Well, not to burst your bubble or anything, but Rhett Miller has been around for years in the Ol' 57s. He was Neil Finn's opening act for Neil's last US tour. Lucinda Williams has been around a long time, too. I bought the Lucinda Williams album everyone that's heard of her bought - "Car Wheels on a Gravel Road" - when it came out.
So what's this about "pioneer" vs "sheep?"
How about some real (very talented) nobodies?
Michael Miller Crusade or
Joe Ongie