Alecia Nugent

If you love the sweet, right-on voices of Dolly, Alison and Rhonda (Parton, Krauss and Vincent, that is), I don’t see how you wouldn’t love country/bluegrass singer Alecia Nugent. Krauss even sings back-up on Nugent’s latest CD. Other roots greats appear as well, including Dobro-player Rob Ickes, vocalist and banjo-queen Cia Cherryholmes and gospel/bluegrass-giant Doyle Lawson. While the big-name power backing up Nugent, of course, doesn’t hurt (and, needless to say, they all sound fabulous), it’s not like Nugent needs that to make a name for herself. She’s got a fantastic voice. From the first song, “Too Good to Be True,” in which the words of the album title appear, to the last, “Meet Me in Heaven Someday,” which includes an absolutely perfect A cappella harmony intro, Nugent’s latest album is pure pleasure to listen to. The rippin’ “Breaking New Ground” contains the irresistible line, “The only thing you left when you left me was no choice.”