The chances of catching Presley Haile at a venue as intimate as the Saxon again are likely pretty numbered. This month the Hamilton, TX, songwriter releases her second EP, Hamilton Honey: Part I, in preparation of her proper debut with Columbia Records. Last year’s Off to Find a Sunny Day introduced the 23-year-old’s confident country twang, coursing through strong, down-home narratives that wrestle against a restless pull and wistful nostalgia in her surprisingly mature songwriting. The young artist hearkens Nanci Griffith with a more contemporary sound. New singles like “Just Drivin’” and the just-released “Silver Promise” only further Haile’s powerful potential. – Doug Freeman
