Lyle Lovett – Pontiac (1987):  I was starting to listen to more country music by the late 1970’s.  I was happily discovering country’s roots such as the Carter Family and Hank Williams Sr., and also a lot of the “outlaw country” crowd like Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Hank Williams Jr., and David Allan Coe.  Many of the earliest alt-country artists also caught my ear (before anyone was even using the term), like Randy Travis, Lyle Lovett, k.d. lang, and Hank Williams III; and some were simply country-flavored rock bands such as the Georgia Satellites and the Kentucky Headhunters.  Lyle Lovett incorporates a host of influences into his music and barely fits the country music label.  With his second album Pontiac, Lyle Lovett started attracting rock music fans also.  Beginning with the distinctive “If I Had a Boat” that opens the album and has really stuck with me over the years, Pontiac is a joy to listen to.  Lyle Lovett has since won four Grammy Awards and has also appeared in several films.