Kathy Coleman's Picks - Best Country Albums of 2007

Dale Watson took his astounding talent to the southeast this year, channeled the late Johnny Cash, and once you put together that kind of a powerful combination, it's one heck of a fantastic piece of music. Dale remains probably the best "unknown" country music (or whatever we now call it) singer alive, the man who should be winning all those "best vocalist" and "entertainer of the year" awards (and believe me, if you haven't seen a Dale Watson show, you do NOT know what you're missing - this man ENTERTAINS). This disc is another home run for Watson.

This tribute brings together some of the best artists in music - not only country, but across the board - to say how much influence the late June Carter Cash had on music. Not from behind the scenes, as the wife of Johnny Cash, but in her own right as a performer and songwriter. Names like Sheryl Crow, Patty Loveless, Elvis Costello, Billy Bob Thornton, Ralph Stanley, and Emmylou Harris, each one taking on one of June's favored melodies, from her own compositions to the duets with Cash and the songs she helped make famous with her family, the Carters. This music is eternal.

This is a sharp, strong, incredible offering from Tritt, one of the all-around best artists to come out of the impressive field that was the late 80's in country music. Even Waylon Jennings once said he was the only one in Nashville with any talent (that's debatable, but still). This disc comes close to being my all-around top pick, but the two that ranked above it just barely beat it out.

It seemed to take forever for Davis to get it together and get his sophomore album out, but when he delivered, it proved to be well worth the wait. Continuing as a 100%-authentic, pure honky-tonk genius, Moot Davis proves his first disc was no fluke. With some of the best guitar playing in country music currently (provided by the unequaled Pete Anderson), as well as Davis's strong vocals and tremendous lyrical skill) we can only hope disc #3 shows up a little faster.

Okay, it's only a tribute album - but it's a tribute from one of today's greatest honky-tonk singers to his greatest influence and mentor, one of yesterday's greatest honky-tonk singers. Dwight Yoakam and Buck Owens have been names linked together since Yoakam first hit the country charts, and it's about time Yoakam did a complete disc of songs that Buck made famous in his years dominating the same charts. A project not only timely, not only one of respect, but also one that's obviously made out of love.

Clyne is a local boy, and I like him because his music evokes a strong sense of Arizona, even the songs that aren't necessarily about the southwest. He sounds like he belongs here. His most recent disc wraps up his unique southwestern country-rock/Americana sound and gives it a shake, coming out with his trademark quirky lyrics and chipper melodies that hide a cutting tongue-in-cheek humor as well as sharp political commentary.

Five discs, five top-notch offerings. With number 5, Paisley keeps on the top of his game. He continues to be one of the most talented and personable performers in Nashville, managing to walk that line between "mainstream" and "excellence" with a certain laid-back aplomb. For nothing else, Paisley's steadfast determination to continue using old-time artists such as Little Jimmie Dickens and "Whisperin'" Bill Anderson on his discs (even if only for comedy routines) gets him my undying affection, and a spot on this top ten list.

Another tribute to Buck Owens. Okay, tributes to recently deceased artists do tend to run in clumps, but there's really a certain level of perfection to this disc, as the Derailers prove they can really run with that Bakersfield sound Buck was so famous for. While tribute albums don't always stand well on their own, this one does, and not only because the music is good; it's also because the Derailers really put their heart into this, not just performing a tribute but just doing an all-around awesome cover album.

This isn't the greatest album in the world, and possibly not even Mellancamp's best, but on a personal note, it made me proud to be an American again for the first time in seven years, so for that alone I give him a "year's best" nod.

These Chicago boys just know how to play music. Dan Peters is one of those great unknown guitarists I love so much, and their second disc (with their new name, having switched from "The Sidewinders" to the "West Sidewinders" just to differentiate them from other sidewinders out there; and a good play on their home town location) keeps up that fine tradition of Midwestern bluesy- rock-country that is Americana