Country and Americana

Garth Brooks was Friday's keynote speaker at SXSW Music Festival 2017, which included performances by Snail Mail, Maggie Rogers, and Spoon.

'True Sadness,' by the Avett Brothers, was nominated for a Grammy in the Americana category. What was the journey of its creation?

Taken together the tracks on Stuart's 18th studio album form not quite a concept album but a contiguous tapestry of engagement with and love for the idealized West, from the Native American chants on the "Desert Prayer" prologue and the laid-back mariachi flavor and slide guitar licks of the tasty instrumental "El Fantasmo Del Toro" to the mellow-catchy Johnny Cash cloak of "Old Mexico" and the drugged-out haze of the title track.

'Freedom Highway' from Rhiannon Giddens is one of those amazing rarities, a politically charged and artistically refined album. The music is spectacular, the lyrics are beautiful and inspiring, and the singing is as glorious as you'll hear anywhere.

The second release from the Americana-country-rock singer-songwriter is another layered, emotion-laden effort.

These are in no particular order, except for this first one, my vote for song of 2016, at least for guitar. After listening to Joe Bonamassa's blistering, searing solo, you will not forget it anytime soon.

As for the music of 2016, there was the usual amount of "meh" mixed in with a host of impressive releases. Certainly, there were no game-changers that I heard. (Sorry Kanye and Kendrick.)

‘Six String Soldier’ is a richly textured and highly enjoyable Americana, blues, and rock EP.

Falling in love is euphoria and terror. There is no other way to achieve its beauty and hope.

Don't let the cheesy cover art steer you away from this music, which is anything but. It's hard to go wrong with material this good, and Holly Norman and her fantastic backup musicians do right by it – and by Elvis – in a big way.