The young whippersnappers of modern Country owe a lot to Dwight Yoakam. Once shunned by the Nashville elite, the pioneering singer-songwriter is credited with paving the way for Country music's acceptance in the mainstream. His 'hillbilly honkey tonk' stylings earned him a following of fans that called themselves 'Cow-Punks' in retaliation to the polite Country Pop of the late 70's.

The best of rock and the best of country meets in the Eli Young Band, a Texas outfit that's had the Nashville scene in a stir since their debut in 2002. Steering clear of the bro-country stereotype, the quartet evokes heartache, lonely highways and having one too many in the old-school country tradition, keeping things fresh with that driving rock sound.