Whiskeytown

Whiskeytown started in Raleigh, North Carolina in 1994. Ryan Adams formed the band after performing in The Patty Duke Syndrome (a punk rock band). Adams left the band for he was starting to find inspiration in country-rock music such as Gram Parsons. He started the band with Caitlin Cary (Violin), Steve Grothman (Bass), Eric Gilmoore (drummer), and Phil Wandscber (Guitar).

The band released their first album Faithless Street in 1996.
This album established the band as one of the prominent leaders in the Alt. Country scene and received stellar reviews. The album was re-released with 12 bonus tracks in 1998.

Their next album was entitled Stranger’s Almanac. This album. During the recording of Almanac, members Gilmore and Grothman left the band and Wandscher left after the release of the album. Even with the band’s internal turmoil the album was a critical success and helped boost Adams’ reputation as a songwriter. The tracks “Yesterday’s News” and “Sixteen Days” even saw radio play. In Rolling Stone magazine’s review of Almanac they declared Whiskeytown Alt. Country’s Nirvana. During the band’s tour in support of this album the entire band was fired at a Kansas City concert. Adams and Cary were the only original members left.

In 1999 Adam’s and Cary set out to record another album with new core members. The result of this was the album Pneumonia. Pneumonia is different then their other releases for the traditional country aspects that were prominent on those two releases are left off this outing. Even though the album was finished in 1999 it was not released until 2001 because of the group’s record label (Outpost Records) closing and merging with Polygram and Universal.

Whiskeytown broke-up in 1999 after they finished recording Pneumonia. Both Adams and Cary remained in the music business with each pre suing solo carriers.