ON THE COVER: Loretta Lynn. Right photo by Russ Harrington; top left photo by Barry Mazor. Song lyric from “Story Of My Life” by Loretta Lynn.

FRONT PORCH
Hello Stranger; Box Full Of Letters; Field Reportings; Farther Along.

MIKED — live reviews
Cactus Cafe’s 25th Anniversary in Austin, TX; Neko Case, Kelly Hogan, Carolyn Mark, Jon Rauhouse in Tucson, AZ; Bonnie Bramlett in Nashville, TN; Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown in Vienna, VA; Grant Lee Phillips in Atlanta, GA; Fiddlin’ John Carson’s 136th Birthday Celebration in Cabbagetown, GA: Alejandro Escovedo tribute in Austin, TX; Alejandro Escovedo in Austin, TX; Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver Silver Anniversary Show in Nashville, TN.

TOWN & COUNTRY — brief regional features
Laurie Lewis & Tom Rozum (Berkeley, CA); Michael Fracasso (Austin, TX); Ellis Hooks (New York City, NY); Alecia Nugent (Hickory Grove, LA); Angel Dean & Sue Garner (New York City, NY); Martin Stephenson (Inverness, Scotland); Kristin Mooney (Los Angeles, CA); Amy Farris (Los Angeles, CA); Scott Biram (Austin, TX).

A PLACE TO BE — regional portrait
by Katy June-Friesen
Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, Kansas.

PRE-TEXT — book excerpt   44   Greg Kot
A sneak peek at Chapter 7 of Wilco: Learning How To Die.

THE LONG WAY AROUND — extended features
Dirk Powell by Silas House
Steve Forbert by Roy Kasten
Sam Phillips by Erik Flannigan
Sam Bush by Geoffrey Himes
Loretta Lynn by Barry Mazor
Col. Tom Parker by Alanna Nash

SITTIN’ & THINKIN’ — essay by Ken Irwin
Considering the future of the music industry, part two.

NOT FADE AWAY — reissues
Earl Scruggs; Blue Sky Boys; Stanley Brothers; George Jones; Cowboy Crooners Sing Songs Of The West; Bobbie Gentry; Joy Of Cooking; Candi Staton; Kris Kristofferson; Floyd Tillman; Chris Smither; Tom Rapp; Dave Edmunds/Rockpile; Rural Music Traditions in Western Georgia 1947-1979; Alton Stitcher.

WAXED — reviews
Jim Lauderdale; Los Lobos; Floyd Tillman; Cary Hudson; Honeydogs; Gibson Brothers; Two Dollar Pistols; Eliza Gilkyson; Ron Sexsmith; Darden Smith; Gordon Lightfoot; Chris Whitley; Subdudes; David Mead; Calexico; Jesse Sykes & the Sweet Hereafter; Damnwells; Gingersol; Peter Himmelman; Jonatha Brooke; Lloyd Cole; Jules Shear; Norman & Nancy Blake; David Davis & the Warrior River Boys; Eric Athey; Peter Mulvey; Kate Jacobs; Mary McBride; Adrienne Young & Little Sadie; Blue Dogs; Asylum Street Spankers; Sanford Arms; Firewater; M.Hederos/M. Hellberg; Girl Trouble; Eddie Spaghetti; Clay Bartlett; Randy Thompson; Bob Schneider; Wylie & the Wild West; Tangerine Trousers; Patty Mitchell; Mark Thomas Stockert; Diana Darby; Ted Ramirez & the Santa Cruz River Band; Suzy Elkins. LIVEWIRES: Jay Farrar; James McMurtry; Rosie Flores; Coal Palace Kings. TRIBUTARIES: Jimmy Webb; Mickey Newbury; Beatles; Young Fresh Fellows. OVER THERE: Carolyn Mark; Jenny Whiteley; Blackie & the Rodeo Kings; Unintended. COMP LIST: Parkinsong, Volume One; Creole Bred. FILM AT 11: Jenks “Tex” Carman; etc. BOUND: Woody Guthrie; Dusty Springfield; Jeff Tweedy’s poetry; Yodel-Ay-Ee-Oooo.

THE NO DEPRESSION TOP 40
A retail chart for January-February 2004.

SCREEN DOOR — stuff we like
by Brian Whepley
For the love of a daughter.