Authenticity in music is a rare currency. In a time of polished productions and carefully constructed personas, an album like Lisa Jo's "Hood Rats" feels like a jolt of unfiltered reality. It is a record born not in a boardroom, but in the crucible of personal tragedy and immense resilience. The result is a collection of songs that are as raw and uncompromising as the life...

There is no need to look any further than Shannon Hawley if you are looking for a singer-songwriter who can provide music that satisfies your innermost needs. Not only is her music easy on the ears, but it can also be used as a therapeutic tool for the person who is listening to it. Songwriting has served as Hawley's primary form of therapeutic treatment for many...