After touring in support of their 1993 masterpiece Anodyne, the seminal alternative country band Uncle Tupelo split up over long-simmering creative differences between co-leaders Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy. Tweedy recruited much of the band to form Wilco, while Farrar teamed up with original Tupelo drummer Mike Heidorn to form Son Volt, the more tradition-minded of the two Tupelo offshoots. Joined by brothers Jim (bass) and Dave Boquist (guitar, fiddle, banjo, fiddle, steel guitar), the band signed to Warner Brothers and released its debut album, Trace, in 1995. It was greeted with excellent reviews from most critics, offering a set of stark, subtle, mostly downbeat songs that drew from traditional country, folk, and roots rock. The single "Drown" was successful on both college and rock radio, and the band subsequently added unofficial fifth member Eric Heywood on mandolin and pedal steel for its second album. 1997's Straightaways mined territory similar to Trace and again received positive reviews, though some found Farrar's lack of creative progression troubling. 1998's Wide Swing Tremolo was a somewhat harder-rocking affair, but the erosion of critical support for the group continued. They ended up on an unofficial hiatus (rumors of their breakup were denied), and Farrar debuted as a solo artist with 2001's Sebastopol, putting the future of Son Volt in further doubt. He continued with his solo career throughout 2002 and 2003, and in 2005 Rhino issued Retrospective: 1995-2000. But Son Volt wasn't over. Farrar revived the nameplate in July 2005 with the issue of Okemah and the Melody of Riot (Legacy). For the album, recorded in St. Louis, Farrar was joined by drummer Dave Bryson, bassist Andrew DuPlantis, and ex-Backsliders guitarist Brad Rice. Search arrived in early 2007. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
The group formed after Farrar met Jim and Dave Boquist during the final Uncle Tupelo tour. Together with former Uncle Tupelo drummer Mike Heidorn, the band rehearsed and recorded in the Minneapolis area in late 1994. The group performed its first concert at the 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis on June 16, 1995. While half of the band was rooted in the Minneapolis area, Farrar and Heidorn lived in the St. Louis area, and the band used both cities as bases for its operations during the first couple of years.
Hiatus & Return
Son Volt was dropped from their record label contract with Warner Bros. Records, and announced a hiatus after their 1999 tour. Beginning in 2001, Jay Farrar released several solo efforts that postponed further releases from Son Volt. Farrar reformed with the original members of Son Volt to record a song for a tribute album for Alejandro Escovedo. The sessions reportedly went so well that Farrar and the other band members intended to record once again in the autumn of 2004. Just prior to the sessions, however, negotiations with the other bands members apparently reached a standstill when they refused to show up to the planned recording session that Farrar had arranged. Having already booked studio time, Farrar formed a new version of the band with a different line-up and released an album on Transmit Sound/Sony Legacy, Okemah and the Melody of Riot.[1], in 2005. 2006 saw the release of a live CD and DVD called Six String Belief. In 2007 the band released a studio album called The Search. A new Son Volt album, American Central Dust, was released by Rounder Records on July 7, 2009.[2]
Son Volt's first album, Trace, met with critical acclaim and topped many "best-of" lists in 1995, despite not being a large commercial success. Two follow-up albums (1997's Straightaways and 1998's Wide Swing Tremolo) continued in the same vein. A Retrospective: 1995-2000, released in 2005, gathered highlights from this era, along with previously unreleased recordings.
The new Son Volt line-up began touring March 26, 2007, in support of their album 'The Search,' which was released March 6, 2007 on Transmit Sound/Legacy. Credits for the new album include Jay Farrar (vocal, guitar, piano), Dave Bryson (drums), Derry deBorja (keyboards), Andrew Duplantis (bass, backing vocals) and Brad Rice (guitar). Bryson and Duplantis played with the Meat Puppets, first as the Royal Neanderthal Orchestra. Lead guitarist and former member of Jack Ingram's band Chris Masterson replaces Brad Rice as the touring guitarist on the 2007 tour. Mark Spencer, formerly of Blood Oranges and the touring guitarist for many Jay Farrar solo shows, joined Son Volt in 2008 as a keyboardist and steel guitar player.
