Michael Hearne's new CD "Sight & Sound" is setting the music and art worlds on fire. It swept top honors at the New Mexico Music Industry's Micline awards winning the Best Album, Best Song, Packaging and Design, Original Arrangement and Country Production of the Year awards. "Sight & Sound" is a unique concept album pairing Hearne's original compositions about pieces of art by Northern New Mexico's finest artists with a twenty-eight page booklet included in the packaging with gorgeous high quality reproductions of the art facing a page with the lyrics to the song written about it. Texas native Hearne rocketed into the vibrant Northern New Mexico music scene from the late 1970's Austin music scene and immediately joined forces with numerous other musical luminaries including Michael Martin Murphey and Tish Hinojosa, becoming an integral part of Murphey's band. Hearne's original songs have been recorded by Jerry Jeff Walker, Gary P. Nunn, (Lesson to Be Learned from Love) Johnny Rodriguez , Bill and Bonnie Hearne (New Mexico Rain). Although perhaps best known as the leader of the eclectic dance band South by Southwest and as a solo performer, Hearne is also currently leading the Sight & Sound band. Whether performing solo or leading a band he never plays to less than a full house and the dance floor is always packed. One of the reasons that people flock to the venues and dance at Hearne's solo performances is his guitar mastery. His playing sounds like he has two right hands. If you've got to hear it to believe it, check out his solo disc "Me and My Guitar." It will make a believer out of you. Michael Hearne's voice is down home with a universal feel. He touches emotions with his voice because it's unique, distinct, gentle, yet penetrating. His voice is like a bell. It rings. Mike is the Voice of the West. He is a professional showman in the true respect. From the stage he quickly establishes a personal and intimate rapport with the audience. During breaks between sets he ambles through the crowd speaking with the people who came to hear him play. By the end of every evening each individual member of the audience feels as if he or she knows Mike personally, and even more that he is an old friend. You can say all that you want to about the award winning packaging and concept of Michael Hearne's CD "Sight & Sound" but when you push play, it's all about the music.