What a wonderful, passionate voice this woman has. And to top it off, she’s a strong songwriter with boot heels planted firmly in the country dust and a twangy charm that could knock the socks off any music fan.

She delivers every song with drama without being overwrought. This CD begins with “Tallulah Falls,” a song that any creative soul growing up in a small town can relate to. The lyrics are crying out from a soul that’s being caged in:

"So here I am, chained and bound,
A life condemned to this god damn town
And it’s here that I’ll stay.
I’ll sin and I’ll pray,
I’ll marry some old man

And I’ll probably dig my own grave in Tallulah Falls. "Several of her songs have that lyrical element of being caged in, feeling lost and trapped, but that determination comes out in her voice. She may start out sounding quietly defeated “Ain’t No Friend,” but she uses the chorus to come out swinging with powerful rock music and a voice that could move a mountain.

She can also do sweet love songs well. In “Without It” and “One More Day,” cellist Julia Kent lends her talents, making these country ballads feel like watercolor paintings. There’s also something totally different called “The River,” an old-fashioned yee-haw hoedown track that uses production tricks to sound like an old vinyl LP. This was one of my favorites.

Both fans of old-time country and modern folk will find something to like in this CD. But even if those aren’t your styles, this voice will still win you over.