Country

Rock critic Ken Tucker picks his favorite pop music of 1994, running the gamut from country to rock to singer-songwriters.

Walser has been called "the best pure cowboy singer in the state" ("Houston Chronicle"). At age 60, he retired from his job as a Texas state internal auditor to concentrate on his music. He just released an album called "Rolling Stone From Texas." He joins Fresh Air with his guitar to sing a few songs.

Rock critic Ken Tucker has a review of "Pretty Close to the Truth," the new recording by Jim Lauderdale.

Rock historian Ed Ward takes us behind the scenes of the Million Dollar Quartet session, which featured Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and others playing in the Sun Records studios in 1956.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews "Webb Pierce: King of the Honky Tonk." Pierce's rough edge laid the groundwork for contemporary country music -- though Tucker says newer artists could use some of Pierce's passion.

Writer Colin Escott talks about his new book, "Hank Williams, The Biography." He's also the author of "Good Rockin' Tonight: Sun Records & The Birth of Rock & Roll", and he produced and annotated the CD Collection "Hank Williams: The Original Singles Collection...Plus."

DeMent's music combines country and folk. Her latest album is called "My Life." She draws from her and her family's life experiences growing up in rural Arkansas, and Southern California. Her first album, "Infamous Angel' was released in 1992. Some of the music from it is used in the recent movie, "LIttle Buddha."

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews two new country albums -- Hal Ketchum's "Every Little Word" and David Ball's "Thinkin' Problem."

Texas-born musician and Nashville songwriter Billy Joe Shaver. At 54, he plays with his son in a band called "Shaver" -- their new album is "Tramp on Your Street" (Zoo/Praxis), his first recording in ten years. Shaver's songs, as recorded by Waylon Jennings on the 1973 "Honky Tonk Heroes" album, began the "outlaw" movement in country music. Since then, his songs have been recorded by Elvis Presley, Willie Nelson, and Johnny Cash.

Rock Critic Ken Tucker has a review of the latest compilation album, this one pairing country and soul singers, called "Rhythm Country & Blues".

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews the new release by the country-music band, The Mavericks. It's called "What a Crying Shame."

Rock critic Ken Tucker gives his list of bests (and a worst) for 1993.

Ken Tucker reviews Garth Brook's new album, "In Pieces"

Singer/Songwriter Jimmie Dale Gilmore is in the studio for a concert. His music bears the influence of honky-tonk, Tex-Mex rhythms, and country and western. His spiritual influences include Hinduism and writers such as Aldous Huxley and W. Somerset Maugham. Gilmore is the kind of performer who defies definition, though he has been called the "Shaman of the Sagebrush." Gilmore's been playing music for over 20 years, first with the critically-acclaimed group the Flatlanders, then solo.

Rock historian Ed Ward discusses a record collection that "changed his life," "The Anthology of American Folk Music."

For many years Killen was the head of Tree International, Nashville's leading music publisher, writer and producer. Killen once played bass in Hank Williams' band for ten dollars a night; in 1989 he sold Tree to Sony for 50 million. He's worked with just about every star in the Country firmament: Elvis Presley, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson; and many classics in the Country cannon: "King of the Road", "Okie from Muskogee" and the immortal "D-I-V-O-R-C-E". Killen's new autobiography is "By the Seat of My Pants."

Pierce won the "Songwriter of the Year" award at the 1993 Austin Music Awards. A tribute album of her songs performed by other singers, "Across the Great Divide," won the Album of the Year Award. She's originally from Lubbock, Texas, and little known outside the state. Her songs are quirky, and spiritual. Pierce also wrote and performed the one-woman show, ""Bad Girls Upset About the Truth," told in story and song about her problems with men and Jesus.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews the 60 year old country singer's new album, "Across the Borderline."

Terry talks to Hinojosa from Austin, Texas, where the musician is performing at the South by Southwest Music Festival. Hinojosa's latest album is "Culture Swing.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews a new album by Guy Clark, "Boats to Build." Clark is a songwriter whose songs have been recorded by many other country artists -- but hasn't had so much success performing them himself.