Roots of Gretchen Wilson

Keith Anderson is an American country music singer. Before signing to a record deal, Anderson was one of several co-writers on "Beer Run ", a duet by Garth Brooks and George Jones, released in late 2001. Anderson was signed as a recording artist to Arista Nashville in 2004. His debut single "Pickin' Wildflowers" was released that year, as the lead-off track from his debut album Three Chord Country and American Rock & Roll. Counting "Pickin' Wildflowers", the album produced a total of four hit singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, and was certified gold by the RIAA.

Jamey Johnson is an American country music singer and songwriter.

James Allen Otto is an American country music singer and songwriter. Otto began his career on Mercury Nashville Records in 2002, charting three minor singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts and recording his debut album Days of Our Lives for the label before being dropped in 2004.

The Black Crowes are an American rock band formed in Atlanta, Georgia in 1984. Their discography includes ten studio albums, four live albums, and several charting singles. The band was signed to Def American Recordings in 1989 by producer George Drakoulias and released their debut album, Shake Your Money Maker, the following year. Their follow-up, The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion, reached the top of the Billboard 200 in 1992. The albums Amorica (1994), Three Snakes and One Charm (1996), By Your Side (1999), and Lions (2001) followed, with each showing moderate popularity but failing to capture the chart successes of the band's first two albums. After a hiatus from 2002 to 2005, the band regrouped and toured for several years before releasing Warpaint in 2008, which reached number 5 on the Billboard chart.

Big & Rich is an American country music duo from Nashville, Tennessee. The duo consists of Big Kenny and John Rich, both of whom are songwriters, vocalists, and guitarists. Before the duo's foundation, Rich was bass guitarist in the country band Lonestar, while Kenny was a solo artist for Hollywood Records.

Some Hearts is the debut studio album by American singer and songwriter Carrie Underwood. It was released on November 15, 2005, by Arista Nashville. The album was recorded shortly after Underwood's win on American Idol and marked her transition from television fame to mainstream country music. A country pop album that blends contemporary country and pop influences, Some Hearts features production from Mark Bright and Dann Huff. It includes the singles "Jesus, Take the Wheel", "Don't Forget to Remember Me", "Before He Cheats", "Wasted", and the title track. Songs such as "Jesus, Take the Wheel" and "Before He Cheats" became major crossover hits, with the latter becoming one of the best-selling country singles of all time.