Liz Brasher's debut album Painted Image is out Jan. 18 on Fat Possum Records. Stacie Huckeba /Courtesy of the artist hide caption

Steve Earle & The Dukes photo by Tom Bejgrowicz/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

Randy Houser's Magnolia comes out Jan. 11. Sean O'Halloran/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

Rosanne Cash's latest album, She Remembers Everything, is a collection of personal songs all written or co-written by Cash. Michael Lavine/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

Kacey Musgraves had one of country music's biggest albums of 2018, but it came only after she shrugged off any lingering obligation to pursue radio airplay. Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Stagecoach hide caption

Dolly Parton's Dumplin' soundtrack is all about finding the confidence to be yourself. "You star in your own role. You be the star of your own life," Parton says. Katie King/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

Natalie Hemby and Luke Dick Kate York and Casey Pierce/Courtesy of the artists hide caption

Lori McKenna Becky Fluke/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

Mercury Rev Ken Stringfellow hide caption

Gretchen Peters performs on Mountain Stage. Brian Blauser/Mountain Stage hide caption

Rosanne Cash Michael Levine/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

Spanish singer Roslaía's El Mal Querer is on our short list of the best albums out on Nov. 2. John Parra/WireImage hide caption

Who is your favorite new musician of 2018? Neha Dharkar/NPR hide caption

The War And Treaty perform on Mountain Stage. Brian Blauser/Mountain Stage hide caption

"Mother" Maybelle Carter (left) performs with her daughter Helen in 1977 at the A.P. Carter Memorial Festival in Virginia. Robert Alexander/Getty Images hide caption

Leo Kottke performs on Mountain Stage. Brian Blauser/Mountain Stage hide caption

Kacey Musgraves performs in the BBC's Radio 2 Piano Room. YouTube hide caption

Rosanne Cash's She Remembers Everything comes out Nov. 2. Michael Levine/Courtesy of the artist hide caption