Alejandro Escovedo

When Alejandro Escovedo titled his 1998 live disc More Miles Than Money, it was a sly wink to the hard-living job of a road warrior. But what the Austin troubadour lacks in cold, hard cash, he's more than made up for in critical accolades, adoring fans and (most important) a deep catalogue of raucous, country-tinged story songs. Escovedo is something of an alt-country patron saint — No Depression named him the best artist of the '90s, and he serves as the marquee name for this year's Twangfest — but his influence and his roots extend far beyond the twang-bangers. He's made records with John Cale, written songs with Chuck Prophet and shared the stage with Bruce Springsteen, but Escovedo's punk-hearted, Texas-stamped style remains singular and unmistakable.