Elizabeth Cook

Country music often springs from adversity, and Americana singer and Sirius XM radio host Elizabeth Cook has seen her share. Born the youngest of 11 in Wildwood, Fla., Cook learned to play various string instruments from her parents, despite her father's time in the Atlanta Federal Penitentiary. In 2002, Cook put out an album called Hey Y'All on major label Warner Nashville, but, thanks to shakeups at corporate level, the disc died on the vine, a shame given that her sweet Southern drawl reminded a lot of people of Dolly Parton. The record was technically her second album -- she'd self-released an earlier one and even appeared at the Grand Old Opry in 2000, and had been playing music on stage since before kindergarten. Since leaving Warner, she's put out three albums on indie labels; Balls, from 2007, even reached No. 72 on the country chart. 2010's Welder (named for her dad's vocation when not running moonshine), produced by Don Was, features Dwight Yoakam, Rodney Crowell and Buddy Miller singing backup. Her husband Tim Carroll, formerly of Indiana punk band the Gizmos, also shows up all over her records.