bluegrass

Alan Jackson (born October 17, 1958) is an American country singer-songwriter who has sold over 50 million records. He was influenced by the new traditional country of the 1980s, and he was one of the most popular country singers of the 1990s, blending both honky tonk and mainstream country sounds and penning many of his own hits. His success continued into the 2000s and his music became increasingly counterposed with that of more mainstream country acts that were moving toward a more pop music sound.

Like The Pogues, but with more teeth. There is a good old Country feel and topics vary between being poor and
being drunk ...
Formed in 1986 and re-formed for a reunion in 2008 with a series of gigs at Guilfest Festival in Surrey that definitely went down a storm!

http://www.nooneyouknowband.com/ No One You Know is West Virginia’s foremost up-and-coming bluegrass band comprised of five seasoned musicians from all over West Virginia. The band features its own original music and an array of musical heritage that shines in all of their shows. Proof of that fact is in their second place finish at SPBGMA's International Band Competition in February. Each member of the band brings their own style and influences to the stage for a bluegrass show every audience will love.

Lauded by his musical peers but largely ignored by the mainstream, Billy Franks can count Oasis and Peter Gabriel among his admirers, as well being cited as a songwriting influence by Bono. With his then band, the Faith Brothers, he opened for U2 in front of 50,000 people at Milton Keynes Bowl in 1986, and his last Scottish performance saw the Faith Brothers supporting REM at Barrowlands. Since the Faith Brothers broke up in 1988, Billy Franks has recorded four solo albums: “Mass”, “Genius & Grace”, “Sex, Laughter & Meditation” and, most recently, “The Turtledove Boutique”.