Best Up-and-Coming Act

With White Elephant, Doris Henson became the natural beauty of the local glam-rock landscape, making a dazzling impression without cosmetics, costumes or chant-along choruses. Embracing Young Americans-era David Bowie's brass accents and sassy delivery while discarding the Thin White Duke's funk overtones, Doris Henson quickly became one of the area's most buzzed-about bands. However, it earned its reputation with songs Matt Dunnehoo penned during his stint in Proudentall. Its full-band efforts, unveiled in a string of increasingly sensational shows, magnify the strength of the debut disc. And this irresistible material will have decent distribution on a national scale when the record is released in early 2005, thanks to the band's recent move to Shiner's formidable former label, DeSoto.