David Ryan Adams (born November 5, 1974) is a
Grammy AwardThe Grammy Awards —or Grammys—are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States for outstanding achievements in the music industry...
-nominated American
alt-countryAlternative country is a term used to describe a number of country music subgenres that tend to differ from mainstream or pop country music. The term is sometimes known as alt-country and has included country music bands and artists that have incorporated influences ranging from American roots...
/
rockRock music is a genre of popular music that entered the mainstream in the 1960s. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, rhythm and blues, country music and also drew on folk music, jazz and classical music....
singer-songwriterA singer–songwriter is a musician who writes, composes and sings their own material including lyrics and melodies. They often provide the sole accompaniment to an entire composition or song, typically using a guitar or piano...
from
Jacksonville, North CarolinaJacksonville, North Carolina, is a city in Onslow County, North Carolina, United States. The 2008 estimated population was 76,233. It is the principal city of and is included in the Jacksonville, North Carolina metropolitan area. Jacksonville is the youngest city in the United States with an...
.
Initially a member of the group
WhiskeytownWhiskeytown was an alternative country band formed in Raleigh, North Carolina in 1994. Fronted by Ryan Adams, other members included Caitlin Cary, Phil Wandscher, Eric "Skillet" Gilmore, and Mike Daly...
, after three albums Adams went solo, releasing
HeartbreakerHeartbreaker is the debut studio album by alternative country musician Ryan Adams, released September 5, 2000. The album was recorded over fourteen days at Woodland Studios in Nashville, Tennessee. It was nominated for the 2001 Shortlist Music Prize...
in 2000. A longtime resident of New York City, Adams is probably best known for his song "New York, New York", which appeared on his 2001 release
GoldGold is the second studio album by Ryan Adams, released September 25, 2001. The album went on to sell 364,000 copies in the U.S. and 812,000 worldwide, Adams' best-selling album to date. Adams noted that "with Gold, I was trying to prove something to myself...
. He has since released five more solo albums and three albums with backing band, The Cardinals. His most recent album,
CardinologyCardinology is the tenth studio album by Ryan Adams, and his fifth album with The Cardinals, released on October 28, 2008. This album completes Adams' contract with Lost Highway....
, was released on October 28, 2008.
Adams has also produced albums by
Jesse MalinJesse Malin is a rock musician. He has played for various bands during their career such as Heart Attack as well as D Generation. He is currently a solo recording artist.-Biography:...
and
Willie NelsonWillie Hugh Nelson is an American country singer-songwriter, author, poet, actor and activist. He reached his greatest fame during the outlaw country movement of the 1970s, but remains iconic, especially in American popular culture.He has continued to tour, record and perform in recent years, and...
and contributed to the albums of various artists, including:
Toots & the MaytalsToots and the Maytals, originally called simply The Maytals, are a Jamaican musical group and one of the best known ska and reggae vocal groups. According to Sandra Brennan at Allmusic, "The Maytals were key figures in reggae music...
,
Beth OrtonElizabeth Caroline Orton, commonly known as Beth Orton, , is a BRIT Award–winning English singer-songwriter. Known for her "folktronica" sound, which mixes elements of folk and electronica, she was initially recognised for her collaborations with William Orbit and the Chemical Brothers in the mid...
, ,
Minnie DriverMinnie Driver is an English actress and singer-songwriter. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the 1997 film Good Will Hunting.-Early life:...
,
Counting CrowsCounting Crows is a rock band originating from Berkeley, California. The group gained popularity in 1994 following the release of its debut album August and Everything After, which featured the hit single "Mr. Jones". The band's influences include Van Morrison, R.E.M., Mike & The Mechanics,...
,
AmericaAmerica is an English-American folk rock musical band, composed originally of members Gerry Beckley, Dewey Bunnell, and Dan Peek. The three members were barely past their teenage years when they became a musical sensation during 1972, with their main popularity during the early to mid 1970s and...
and
Cowboy JunkiesCowboy Junkies are a Canadian alternative rock band. The group was formed in Toronto in 1985 by Michael , Margo and Peter Timmins , and Alan Anton ....
. He also appeared on
CMT Crossroads with
Elton JohnSir Elton Hercules John, CBE is an English singer-songwriter, composer and pianist.In his four-decade career, John has sold more than 200 million records, making him one of the most successful artists of all time. His single, Candle in the Wind 1997, has sold over 37 million copies, becoming the...
.
In early 2009 Adams left The Cardinals and announced that he was taking an indefinite hiatus from music.
Adams has written two books of short stories and poems, entitled
Infinity BluesInfinity Blues is a book of free verse poetry by singer-songwriter Ryan Adams, published by Akashic Books. The book was set for its official release April 1, 2009. However, it became available in some markets on February 20, 2009. According to Adams, it contains five chapters about "how one person...
and
Hello SunshineHello Sunshine is an upcoming collection of poems and short stories by Ryan Adams, due for release on December 1, 2009. The book to be published by Akashic Books....
. Beginning in August 2009, Adams also began blogging for The Awl.
Adams married singer and actress
Mandy MooreAmanda Leigh "Mandy" Moore is an American singer–songwriter, actress and fashion designer. She grew up in Florida...
on March 10, 2009 in
Savannah, GeorgiaSavannah is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Chatham County, Georgia, USA. Savannah was established in 1733 and was the first colonial and state capital of Georgia...
.
Early life
Ryan Adams was born on November 5, 1974, in
Jacksonville, North CarolinaJacksonville, North Carolina, is a city in Onslow County, North Carolina, United States. The 2008 estimated population was 76,233. It is the principal city of and is included in the Jacksonville, North Carolina metropolitan area. Jacksonville is the youngest city in the United States with an...
. When he was eight years old, Adams began writing short stories and poetry on his grandmother's typewriter. He is quoted as saying, "I started writing short stories when I was really into Edgar Allan Poe. Then later, when I was a teenager, I got really hard into cult fiction:
Hubert Selby, Jr.Hubert Selby, Jr. was a 20th century American writer. His best-known novels are Last Exit to Brooklyn and Requiem for a Dream . Both novels were later adapted into films.-Early life:...
,
Henry MillerHenry Valentine Miller was an American novelist and painter. He was known for breaking with existing literary forms and developing a new sort of 'novel' that is a mixture of novel, autobiography, social criticism, philosophical reflection, surrealist free association, and mysticism, one that is...
,
Jack KerouacJack Kerouac was an American author, poet and painter. Alongside William S. Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg, he is considered a pioneer of the Beat Generation....
." At the age of 14 Adams began learning to play the electric guitar that his mom and stepdad had bought him, and shortly afterwards joined a local band named Blank Label. Although Blank Label did not stay together long, a three-track 7" record exists, dated 1991 and lasting less than seven minutes in total.
Adams dropped out of high school in his first week of tenth grade, moving into bandmate Jere McIlwean's rental house just outside Jacksonville. Around this time he performed briefly with two local bands, Ass and The Lazy Stars. Following this, Adams joined The Patty Duke Syndrome and once played in a bar in Jacksonville. After obtaining his GED, Adams left Jacksonville for
RaleighRaleigh is the capital city of the state of North Carolina, the seat of Wake County and the second largest city in North Carolina. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S...
, shortly followed by McIlwean. The Patty Duke Syndrome split in 1994 after releasing a 7" single containing two songs (The Patty Duke Syndrome was on one side, while the other side was a band called GlamourPuss).
Whiskeytown
Following the break up of The Patty Duke Syndrome, Adams went on to found
WhiskeytownWhiskeytown was an alternative country band formed in Raleigh, North Carolina in 1994. Fronted by Ryan Adams, other members included Caitlin Cary, Phil Wandscher, Eric "Skillet" Gilmore, and Mike Daly...
with
Caitlin CaryCaitlin Cary is an alt-country musician.Born to Hall Cary and Carol Campbell Thomas in East Cleveland, Caitlin Cary was raised with her half-brothers, Brian, Craig, and Keith Thomas, in East Cleveland and Cleveland Heights. She began playing the violin at age six. She attended the College of...
, Eric "Skillet" Gilmore, Steve Grothmann and
Phil WandscherPhil Wandscher is the former guitarist of the alt-country band Whiskeytown, and is currently a member of Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter.Wandscher appeared on Death Cab For Cutie's album Transatlanticism, singing backing vocals on the album's title track....
. The founding of Whiskeytown saw Adams move to
alt-countryAlternative country is a term used to describe a number of country music subgenres that tend to differ from mainstream or pop country music. The term is sometimes known as alt-country and has included country music bands and artists that have incorporated influences ranging from American roots...
, describing punk rock as "too hard to sing" in the title track of Whiskeytown's debut album
Faithless StreetFaithless Street is the debut studio album by alternative country band Whiskeytown, released in 1995. The album was re-issued in 1998 with several bonus tracks added, and the track Oklahoma omitted.-Track listing:
-Personnel:...
. Whiskeytown was heavily influenced by the country-rock pioneers, most notably
Gram ParsonsGram Parsons was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and pianist. Parsons was a member of the International Submarine Band, The Byrds and The Flying Burrito Brothers...
(with whom Adams shares a birthday). Whiskeytown quickly gained critical acclaim with the release of their second full-length album,
Strangers Almanac, their first
major labelIn the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
release.
Solo career
Adams made his solo debut in 2000, with
HeartbreakerHeartbreaker is the debut studio album by alternative country musician Ryan Adams, released September 5, 2000. The album was recorded over fourteen days at Woodland Studios in Nashville, Tennessee. It was nominated for the 2001 Shortlist Music Prize...
(produced by
Ethan JohnsEthan Johns is a record producer, engineer, mixer, musician, and songwriter who has worked with such artists such as Ryan Adams, Kings of Leon, Ray LaMontagne, Rufus Wainwright, Howard Eliott Payne, Emmylou Harris, Crowded House and others. He is represented exclusively by Jim Phelan and Jerimaya...
).
Emmylou HarrisEmmylou Harris is an American country singer-songwriter and musician. In addition to her work as a solo artist and bandleader, both as an interpreter of other composers' works and as a singer-songwriter, she is a sought-after backing vocalist and duet partner, working with numerous other artists.-...
, who was originally Gram Parsons' singing partner, sang backup on "Oh My Sweet Carolina." Other backing vocals and instruments were provided by
Gillian WelchGillian Howard Welch is a singer-songwriter whose musical style combines elements of bluegrass, neotraditional country, Americana, old-time string band music, and folk into a rustic style that she dubs "American Primitive". Her recordings feature the harmonies and unconventional guitar work of her...
,
David RawlingsDavid Todd Rawlings is a professional guitarist and harmony singer. He is best known as the longtime musical partner of bluegrass singer-songwriter Gillian Welch.David attended the Berklee College of Music & studied with Guitar Professor, Lauren Passarelli....
and Kim Richey as Adams embraced a style more reminiscent of folk music. It was met with considerable critical success, but sales were slow.
Adams released
GoldGold is the second studio album by Ryan Adams, released September 25, 2001. The album went on to sell 364,000 copies in the U.S. and 812,000 worldwide, Adams' best-selling album to date. Adams noted that "with Gold, I was trying to prove something to myself...
, the follow up to
Heartbreaker in 2001. It was well received, however Adams voted against making videos or doing a radio station meet-and-greet type tour for more recording and some live dates. A video was eventually made for album's first single, "
New York, New York"New York, New York" is a song written and performed by American alt-country musician Ryan Adams. It appeared on his 2001 album Gold. The song's music video, showing Adams performing in front of the city's skyline, was filmed four days before the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade...
". The music video featured Adams performing in front of the city's skyline four days before the
September 11, 2001 attacksThe September 11 attacks were a series of coordinated suicide attacks by Al-Qaeda upon the United States on September 11, 2001. On that morning, 19 Al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial passenger jet airliners...
. The video was played often on
MTVMTV is a cable television network based in New York City and launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs...
and
VH1VH1 is an American cable television network based in New York City...
after the attacks and became Adams' breakthrough to mainstream music consumers.
Following the success of
Gold, in 2002 Adams was blocked by his label from releasing the recorded follow up. This would be the second time this happened, the first being with
Gold, Adams had recorded "the Suicide Handbook" which was rejected on the grounds that it was "too sad". The label opted this time around to cherry pick from the four recorded albums already dismissed as releasable full albums ("48 Hours", "The Suicide Handbook", "The Pinkhearts" and "The Swedish Sessions") for a mix tape type record assembled without his involvement.
DemolitionDemolition is the third studio album by alt-country singer-songwriter Ryan Adams, released on September 24, 2002 on Lost Highway. The album comprises tracks from Adams' unreleased studio albums, The Suicide Handbook, The Pinkheart Sessions and 48 Hours. In 2009, Adams stated: "I don’t much care for...
, A compilation of tracks from these recording sessions was released instead of the intended album in 2002. Although the album garnered more critical attention it failed to sell as well as
Gold. That same year, Adams produced
Jesse MalinJesse Malin is a rock musician. He has played for various bands during their career such as Heart Attack as well as D Generation. He is currently a solo recording artist.-Biography:...
's first album,
The Fine Art of Self DestructionThe Fine Art of Self Destruction is Jesse Malin's debut solo album. Released on December 24, 2002 in the UK and January 28, 2003 in the United States. It was produced by Ryan Adams .-Track listing:...
, and later worked with Malin to form the punk-rock group The Finger (under the pseudonyms, "Warren Peace" and "Irving Plaza" respectively), who released two E.P.s which were collected together to form
We Are Fuck YouWe Are Fuck You was the debut album by The Finger, a punk band created by Ryan Adams and Jesse Malin under the Pseudonyms "Warren Peace" and "Irving Plaza" respectively. The album was released on One Little Indian Records in 2003 and is a collection of two earlier E.P.s recorded in 2002: We Are...
, released on
One Little Indian RecordsOne Little Indian Records is a London-based independent record label that rose from the ashes of punk record company Spiderleg Records. It was set up by members of various anarchist punk bands. The first success came with A.R. Kane and Flux in 1986...
in 2003. He also starred in a
GapThe Gap, Inc. is an American clothing and accessories retailer based in San Francisco, California, and founded in 1969 by Donald G. Fisher and Doris F. Fisher. The company has five primary brands: the namesake Gap banner, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Piperlime and Athleta. As of September 2008,...
advertisement with Willie Nelson, performing a cover of Hank Williams' "
Move It On Over"Move It On Over" is a 12-bar blues song written and recorded by the American country music singer-songwriter Hank Williams in 1947. The song was Williams' first major country hit, reaching #4 on the Billboard Country Singles chart....
."
In May 2002, Adams joined
Elton JohnSir Elton Hercules John, CBE is an English singer-songwriter, composer and pianist.In his four-decade career, John has sold more than 200 million records, making him one of the most successful artists of all time. His single, Candle in the Wind 1997, has sold over 37 million copies, becoming the...
on
CMT Crossroads, which brings together country artists with musicians from other genres. During the show, John referred to Adams as "fabulous one" and spoke of how
Heartbreaker inspired him to record
Songs from the West CoastSongs from the West Coast is the twenty-seventh studio album by British singer/songwriter Elton John, released worldwide on October 1 2001. Many critics have said that this album brought John back to his piano-based musical roots. He once again collaborated with long-time lyricist Bernie Taupin. ...
, which at the time was his most successful album in several years. Also in 2002, Adams reportedly recorded a cover of
The StrokesThe Strokes is an American rock band formed in 1999 in New York City. They rose to fame in the early 2000s as leaders in the garage rock revival. The band's members are Julian Casablancas , Nick Valensi , Albert Hammond, Jr...
' debut album
Is This ItIs This It is the debut album by the American alternative rock band The Strokes, released in 2001. The Strokes were the first band to break into the mainstream as part of the turn-of-the-millennium garage rock trend...
, though it has never been publicly released.
During 2002 and 2003 Adams worked on recording
Love Is Hell, intending to release it in 2003.
Lost HighwayLost Highway Records is a record label owned by Universal Music Group. Formed by Luke Lewis in 2000, Lost Highway Records operates as a country music label, based out of Nashville, but the label also issues music by alternative rock and alternative country artists such as Morrissey and Ryan Adams. ...
deemed that it was not commercially viable and was reluctant to release it, leading Adams to go back to the studio. Two weeks later he returned to Lost Highway with
Rock n Roll, which featured guest musicians including
Melissa Auf der MaurMelissa Auf der Maur is a Canadian rock musician of Swiss-German ancestry from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Her career has included 5 years as bassist with the band Hole and she later toured with The Smashing Pumpkins for their 2000 tour...
,
Green DayGreen Day is an American rock trio formed in 1987. The band has consisted of Billie Joe Armstrong , Mike Dirnt , and Tré Cool for the majority of its existence....
's
Billie Joe ArmstrongBillie Joe Armstrong is the lead vocalist, chief songwriter and guitarist for the rock band Green Day. He is also a guitarist and vocalist for the rock band Pinhead Gunpowder and sings for garage rock band Foxboro Hot Tubs...
, and Adams' girlfriend at the time,
Parker PoseyParker Christian Posey is an American actress. She became known during the 1990s after a series of roles in several well-received independent films. As a result, she has often been referred to as the "Queen of the Indies"....
.
Adams and Lost Highway eventually agreed that the label would release
Rock N Roll as well as
Love Is Hell, on the condition that
Love Is Hell be split into two EP installments.
Rock N Roll and
Love Is Hell, Pt. 1 were released in November 2003, followed by
Love Is Hell, Pt. 2 in December. Both albums were well received by critics, and in May 2004
Love Is Hell was re-released as a full-length album.
Love Is Hell included a cover of
OasisOasis were an English rock band that formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul Arthurs , Paul McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
' "
Wonderwall"Wonderwall" is a song by English rock band Oasis, written by the band's guitarist and main songwriter Noel Gallagher. Released as the third single from Morning Glory? in October 1995, "Wonderwall" peaked at number two in the UK Singles Charts and proved to be their American breakthrough, reaching...
", which Adams had previously performed live, and about which
Noel GallagherNoel Thomas David Gallagher is an English musician, best known as the former principal songwriter, lead guitarist, and occasional vocalist of British rock band Oasis...
once said, "I never got my head round this song until I went to [see] Ryan Adams play and he did an amazing cover of it." The song earned Adams a
GrammyThe Grammy Awards —or Grammys—are presented annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States for outstanding achievements in the music industry...
nomination for "Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance".
While on tour to support
Love Is Hell in January 2004, Adams broke his left wrist during a performance at the
Royal Court TheatreThe Royal Court Theatre is a theatre at 1 Roe Street, Liverpool, England. It was built in 1938 in an Art Deco style.-History:Built in the 12th Century, the site of the current Royal Court Theatre was originally a water well...
in
LiverpoolLiverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
. Adams fell off the end of the stage into the lowered orchestra pit six feet below, while performing "The Shadowlands". Dates from Adams' European and American tours had to be cancelled as a result of his injury.
The Cardinals
2005 saw Adams join with backing band The Cardinals to produce two albums,
Cold RosesCold Roses is the sixth studio album by alt-country singer-songwriter Ryan Adams, released on May 3, 2005 on Lost Highway. The album is his first with backing band The Cardinals, and the first of three albums released in 2005...
and
Jacksonville City NightsJacksonville City Nights is the seventh studio album by American alternative country singer-songwriter Ryan Adams, released on September 27, 2005 on Lost Highway. The album is Adams' second with The Cardinals, and the second in a trilogy of albums released in a seven-month timespan during 2005. By...
.
Cold Roses, a double album, included backing vocals from
Rachael YamagataRachael Yamagata is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. Born in Arlington, Virginia, she is a Yonsei or fourth-generation Japanese American on her father's side and of Italian and German ancestry on her mother's side....
on three songs; "Let It Ride", "Cold Roses" and "Friends". His second album of the year,
Jacksonville City Nights, featured a duet with
Norah JonesNorah Jones is an American singer-songwriter, pianist, keyboardist, guitarist, and actress of Anglo-American and Indian-Bengali descent. She is the daughter of sitarist Ravi Shankar and the half-sister of Anoushka Shankar...
on "Dear John". As well as releasing two albums with The Cardinals, Adams released the solo album
29 late in the year.
In addition to releasing three albums, that year Adams joined other musicians in playing a
Hurricane KatrinaHurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the costliest hurricane, as well as one of the five deadliest, in the history of the United States...
benefit show at Irving Plaza in New York City. He also contributed three songs to the
soundtrackThe soundtrack for the film Elizabethtown was released September 13, 2005 by RCA Records. A follow up Vol. 2 was also released on February 7, 2006. The original score was released on October 14, 2005...
of
ElizabethtownElizabethtown is a 2005 American film written and directed by Cameron Crowe starring Orlando Bloom and Kirsten Dunst. Orlando Bloom plays a shoe designer visiting his father's hometown in Kentucky in the days following the father's death, and Kirsten Dunst plays a flight attendant...
; "Come Pick Me Up", "English Girls Approximately", and a new song called "Words", which was pulled from 2005's
The Elizabethtown sessions, which remains unreleased, but is floating amongst collectors as
Darkbreaker.
Adams befriended
Phil LeshPhillip Chapman Lesh is a musician and a founding member of the Grateful Dead, with whom he played bass guitar throughout their 30-year career....
of the
Grateful DeadThe Grateful Dead were an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, jazz, psychedelia, and space rock—and for live performances of long musical...
, after first meeting him at the
JammysThe Jammy Award are an awards show for bands typically called jam bands and other artists associated with live, improvisational music. The Jammys are sponsored by Relix magazine, Jambands.com, and promoter Peter Shapiro. The Jammy Awards returned in 2008 to the WAMU Theater at Madison Square...
awards in New York in 2005. The two performed
Jerry GarciaJerome John "Jerry" Garcia was an American musician best known for his work with the band the Grateful Dead...
and
Robert Hunter-Politics:*Robert Hunter , the Lieutenant Governor of Virginia Colony, Governor of New York, New Jersey, Jamaica*Robert C. Hunter , U.S. judge, North Carolina Court of Appeals...
's Grateful Dead classic, "Wharf Rat". Adams performed at subsequent outings of
Phil Lesh and FriendsPhil Lesh and Friends is an American rock band formed and led by Phil Lesh, bassist of the Grateful Dead.Phil & Friends is not a traditional group in that several different lineups of musicians have played under the name, including groups featuring members of Phish, Little Feat, and the Zen...
, including a two-night stand at
Red Rocks AmphitheatreRed Rocks Amphitheatre is a rock structure in Red Rocks Park near Morrison, Colorado , where concerts are given in the open-air amphitheatre. There is a large, tilted, disc-shaped rock behind the stage, a huge vertical rock angled outwards from stage right, several large boulders angled outwards...
outside of
Denver, ColoradoThe City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the state of Colorado, in the United States. Denver is a consolidated city-county located in the South Platte River Valley on the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
and on New Year's Eve 2005 at the Bill Graham Event Center in
San FranciscoSan Francisco is the fourth most populous city in California and the 12th most populous city in the United States, with a 2008 estimated population of 808,976. It is the eighth most densely populated city in the U.S. and is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the larger San...
. Throughout 2006, Lesh's live performances included compositions by Adams, including several from
Cold Roses ("Cold Roses", "Let It Ride", and "Magnolia Mountain").
In early 2006 Adams performed a solo tour of the United Kingdom, often accompanied by Brad Pemberton (drummer for The Cardinals) and on the final date in London by Carina Round, who performed harmony vocals on 'Come Pick Me Up' from his first solo album- 'Heartbreaker'. Also present was Cardinals guitarist-
Neal CasalNeal Casal is an American guitarist and singer-songwriter, best known for his work with Ryan Adams and the Cardinals. Casal has also played in Hazy Malaze. To date, Casal has released nine studio albums under his own name....
. Adams then toured the United States with The Cardinals, including a performance at
LollapaloozaLollapalooza is an annual music festival featuring alternative rock, hip hop, and punk rock bands, dance and comedy performances, and craft booths. It has also provided a platform for non-profit and political groups...
in Chicago. Adams and The Cardinals then returned to the UK in the summer to begin a tour of Europe.
Adams produced
Willie NelsonWillie Hugh Nelson is an American country singer-songwriter, author, poet, actor and activist. He reached his greatest fame during the outlaw country movement of the 1970s, but remains iconic, especially in American popular culture.He has continued to tour, record and perform in recent years, and...
's album
SongbirdSongbird is an album by Willie Nelson released by Lost Highway Records on October 31, 2006. It was produced by contemporary country rock musician Ryan Adams. Adams, along with his band The Cardinals, performed on the album’s eleven tracks...
, while he and The Cardinals performed as Nelson's backing band. The album was released in October, 2006. He also opened for Nelson at the
Hollywood BowlThe Hollywood Bowl is a famous modern amphitheatre in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles, California, USA, that is used primarily for music performances...
later that fall, a show that featured
Phil LeshPhillip Chapman Lesh is a musician and a founding member of the Grateful Dead, with whom he played bass guitar throughout their 30-year career....
on bass and multiple
Grateful DeadThe Grateful Dead were an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, jazz, psychedelia, and space rock—and for live performances of long musical...
songs. Late in 2006, Adams experimented with
hip hop musicHip hop music is a musical genre which developed alongside hip hop culture, and is commonly based on concepts of loop, rapping, freestyle, DJing, scratching, sampling and beatboxing. The music is used to express concerns of political, social, and personal issues...
, adding to his web site 18 albums worth of new recordings under various pseudonyms, featuring humorous and nonsensical lyrics.
Adams was scheduled to play Stonehenge when the Stonehenge society had to cancel the gigs to an overwhelming response to email or call-in for free tickets. They feared the highway would have to be shut down during the performance due to overwhelming demand for tickets. Adams released his ninth album on June 26, 2007, titled
Easy TigerEasy Tiger is Ryan Adams' ninth studio album, released on June 26, 2007. Although attributed solely to Adams, the album features The Cardinals as his backing band...
. The album includes many tracks which were debuted during 2006's tours, as well as other older tracks which were previously unreleased. Later that year, Adams revealed that he had endured "an extended period of substance abuse" that ended in 2006. Adams indicated that he routinely snorted
heroinHeroin, or diacetylmorphine , also known as diamorphine , is a semi-synthetic opioid drug synthesized from morphine, a derivative of the opium poppy. It is the 3,6-diacetyl ester of morphine...
mixed withSpeedballing is a term commonly referring to the intravenous use of heroin or morphine and cocaine together in the same syringe. The combination is also known as moonrocks when smoked...
cocaineCocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system and an appetite suppressant...
, and abused
alcoholIn chemistry, an alcohol is any organic compound in which a hydroxyl group is bound to a carbon atom of an alkyl or substituted alkyl group. An important group of acohols is formed by the simple acyclic alcohols, the general formula for which is C
nH
2n+1OH...
and
pillsA tablet is a mixture of active substances and excipients, usually in powder form, pressed or compacted into a solid. The excipients include binders, glidants and lubricants to ensure efficient tabletting; disintegrants to ensure that the tablet breaks up in the digestive tract; sweeteners or...
. Adams beat his addiction with the assistance of his girlfriend at the time, Jessica Joffe, using
ValiumDiazepam , first marketed as Valium by Hoffmann-La Roche, is a benzodiazepine derivative drug. It possesses anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, hypnotic, sedative, skeletal muscle relaxant, and amnestic properties. It is commonly used for treating anxiety, insomnia, seizures, muscle spasms, restless legs...
therapy and occasionally attending meetings of
Alcoholics AnonymousAlcoholics Anonymous is a worldwide fellowship of men and women who share a desire to stop drinking alcohol, and subsequently maintain their sobriety...
.
On October 23, 2007, Adams released
Follow the LightsFollow the Lights is an EP by Ryan Adams and The Cardinals released October 23, 2007. The EP contains three new songs and four live studio recordings, including a cover of "Down in a Hole" by Alice in Chains...
, an EP featuring three new songs: "Follow The Lights","Blue Hotel" and "My Love For You Is Real", along with live studio versions of other previously released songs. Adams also appeared as a guest musician on
Cowboy JunkiesCowboy Junkies are a Canadian alternative rock band. The group was formed in Toronto in 1985 by Michael , Margo and Peter Timmins , and Alan Anton ....
' 2007 album and DVD
Trinity RevisitedTrinity Revisited is an album and a film by Cowboy Junkies, released on October 16, 2007. It is a 20th anniversary edition of their most famous album, The Trinity Session...
, a 20th-anniversary re-recording of their classic album
The Trinity SessionThe Trinity Session is a 1988 album by Cowboy Junkies, their second album.The music was recorded at Toronto, Ontario's Church of the Holy Trinity on , with the band circled around a single microphone...
. In 2007 Adams co-wrote a song with Australian singer/songwriter
Krista PolvereKrista Anne Polvere is an Australian-born singer/songwriter from Adelaide, but resides in Melbourne, Australia. Polvere dropped out of school at 16 and moved to Sydney to study acting and music...
for her debut record
Here Be Dragons; he also played guitar and piano on the album, which was recorded in New York.
A new album with The Cardinals,
CardinologyCardinology is the tenth studio album by Ryan Adams, and his fifth album with The Cardinals, released on October 28, 2008. This album completes Adams' contract with Lost Highway....
was released on October 28, 2008. Adams has also announced plans to release a book, entitled
Infinity BluesInfinity Blues is a book of free verse poetry by singer-songwriter Ryan Adams, published by Akashic Books. The book was set for its official release April 1, 2009. However, it became available in some markets on February 20, 2009. According to Adams, it contains five chapters about "how one person...
. According to
Lost HighwayLost Highway Records is a record label owned by Universal Music Group. Formed by Luke Lewis in 2000, Lost Highway Records operates as a country music label, based out of Nashville, but the label also issues music by alternative rock and alternative country artists such as Morrissey and Ryan Adams. ...
chairman, Luke Lewis, there will be an "anthology" release in 2009, featuring several new songs.
On January 14, 2009, Ryan Adams announced that he was quitting the Cardinals after their final show on March 20, 2009 at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta. Adams cited hearing loss due to
Ménière's diseaseMénière's disease is a disorder of the inner ear that can affect hearing and balance. It is characterized by episodes of dizziness and tinnitus and progressive hearing loss, usually in one ear. It is caused by lymphatic channel dilation, affecting the drainage of endolymph...
as well as disillusionment with the music industry, the media and audience behavior as reasons for his decision. He also stated that he has been working on two new books, in addition to
Infinity Blues. The second book, to be released fall 2009, is entitled
Hello Sunshine (Preorders of Hello Sunshine were shipped on 18 August by publisher Akashic Books).
Post-Cardinals
In April 2009, Adams uploaded three new tracks under his
black metalBlack metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal. It often employs fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, double-kick drumming, and unconventional song structure....
moniker
Werewolph, and five
hard rockHard rock or heavy rock is a sub-genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage and psychedelic rock and is considerably harder than conventional rock music...
tracks under the name
Sleazy Handshake.
When asked about the Cardinals' future, guitarist
Neal CasalNeal Casal is an American guitarist and singer-songwriter, best known for his work with Ryan Adams and the Cardinals. Casal has also played in Hazy Malaze. To date, Casal has released nine studio albums under his own name....
stated that: "I have absolutely no idea what the future holds. The Cardinals were the best band I’ve ever been in, and I would love to play with them again. Only time will tell what’s going to happen. [...] I’ll certainly miss it a lot."
In May 2009, drummer
Brad PembertonBrad Pemberton is an American drummer, primarily known for his role in Ryan Adams and the Cardinals. Pemberton previously played in Iodine , and was a member of Adams' touring band The Pinkhearts. He is currently touring with Brendan Benson.-Discography:...
stated that: "everyone was a bit fried, so it was the right time to step back for a minute. I encouraged Ryan to go and get married, and have a life and find some peace; the guy hasn’t really slowed down in ten years, and he needed it as much as we did. Ryan and I have shared too much and are too good of friends to not ever do anything again, but I think we all need to do our own thing for a minute."
The Cardinals, without Adams, have recorded together alongside
Gin WigmoreVirginia "Gin" Wigmore , is a New Zealand singer/songwriter. While in Argentina at age 16, her father died of cancer. Upon her return to New Zealand, she articulated in song, the pain of losing her father...
for her debut album.
In August 2009, Adams began posting on the fan-site, Ryan Adams Archive, discussing the possibility of a
WhiskeytownWhiskeytown was an alternative country band formed in Raleigh, North Carolina in 1994. Fronted by Ryan Adams, other members included Caitlin Cary, Phil Wandscher, Eric "Skillet" Gilmore, and Mike Daly...
reunion, new songs and the releasing his many 'unreleased' albums.
In September 2009, Adams debuted a new song online, entitled "Happy Birthday", and released three new singles from his new online record label, PAX AM, featuring previously unreleased material.
Discography
- Heartbreaker
Heartbreaker is the debut studio album by alternative country musician Ryan Adams, released September 5, 2000. The album was recorded over fourteen days at Woodland Studios in Nashville, Tennessee. It was nominated for the 2001 Shortlist Music Prize...
(2000)
- Gold
Gold is the second studio album by Ryan Adams, released September 25, 2001. The album went on to sell 364,000 copies in the U.S. and 812,000 worldwide, Adams' best-selling album to date. Adams noted that "with Gold, I was trying to prove something to myself...
(2001)
- Demolition
Demolition is the third studio album by alt-country singer-songwriter Ryan Adams, released on September 24, 2002 on Lost Highway. The album comprises tracks from Adams' unreleased studio albums, The Suicide Handbook, The Pinkheart Sessions and 48 Hours. In 2009, Adams stated: "I don’t much care for...
(2002)
- Rock N Roll (2003)
- Love Is Hell (2004)
- Cold Roses
Cold Roses is the sixth studio album by alt-country singer-songwriter Ryan Adams, released on May 3, 2005 on Lost Highway. The album is his first with backing band The Cardinals, and the first of three albums released in 2005...
(with The Cardinals) (2005)
- Jacksonville City Nights
Jacksonville City Nights is the seventh studio album by American alternative country singer-songwriter Ryan Adams, released on September 27, 2005 on Lost Highway. The album is Adams' second with The Cardinals, and the second in a trilogy of albums released in a seven-month timespan during 2005. By...
(with The Cardinals) (2005)
- 29 (2005)
- Easy Tiger
Easy Tiger is Ryan Adams' ninth studio album, released on June 26, 2007. Although attributed solely to Adams, the album features The Cardinals as his backing band...
(with The Cardinals, but billed as solo) (2007)
- Follow the Lights
Follow the Lights is an EP by Ryan Adams and The Cardinals released October 23, 2007. The EP contains three new songs and four live studio recordings, including a cover of "Down in a Hole" by Alice in Chains...
(with The Cardinals) (2007)
- Cardinology
Cardinology is the tenth studio album by Ryan Adams, and his fifth album with The Cardinals, released on October 28, 2008. This album completes Adams' contract with Lost Highway....
(with The Cardinals) (2008)
External links