Tift Merritt

If anyone were ever nominated for the "Post Ryan Adams Crossover Potential" award, Tift Merritt would win hands down. Her stunning recordings exude a magical quality, and her deceptively simple-sounding songwriting can appeal to everyone from shaggy haired Alt Country hipsters to genuine cowgirls, their Lexus-driving lawyer dads, single mothers burning the candle at both ends, the shrewd landladies demanding their rent, that fireman you always see at the sandwich shop, and just about everyone else with a moment in their lives to appreciate good taste and great songs. Merritt's soothing, soulful vocals never go off the diva deep-end with stylistic flourishes, but you can hear the somber yearning in her voice as she muses about living and loving in modern day America. Her backing band balances consummate professionalism with a nitty-gritty style that feels more human than homogenized. Don't be surprised if she ends up topping the charts of several different genres.