Sharon Little had been making ends meet as a waitress in a Philadelphia-area when she scored a record deal with CBS Records in early 2008 . Now it’s time with her debut album, Perfect Time For A Breakdown, released on May 27. Having just completed her album, Sharon has already been chosen by Robert Plant, Alison Krauss and T Bone Burnett to open 24 shows on their upcoming Raising Sand North American Tour.

Little has earned goods critics for her independent recordings, including this rave from Los Angeles area critic Roy Trakin: “[Little possesses] a sultry croon capable of soothing, arousing or exploding into a Janis Joplin-esque howl when you least expect it….By all rights, Little should be a big star.” Helen Leicht of influential Philadelphia radio station WXPN wrote of a recent live performance, “What soul! You always hope to be that moved by a concert.” Such, Sharon has the most incredible voice you have heard in a very long time. Modern, eclectic music that covers every type of genre imaginable. Bluegrass, country, soul, pop, you name it and she covers it.

With Don’t Do Anything, Sam Phillips‘ third album for Nonesuch Records, the songwriter has struck out on her own with a work that’s among her most challenging to date, and it reveals that she’s held on to the gifts that have made her one of the most rewarding singer/songwriters of her generation while adding fresh accents as she follows her muse with commendable courage and clarity.

Musically, these 12 originals slot in neatly alongside the intimate grooves of Fan Dance and 2004’s A Boot And A Shoe, they introduce an important new wrinkle. Written entirely by Phillips, for the first time since 1987, Phillips went with a producer other than her longtime creative foil (and now ex-husband) T Bone Burnett: Herself.

In 2006, after eight years of fronting the critically acclaimed Colorado-based band, Newcomers Home, and releasing her first solo record, Watch Them Fall, as a side project—singer/songwriter Katie Herzig retreated to the solitude of her bedroom studio. There, she single-handedly recorded and produced Weightless, a tour-de-force of innovative sonics and songwriting whose tracks have been prominently featured on NPR, KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic, E.R., Smallville, and, most recently, on two episodes of television’s highest-rated drama, Grey’s Anatomy.

Following the release of Weightless, Herzig left Colorado for Nashville and immediately started to catch the attention of other artists. Her song “Heaven’s My Home” received a 2007 Grammy nomination for best country performance by The Duhks. She was also invited to open shows for The Fray and join PASTE Magazine and American Songwriter Magazine sponsored tours.

Performing Songwriter Magazine wrote, “Katie Herzig possesses gravity-defying powers on her latest release, balancing heavy and mournful lyrics with light pop melodies that bounce and float into the stratosphere.” PASTE Magazine’s Jason Killingsworth said, “Katie Herzig has a whimsical side that I love. Her music doesn’t take itself too seriously, and the lyrics always [have] a sharp emotional edge to them. I’m a huge fan.”

And now, on May 13, 2008, Katie Herzig’s fans can expect her most adventurous and satisfying album yet: Apple Tree.