Fifty years ago, a little river town in Alabama became a hotbed of musical activity, producing a string of classic recordings and establishing a reputation for greatness that still holds today.

Our February cover star is a British singer/songwriter who proves on her latest album, Blood, that a few basic ingredients—if prepared properly—can be enough to capture an admiring audience.

We continue our Music of the States series with a look at one of the musical meccas of the Midwest, famous for its role in developing many artists and styles.