Best Of Bonnaroo - Bonnaroo Favorites - Bonnaroo Picks

Billboard's Bonnaroo crew picks some special faves to watch from the festival's seemingly endless lineup:

Bright Eyes
Bright Eyes singer and songwriter Conor Oberst, known for his rough voice and poignant lyrics, has recently taken an unexpected turn toward the mainstream. He and his varying cast of musical comrades started hitting the talk show circuit and were included on the MTV2-televised Shortlist Awards in 2003. In October 2004, his strongly voiced views got him an invite on the politically charged Bruce Springsteen and R.E.M. tour of "swing states" prior to the presidential election, cementing his reputation as an important musical presence.
In the past few years, Oberst has regularly released new material for collaborative EPs, tribute albums and charity records. Early 2005 brought two concurrent releases on the independent Saddle Creek label: "I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning" and "Digital Ash in a Digital Urn." They feature guest vocals by artists such as Jason Boesel of Rilo Kiley and Nick Zinner of Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Bright Eyes is currently touring Canada with select U.S. stops. - Rachel Surwit
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Cat Power
Notorious for her unpredictable live performances, eccentric singer/songwriter Chan Marshall, aka Cat Power, brings a soulful vibe to her latest album, "The Greatest," released in January via Matador. On the album, and in her live shows, she is backed by members of the Memphis Rhythm Band, including Al Green's guitarist and songwriting partner Mabon "Teenie" Hodges, drummer Steve Potts and pedal steel player Doug Easley. "The Greatest" proved to be a commercial breakthrough, peaking at No. 34 on The Billboard 200 and at No. 1 on Top Independent Albums.
"The Greatest" is Cat Power's second album recorded in Memphis, her first being 1996's "What Would the Community Think?" (Matador). The singer's emotionally unsettling, often heartbreaking songs have continually received high acclaim, most notably after the 2003 release "You Are Free" (Matador), which peaked at No. 105 on The Billboard 200 and at No. 2 on Top Independent Albums. - Jill Menze
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Dios Malos
Take a band named Dios, add the word Malos, and you've got a recipe for potential success. California's Dios was formed in 2002 by guitarists/vocalists Kevin and Joel Morales, bassist John Paul Caballero, keyboardist Jimmy Cabeza DeVaca and drummer Jackie Monzon.
They blossomed from humble beginnings in Caballero's basement, releasing the "Arboles" EP in late 2003 on Dim Mak. Dios was tagged one of NME's 50 bands to watch in 2004. They released a self-titled, full-length debut on Star Time Records shortly after. In summer 2004, guitarist Ronnie James Dio served Dios with a cease and desist order, forcing the band to add Malos to its name. They released their second album under the Dios Malos name in fall 2005. - Rachel Surwit
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Shooter Jennings
Southern rocker Shooter Jennings will play Bonnaroo in support of his latest album, "Electric Rodeo," released April 4 on Universal South Records. The son of country greats Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter, Shooter grew up surrounded by music, spending much of his childhood on a tour bus.
Following in his family's footsteps, Shooter picked up a guitar by age 14. He soon developed a taste for the harder rock of Guns N' Roses. After moving from Nashville to L.A., he formed the rock band Stargunn, which built a local reputation for its live shows. After about seven years, he left Stargunn and returned to his roots by forming a new country project. Shooter and his new band released "Put the 'O' Back in Country" on Universal South Records in 2005. "Electric Rodeo," which peaked at No. 64 on The Billboard 200, was actually recorded before "Put the 'O' Back in Country." - Jill Menze
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Bettye LaVette
Singer Bettye LaVette's deep soulful voice has connected with listeners for over 40 years. With a new record company, new band and the release of her new album, "A Woman Like Me," LaVette is enjoying a second coming.
At 16, she cut her first set for the Lupine label, catching the attention of Atlantic Records. After signing with Atlantic, she scored a Billboard top 10 R&B hit with her debut single "My Man-He's a Loving Man." Other hits followed and LaVette even had a stint in the Broadway musical "Bubbling Brown Sugar."
LaVette recently issued two new albums: "A Woman Like Me," released by the Blues Express label in 2003 followed by "I've Got My Own Hell to Raise" in 2005 on the Anti label. After a stop at Bonnaroo, LaVette heads to Europe, but will be back in August for more U.S. tour dates. - Rachel Surwit
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Magic Numbers
At a time when many British bands are striving to get the attention of U.S. audiences, the Magic Numbers' harmonized homespun hippie pop stands out. The long-haired London quartet consists of singer-songwriter Romeo Stodart, drummer Sean, Romeo's sister Michele on bass and Sean's sister Angela on percussion and melodica. The group signed with the U.K.-based Heavenly Records in 2004 and released its self-titled debut the following year. After Bonnaroo the foursome heads to Europe and the U.K. - Rachel Surwit
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Stephen Malkmus
The heyday of seminal '90s rock group Pavement may have been short-lived, but former frontman Stephen Malkmus has managed to keep his songwriting genius alive. His third solo effort, "Face the Truth," was released in May 2005 via Matador, and fans can catch Malkmus and backing band, the Jicks, on stage this summer at Bonnaroo.
After Pavement disbanded in 1999, Malkmus debuted as a solo artist in 2001 with a self-titled set on Matador. The album peaked at No. 124 on The Billboard 200 and at No. 5 on the Top Independent Albums chart. His darker follow-up, the 2003 release "Pig Lip," climbed to No. 97 on The Billboard 200. On "Face the Truth," which peaked at No. 118, Malkmus returned to a more lighthearted sound, reminiscent of Pavement's 1995 release, "Wowee Zowee." - Jill Menze
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My Morning Jacket
Louisville, Ky., rock act My Morning Jacket is returning to Bonnaroo, bringing the band's recognizable reverb and Jim James' haunting voice to the festival for the fourth year in a row.
In October, the band released its fourth album, "Z" (ATO), which peaked at No. 67 on The Billboard 200. "Z" marked My Morning Jacket's return as a five-piece, with keyboardist Bo Koster and guitarist Carl Broemel coming on board after the departure of Johnny Quaid (guitar) and Danny Cash (keyboards) in January 2004. The success of "Z" followed the band's first major label release, 2003's "It Still Moves" (ATO), which peaked at No. 121 on The Billboard 200 and at No. 2 on the Top Heatseekers chart. - Jill Menze
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Grace Potter & the Nocturnals
The young band Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, is gaining national attention with its eclectic blend of rock, roots, funky blues and gospel. The soulful vocals of the 22-year-old Grace Potter, who also plays the piano, acoustic guitar and Hammond B-3, is blended with the melody by Scott Tournet (guitar/slide guitar), Matthew Burr (drums/percussion) and Bryan Dondero (upright/electric bass).
The group recorded a self-released debut album, "Original Soul," in 2003 while attending St. Lawrence University in Northern New York. Next, they returned to their home state of Vermont and Dondero replaced the original bassist, initiating a growth spurt.
In 2005, they came out with the latest album, "Nothing but the Water," released through the band's own imprint Ragged Company Records. It has a warm nostalgic quality stemming from the band's desire to create a '70's ambiance. After Bonnaroo, the quartet continues to tour across the U.S. promoting their new album. - Rachel Surwit

Son Volt
Jay Farrar and a revamped Son Volt popped back onto the alt-country scene last July with the issue of "Okemah and the Melody of Riot" (Legacy). The group was formed in 1994 after the breakup of Uncle Tupelo, Farrar's outfit with Jeff Tweedy. Son Volt went on an unofficial hiatus after its third album, 1998's "Wide Swing Tremolo," which peaked at No. 93 on The Billboard 200. The next seven years saw Farrar pursing a solo career, with three albums on which he explored a more experimental sound.
Now with a brand new lineup featuring Farrar, drummer Dave Bryson, bassist Andrew Duplantis and guitarist Brad Rice, Son Volt is staying hard at work. The band's next album is due Spring 2007, and "6 String Belief," a performance DVD from the Orange Peel in Asheville, N.C., was released on May 23. - Jill Menze
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