Ken Tucker

The country-music star returns to the basics in a new album that reflects some of the life-altering experiences he survived this past year. Ken Tucker says Desperate Man is an impressive achievement.

Dickens and Gerrard were successful solo folk musicians who also shared an eclectic approach to music. A new album of previously unreleased recordings feature the pair "unvarnished" and "unplugged."

Tasjan has played in bluegrass festivals and also opened for punk bands. Critic Ken Tucker says regardless of the musical genre, the singer-songwriter's third album "proves its worth."