ON THE COVER: The Shins' James Mercer. Photograph by Aldo Mauro.

FRONT PORCH
Hello Stranger; Box Full Of Letters; Field Reportings; Farther Along (James Brown, Ahmet Ertegun, Sneaky Pete Kleinow, Del Reeves).

MIKED — live reviews
Ann Arbor Folk Festival in Ann Arbor, MI; dB’s, Mitch Easter, Sneakers in New York, NY; Jeff Tweedy in Marfa, TX; Butch Hancock, Uncle Monk in Chicago, IL; Robbie Fulks in Madison, WI; Bruce Robison & Kelly Willis in Nashville, TN.

TOWN & COUNTRY — brief regional features
Elana James (Austin, TX); Memory Band (London, England); Ruthie Foster (Austin, TX); Infamous Stringdusters (Nashville, TN); Christine Smith (Brooklyn, NY); Anias Mitchell (Montpelier, VT).

THE LONG WAY AROUND — extended features
Bill Kirchen by John Morthland
Frames by Mark Guarino
Dolly Varden by Don McLeese
David Bromberg by Barry Mazor
Ry Cooder by Bill Friskics-Warren
Shins by Kurt B. Reighley
Joe Ely by John T. Davis
Carlene Carter by Silas House

NOT FADE AWAY — reissues
Dwight Yoakam; Johnny Paycheck; Roger Miller; Allen Toussaint; Lorraine Ellison; Chris Knight; Junior Wells; Neil Young; Insect Trust; Catherine Howe; Four Seasons; P.F. Sloan; Michael Weston King.

WAXED — reviews
Son Volt; Willie Nelson/Merle Haggard/Ray Price; Johnny Bush; J.D. Crowe & the New South; Norah Jones; Cary Hudson; Jesse Sykes & the Sweet Hereafter; Silos; Innocence Mission; Daryle Singletary; The Band tribute; Charlie Louvin; Grant-Lee Phillips; Otis Taylor; J.J. Cale & Eric Clapton; Low; Apples In Stereo; Dean & Britta; Bill Callahan; Zincs; Southern Culture On The Skids; Lee Hazlewood; Paula Frazer & Tarnation; Chuck E. Weiss; Dolorean; Ted Leo & the Pharmacists; Ed Pettersen; Greencards; Spanic Boys; Kings Of Leon; Last Town Chorus; Po’ Girl; Martha Scanlan; Rickie Lee Jones; Erin McKeown; Mary Chapin Carpenter; Graham Parker; Maria McKee; Moaners; Roches; Donna Hughes; Viktor Krauss; JJ Grey & Mofro; Broken West; Kristin Hersh; National Lights; Willard Grant Conspiracy; John Starling & Carolina Star; Bob Egan; Mic Harrison & the High Score; Audrey Auld Mezera; Storyhill; Winterpills; Cadillac Sky; Rounders; Assembly Of Dust; Barton Carroll; Ted Russell Kamp; Joe Goldmark; Simone White; Maria Taylor; Allons Boire Un Coup; Kim & Reggie Harris; Steve Bedunah; Big Pete Pearson; Martin Sexton; Geoff Berner.

BACK PORCH
Film At 11; Bound; Screen Door.