Tracy Byrd

Tracy Bird first hit the scene in the early '90s, one of a handful of New Country revisionists determined to bring a raw, more traditional style of music back to the fore of Country Pop radio. His work, rooted deeply in the music of fellow Beaumont, Tex., native George Jones, has been uniformly rough-hewn. Byrd's latest record makes some concessions to the demands of today's pop audience with slicker production, big guitars and a Holiday single, but with excellent results and no sacrifice of the grassroots image that has made him a favorite among many country enthusiasts.