Son Volt

Son Volt
Son Volt playing at Wakarusa in 2005
Background information
Origin Belleville, IL, United States
Genres Alternative Rock, Alternative Country, Blues, Americana.
Years active 1994–present
Labels Transmit Sound/Legacy
Warner Bros. Nashville
Associated acts Uncle Tupelo, Blood Oranges
Website Official website
Members Jay Farrar
Andrew Duplantis
Jacob Edwards
Chris Frame
Mark Spencer
Past members Mike Heidorn
Dave Boquist
Jim Boquist
Eric Heywood
Brad Rice
Derry deBorja
Chris Masterson
Dave Bryson
Gary Hunt

Son Volt is an American alternative rock and alternative country band, formed by Jay Farrar in 1994 after the breakup of Uncle Tupelo.

History

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.

Early albums

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.

Hiatus and return

Farrar announced a hiatus from Son Volt 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, Farrar and the other band members abruptly ended negotiations.[1] 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,[2] in 2005. 2006 saw the release of a live DVD called Six String Belief, which was recorded at The Orange Peel in Asheville, NC. In 2007 the band released a studio album called The Search. American Central Dust followed, released by Rounder Records on July 7, 2009. Honky Tonk was released March 5, 2013 also by Rounder Records. A large scale tour followed the release of the album.[3] On February 17, 2017, the band released Notes of Blue on Farrar's label, Transmit Sound.

Musical style

Son Volt's music ranges from quiet folk/country ballads reminiscent of Bob Dylan's John Wesley Harding, to barhouse rockers in the spirit of Neil Young with Crazy Horse. Often considered a staple band of the alternative country movement, their music is perhaps better described as genre-spanning traditional American music.

Members

Current members[4]

Former members

  • Mike Heidorn (drums), formerly of Uncle Tupelo (Original member of Son Volt)
  • Dave Boquist (banjo, fiddle, guitar, lap steel) (Original member of Son Volt)
  • Jim Boquist (bass guitar, backing vocals) (Original member of Son Volt)
  • Eric Heywood (mandolin, pedal steel)
  • Brad Rice (guitar on Okemah and the Melody of Riot, The Search)
  • Derry deBorja (keyboards on The Search)
  • Chris Masterson (guitar on American Central Dust)
  • Gary Hunt (guitar, mandolin, steel guitar on Honky Tonk)
  • Dave Bryson (drums on Okemah and the Melody of Riot, The Search, American Central Dust, Honky Tonk)
  • Jason Kardong (pedal steel on Notes of Blue)

Discography

References

  1. ↑ Jake Brown. "Son Volt Reforms and Returns to the Studio". Glorious Noise. Retrieved 2015-12-02.
  2. ↑ Author Interviews. "Son Volt Is Back: 'Okemah and the Melody of Riot' : World Cafe". NPR. Retrieved 2015-12-02.
  3. ↑ "Official Son Volt site". SonVolt.net. Retrieved 2015-12-02.
  4. ↑ Brock Thiessen. "Son Volt Return with New Album 'Notes of Blue'". Exclaim!. Retrieved 2016-11-25.
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