Buddy Miller

Along with tunesmith David Rawlings, Buddy Miller is a relatively low-profile member of the Sweet Harmony Traveling Revue, a lineup of rootsy performers anchored by Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin and Gillian Welch -- but that doesn't mean he's low on talent. Indeed, Miller happens to be one of the most gifted artists working in and around the country-music field. His brawny, propulsive guitar style, which he honed in Harris's band, enhances warmly naturalistic vocals and a knack for writing songs that feel far more authentic than the overly processed fare that's typical of today's Nashville establishment. Since 1995, he's recorded six discs for the independent Hightone imprint, and, from Your Love and Other Lies to Love Snuck Up, there's nary a weak track, let alone a second-rate album, among them. It's a major drag that Miller remains up to his neck in obscurity while the likes of Brad Paisley and Kenny Chesney roll in greenbacks. Fortunately, the Revue puts him in far better company than he'd find near the top of the C&W charts. Guess low profiles can have their advantages.