If heroes and heroines of rock ‘n’ roll are defined by their uniqueness, they definitely broke the mold when they made Tara Nevins. The classically-trained fiddle maestro, accordionist and rubboard player is a founding member of the jamband favorite Donna the Buffalo, with whom she's toured for going on 22 years. Twelve years ago, she released her first solo album, “Mule to Ride,” a collection of traditional old-time and bluegrass tunes featuring her thrilling fiddle prowess and a host of A-list guest artists that included Ralph Stanley and Paul Brown. Now, to her fans' great excitement, Nevins has released her long-awaited second solo album, “Wood and Stone,” produced by the much-sought-after Larry Campbell, whose credits include such luminaries as Bob Dylan and Levon Helm.

Featuring guest performances by Jim Lauderdale, Allison Moorer, Teresa Williams and Levon Helm, “Wood and Stone” features songs penned by Nevins, and is far more diverse and personal than her first solo effort, with many of the songs exploring relationships past and present. Musically, it weaves old-time music, bluegrass, Cajun, Zydeco, country and gospel into a blend so palatable it's almost pop music. But it is far more substantial than your average pop, and features great singing and playing on songs like “You're Still Driving That Truck,” “Tennessee River,” “What Money Cannot Buy,” “Snowbird,” and the title cut which opens the album and starts it off with a bang.

The lead single from the album, one of the two covers included, is “Stars Fell On Alabama,” a song originally released by Guy Lombardo and later performed by more than a hundred artists. Nevins has put her stamp on it, adding new music and lyrics and making it her own. Closing the album is a heartfelt take on Van Morrison's “Beauty of Days Gone By,” so lovingly performed by Nevins that it compels one to anticipate the beauty of days to come, listening to more wonderful music from this heroine of today's music scene.