On the cover: Ricky Skaggs. Illustration by Jon Strauss.Song lyric from "Rank Stranger" by Albert Brumley.

FRONT PORCH
Hello Stranger; Box Full Of Letters; Ten Second News; Farther Along.

A PLACE TO BE
Road trip
The Cowgirl Hall of Fame Bar-B-Q restaurant in New York City, NY.

MIKED
Live reviews
Richard Buckner, Calexico in St. Louis, MO; Country Music Legends Fair in Kempton, PA; Mike Ireland & Holler in Chicago, IL; Gourds in Raleigh, NC; Continental Drifters, Steve Wynn, Kevin Johnson & the Linemen in Baltimore, MD; Lucinda Williams in Pontiac, MI; Loretta Lynn in Nashville, IN; Billy Dankert in Minneapolis, MN; Red Nations Celebration, Native Roots & Rhythms in Santa Fe, NM; Kim Richey, Big Back Forty in Columbia, SC; Ron Sexsmith in New York City, NY; Roger McGuinn in Anchorage, AK; Whiskeytown in Nashville, TN.

TOWN & COUNTRY
Brief regional features
Neko Case (Vancouver, BC); Bo Ramsey (Iowa City, IA); Tommy Womack (Nashville, TN); Pistoleros (Tempe, AZ); Oh Susanna (Vancouver, BC); Citizens' Utilities (Seattle, WA); Preacher Jack (Cambridge, MA); Mount Pilot (Chicago, IL); Seconds Flat (Greenville, SC).

DON'T ASK ME NO QUESTIONS
Q&A

THE LONG CUT
Extended features
Fred Eaglesmith (by Chris Vautour)
Charlie Chesterman (by Kevin Hawkins)
Greg Brown (by Roy Kasten)
Ricky Skaggs (by Jon Weisberger)
Walkabouts (by Peter Blackstock; sidebar by Ed Ward)
Jimmy Day (by Lisa Sorg and Dennis Scoville; sidebar by Lisa Sorg)

NOT FADE AWAY
Reissues
X; Blasters; Karen Dalton; Ray Charles; Merle Haggard; Ramblin' Jack Elliott; Sonny James; Replacements.

WAXED
Record reviews
Steve Earle; Bob Dylan; The Original Harmony Ridge Creek Dippers; Drivin N Cryin; Handsome Family; Bill Kirchen; Sara Evans; New Lost City Ramblers; Marlee MacLeod; Nadine; Reckless Kelly; Claire Lynch; Jack Williams; Steve Pride; Townes Van Zandt; Doc Watson & David Grisman; Matthew Ryan; Lambchop; Cicadas; Tom Russell; Mysteries Of Life; Blues From The Pacific Delta For Bill Monroe; Marcia Ball; Emily Kaitz; Jeb Loy Nichols; Barbara Manning; Blazers; Richmond Fontaine; Jones & Leva; Cornershop; Kathryn Caine; Oblivians; Ronnie Lane; Tomi Lunsford; Jimmie Rodgers tribute; Rolling Stones tribute; Bruce Springsteen tribute; It's A Claire O. Christmas!

BOUND
Book reviews
Nashville's Unwritten Rules (by Dan Daley); Creating Country Music: Fabricating Authenticity (by Richard A. Peterson).

SCREEN DOOR
Stuff we like
Rudy's Rockin' Kiddie Caravan, and the roads that led us to it.