ON THE COVER: Vic Chesnutt does a triple-wheelie. Photograph by Thomas Petillo.

FRONT PORCH
Hello Stranger; Box Full Of Letters; Field Reportings; Farther Along (Art Stamper, Martha Carson, Hank Garland, Son Seals).

MIKED — live reviews
Mark Olson (and friends) in Minneapolis, MN; Guided By Voices in Chicago, IL; Caitlin Cary, Kevn Kinney and Jason Isbell in Raleigh, NC; Patterson Hood in Asheville, NC; Ray LaMontagne in Northampton, MA; Kristin Hersh, Ben Weaver in Chicago, IL; Windblown in Conroe, TX; Mound City Music Festival in St. Louis, MO.

TOWN & COUNTRY — brief regional features
Duhks (Winnipeg, Manitoba); Shooter Jennings (Los Angeles, CA); Precious Bryant (Talbot County, GA); Grascals (Nashville, TN); Hacienda Brothers (Tucson, AZ); Hayes Carll (Houston, TX); Dao Strom (Austin, TX); Jake La Botz (Los Angeles, CA).

DON’T ASK ME NO QUESTIONS — Q&A
A conversation with Nanci Griffith.
by Lloyd Sachs

THE LONG WAY AROUND — extended features
Jimmy LaFave by Russell Hall
John Doe by Gillian G. Gaar
Hubert Sumlin by Barry Mazor
Crooked Fingers by Kurt B. Reighley
Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion by David Menconi
Josh Rouse by Jesse Fox Mayshark
Kathleen Edwards by Peter Blackstock
Vic Chesnutt by Bob Townsend
Los Super Seven by Joe Nick Patoski

SITTIN’ & THINKIN’ — essay
by Rich Kienzle

NOT FADE AWAY — reissues
Jimmy Webb; Chet Atkins; The Big Ol’ Box Of New Orleans; Muddy Waters; Josh White; James Brown; The Best Of King And Starday Bluegrass; Buck Owens & His Buckaroos; Stonewall Jackson.

WAXED — reviews
Lee Ann Womack; Bright Eyes; Blind Boys Of Alabama; Al Green; Marianne Faithfull; Larry Sparks; Merle Haggard; Ben Lee; Jack Logan; Ray Wylie Hubbard; Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver; John Hammond; Johnny Dowd; Tom Russell; Fred Eaglesmith; Webb Wilder; Dallas Wayne; Rosco Gordon; Jessi Alexander; Deana Carter; Queen Esther; Clem Snide; Frames; Shivaree; Kelly Joe Phelps; Ani DiFranco; Buck 65; John Kruth; Dwight Twilley; Kimberley Rew; Ted Leo + Pharmacists; Kings Of Convenience; Kings Of Leon; James King; Andrew Bird; Quebe Sisters; Bow Thayer; Jess Klein; Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings; Elizabeth McQueen & the Firebrands; Randy Kohrs; Hothouse Flowers; Paul Brady; Innocence Mission; Chris Stamey Experienece; Redbird; Rex Hobart & the Misery Boys; Reckless Kelly; Bluerunners; Bellwether; Missing Numbers; Mark Geary; Night In Wyoming; M. Ward; Glen Phillips; Maia Sharp; Dan Israel; Joe West; Dusty 45’s; Cast Iron Filter. TRIBUTARIES: Junior Kimbrough; George Strait. OVER THERE: Pete Elkas; Country Soul Revue. FILM AT 11: Billy Joe Shaver; Johnny Cash; etc. BOUND: Billy Joe Shaver; Mickey Newbury; Louisiana Hayride.

THE NO DEPRESSION TOP 40
A retail chart for November-December 2004.

SCREEN DOOR — stuff we like
House of Mercy in St. Paul, Minnesota.
by Amy Carlson Gustafso