ANGIE STONE A soul songstress’ new music embraces her past and the present Angie Stone’s latest album, Unexpected, lives up to its title. She departs from the bread-and-butter traditional soul that has characterized her career over the last decade, returning to the flavor of her pre-solo groups: the ’80s funky hip-hop of the Sequence and the ’90s dance and R&B of Vertical Hold. “I stepped out of the norm of singing songs that cater to... 

John Fogerty The legendary rocker returns to his childhood influences When Creedence Clearwater Revival split in 1973, lead singer and songwriter John Fogerty was determined that his first solo album would succeed or fail on its own merits rather than his famous name. So he invented the Blue Ridge Rangers. “It was a personal, ethical, moral issue,” he recalls. “I didn’t want to trade on that popularity. It’s probably suicide for a career,... 

Al Schmitt Five decades of sterling productions and still going strong “Legendary” is a term that is often bandied about too freely. But what other word could you use to describe a man whose first recording session was for the Duke Ellington Orchestra and whose work continues to dominate the charts to this very day? After more than five decades behind the board, Al Schmitt is universally acknowledged as one of the absolute masters of his trade.... 

PAT METHENY The jazz guitarist’s new instrument might look funny—but it’s no joke No other jazz guitarist of the past four decades has done as much as Pat Metheny to broaden the definition of the instrument and expand its possibilities. Metheny reached out to listeners outside of the jazz mainstream with early releases like 1975’s Bright Size Life and 1980’s As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls, and he’s maintained a huge audience... 

LITTLE STEVEN VAN ZANDT Bruce Springsteen’s right-hand man is on a rockin’ crusade Little Steven Van Zandt has diagnosed America’s ills—and he has the prescription. “We have no great art to replenish ourselves,” he says. “Art is not a luxury. We’re the only country in the world that thinks art is a luxury! There’s no spiritual nourishment going on right now. That comes from great art.” Van Zandt is doing his part to get great art... 

STEVE WARINER Paying tribute to friend and mentor Chet Atkins If anyone is qualified to pay tribute to late guitar giant Chet Atkins, it’s country singer, songwriter and guitarist Steve Wariner. Atkins took Wariner under his wing in the late 1970s, welcoming him into his touring band as bass player, and signing the young artist to RCA Records in his capacity as an executive and producer. Wariner’s new album, My Tribute to Chet Atkins, finds him... 

OK GO Here they come again, sounding more like themselves than ever Dan Konopka, Damian Kulash, Tim Nordwind, Andy Ross It was time for OK Go to get off the treadmill, literally and figuratively. The Grammy-winning video for the 2006 power-pop gem “Here It Goes Again,” which featured the foursome performing a wildly entertaining synchronized routine on treadmills, drew the kind of online traffic usually reserved for piano-playing cats. It’s... 

FREEDY JOHNSTON After eight years, he’s back thanks to some discipline in the studio Freedy Johnston didn’t mean to spend eight years between albums. “I tried to make it a couple times on my own, and it didn’t work out for various reasons,” says the singer-songwriter. He discovered the key to his new Rain on the City album when he brought in producer Richard McLaurin as his collaborator. “You learn some lessons and go down one hallway,... 

MIDLAKE Slow and steady wins the race for this indie breakout band McKenzie Smith, Eric Pulido, Eric Nichelson, Tim Smith, Paul Alexander After exploring classic-rock influences like Fleetwood Mac and Crosby, Stills & Nash on their breakthrough album, 2006’s The Trials of Van Occupanther, the members of Midlake wanted a new direction. They found it in the folk-based tradition of vintage British acts such as Steeleye Span and Fairport Convention—then... 

Dave Haywood, Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley LADY ANTEBELLUM The hit country trio takes control of its own chemistry “If we could combine all our talent into one person, we’d be one hell of a good songwriter,” jokes Charles Kelley, one-third of the Grammy-nominated country trio Lady Antebellum. Kelley and bandmates Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood are doing just fine as it is. After finding fame with 2007’s platinum-certified... 

Billy Martin, Chris Wood, John Medeski MEDESKI MARTIN & WOOD Improvisation is key—just don’t call ’em a jam band In late 2008, jazz-rock trio Medeski Martin & Wood pondered ways to inspire themselves to write new material. They found that inspiration in the animal kingdom. “There’s a bird, a certain canary, that comes up with a new song every year, which it never repeats in its lifetime,” explains keyboardist John... 

JULIANA HATFIELD Alt-rocker strips down old school—and finds peace Juliana Hatfield’s 2008 album How to Walk Away was a polished effort, recorded in a New York City studio over a long time with a large cast of musicians. For her latest, Peace and Love, she elected to take precisely the opposite tack. “This time I wanted to be alone,” she says. “I wanted to see what would come out of me with no one else involved.” Writing and recording... 

OMARION Think you know this smooth R&B star? Think again Forget what you might have heard about R&B artist Omarion. “I think people misconstrue who I am a lot of the time,” he says. “I blame it on the illusion of the game. You might think Omarion is going out to the club, partying and having an orgy with 10 women. If a rumor came out like that, people might believe it. I felt like I really wanted to share more of who I am through my... 

WHO’S NEXT: CHRISTINA PERRI HOMETOWN: Philadelphia INFLUENCES: The Beatles, Beth Hart, Jason Mraz ALBUM: As yet untitled EP, due out soon WEBSITE: christinaperri.com Christina Perri began singing at a very early age, both in her school choir and for customers in her parents’ barber shop. By 15 she was so devoted to the music of the Beatles that she had the members’ names tattooed permanently on her wrist. Her older brother Nick Perri made... 

WHO’S NEXT: CHIEF HOMETOWN: Los Angeles MEMBERS: Evan Koga  (vocals, guitar) Danny Fujikawa (guitar) Mike Moonves (bass) Michael Fujikawa  (drums) ALBUM: Modern Rituals, due out Aug. 17 WEBSITE: chieftheband.com Frontman Evan Koga and his fellow L.A.-born members of Chief formed the band as students at New York University. They made the move back to California last year, guitarist Danny Fujikawa leaving school to do so. “I had faith in... 

WHO’S NEXT: RYAN STAR HOMETOWN: Dix Hills, N.Y. INFLUENCES: Leonard Cohen, Nine Inch Nails, Pearl Jam ALBUM: 11:59, out now WEBSITE: rstar.net Ryan Star inherited his big brother’s barely played guitar as a teenager, and was soon writing songs and making demos on a four-track recorder. By 14 he was selling recordings to classmates, and by his late teens he and some friends had formed a band called Stage. The group played local New York City... 

Issue 05 Cover Story: Sheryl Crow Features: Albums From Hell, Digital Dilemmas Gear Feature: Aces of Bass Musician Feature: The Black Crowes, Jimmie Vaughan Producer Feature: Bryan-Michael Cox Q&A’s: Tom Jones, Indigo Girls, Alejandro Escovedo, Crowded House, Aerosmith’s Joey Kramer, Belinda Carlisle Spotlight: Michael Franti, Squeeze, Nikki & Rich, Fefe Dobson, Goo Goo Dolls, Tegan and Sara, Tim O’Brien Who’s Next: Ryan Star,... 

WHO’S NEXT: ELI ‘PAPERBOY’ REED HOMETOWN: Boston INFLUENCES: Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Otis Redding ALBUM: Come and Get It, due out Aug. 10 WEBSITE: elipaperboyreed.com EVERYTHING CHANGED FOR YOUNG ELI REED THE DAY that his father bought a Ray Charles box set, which the family listened to again and again over the course of a summer vacation. Reed was already a fan of vintage rock ’n’ roll and country music, but when he heard... 

WHO’S NEXT: NIKKI YANOFSKY HOMETOWN: Montreal, Quebec INFLUENCES: Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin, Billie Holiday ALBUM: Nikki, out now WEBSITE: nikkionline.ca THINGS HAVE MOVED QUICKLY FOR NIKKI YANOFSKY-AT 12 she was singing in front of 100,000 people at the Montreal International Jazz Festival, by 13 she had been nominated for a Juno award (Canada’s equivalent to the Grammys), and at 16 she’s just released her debut studio album,... 

WHO’S NEXT: SONS OF SYLVIA HOMETOWN: Rocky Mount, Va. MEMBERS: Adam Clark (mandolin, guitar, vocals) Ashley Clark (lead vocals, guitar, fiddle) Austin Clark (Dobro, lap steel, vocals) ALBUM: Revelation, out now WEBSITE: sonsofsylvia.com ADAM, ASHLEY AND AUSTIN CLARK are Three of 11 children born to traveling ministers Freddy and Sylvia Clark (hence the name of the group), who taught them to play instruments as kids. The three were all working... 

WHO’S NEXT: LAURA BELL BUNDY HOMETOWN: Lexington, Ky. INFLUENCES: Pearl Bailey, Patsy Cline, Willie Nelson ALBUM: Achin’ and Shakin’, out now WEBSITE: laurabellbundy.com FOR LAURA BELL BUNDY, THE ROAD TO NASHVILLE BEGAN in New York City. She had been performing country music for several years, but caught the attention of Music City as the Tony-nominated star of Broadway musicals like Legally Blonde, Hairspray and Wicked. She set aside... 

WHO’S NEXT: BERTELL HOMETOWN: Houston, Texas INFLUENCES: Marvin Gaye, Luther Vandross, Stevie Wonder ALBUM: Goin’ Hard, out June 22 WEBSITE: bertellonline.com R&B NEWCOMER BERTELL (BORN BERTELL YOUNG) got his start in his grade-school cafeteria, where he regularly took over the piano and sang to entertain his classmates. He attended college in new Jersey on a basketball scholarship, and through his team’s coach got to know music... 

WHO’S NEXT: TRUTH & SALVAGE CO. HOMETOWN: Los Angeles, Ca. MEMBERS: Joe Edel (bass), Adam Grace (keyboards), Tim Jones (vocals, guitar), Scott Kinnebrew (vocals, guitar), Bill “Smitty” Smith (vocals, drums), Walker Young (vocals, keyboards) ALBUM: Truth & Salvage Co., out May 25 WEBSITE: truthandsalvageco.com TRUTH & SALVAGE CO. FORMED IN 2005, GROWING OUT of late-night jam sessions at Hotel Café in Hollywood, where singer... 

WHO’S NEXT: KATE MILLER-HEIDKE Kate Miller-Heidke HOMETOWN: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia INFLUENCES: Joni Mitchell, Queen,  Regina Spektor ALBUM: Curiouser, out now WEBSITE: katemillerheidke.com ESTABLISHED AS A POP STAR IN HER NATIVE AUSTRALIA since 2007, singer and keyboardist Kate Miller-Heidke is poised to make a similar splash in the u.s. she recorded Curiouser over more than two months in Los Angeles, collaborating with guitarist... 

WHO’S NEXT: PAPER TONGUES Paper Tongues HOMETOWN: Charlotte, N.C. MEMBERS: Aswan North (vocals), Devin Forbes (guitar), Joey Signa (guitar), Cody Blackler (keyboards), Clayton Simon (keyboards), Danny Santell (bass), Jordan Hardee (drums) ALBUM: Self-titled debut out this summer; Ride to California digital EP out now WEBSITE: papertongues.com PAPER TONGUES’ MEMBERS GREW UP IN NORTH Carolina listening to rock, electronica... 

WHO’S NEXT: IMELDA MAY Imelda May HOMETOWN: Dublin, Ireland INFLUENCES: Billie Holiday, Luke Kelly, Gene Vincent ALBUM: Love Tattoo, out now WEBSITE: imeldamay.com MANY WHO TUNED IN DURING JEFF BECK’S TRIBUTE TO the late Les Paul on the Grammy Awards earlier this year found themselves wondering about the identity of the intriguing young woman singing “How High the Moon” alongside the guitar great. Those listeners were getting their fi... 

WHO’S NEXT: SALVADOR SANTANA Salvador Santana HOMETOWN: San Francisco, Calif. INFLUENCES: Bob Marley, Thelonious Monk, McCoy Tyner ALBUM: Keyboard City, out Feb. 2 WEBSITE: salvadorsantana.com THE SON OF GUITAR LEGEND CARLOS SANTANA AND grandson of blues pioneer Saunders King, Santana has music in his DNA. He began playing piano at age 6, and studied at San Francisco’s School of the Arts as well as Cal Arts in Valencia, Calif. He co-wrote... 

WHO’S NEXT: N’DAMBI N'DAMBI HOMETOWN: Dallas, Texas INFLUENCES: Betty Davis, Mahalia Jackson, Nina Simone ALBUM: Pink Elephant, out now WEBSITE: ndambionline.com N’DAMBI GREW UP IN A STRICT BAPTIST HOUSEHOLD where the only secular music allowed was country, but was drawn to classic soul from the moment she began discovering music on her own. She established herself in the music business working as a backup singer with fellow old-school... 

WHO’S NEXT: DANIEL MERRIWEATHER Daniel Merriweather HOMETOWN: Melbourne, Australia INFLUENCES: D’Angelo, Otis Redding, Stevie Wonder ALBUM: Love & War, out Feb. 23 WEBSITE: danielmerriweather.com DANIEL MERRIWEATHER WAS FIRST DRAWN TO MUSIC at age 4, when he discovered his mother’s violin. Soon he was playing Vivaldi and Bach concertos, but at 10 he was nudged toward R&B music by his discovery of Boyz II Men’s Cooleyhighharmony.... 

M Music & Musicians / June 2010 Issue 04 Cover Story: Sarah McLachlan Features: Rock At The Movies, Deal Or No Deal? Gear Feature: Maximum Mixes Musician: Herbie Hancock, Robert Randolph Producer: Hugh Padgham Q&A’s: Jewel, Ozzy Osbourne, 3Oh!3, Timothy B. Schmit, Tift Merritt, Solomon Burke Spotlight: Devo, Dierks Bentley, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, Against Me!, Hanson, Punch Brothers, Tonic Who’s Next: Eli ‘Paperboy’ Reed,... 

M Music & Musicians / May 2010 Issue 03 Cover Story: Stone Temple Pilots Features: The Vinyl Frontier, Summer Festivals Musician: Chester Thompson, Melissa Etheridge Producer: Alan Parsons Q&A’s: Merle Haggard, Deftones, Taylor Hawkins, Nas & Damian Marley, Chely Wright, The Black Keys Spotlight: Minus The Bear, Josh Ritter, Betty Lavette, The Hold Steady, Bill Charlap And Renee Rosnes, Widespread Panic, The New Pornographers Who’s... 

Cover Story: Willie Nelson Issue 02 Cover Story: Willie Nelson Gear Feature: Get Great Vocals Features: Rock On Broadway, Social Networking Musician: Slash, Warren Haynes Producer: Don Was Q&A’s: Jakob Dylan, Kaki King, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, Peter Frampton, Meshell Ndegeocello, George Thorogood Spotlight: Angels & Airwaves, Jamie Cullum, Mose Allison, The Chieftains, Cypress Hill, Ted Leo & The Pharmacists, Drive-By Truckers Who’s... 

ORIANTHI Michael Jackson’s guitarist makes her way to center stage Orianthi When pop legend Michael Jackson passed away last June, the media was saturated with images from rehearsals for his planned comeback show—offering many fans their first glimpse at his new guitarist, a striking 23-year-old from Adelaide, Australia, named Orianthi. The recent film This Is It, which further documented those rehearsals, showcased her virtuoso six-string skills... 

Premiere Issue - Alicia Keys Issue 01 Cover Story: Alicia Keys Gear Feature: Mixing Live Sound Features: TV’s Hottest House Bands, Fighting the Loudness War Musician Feature: Pat Metheny, Producer Feature: Al Schmitt, John Fogerty Q&A’s: Ok Go, Orianthi, Steve Wariner, Little Steven Van Zandt, Angie Stone Spotlight: Vampire Weekend, Omarion, Juliana Hatfield, Medeski Martin & Wood, Lady Antebellum, Midlake, Freedy Johnson Who’s... 

Vampire Weekend VAMPIRE WEEKEND Discovering inspiration in contradictions and cleverness Sure, Vampire Weekend singer  and guitarist Ezra Koenig was an English major at noted Columbia University and taught junior high English. And yeah, on the band’s new Contra album he rhymes “horchata” with “balaclava,” among other clever linguistic feats. What of it? “It’s a criticism people try to lodge at  us,” Koenig says with a resigned chuckle.... 

Jake Shimabukuro Driven by a new generation of aficionados, the ukulele rises again “The ukulele is cool again,” declares John Schroeter, producer and author of Between the Strings: The Secret Lives of Guitars. Inspired by its simplicity and relatively low cost, amateurs and professionals alike have increasingly taken up the instrument in recent years. Brought to Hawaii by Portuguese immigrants in the 18th century, the ukulele remained...