On the cover: Ralph Stanley. Photograph by Jim Herrington. Design by Jesse Marinoff Reyes. Song lyric from "Lonesome Banjo Man" on Stanley's new album Clinch Mountain Country.

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

A PLACE TO BE
Road Trip
Buck Owens' Crystal Palace in Bakersfield, California

MIKED
Live reviews
Victoria Williams & the Original Harmony Ridge Creek Dippers in Chicago, IL; Cheri Knight in Atlanta, GA; Willie Nelson, Billy Joe Shaver in New York City, NY; Ray Price in Nashville, IN; Swamp Grass in Nashville, TN; Greg Garing's Alphabet City Opry in New York City, NY; Dash Rip Rock, Honeydogs in Iowa City, IA; Jim & Dave Boquist in Minneapolis, MN; Robbie Fulks in Toronto, ON; Slaid Cleaves in Chicago, IL; Loudon Wainwright III in Austin, TX; P.F. Sloan in Austin, TX.

TOWN & COUNTRY
Brief regional features
Marah (Philadelphia, PA); Skydiggers (Toronto, ON); Bindlestiffs (Kansas City, MO); One Fell Swoop (St. Louis, MO); Jono Manson (Santa Fe, NM); Baby Grant Johnson (Minneapolis, MN); Blueberries (Lexington, KY).

THE LONG CUT
Extended features
Parlor James (by Bill Friskics-Warren)
Handsome Family (by Bobby Reed)
Pernice Brothers (by Peter Blackstock)
Ralph Stanley (by Jon Weisberger)
Johnny Bush and Don Walser (by Don McLeese)
Sacred Harp singing (by Mike McGonigal)

NOT FADE AWAY
Reissues
Johnny Paycheck; Country Gentlemen; Roscoe Holcomb; Red Cravens & the Bray Brothers; John Hartford; Tex Williams; Billy Swan.

WAXED
Record reviews
Jason & the Scorchers; Joe Ely; Chris Whitley; Sue Garner; Leon Russell; Pete Droge; Kieran Kane; Gourds; Jules Shear; Angry Johnny & the Killbillies; Robert Becker; Trailer Bride; Sam Bush; Lee Rocker; Last Train Home; Alison Brown Quartet; Chris Buhalis; Todd Thibaud; Jim Roll; Trailer Trash; Woodys; Mark Eitzel; Randy Thompson; Lou Ford; Moonshine Willy; Liquor Giants; Coal Palace Kings; Luther Russell. Compilations: What's that I Hear? The Songs Of Phil Ochs; Heritage: New Interpretations Of American Roots Music.

BOUND
Book reviews
Dreaming Out Loud: Garth Brooks, Wynonna Judd, Wade Hayes, And The Changing Face Of Nashville (by Bruce Feiler); Steve Earle In Quotes (compiled by Joanna Serraris).

THE NO DEPRESSION TOP 40
A retail chart for January - February 1998.

SCREEN DOOR
Stuff we like
The annual Twangfest gathering in St. Louis, Missouri.