When referring to it as a genre, "Americana" can be best explained as an amalgam of roots music fused by the confluence of the shared and varied traditions that categorically make up the American musical ethos; specifically those sounds that are merged from folk, country, rhythm & blues, rock & roll, gospel, and other external influential styles. Americana is popularly referred to, especially in print, as "alt-country" or sometimes "alt.country". The genre is also referred to by many other names, including "insurgent country", "no depression", "rockabilly", "cowpunk", "progressive country", "regressive country", "roots rock", "twang core", "new americana", "cowpunk", "y'allternative", and many others. While some of these nomenclatures may seem derogatory or unintelligent, they capture the essence of what the New York Times considers "the coolest music scene today". Americana, as defined by the Americana Music Association, is "American roots music based on the traditions of country. While the musical model can be traced back to the Elvis Presley marriage of 'hillbilly music' and R&B that birthed rock 'n roll, Americana as a radio format developed during the 1990's as a reaction to the highly polished sound that defined the mainstream music of that decade." Because of listener interest in the artists who do not fit as comfortably in the Country or Rock genres, a radio format called "Americana" has been developed by the Americana Music Association and reported by R&R. Born out of the "Triple A ", "Non-Commercial", "Country" and other varied formats, the Americana format is the sum of the parts that have showcased Americana music since its inception. Some of the most significant artists in the genre are Johnny Cash, Gram Parsons, Lucinda Williams, Uncle Tupelo, BR549, Soloman Burke, Mavis Staples, John Prine, Rodney Crowell, The Band, Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris, Elvis Presley, Steve Earle, Alison Krauss, June Carter Cash, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Radney Foster, Wilco, Jay Farrar, The Jayhawks, Jim Lauderdale, The Derailers, Loretta Lynn, Ryan Adams, Kelly Willis, Son Volt, Patty Griffin, Marty Stuart, Monte Carver, and the list goes on... Monte Carver was born in the heart of America. Some say before he could talk, he would sing. Indeed, his first melodic utterance of record was the old gospel standard "My Lord Keeps A Record" sang and taught to him by an old and dear friend of the family as she hang her laundry out to dry in a warm summer breeze. ("I must have been about two years of age… but, I remember it well. I've heard it said I kept neighbors up all night singing at the hill-top home of my Grandma in east Tennessee… a mile away. Well, that's off the record. No doubt, after two years there while I was starting school, they were glad to see me go so they could get some sleep.") The local Sunday morning congregation was electrified when the kid with a twang hit the piano with a bang and nearly brought down the rafters… literally. ("That's not true… well… maybe.") Class mates were entertained when their choir singing thespian took the lead in local productions. ("It got me out of class.") Army buddies were comforted by his guitar playing and ballads while standing down in the midst of combat. ("No comment. It is what it was… it was special.") Concert audiences were wowed when this lead singer of an award winning Southern Gospel male quartet would bring down the house with a hand clapping-toe tapping-get on your horse and ride spiritual, then, bring 'em back home with a heart felt-soul stirring hymn. ("I did all that? No, I think we all did.") Born out of wedlock, foster homes, molested as a child, adopted, combat, near death auto accident, addiction, rehab, rock bottom breakthrough, the tragic loss of his only brother and sister to a drowning and car-train accident respectively, this troubadour has just about seen it all. He's worth taking a listening to. Don't ask his opinion on the matter… he would rather speak of others than himself. Family and friends proudly claim their own, while he will simply say, "I'm just a singer singing a song."