On the cover: Alejandro Escovedo. Illustration by Glenn Hilario. Song lyric from "Pissed Off 2 A.M." by Alejandro Escovedo.

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

A PLACE TO BE
Road trip
The Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago, Illinois.

MIKED
Live reviews
A Celebration of Townes Van Zandt in Austin, TX; Vic Chesnutt, Lambchop, Paul Burch, CYOD in Nashville, TN; X in San Francisco, CA; S.P.I.T.T.L.E. Festival in Raleigh, NC; Whiskeytown, 6 String Drag in Dallas, TX; Steve Earle, Buddy & Julie Miller in Toronto, ON; Bob Dylan in Chicago, IL; Bloodshot All-Star Band in London, England.

TOWN & COUNTRY
Brief regional features
Duane Jarvis (Nashville, TN); Johnny Dowd (Ithaca, NY); Mercury Dime (Faith, NC); Gerald Collier (Seattle, WA); Lonesome Bob (Nashville, TN); Meat Purveyors (Austin, TX); Dieselhed (San Francisco, CA); Bùnkers (Oppdal, Norway); Lullaby For The Working Class (Lincoln, NE); American Paint (Minneapolis, MN).

THE LONG CUT
Extended features
Michael Fracasso (by Jim Caligiuri)
Jolene (by Rick Cornell)
Peter Case (by Bob Townsend)
Mary Lou Lord (by Russell Hall)
Ramblin' Jack Elliott (by Mike Perry)
Alejandro Escovedo (by Peter Blackstock)
Mike Ireland & Holler (by David Cantwell)
Hank Thompson (by Kurt Wolff)

NOT FADE AWAY
Reissues
Woody Guthrie; Dorsey Dixon; Utah Phillips; Black Banjo Songsters; Dock Boggs; Jim Ford; Emerson & Waldron; Marty Robbins; Charley Pride; George Jones & Tammy Wynette; Jim & Jesse; Buck Owens & His Buckaroos; Ted Hawkins; Steve Earle.

WAXED
Record reviews
From Where I Stand: The Black Experience In Country Music; Kevin Gordon; Blue Highway; Nick Lowe; Hangdogs; Tonio K.; Jim Lauderdale; Disciples Of Agriculture; Dale Ann Bradley; Mavericks; Ray Condo & His Ricochets; James Iha; Little Sue; Austin Lounge Lizards; Tommy Keene; Matt Flinner; Mertons; Ralph McTell; Jamie Hartford; Na Mele O Paniolo: Songs Of The Hawaiian Cowboy; Rex; Free Dirt; American Lesion; Danielle Howle & the Tantrums; Deans; Neutral Milk Hotel; Holy Cows; Rhythm Rats; Neilson Hubbard; Richard Shindell; Sharecroppers; Wanktones. Compilations: The Horse Whisperer soundtrack; Where Have All The Flowers Gone: The Songs Of Pete Seeger; Legends Of Country Music: The Best of Austin City Limits. Cassette: Dale Watson

THE NO DEPRESSION TOP 40
A retail chart for November-December 1997.

SCREEN DOOR
Stuff we like
WDVX in Clinton, Tennessee: There's radio in them thar hills.