From Volume One:

Them Coulee Boys danced their way into our readers’ hearts this year, with their speedy and sweet folk tunes on Dancing in the Dim Light, and Idle Empress followed closely behind with a gorgeous self-titled EP of folk rock gems. Fun fact, the lyrics for the song “Woods” on the Idle Empress EP are actually taken from a poem by American poet Mary Oliver. Finally, blues legend Howard “Guitar” Luedtke traveled down South to collaborate with one of his heroes and came back with an awesome record called Goin’ Down to Alabama: The Muscle Shoals Sessions, securing the third place spot. — Darrion Behrendt
(original article)

Third Place: Howard “Guitar” Luedtke
Goin’ Down to Alabama: The Muscle Shoals Sessions

Preview songs here

Second Place: Idle Empress
Self-Titled EP

Listen:

First Place: Them Coulee Boys
Dancing In The Dim Light

Listen: