck of the woods, though more bland and generic than either of those pop-country troubadours. Their uptempo material was best; the slower stuff is pretty bad, mostly because lead singer Jeffrey Steele was, um, pretty limited. Anyway, this is inoffensive, though not very remarkable. Maybe the most noteworthy track is their country cover of the Kinks oldie, "You Really Got Me," which is a novelty song, but not a very good one. Oh, well.

Boy Howdy "She'd Give Anything" (EP) (Curb Records, 1994)
(Produced by Chris Farren)
This transitional EP unveiled the title track single, a tightly crafted romantic ballad which turned out to be their biggest hit (#4 on the charts) while reprising a hit from their earlier album. You can hear the difference in the production is much cleaner and more direct, and the musicianship more measured. Not an immortal classic, but decent '90s Nashville stuff.

Boy Howdy "Born That Way" (Curb Records, 1995)
(Produced by Chris Farren)
They toughened up a bit and started to sound a little more Hank Jr., less ballad-y and more romping, and the switch helps a lot. Also, the production is much stronger and more focussed than on their debut, with better arrangements and more emphasis on group-vocals sound, putting them within throwing distance of bigger bands such as Blackhawk or Lonestar. Better material, too: for a novelty number, I'd pick "Plan B" and for a romantic ballad, try "She Can Love You." They still have a soft spot for rock covers, and they still don't get it right: their version of Stephen Stills' "Love The One You're With" has the same breakneck pace as their Kinks cover, and the same lack of appeal. The rest of this record is decent, though -- worth a spin in early '90s "young country" is your thing.

BR5-frickin'-49 - see (sigh.) artist discography

Brad & Shelly "24/7" (Cupit Records, 2004)
Not that you'd know it from listening to Clear Channel... I mean, the radio... but independent country is alive and well, somewhere out there, and there are plenty of gems to be heard, if you just know where to find them. This album features a cheerful little song -- "Don't Make Me (Have To Come In There)" -- that sounds like something straight out of the '70s, and probably would have been a big hit if it had come out back then. Led by a bouncy, Cajun-tinged fiddle, this is just a plain, old fun song, with fine duet and harmony vocals. Uncomplicated, good-natured and irresistible. Worth a spin, if you're looking for an antidote to the overwrought country-pop of today.

Bobby Braddock "Between The Lines" (Elektra Records, 1979) (LP)
(Produced by Bob Gant)
Yikes. Songwriter Bobby Braddock made a name for himself in the late '60s and early '70s with rollicking novelty numbers like "Nothin's Ever Hurt Me" and "Something To Brag About," as well as super-sniffly weepers such as "D-I-V-O-R-C-E" and "He Stopped Loving Her Today" -- real classics. He had a great track record, but man, is this a terrible record! One overwrought, agonized, overcooked, lounge-y countrypolitan tune after another... Nothing much that has a real hook to it, though, or a concise enough concept to be memorable. Oh, well. On Side Two he picks up the pace a bit and sounds kinda like Randy Newman... Of course that comparison is made somewhat mundane on the nuclear-bomb anxiety song, "Blow Us Away," which lists all the countries that have (or will have) the Bomb... A fairly unsubtle rehash of Newman's "Political Science," but still a little interesting, from a historical standpoint, if not musically.

Bobby Braddock "Love Bomb" (Elektra Records, 1980) (LP)
(Produced by Bob Gant)

Bobby Braddock "Hardpore Cornography" (RCA Records, 1983) (LP)
(Produced by Bobby Braddock)
This 6-song EP looks a bit scary, but I am curious about the novelty song, "Dolly Parton's Hits..."

Terry Bradshaw "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" (Mercury Records, 1976) (LP)
At the height of his fame as quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers, football dude and future TV commentator Terry Bradshaw also tried his hand at country music. This first album yielded a modest hit with a cover of an old Hank Williams song, but that success was never quite replicated on his later records. In the 1990s, he returned to the studios to record a couple of gospel and holiday records... (For more on those albums, you can check out my Country Gospel section... )

Terry Bradshaw "Until You" (Benson Records, 1980) (LP)

Terry Bradshaw "Here In My Heart" (Benson Records, 1982) (LP)

Paul Brandt "Calm Before The Storm" (Reprise Records, 1996)
Canadian cowpoke Paul Brandt had a couple of big hits straight out the gate: "My Heart Has A History" and the super-sappy "I Do" both hit the Top 5 on the charts, with his thick, rumbly vocals framed in a picture-perfect, prefab bed of traditionally-oriented "young country" arrangements. Whatever marketing mojo or word of mouth he had going for him faded pretty fast, though -- none of Brandt's later records did all that well, chartwise, and he never quite filled the gaps in the Garth/Dwight/Alan Jackson/Vince Gill axis... This guy doesn't strike me as particularly charismatic or soulful, but I guess he's okay.

Paul Brandt "Outside The Frame" (Warner Records, 1997)

Paul Brandt "That's The Truth" (Warner Brothers, 1999)

Paul Brandt "A Paul Brandt Christmas: Shall I Play For You?" (Reprise Records, 1999)
(See my Country Christmas section for more...)

Paul Brandt "What I Want To Be Remembered For" (Warner Brothers, 2000)

Paul Brandt "Small Towns And Big Dreams" (Universal Records, 2001)

Paul Brandt "This Time Around" (Brand T Records, 2004)

Paul Brandt "A Gift" (Brand T Records, 2006)
A Christmas album...

Paul Brandt "Risk" (Brand T Records, 2007)

Paul Brandt "Give It Away" (Brand T Records, 2011)

Paul Brandt "Just As I Am" (Brand T Records, 2012)
A gospel album, featuring duets with John Anderson, Patty Loveless, Ricky Skaggs, Dan Tyminsky and others...

Kippi Brannon "I'd Be With You" (Curb Records, 1997)
(Produced by Mark Bright)
This was actually a comeback album: Brannon was a teenage singer who had had even bigger success in the early '80s, but retired after releasing several popular singles for the MCA label. She tried restarting her career a few years later, but only came back to record an album a decade later... And here it is! Brannon also recorded a duet with Jeff Carter, "Daddy's Little Girl," which is included here.

Louisa Branscomb "I'll Take Love (From The Pen Of Louisa Branscomb)" (Compass Records, 2011)

Tom Bresh "Homemade Love" (Farr Music Records, 1976) (LP)
(Produced & arranged by Jimmy Bowen)
A dreadful late entry into the '70s countrypolitan genre. The son of superpicker Merle Travis, Tom Bresh (also spelled Thom Bresh...) took his dad's fingerpicking style into the charts himself, particularly on this debut disc, which yielded his biggest commercial hits, the including the title track, which hit #6 on the charts, and the followup, "Sad Country Love Song," which cracked into the Top 20. That trajectory pretty much defined the rest of his career - a steady but honorable slide off of the mainstream country charts. This album is also notable for the novelty number, "Funky Country Music Disco Band" and for being a successful indie album, the kind of thing that was still around in the '70s. Musically, it's terrible, with lots of nods to the disco sound, and generally goopy arrangements. Bresh's vocals are underwhelming, and his guitar playing is buried under the glitzy pop production. Oh, well.

Tom Bresh "Kicked Back" (ABC-Dot Records, 1977) (LP)

Tom Bresh "Portrait" (ABC Records, 1978) (LP)
(Produced by Jimmy Bowen)
On his last major-label release, Bresh more or less goes "outlaw," with a barrage of sexually frank or suggestive songs, along with direct references to getting stoned and partying hard, with a hedonistic edge that goes a little beyond the key-party/singles bar swinger mentality that entered Nashville in the early '70s. Songwriter Curly Putman contributes the innuendo-laden "A Woman Who Will," as well as the self-indulgent "Makin' Love, Feelin' No Pain," while Bobby Braddock adds the darker, more downcast "My Better Half," where a guy who got dumped sits alone in bed, contemplating suicide. Bresh adopts a casual, almost Jerry Jeff Walker-like vibe -- I don't think he cared much if this record was a hit, and it seems unlikely that it got much publicity from the folks in Nashville, so he just lets it all hang loose. It's not a very catchy record, but it's consistently intriguing -- the only real duds are a disco-y track at the end of the album and Bresh's unusual cover of one of his father's old hits, "Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! That Cigarette," which he sings at an oddly slow tempo and in a weird comedic voice -- an odd homage to his father's great career. (Note: there's a Dennis Wilson listed as singing backup vocals on several tracks, though I'm not sure if it's the Beach Boys guy or not. Anyone know for sure?)

Tom Bresh "Wires To The Wood" (Legend Records)

Bud Brewer "Big Bertha, The Truck Driving Queen" (RCA Victor, 1972) (LP)
I don't know much about this jovial, truckin' song singin' good ole boy, but I was drawn to his album because he covers a couple of tunes that were later recorded a couple of years later by Gary Stewart on his first album for MCA... (What was up with that? Did some song plugger know them both?) At any rate, this is a mighty fine, mighty fun album, full of unrepentantly good-timin', cheatin', chasin', drinkin' losin' songs, many of which were plucked from old records, some of which seem to have been new to this record. Brewer was sort of a mix between Red Sovine and Charlie Walker, ideal for fans of old-fashioned hard country novelty songs. Wonder if he made any other records...(?)

Lee Brice "Love Like Crazy" (Curb Records, 2010)
(Produced by Doug Johnson & Lee Brice)

Lee Brice "Hard 2 Love" (Curb, 2012) (Produced by Lee Brice, various producers)

Chad Brock "Chad Brock" (Warner Brothers, 1998)
(Produced by Norro Wilson & Buddy Cannon)
The opening track, "Going The Distance," is a real hard-country winner, a surprisingly pure, fiddle-licious thumper; the album gets poppier as it goes along, but for the most part, it's pretty nice. Sappy in spots, and very formulaic, but overall fairly straightforward... All the modern crap is completely excused by the inclusion of a winner like "Unbreak My Heart." He has a very young, bright-sounding voice here, but I like him on the earthier numbers.

Chad Brock "Yes!" (Warner Brothers, 2000)
(Produced by Buddy Cannon & Norro Wilson)
Yeesh. He sure went the wrong way. A bunch of overproduced, overly popped-up prefab tunes, with overwritten lyrics and too much "class." Wish he'd kept a little more grit in the mix, but this is straight-up wimpo sensitive, "thinking man's country," falling in the same boring, lifeless traps as oh, so many modern Nashvillers. "Young Enough To Know It All" is almost kind of okay, but it's not much to write home about. Pretty much everything else on here is a dud, including the YTK remake of Hank, Jr's "A Country Boy Can Survive" (which is about as bad as you might imagine, except that it does have a current events-y twist, being about the Y2K Millennium bug scare... And Hank, Jr. adds guest vocals, too. Oh, boy.) This is kinda skippable.

Chad Brock "III" (Warner Brothers, 2001)
(Produced by Buddy Cannon & Norro Wilson)
His third album keeps up the soft-pop/rock orientation, and generally speaking isn't all that strong an album, at least from a country traditionalists point of view. Didn't do much for me. His earlier hits, "Ordinary Life" and "Yes" are thrown in as sweetener... Odd move, unless of course, the label wasn't sure about the quality of this disc on its own. And with paper-thin compositions like "Tell Me How" and ""I'd Love To Love You," that would seem like a pretty good theory.

Lane Brody "Lane Brody" (EMI Records, 1985) (LP)

Lane Brody "Familiar Places" (Records Records, 2001)

Lane Brody "Pieces Of Life" (Scream Records, 2002)

Lisa Brokop "My Love" (Libre Records, 1991)

Lisa Brokop "Every Little Girl's Dream" (Capitol/Patriot Records, 1994)
(Produced by Jerry Crutchfield)
Despite having a couple of lively, uptempo singles -- "Take That" and "Give Me A Ring Sometime" -- this debut album tanked, with both songs falling well short of the Top 40. Maybe partly it was because Brokop was from Canada, but more likely it was because she was mired in the same sort of overripe, white soul sister vocal theatrics that Wynonna Judd and K.T. Oslin banked on in years gone by... The style doesn't do much for me, especially when she gets bogged down in thick, overwritten ballads... But Brokop has her fans, to be sure, even if she had to retreat to the Canadian market when she failed to make a dent down in the States. If you like Wynonna, you might wanna check this gal out.

Lisa Brokop "Lisa Brokop" (Capitol Records, 1996)

Lisa Brokop "When You Get To Be You" (Columbia Records, 1998)

Lisa Brokop "Undeniable" (Royalty Records, 2004)

Lisa Brokop "Hey, Do You Know Me?" (EMI Records, 2005)

Lisa Brokop "Beautiful Tragedy" (Ellbea Records, 2008)

Brooks & Dunn - see artist discography

Garth Brooks - see artist discography

Karen Brooks "Walk On" (Warner Brothers, 1982) (LP)

Karen Brooks "Hearts On Fire" (Warner Brothers, 1984) (LP)

Karen Brooks "I Will Dance With You" (Warner Brothers, 1985) (LP)

Karen Brooks & Randy Sharp "That's Another Story" (Mercury Records, 1992)

Kix Brooks "Kix Brooks" (Capitol, 1989)
(Produced by Kix Brooks & Rafe VanHoy)
The debut disc from one half of the Brooks-Dunn duo... This is his first record, a solo set recorded before beginning his partnership with Ronnie Brooks (though re-released in '93 after they hit the big time...) To be honest, it's a fairly flat album, pretty by-the-numbers and uninspiring. It just never really catches fire. But, man! When he hooked up with Dunn, the two of them hit a real groove. Go figure.

Kix Brooks "New To This Town" (Sony Nashville-Arista, 2012)
(Produced by Kix Brooks & Jay DeMarcus)
Solid, modern country-pop with real nods towards tradition. I think Kix sounds better with Ronnie Dunn harmonizing and adding his energy to the mix, but this album is way more exciting that his first solo set, from many years ago. Nice mellow arrangements, with traditional instruments like the fiddle, pedal steel and mandolin mixed up in the front and surprisingly well balanced with the more aggressive synths, electric guitars and other formulaic pop touches. The more subtle stuff is best; I can skip the parts where he tries to sound all macho and gruff, like on the Southern rocky "Next To That Woman" or "My Baby," which sounds like a Big & Rich outtake. Overall, I think fans'll be happy with this one, and the folks on radio ought to find some hits to spin as well. A well-produced, confident album from an old pro and proven hitmaker.

Brother Phelps "Let Go" (Elektra Records, 1993)
(Produced by Doug & Ricky Lee Phelps)
Pretty good! Doug Phelps and Ricky Lee Phelps were both from the Kentucky Headhunters and decided to go "solo" in the early '90s, singing as a redneck-y brother act. This album is fun -- they step back from the driving, rock-heavy sound of the Headhunters and dig into some sweet-sounding, old-fashioned country. Their gritty harmony vocals and full embrace of punchy, beer-soaked, modern-day honkytonk brings to mind the best work of Moe Bandy & Joe Stampley, or maybe the early stuff by Confederate Railroad. Most of the songs on here are Phelps originals, and the brothers produced the record themselves... Looks like their instincts were right on the money: the title track became a Top Ten hit, and while they never repeated that success, they left behind a fine toe-tapping, beer-drinkin' record that would make a good soundtrack to a long night down at your local bar. Recommended.

Brother Phelps "Anyway The Wind Blows" (Asylum Records, 1995)
(Produced by Kyle Lehning, Doug & Ricky Lee Phelps)
This is a big disappointment. The vitality and excitement of their first album is almost totally gone here... Everything seems softer and more controlled, with formulaic, unadventurous arrangements, jaded studio musicianship and fairly weak vocal delivery. They cover Firefall's '70s hit "Cinderella," which should have been pretty fun, but again the performance is too controlled and actually a bit dull; they also sing a couple of Steve Earle songs, which is nice, but again, these versions aren't great. Big brother Ricky Lee Phelps bathes in the spotlight as a solo vocalist on most tracks, and he sounds a little too Jimmy Buffett-ish for me... Overall, this is a pretty snoozy record, with nary a spontaneous or lively moment. It's all too factorymade and safe-sounding... A big disappointment considering how much fun their first record was. After this album tanked, Doug went back to the Headhunters; not sure what happened to Ricky Lee.

Jim Ed Brown - see artist discography

Junior Brown -- see artist discography

Marti Brown "Ms. Marti Brown" (Atlantic Records, 1973) (LP)
"Let My Love Shine" was the single...

Marty Brown -- see artist discography

Maxine Brown "Sugar Cane Country" (Chart Records, 1969) (LP)
The lone solo album recorded by singer Maxine Brown after the breakup of her family band, The Browns... It's pretty good, too! A nice mix of folk-tinged countrypolitan and surprisingly robust, rootsier material. Definitely worth looking for... (Note: you might also want to check out her website and her autobiography, Looking Back to See: A Country Music Memoir... )

Shannon Brown "Corn Fed" (Warner Brothers, 2006)
(Produced by John Rich)
The lone solo album from singer Shannon Brown, who released a couple of moderately successful singles in 1996 and '01, but kept getting dropped by her labels before they'd commit to a full album. So... Did producer John Rich, of Big & Rich fame, provide the right sound for her? You be the judge.

T. Graham Brown - see artist discography

Tracey Brown "Woman's Work" (EMI Records, 1998)
A solo album from singer Tracey Brown, one of the featured singers in the popular Canadian family band, The Family Brown, whose popularity peaked in the 1970s and '80s. She was also in the group Prescott-Brown, with her brother Barry Brown, and her husband Randall Prescott.

Tracey Brown "Alone" (2008)

Zac Brown "Far From Einstyne" (Self-Released, 2004)

Zac Brown "Home Grown" (Self-Released, 2005)

Zac Brown "Ocho" (Midnight Rambling Records, 2005)

Zac Brown "Live From The Rock Bus Tour" (Home Grown Records, 2007)

Zac Brown "Ride The Sick Horse" (Home Grown Records, 2007)

Zac Brown "The Foundation" (Atlantic/Home Grown Records, 2008)

Zac Brown "Live From Bonnaroo" (EP) (Atlantic/Home Grown Records, 2009)

Zac Brown "Do What You're Supposed To Do" (2009)

Zac Brown "Pass The Jar" (Atlantic/Home Grown Records, 2010)

Zac Brown "You Get What You Give" (Atlantic/Home Grown Records, 2010)

Jann Browne -- see artist discography

The Browns - see artist discography

Ed Bruce - see artist discography

Brush Arbor - see artist discography

Luke Bryan "I'll Stay Me" (Capitol Nashville, 2007)

Luke Bryan "Doin' My Thing" (Capitol Nashville, 2009)
Here's the new kid on the block, a Top Forty guy with a nice deep voice and an exaggerated twang -- amid the big, ringing electric guitars and Toby Keith-ish chest-thumpers, Luke Bryan manages to pop out a couple of nice twangy tunes... I like "Rain Is A Good Thing" (high concept, but a nice chorus) and What Country Is" which plays the small-town, salt of the earth card, but also sends a zinger or two towards the modern-day country poseur crowd ("...it ain't a rebel flag you bought at the mall...") The power ballads ("Apologize," "Everytime I See You") are predictably godawful, but like most modern Nashville albums, Bryan's sophomore album is a mixed bag, with a little something for everyone. But hey, that's what iTunes was made for!

Luke Bryan "Tailgates & Tanlines" (Capitol Nashville, 2011)

Luke Bryan "Spring Break: Here To Party" (Capitol Nashville, 2013)

Luke Bryan "Crash My Party" (Capitol Nashville, 2013)

Jimmy Bryant - see artist discography

Sherry Bryce & Mel Tillis "Living And Learning" (MGM Records, 1971) (LP)

Sherry Bryce "Treat Me Like A Lady" (MGM Records, 1973) (LP)

Sherry Bryce & Mel Tillis "Let's Go All The Way Tonight" (MGM Records, 1974) (LP)

Sherry Bryce "This Song's For You" (MGM Records, 1975) (LP)

The Buckaroos - see artist discography

The Buffalo Club "The Buffalo Club" (Rising Tide Records, 1997)
This short-lived band included singer-drummer John Dittrich, who had left the more successful Restless Heart to pursue a semi-solo gig. After releasing this album, The Buffalo Club broke up and Dittrich went back to his old band.

Jimmy Buffett - see artist discography

Laura Bell (Bundy) "Longing For A Place Already Gone" (LAB Records, 2007)

Laura Bell Bundy "Achin' And Shakin' " (Mercury Nashville, 2010)

The Burch Sisters "New Fire" (Mercury Records, 1988)
The lone album by the Burch Sisters -- Cathy, Charlene and Cindy -- who hit the Top 30 with their single "Everytime You Go Outside I Hope It Rains," but faded from sight not long after that...

Burnin' Daylight "Burnin' Daylight" (Curb Records, 1997)
(Produced by Mark Bright & Burnin' Daylight)
A short-lived, moderately successful band that included ex-members of Southern Pacific and Exile... This was their lone album, with a single that cracked into the Top Forty... but just barely. Glossily-produced, very pop-oriented material that brings to mind '70s AOR such as Kenny Loggins, and, well... Exile. Not really my cup of tea, but fine for the style.

Burns & Poe "Burns & Poe" (Blue Steel Records, 2011)
(Produced by Mark Oliverius)
A 2-CD set from Top-40 hopefuls Keith Burns and Michelle Poe, a duo emerging from the ashes of the recently disbanded Trick Pony. You can hear the Pony influence in their work: before I'd even read their bio, I was already planning on comparing her to Heidi Newfield... and lo and behold, this gal had been hired as Newfield's replacement before the band broke up. This ambitious debut travels well-defined territory -- rollicking uptempo tunes, faux-hick soul, some weepers and some pop, and even a twang tune or two. A more tightly focussed single CD might have had more punch, but I guess starting on an indie label, they can indulge themselves a bit. Will they hit it big? No reason why not... they know all the same Nashville formulas that make big hits, and she can sing. So, we'll see. In the meantime, if you like top country but also get a kick from knowing about off-the-radar bands, you might wanna check these two out.

Carl Butler & Pearl - see artist discography

Sarah Buxton "Sarah Buxton" (Lyric Street Records, 2010)
This album, and the story behind it, is a real post-millennial Nashville time capsule... Kansas native Sarah Buxton broke out big in Nashville, writing hit songs for heavyweight stars such as Keith Urban (who took her "Stupid Boy" into the Top Five) and she found many doors open to her in Music City. Despite some modest chart success of her own, Buxton's debut kept getting put on the back burner: her cleverly-named Almost My Record was released as a download-only EP, and it wasn't until three years later that a full-length album (with a physical CD version) came out. Then, after all that, her label went out of business, and she was left high and dry, as is the case with many modern-day country artists. The album also mirrors its times in Buxton's excessiveness in a variety of ways: the opening tracks, at first seeming like garden-variety teen-pop (ala Miley Cyrus, et.al) but on the first song, "American Daughter," it soon becomes clear that this is the work of someone who just didn't know how how to rein it in: a 24-track mixing booth? Not a big enough sound! Buxton goes way overboard with the multi-tracking, ooh-aaahing over here, then woah-yeahing over there, it just gets bigger and more bombastic, and never pulls back to its simple pop core. Likewise, her songs are a little bit talky, similarly trying to cram in too much in too little space; the power of editing and concision seems to have eluded an artist who waited so long for her day in the sun. Buxton has a nice voice and a strong presence (even when doing what I must concede is a darn good Stevie Nicks impersonation... Hopefully her future efforts will build on these strengths, rather than bury them under an avalanche of trite modern production techniques.

Tracy Byrd - see artist discography

Brenda Byers - see artist discography

David Adam Byrnes "Premium Country" (Better Angels Records, 2010)
(Produced by Rob Rappaport & Tom Drenan)
An excellent independently-released set from an aspiring Top Country singer. Byrnes has all the formulae -- the ringing but rounded electric guitars, the booming rhythm and tamed twang, as well as the songwriting conventions of roughneck rumbles and sensitive-guy love songs. He's also got real soul: the opening tracks were a little too brash and commercialized for my tastes, but as the album progressed, he kept coming up with surprises, one strong song after another. And I, for one, enjoy a good wallow in misery, and on honkytonkers such as "The Jukebox, The Bottle, And Me," Byrnes really delivers. The guy's got a strong voice and knows how to write good songs, too... This is a powerful debut from a a fella that I'm gonna keep my eye on. Fans of Brad Paisley, in particular, might want to give him a spin.

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Hick Music Index

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