James Sasser always seemed to transcend the typical country stereotype. There are no pickup trucks here; there are, however, plenty of broken hearts. What sets Sasser apart, as far as my limited experience with country music can tell, is that Sasser doesn’t write country songs. He writes your standard rock tune but puts it to a country sound.

I met a shorter-haired James Sasser (second from the right) at a friend’s party in Portland a few years back. After imbibing a bit, a group of us went to a small rock-a-billy bar and watched him play. I picked up a copy of his album, Southside of Sorrow, that evening. It was an excellent mix of folk and country. Now Sasser fronts a new group – one not named after him. That group is Lostine.