Luke Bell’s time in the music world lasted just a few years, but he became a leader and inspiration in the country-western genre. He grew up on a Wyoming cattle ranch before heading off to Austin and then Nashville to pursue his true passion. “He was a wild man from the West, and he made country music through that lens,” said Stephen Daly, who played guitar in Bell’s band. “If you told him what to do, he would do the opposite. If you tried to rein him in, he’d push away. He always did what he wanted to do.”

This is the third album for Cunningham, on Verve Forecast Records, following her wonderful collaboration with Andrew Bird when they reworked the classic ‘70s Buckingham Nicks Fleetwood Mac precursor (which has recently been reissued, by the way.) Ace is another example of Cunningham’s wonderful blend of pop, rock, folk, and jazz, with rich layering and texture thanks to production work from her and Robbie Lackritz.Listen on Apple Music

Daniel Donato has carved out a unique and individualized spot for himself, one that speaks to the deep American music heritage that inspires him - and that he's pushing towards the future with inspired, intentional vigor. He calls it Cosmic Country, a moniker that's both self-descriptive and a statement of purpose. It's an organic rock band aesthetic with plenty of roadhouse twang; a showcase for Donato's instrumental virtuosity and facility for melodically infectious songcraft. His upcoming album, Horizons, is the follow-up to 2023's Reflector, which received critical acclaim from a wide range of press.

It was a Halloween show in 2000 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, that members of what would eventually become Greensky Bluegrass played their first show together. The band is celebrating their 25th anniversary with this reworking of twelve of their favorite songs over the years, this time with ten special guests.

After last year’s Rick Rubin-produced release focusing more on the soul side, Greenville, SC native Marcus King is returning to his blues and country roots, reuniting with his longtime live band for their first album since 2018’s Carolina Confessions. Kaitlin Butts, Jamey Johnson, Billy Strings, and Jesse Welles are among the guests joining them, as well. Many of the songs are love songs to his wife, but perhaps also to his hometown of Greenville, too – as well as the clarity and gratitude that comes with a commitment to sobriety.

This Colorado band has made a name for itself with its fresh blend of funk, soul, rock, jazz, and hip-hop. Perhaps you’ve caught a live set of theirs in our area the past few years, including a live set from Sierra Nevada Brewing’s amphitheatre last year that added a fun finale to our latest Crowd Around the Mic compilation.

Alexa is back living in the Asheville area, and has a new album out, following 2019’s Medicine For Living and 2021’s Headwaters.

As Glide Magazine writes, whenever an established group releases a self-titled album in the middle of their career, it acts as a symbol of rebirth, a new direction, course correction, or perhaps a last gasp. St. Paul & The Broken Bones’ self-titled release finds them centering their sound and style, as frontman Paul Janeway states, “I think the band in general feels reignited”.

It's the latest project from Katie Crutchfield (Waxahatchee) and her twin sister, Allison Crutchfield (Swearin'), and features MJ Lenderman and Brad Cook. Each of the four artists plays a number of instruments, but the spotlight remains squarely with the two sisters, with each writing and taking lead vocals for half the songs. When they sing in harmony, you’ll notice the kind of magic that close sibling singers can create. One of the major topics they cover in their songwriting here is that of addiction, which their family has wrestled with over the years.

On her new, 14th record, Mavis stands side by side with us in the face of dangers she knows all too well, at a time when more and more people have reason to wonder who and what could be lost. Produced by Brad Cook, it spans seven decades of the American songbook — a range nearly as vast as Mavis’ career — and includes reinventions of timeless songs as well as original music.