Diamonds in the Rough (Warner Western, 1997)

There's a saying that love is blind. Well, this blind couple from the Southwest sure have lots of love, starting with their love for each other, heard in the sound of their sweet harmonies. Or their love for good music by the songs they choose to sing, like songs by Ian Tyson, Chris Hillman, and newer gems - John Egenes's "Muley Brown" or nephew Mike Hearne's "New Mexico Rain."

How about the love of their friends and admirers, like Nanci Griffith and Lyle Lovett, both of whom were influenced by seeing the Hearnes in Texas, and who return the favor by contributing songs and also singing "Going Back to Georgia" and "Walk Through the Bottomland" respectively and the likes of Jerry Jeff Walker, Tish Hinojosa, Christine Albert and Lloyd Maines. The Hearnes obviously love the Southwest that they call home, as can be heard throughout the songs, perfect for the Hearnes' two-stepping audiences. All of this love makes them and their music real, honest, and lets them shine, like diamonds in the rough.