Ken Tucker

McCoury's been prominent in bluegrass since the 1960s, when he performed in Bill Monroe's Bluegrass Boys. His new album, with sons Rob and Ronnie, in an energetic work that also takes a dark turn.

Mitski claims new ground on her sixth album, spreading herself across different kinds of pop music with each new song. The result is more varied than anything she's created thus far.

No woman in the history of country has cried as eloquently as Smith has. The album title, The Cry from the Heart, is the answer she's given over the years when asked to define country music.