Artist Jack Ingram

It’s a positive sign that an artist as real as Jack Ingram is succeeding on country-radio charts. If the mainstream embraces a Houston singer-songwriter who plays gritty, anti-establishment, hardcore country-rock in the mold of a young Steve Earle, maybe there’s a glimmer of hope. That Ingram’s chart success has come after more than 10 years and as many albums—including 2009’s Big Dreams & High Hopes—proves that hard work and persistence are sometimes rewarded after all.

Updated 02/03/2010