Great IDs of country acts

Love this listing from a Minnesota newspaper:
Who are the best country performers on tour this summer?
Jon Bream
July 31, 2005
 
As August begins, we enter the peak of the country-music touring season in Minnesota. The We Fest in Detroit Lakes starts its 23rd year Thursday with Toby Keith, followed by Alan Jackson and Tim McGraw. This year's Minnesota State Fair will present Rascal Flatts, Sawyer Brown and Martina McBride. With all these big Nashville names headed this way, we rank the best of the country stars on the road now:

1. Kenny Chesney: With his energy, attitude and athleticism, he throws a party like no other current country star, even if his songs don't measure up to country's finest.

2. Big & Rich. Genre-blending originality, commanding stage presence and a sense of fun (and humor) have meant that Big Kenny Alphin and John Rich's motto should be "Save a Genre (Take Some Chances)." Thursday at We Fest.

3. Toby Keith. Part Hulk Hogan and part Hank Williams Jr., this blustery, hard-partying patriot is country's over-the-top success. Thursday at We Fest.

4. Brooks & Dunn. This long-lasting duo has a convincing balance of sentimental songs, sanitized redneck rowdiness and calculated showmanship.

5. Rascal Flatts. Country's boy band pulls it off with youthful energy, harmony-happy romantic songs and cool hairdos, especially frontman Gary LeVox's (above). Sept. 1 at State Fair.

6. Sawyer Brown. This veteran group doesn't try to impress with a fancy production. Instead, it lets the uptempo tunes and frontman Mark Miller's dazzling dancing carry the show. Friday at We Fest and Aug. 27 at State Fair.

7. Alison Krauss & Union Station. No one can argue with her beautiful voice and the group's awesome instrumental prowess, but it's Krauss' off-the-wall humor that makes the performances delightfully unpredictable.

8. Keith Urban. This fast-rising Aussie heartthrob injects spirituality, romanticism and guitar heroics into his hook-filled country-rock. Sept. 24 at Xcel Center.

9. Gretchen Wilson. This raw, rough-around-the-edges newcomer's honesty, passion and humor shine through on her forward-thinking but traditional mix of heartache and honky-tonk. Saturday at We Fest.

10. Trick Pony. A spunky, fun-loving and fun-generating trio that understands how to create a (contrived) good time. Saturday at We Fest.

11. Terri Clark. She rocks! She can be a sensitive balladeer or a sweaty rocker. And she always champions girl power. Sept. 4 at Kick'n Up Kountry Music Festival in Hallock, Minn.

12. Dwight Yoakam. Long a Nashville outsider, this Hollywood cowboy is a scrumptious sonic throwback with a deep melting pot of superior tunes and a sly, witty stage style that drives women wild.

13. Tim McGraw. He drives women wild, too, not with his statue-like moves but with his hunky body, winning songs and big-budget production. Saturday at We Fest.

14. Wynonna Judd. Long one of the strongest female voices in Nashville, she has finally found her comfort zone on stage with a spirited, liberating, humorous journey through her life via her favorite rock and R&B covers along with her own hits. Aug. 26 at Grand Casino Hinckley.

15. Montgomery Gentry. Coming on like WWE tag-team champions, this duo is rambunctious and rockin' with a couple of ballads to balance the bluster. Aug. 26 at Jackpot Junction Casino in Morton, Minn.