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.

Alt-rock Texan natives Blue October have risen through the ranks to become a platinum-selling rock band since forming in 1995 with a body of work that includes modern rock hits like 'Dirt Room' and the #1 VH-1 smash, 'Into The Ocean.' Best known for their hard-hitting 2006 single 'Hate Me', which documents lead singer Justin Furstenfeld's battles with depression and substance abuse, the band are recognized for their angst-ridden post-grunge anthems and frank discussion of personal issues and cite the likes of Creed and Nirvana among their main musical influences.