Stranger in My Land

The beauty of music can transcend language, culture, class, and most other categorizations. Roger Knox is an Australian country singer known as the Black Elvis and the Koori King of Country; he was born as part of the Gamilaroi group and raised in the Toomelah Aboriginal Mission near Boggabilla. Stranger in My Land features songs written by Aborigine artists, some never previously recorded but handed down through the oral tradition. Chicago's Pine Valley Cosmonauts serve as the backing band, with guest vocal and instrumental performances from Kelly Hogan ("Blue Gums Calling Me Back Home," "Took the Children Away"), Andre Williams ("Stranger in My Country"), Dave Alvin ("Land Where the Crow Flies Backwards"), and even Charlie Louvin in what might be his last recording ("Ticket to Nowhere"). It all makes this a special collaboration between two hemispheres of culture. The result is true traditional country music as it was played throughout the '50s, with classic instrumentation and a narrative feel that's timeless and compelling.