Mike Collins is the Public Address announcer for Notre Dame Football. He was inducted into the Notre Dame Monogranm Club in this his 25th season. He also is a news anchor in South Bend.

I have agonized all year over my Top Ten list. Now I know what it must be like to be in a fantasy football league. At various times I had seven CD's listed as my best of the year.
Also, I decided not to be hip and pick a couple that all the big time reviewers are picking (Artic Monkeys) and just go with what I like and keep playing over and over. One of the best developments this year is the issuing of combined CD's and DVD and that really impresssed me. Good value, good music. So, here is my list of the ten best of the year with the first seven hitting number one at some time.

Tom Waits.....Orphans (Brawlers, Bawlers and Bastards).
These are extras, leftovers? Please! Tom Waits is the most unique musician in the Americana landscape and the second disc (Bawlers) ranks with his very best. His version of Goodnight Irene may be the new standard.

Bruce Springsteen and the Seeger Sessions Band...We Shall Overcome (American Land Edition).
If you missed the tour, then shame on you. It was Bruce at his best with a band that somehow meshed right out of the shute. The Cleveland show ranks as one of the best Bruce shows I have ever seen. This CD, with a short DVD captures some of that incredible spirit. No wonder he finished the tour with four shows in Ireland, any good Irish bar band would be proud.

Badly Drawn Boy....Born in the U.K.
BDB will never live up to the expectations of his European fan base but he exceeded mine. This is a fine example of tying a CD from end to end and this one ends with a beauty...One Last Dance. It is important to listen to it in total several times and then it seems to just get better. And if that doesn't work out we can just listen to Thunder Road.

Reckless Kelly...Reckless Kelly was Here
The best live CD/DVD of the year. You can feel the sweat and smell the beer. Go straight to the DVD and get the women and children out of the house and turn it up. Real rock and roll is coming from the Austin alternate country crowd and these guys are among the best. And fellas admit it, you would just like once in your life to be lead singer/guitar player Willy Braun. There is a reason all those good looking babes are in front of the stage.

Matthew Ryan.....From a Late Night High Rise.
Every CD Matthew has turned out is great. Another artist (like Marah) said to be "Springsteen like." That has become a kiss of death even though MR really does follow in the footsteps. If you like this make sure you get his first release "May Day."

Bob Dylan...Modern Times
Only Dylan could make it this easy. Terrific voyage through any number of American music genres. I really think he did this to mirror what he does on his radio show "Theme Time Radio Hour with Bob Dylan" (XM). The show is the best thing to happen to radio since Allen Freed. Thanks Bob for everything you have done for us!

Willie Nile...Streets of New York.
This was the first release of the year to make it my number one. When people go through my CD drawers Willie is one of those artist where some say "who is this guy." This guy ranks with the very best of the New York/Jersey troubadors. Streets of New York is also theme based and needs to be played from start to finish. If still available please find his early release "Golden Down."

Bottle Rockets....Zoysia and BR Live in Heilbronn Germany.
Both released in 06 and nice companions. The Rockets are the best bar band in America that actually has a recording contract. I saw them this Summer at Schuba's and they lived up to my expectations. I assume many of you reading this are from Indiana, so please don't miss "Indianapolis." And as I live and breathe I once spent a very long day with "a guy named Joe who gave me a tow." It was in Chesterton but I lived the BR Indianapolis experience.

Tom Russell...Love and Fear.
Why does it take a Canadian to tell us the truth about our own people who are down and out? Please get his retrospecitve "Raw Visions." I grew up with dozens of familys who were screwed by the steel industry and a number of artists (Bruce's Youngstown stands out) have told their stories but none better than Tom's "U.S Steel" about the biggest screw job of all (twice actually if you count Andrew Carnegie having the workers shot to death by his thugs). Russell now often tells stories of our most recent immigrants and his song, available on a hard to find EP, Who is Going to Build Your Wall pretty much puts the debate in perspective.

Jerry Lee Lewis...Last man Standing.
Wow! Once The killer always The Killer. I usually bypass any and all collaborations but this one is done just right. Every guest artist knows his and her (one her, Delaney Bramlett) role. Jerry Lee is king and you are his people.And, yes, who would have ever thought of that original Sun Records group, Jerry Lee would be the last man standing? A testiment to bad living gone good.

So those are my ten and, no, I do not feel guilty about not having a woman on the list. Shit happens once in a while.

Cover Artwork of the Year.....Real Live Roadrunning, Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris.

Best CD to Play at Your Funeral....Johnny Cash..American V A Hundred Highways

Biggest Disappointment of the Year...The Who....whatever the hell it was titled.

Best Thing That Happened to me this Year.....my son Matthew graduating from Notre Dame. He did it on his own and now I have two sons that I admire and look up to.

Coolest Thing for me this year......going to the Super Bowl and seeing the Steelers win one for the thumb.