Phil Vassar

Phil Vassar's the kind of modern country star who's made a chart-scaling career of upending expectations; in a world of Willie- and Waylon-worshipping guitar guys, he's a pop-savvy piano man steeped in the songcraft of Billy Joel and Elton John. He's also a master of painting powerful pictures from the details of everyday life, like "Just Another Day in Paradise," where a couple finds bliss in going through the daily domestic grind together, and "In a Real Love," where Vassar unfolds a young couple's coming-of-age tale with a novelist's narrative flair. He doesn't shy away from the dark stuff, though — on "Last Day of My Life" Vassar mourns the loss of a loved one and comes away with a new appreciation for the preciousness of life. Vassar gets good and greasy in Next Steps.

Phil Vassar may be best known as a romantic balladeer, but he still knows how to get down and dirty. With the all-American, roots-rockin' "My Chevrolet" he recalls youthful nights of "steaming up windows" in the backseat, and provides a stylistic signpost by name-checking Bob Seger's "Night Moves." Vassar offers up another great automotive moment on "Athens Grease," where sharp wordplay unveils a tale of a miracle-working Georgia mechanic, fueled by rough-and-tumble guitar grit. And those greasy guitars rev up again on Vassar's hard-driving version of "I Thank You," his R&B-charged contribution to an all-star country tribute to ZZ Top.

An artist like Phil Vassar goes against the grain in an era in which prefab Nashville stars are propped up in front of made-to-order material. He started out as a songwriter, penning hits for Alan Jackson, Tim McGraw, and others, before finally starting to save a few for himself and striking out on a recording career. Sure enough, once he did, the hits came hard and fast, with his patented blend of country, pop, and rock influences bringing a fresh sound to country radio. Vassar's detail-rich, character-driven songs are like three-minute movies for the ears, from the warts-and-all wedding-day tale "Love Is a Beautiful Thing" to "Carlene," an account of an out-of-left field encounter between two old high-school classmates who've changed in surprising ways. Here's your chance to get the whole story on Vassar's varied talents in one fell swoop.