Caroline Herring

Talk about a ramblin' gal. Country, folk and bluegrass singer-songwriter Caroline Herring has ventured from her native Mississippi to Texas to D.C. and finally to Georgia following her muse (and her and her husband's various day gigs). Austinites got to know her well from 1999 to 2002 when she appeared on stages all over the city under the patronage and nodding approval of artists like Peter Rowan, Ray Wylie Hubbard and Tish Hinojosa. The Austin American-Statesmaneven deemed her "Best New Artist" of 2002.

It's easy to see why. Herring specializes in stark, quiet tales of rural strife and romantic insecurity, as well as the occasional character study, which isn't surprising, given her master's degree in Southern studies from Ole Miss. Her deft acoustic finger-picking underscores an easy charm, and her deep-voiced resonance brings a gravitas to her mostly straightforward lyrics, which might seem trite coming from a higher-pitched performer. Wellspring, Herring's newest CD and her second on Houston's Blue Corn label, features quietly sublime tracks like "Magnolias," "Colorado Woman" and "Trace." She also manages a shout-out to Southwest Airlines on "MGM Grand." Talented and tasteful, Herring could be a rising star on the Americana scene.