The winner of the 1996 Song of the Year Award from Farm Journal for "A Clean Mind and Dirty Hands," honky tonk singer Billy Montana's compositions reflect the inspiration of working-man champions like Merle Haggard. Montana grew up near Albany, NY, listening to Haggard and George Jones as well as the Eagles and the Doobie Brothers. He attended Cornell University, but later drifted to Nashville to make it in the country industry. Signed to Magnatone Records in 1994, Montana released his debut album No Yesterday in 1995. ~ John Bush