Robert Earl Keen

Singer/songwriter Robert Earl Keen never found quite the level of fame achieved by his Texas A&M buddy Lyle Lovett, but his own considerable grassroots following both within and beyond the borders of the Lone Star State is no fluke. Though he is best known for his beer-friendly live shows (as vividly captured on No. 2 Live Dinner) and sing-along anthems (most notably "The Road Goes On Forever," covered by both Joe Ely and the Highwaymen, and the fractured, white-trash Yuletide classic "Merry Christmas From the Family"), closer attention reveals a writer with a novelist's eye for character and narrative detail. He's got an equally sharp ear for catchy melodies and first-class backing musicians, strengths that more than offset his limited vocal range.