Bible Belt

It's hard to imagine a more desirable item on a singer/songwriter's resume than growing up as the child of a traveling preacher, which is indeed Diane Birch's oft-repeated backstory. The most significant thing about Birch, though, is her love of late-'60s/early-'70s folk, pop, and soul, which comes through loud and clear on her debut album, BIBLE BELT. The singer/pianist's bell-clear voice tugs gently at your ear as her tunes echo the likes of Carole King, Elton John, and Carly Simon. The production team behind Joss Stone is at work here as well, and they know just how to make a roots-worshipping young woman sound totally contemporary.