Song:16 Days
Album:Strangers Almanac
Ryan Adams is one of today's most popular singer songwriters. But back in the 90s, he led Whiskeytown. Whiskeytown was an excellent country rock band that was ultimately a failure due to Adams mercurial personality that caused personnel changes and record company politics that forced Adams to go solo. Adams played in rock bands as a teen. But then he started listening to Gram Parsons and got interested in country rock. He met violinist Caitlin Cary and they started Whiskeytown with drummer Eric Gilmore, bassist Steve Grothman and guitarist Phil Wandscher. They released the 1995 CD Faithless Street independently. It got great reviews and earned them a record deal with Geffen Records. By the time Whiskeytown's 1997 major label debut Strangers Almanac was released, Gilmore, Grothman and Wandscher left and were replaced by a revolving door of musicians. It got so bad Adams considered dissolving Whiskeytown and signing a solo deal with A & M Records. Adams, Caitlin Cary and the new members went on tour. When the tour was finished, Adams, Cary and newcomer Mike Daly were the only survivors. Whiskeytown recorded their third CD Pneumonia in 1999. But it was shelved due to management changes at Geffen related to Universal's 1998 purchase of PolyGram. The CD was eventually released on Universal's Lost Highway label in 2001. But by that time, Adams disbanded Whiskeytown and went solo. He's a big star now. Caitlin Cary has recorded 3CDs and is currently a member of the group The Small Ponds. The two have discussed a Whiskeytown reunion but it has yet to happen. Adams still performs 16 Days on his shows. Here's Whiskeytown performing 16 Days on Austin City Limits Jan. 1998.
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