Tokai-SA
Two of the best.
Look out for South Africas own Robin Gallagher (Fender SA), he's putting a band back together.
Robin can play with the best of the Nashville boys, he's that good.
Bob-Dubery
I don't know why folks are surprised when some hot player or other turns up in country music ? Country is loaded with hot players, and I don't just mean the sort of pop/AOR Country that Urban and Paisley represent. On the occcasions when I find myself having to watch the Grammies or something similar I sort of nod and hum at the hip-hop and rock acts but I always watch the country guys because I know there's going to be good vocals and excellent playing. If there's somebody like Alison Krauss and Union Station on then I might even put my beer down.
Krauss is really bluegrass, though she cuts more commercial stuff on the records to keep the rent paid. She also has a wide range and can stroll away from her bluesgrass comfort zone and perform convincingly (see "Raising Sand"). She's a fab fiddle player, and Union Station (headed up by the excellent Jerry Douglas) are a very serious proposition.
Guys like Ricky Skaggs and Tim O'Brien are multiple threats - high skill levels on several instruments, good singers, good songwriters.
Every now and then Hugh Cummings will sit me down, hand me a beer and show me his latest DVD purchases - always from the country/bluegrass corner of the musical universe. It's always a long parade of guys I've never heard of (Hugh has, he knows that stuff really well) and who all play really well.
