Tom Russell, one of America's premier singer-songwriters, grew up in California, soaking up the West Coast hillbilly sounds of Merle Travis and Buck Owens. He started his career in the country bars of Vancouver before moving on to the progressive country music scene of Austin, Texas. He went on to write and record folk and country hits, and create inspired albums, like his Merle Haggard tribute Tulare Dust, which consistently finds a spot on music writers' Best Albums lists. Tom's latest, Borderlands (Hightone), examines his relocation to the frontier of El Paso-Juarez, and delves more personally into the emotional borderline between individuals. Andrew Hardin, who co-wrote several songs on the album, provides this evening's guitar and vocal accompaniment.