Don’t waste your time asking Unknown Hinson about Stuart Daniel Baker because he won’t talk about him. It’s an ironic situation because Hinson—the self-proclaimed “King of Country- Western Troubadours”—is Stuart Daniel Baker. A music teacher and studio musician, Baker modeled his Hinson alter-ego after country music’s nattily attired trailblazers (think of a darker version of Porter Wagoner and you get the idea). Drawing numerous comparisons to comedian Andy Kaufman and his surly character Tony Clifton, Hinson never gets out of character in public.

Tommy Emmanuel has garnered more awards and honors than we can list on this page, but a recently-earned commendation has the Australian guitarist bowled over. Emmanuel is a 2010 recipient of the prestigious Order of Australia, a commendation that recognizes his offstage endeavors as much as his musical accomplishments.

It doesn’t seem possible that any touring musician could successfully juggle four musical projects, especially when those projects specialize in marathon-length shows filled with improvisation. But Warren Haynes has built a career of maintaining a rigorous touring schedule that shows no signs of slacking.

Few groups have carried the rebellious anti-establishment flag more than musicians, but in times of need even fewer groups have combined their efforts to provide assistance more than musicians.

Heaven and Hell. The spiritual and the secular. These dual forces have influenced, and sometimes haunted, many musical greats, including Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, Willie Nelson and Billy Joe Shaver. So perhaps it’s fitting that singer-songwriter Paul Thorn resides in Mississippi, a state steeped in the Devil-at-the-Crossroads lore of good and evil. Like those iconic figures, Thorn has felt the presence of powerful and conflicting influences in his life and his music.

Editor’s note: Thompson’s interviews for this piece were conducted prior to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. However, according to Birmingham’s Todd Coder, one of The Hangout Festival’s organizers

Texas is known for singer/songwriters that combine honesty with melody. Following in the footsteps of fellow Texans Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark and Billy Joe Shaver - and leading the current generatio

Sometimes you find an Alabama connection in the unlikeliest of places. This occurred when I spoke by telephone with acclaimed author and California native Greil Marcus as he stopped in New York City t

You know that summer is around the corner when Jimmy Buffett & The Coral Reefer Band hit the road. On Tuesday, April 27, Buffett's Under The Big Top Tour rolled into Atlanta's Aaron's Amphitheatre

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