Dave Alvin

Although Dave Alvin helped charge the roots-rock scene in the early '80s with groups like The Blasters and The Knitters, commercial success evaded him. His luck changed in 1989, when Dwight Yoakam scored a country hit with Alvin's song “Long White Cadillac.” Alvin used the royalties to finance his excellent 1991 album, <i>Blue Blvd</i>., which cemented his reputation as a solo artist. The album's 1994 follow-up, <i>King of California</i>, refocused his attention on acoustic music, and in 2000 Alvin recorded a collection of traditional folk and blues classics, <i>Public Domain: Songs from the Wild Land</i>, which won a Grammy for best traditional folk album. His latest album, <i>Eleven Eleven</i>, his 11th, returns him to electric territory, showcasing his blazing guitar work.