"Sonny Boy" by Owsley

How Will Owsley III, known better as simply Owsley, never became a chart success I'll never know. Owsley was an uber-talented singer and songwriter who specialized in pop rock melodies that are just a joy to listen to again and again.

Owsley got his start in Judson Spence's band, but came into his own with the 90s power pop band called The Semantics, which also featured Ringo Starr's son. The band was terrific but their music did not fit with the times. 

Owsley then went solo, releasing his first self-titled effort in 1999 to critical acclaim but into a commercial abyss. "Sonny Boy" is just a taste of wonderful stuff from this record, which includes other highlights like "Coming Up Roses" and "Good Old Days."

Starting in 1994, Owsley also became a longtime player with superstars Amy Grant and Shania Twain. He still found time to release a second solo record in 2004 called "The Hard Way" (be sure not to overlook "Undone" and his version of Paul McCartney's "Band On The Run"). Sadly, he died from an apparent suicide in 2010 at the age of 44.