12B: Whiskeytown
Whiskeytown was an alternative-country band formed in Raleigh, North Carolina in 1994. (Question 1 – What major university is in Raleigh, North Carolina? All answers below.)
“Alternative country” is a phrase used to describe music that is a hybrid of country and other styles – mainly rock. (Question 2 – What’s a “hybrid”?) Whiskeytown played country music – they had steel guitars and fiddles. But they also liked punk bands like the Replacements and X.
The leader of the band was Ryan Adams. He was 20 when they formed. The other primary member was Caitlin Cary, who played fiddle and sang harmony.
That’s Caitlin Cary in the dress, and Ryan Adams in the tie.
Before Whiskeytown, Ryan was in a punk band called the Patty Duke Syndrome. Here’s a grainy video from one of their performances. Rough, isn’t it?
Now, here’s Whiskeytown with a traditional country sound. It’s the opposite of his punk band. It’s quiet, slower paced, and thoughtful. Note the fiddle and steel guitar. The lyrics paint a picture: “Well I found a bunch of letters that were written for the fellow who broke your mamma’s heart. And the envelope folds smelled of her ancient perfume.”
Did you notice Ryan’s hair? Punk rock. Did you notice his cowboy boots? Country. He’s both.
Now, check out this song, “Yesterday’s News.” This is the other end of Whiskeytown’s spectrum — like a blend of country and punk. (Fun fact: Some people call this blend “cow-punk.” That makes for a fun picture to draw.) Start at 18:55.
In 1999, several bands made a tribute album to the Knitters. (Remember them? That’s X’s country project.) A “tribute album” is when an artist records an album of another artist’s songs. It’s a sign of respect. For the Knitters tribute, Whiskeytown did “Silver Wings.” That song was first done by Merle Haggard. Here’s the original. Can you imagine X or Whiskeytown singing this?
Ryan Adams is very prolific. (Question 3 — What’s “prolific”?) Here’s a short interview about how he does it. Plus, can you imagine being a musician and having hearing problems?
Answers:
1 — Raleigh is the home of North Carolina State University.
2 — A “hybrid” is a blend, or a combination.
3 — “Prolific” means someone works quickly. Some artists take a few years to make an album. Ryan sometimes makes two or three per year.