GRACE POTTER On her solo set, the rocker is happy her pop roots are showing  Taking a sharp musical detour, Grace Potter—frontwoman for Grace Potter and the Nocturnals for more than a decade—has swapped her trademark jam-band sound for pop on her new solo album, Midnight. The change may seem drastic to fans of the Nocturnals’ rootsy rock, but understandable when you discover the pop classics that were among the staples Potter was raised on.... 

NATE RUESS His latest project proves that going solo is fun, too  After nearly three years of supporting Some Nights—the platinum-selling, 2012 breakthrough album by his Grammy-winning band fun.—Nate Ruess was feeling good. So good, in fact, he opted to temporarily step away from the trio and go solo. It was a bold move for the singer-songwriter, but it’s paying off. His album, Grand Romantic—a fittingly titled set of massive-sounding earworms... 

In The Mix Studio wiz Russ Long reveals his secrets to maximize your mix All the instruments and vocals have been recorded, and now it’s time to turn those tracks into a finished record: You’re ready for the mixing process. But you know the mix can make or break even the best recordings. How do you ensure you’re crafting the perfect mix? Mixing is as much art as science, and the pros rely on hard-earned experience to transform great tracks... 

RICK HALL The creator of the Muscle Shoals sound reveals the secrets to his success By Michael Gallant Muscle Shoals was ground zero in the ’60 and ’70s for a wide range of artists—Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Etta James and many more—who recorded some of their biggest hits in this tiny town in northeastern Alabama. The potent, soulful vibe that emerged had such an impact that it became known as the Muscle Shoals sound. And the man at... 

DALE WATSON Stubbornly authentic, the country outlaw remains true to his roots Maverick Dale Watson Freely acknowledges his music isn’t for everybody—and he’s perfectly fine with that. “I don’t think we appeal to the audience that likes current country music,” he says. “That’s just not our audience. Merle Haggard was once asked how he felt about his music not being played on the radio, and he said, ‘I’m glad they don’t play...