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. One of the seminal artists of the Americana movement, Tom blends country, rock, Tex-Mex, and folk sounds in finely honed character studies that champion blue collar life. He has written and recorded numerous classics, and created many inspired albums, like his Merle Haggard tribute, Tulare Dust, which consistently finds a spot on music writers' Best Albums lists.

Tom recently released a DVD, Hearts on the Line, as well as a new CD, The Wounded Heart of America (Hightone), which features renditions of some of Tom's superb songs by famous compadres like Johnny Cash, Joe Ely, and Iris DeMent, as well as new tunes performed by Tom himself.

Michael Martin provides this evening's inspired guitar accompaniment.