List of alternative country musicians
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This is a listing of bands and musicians in the
alternative country Alternative country, or alternative country rock (sometimes alt-country, insurgent country, Americana, or y'allternative), is a loosely defined subgenre of country music and/or country rock that includes acts that differ significantly in style ...
genre.


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16 Horsepower 16 Horsepower was an American band based in Denver, Colorado, United States. Their music often invoked religious imagery dealing with conflict, redemption, punishment, and guilt through David Eugene Edwards's lyrics and the heavy use of traditio ...


A

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Ryan Adams David Ryan Adams (born November 5, 1974) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, artist, and poet. He has released 23 albums, as well as three studio albums as a former member of alt-country band Whiskeytown. In 2000, Adams left ...
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Jill Andrews Jill Andrews is an American singer-songwriter based in Nashville, Tennessee. She co-founded the indie folk/alt-country band The Everybodyfields, leaving in 2009 to pursue a solo career. In 2018, she co-founded the duo Hush Kids with Peter Gro ...
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The Autumn Defense The Autumn Defense is an American indie rock band composed of multi-instrumentalists John Stirratt and Pat Sansone. History The Autumn Defense began as a side project for John Stirratt, best known for his work as bassist for alt-country bands Wi ...


B

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Backyard Tire Fire Backyard Tire Fire is an American band that formed in Asheville, NC in 2001. The band began in the fall of that year with founding members Edward David Anderson (songwriter, vocals, guitars), Tim Kramp (drums, percussion) Warren Hawk (bass guitar) ...
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Del Barber Delainey Doucha Barber (born October 14, 1983) is a Canadian independent folk, folk rock, Americana, and alternative country singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. Barber has been nominated for and won a number of awards including a ...
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Eef Barzelay Ifar "Eef" Barzelay (born May 12, 1970) is an Israeli-American musician. He is the principal songwriter and singer of alternative country band Clem Snide, but has also toured as a solo act, both as a headliner and in support of various artists ...
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Bear's Den Bear's Den (also called by the name of its most outstanding landmark, Bear's Den Falls
* Rico Bell *
Blitzen Trapper Blitzen Trapper is a Portland, Oregon-based experimental country music, country/Folk music, folk/Rock and roll, rock band associated with Sub Pop Records, Vagrant Records and Lojinx. Formed in 2000, the band currently operates as a quintet, with ...
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Blue Rodeo Blue Rodeo is a Canadian country rock band formed in 1984 in Toronto, Ontario. They have released 16 full-length studio albums, four live recordings, one greatest hits album, and two video/DVDs, along with multiple solo albums, side projects, a ...
* Bosque Brown *
The Bottle Rockets The Bottle Rockets were an American rock band formed in Festus, Missouri in 1992, and was based in St. Louis, Missouri. Its founding members were Brian Henneman (guitar, vocals), Mark Ortmann (drums), Tom Parr (1992–2002, guitar, vocals) and To ...
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BR549 BR549 (originally spelled BR5-49) was an American country rock band founded in 1993. It originally consisted of Gary Bennett (lead and background vocals, acoustic guitar), Don Herron (steel guitar, resonator guitar, fiddle, mandolin, acoustic gu ...
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Jim Bryson Jim Bryson is a Canadian singer-songwriter. Briefly a founding member of the band Punchbuggy, he moved to a musical life under his own name with the release of his debut album, ''The Occasionals'', in 2000. A member of singer-songwriter Kath ...
* Richard Buckner


C

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Caitlin Cary Caitlin Cary (born October 28, 1968) is an alternative country musician and visual artist from Seville, Ohio. Early life Caitlin Cary is the youngest of seven siblings (all older brothers). Her entire family was involved in music to some degre ...
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Neko Case Neko Richelle Case (; born September 8, 1970) is an American singer-songwriter and member of the Canadian indie rock group the New Pornographers. Case has a powerful, untrained contralto voice, which has been described by contemporaries and cri ...
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Cross Canadian Ragweed Cross Canadian Ragweed was an American rock band formed in Yukon, Oklahoma in 1994. The band consisted of Cody Canada (lead guitar/vocals), Grady Cross (guitar), Randy Ragsdale (drums), and Jeremy Plato (bass guitar). The group released five st ...


D

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The Deep Dark Woods The Deep Dark Woods are a Canadian folk band from Saskatoon, currently signed to Sugar Hill Records in the United States and Six Shooter Records in Canada.The Devil Makes Three *
Drive-By Truckers Drive-By Truckers are an American rock band based in Athens, Georgia. Two of five current members (Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley) are originally from The Shoals region of northern Alabama and met as roommates at the University of North Alabama ...


E

* Tim Easton *
Carrie Elkin Carrie Elkin (born October 11, 1973 in Cleveland, Cleveland, Ohio), is a Folk music, folk/Country music, country singer and musician based out of Austin, Texas. Active since the mid-1990s, she signed with Red House Records in September 2010. ...
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Elliott Brood Elliott Brood (often stylized as Elliott BROOD) is a Canadian three-piece, alternative country band formed in 2002 in Toronto, consisting of Mark Sasso on lead vocals, guitar, banjo, ukulele, harmonica, and kazoo, Casey Laforet on guitar, lead vo ...
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Alejandro Escovedo Alejandro Escovedo (born January 10, 1951) is an American rock musician, songwriter, and singer, who has been recording and touring since the late 1970s. His primary instrument is the guitar. He has played in various rock genres, including punk ...


F

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Jay Farrar Jay Farrar (born December 26, 1966) is an American songwriter and musician currently based in St. Louis. A member of two critically acclaimed music groups, Uncle Tupelo and Son Volt, he began his solo music career in 2001. Beyond his establis ...
* Fifth on the Floor *
Rosie Flores Rosie Flores (born September 10, 1950) is an American rockabilly and country music artist. Her music blends rockabilly, honky tonk, jazz, and Western swing along with traditional influences from her Tex-Mex heritage. She currently resides in Au ...
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Freakwater Freakwater is an American alternative country band from Louisville, Kentucky, with one co-founding member living in Chicago. Freakwater is known for the lead vocals of Janet Bean and Catherine Irwin, who mix harmony and melody in idiosyncratic diss ...
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Robbie Fulks Robert "Robbie" Fulks (born March 25, 1963) is an American alternative country singer-songwriter, instrumentalist and long-time Chicago, Illinois resident. He has released 13 albums over a career spanning more than 30 years. His 2016 record ''Upl ...


G

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Mary Gauthier Mary Veronica Gauthier ( ; born March 11, 1962) is a Grammy-nominated American folk singer-songwriter and author, whose songs have been covered by performers including Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton, Kathy Mattea, Boy George and Jimmy Buffett. She ha ...
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Giant Sand Giant Sand is an American musical group from Tucson, Arizona, United States. Its most constant member is singer-songwriter Howe Gelb. The group started as Giant Sandworms in the late 1970s post-punk and paisley underground scenes. They later s ...
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Golden Smog Golden Smog is an alternative country-rock supergroup of loosely connected musicians mostly from the Minneapolis area. At various times, members of Soul Asylum, The Replacements, Wilco, The Jayhawks, Run Westy Run, The Honeydogs and Big Star h ...
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The Gourds ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
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Green on Red Green on Red was an American rock band, formed in the Tucson, Arizona punk scene, but based for most of its career in Los Angeles, California, where it was loosely associated with the Paisley Underground. Earlier records have the wide-screen psy ...
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Grievous Angels Grievous Angels are a Canadian alternative country band, active since 1986."Street Beat". ''Toronto Star'', June 11, 1987. The band's name is a reference to the Gram Parsons album ''Grievous Angel''."Angels have Canadian roots". ''Edmonton Journal ...
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The Guthries The Guthries were a Canadian country rock band based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. They released two albums in the early 2000s. History The Guthries formed in 1998 in Halifax. Originally formed by vocalist Ruth Minnikin and Dale Murray, the band in ...
* Sarah Lee Guthrie


H

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Hacienda Brothers The Hacienda Brothers is an American alternative country band composed of Chris Gaffney, Dave Gonzalez, Dave Berzansky, Dale Daniel, and Hank Maninger. They have been described as "the finest country rock band since the Flying Burrito Brother ...
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Wayne Hancock Thomas Wayne Hancock III (born May 1, 1965, in Dallas, Texas) better known as Wayne "The Train" Hancock, is an American singer-songwriter. Hancock is known as "The King of Juke Joint Swing," because his sound is unique, as he incorporates jazz, ...
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The Handsome Family The Handsome Family is an American music duo consisting of husband and wife Brett and Rennie Sparks formed in Chicago, Illinois, and as of 2001 based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. They are perhaps best known for their song " Far from Any Road" from ...
* Thomas Hansen (aka Saint Thomas) * Hazeldine *
Patterson Hood Patterson David Hood (born March 24, 1964) is an American singer-songwriter and co-founder of the band Drive-By Truckers. Early life Hood was born in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, the son of Jan Patterson Adams and David Hood, the longtime bassist ...


I

* I See Hawks In L.A. *
Jason Isbell Michael Jason Isbell (; born February 1, 1979) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is known for his solo career, his work with the band The 400 Unit, and as a member of Drive-By Truckers for six years, from 2001 to 2007. Isbell h ...


J

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The Jayhawks The Jayhawks are an American alternative country and country rock band that emerged from the Twin Cities music scene in the mid-1980s. Led by vocalists/guitarists/songwriters Gary Louris and Mark Olson (musician), Mark Olson, their country rock ...
* Jolene


L

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Legendary Shack Shakers The Legendary Shack Shakers (originally Those or Th' ) are an American rock band from Murray, Kentucky that was formed in 1995 by J.D. Wilkes. The original line-up formed the band out of a shared interest in rockabilly, blues and Western swi ...
* Graham Lindsey *
The Little Willies The Little Willies is an American alternative country supergroup formed in 2003. It features Norah Jones on piano keyboards and vocals, Richard Julian on guitar keyboards and vocals, Jim Campilongo on guitar, Lee Alexander on bass, and Dan Rie ...
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Lucero Lucero may refer to: * Lucero (given name) a Spanish given name * Lucero (surname) a Spanish surname * Lucero (entertainer) (born 1969), Mexican singer and actress ** ''Lucero'' (album), eponymous album released in 1993 * Lucero (band), an America ...
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Lydia Loveless Lydia Loveless (born September 4, 1990; as Lydia Ankrom) is an American alternative country singer-songwriter from Columbus, Ohio. Her music combines pop music, classic country, honky tonk, and punk rock. Early life Loveless was born in Cos ...


M

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Carolyn Mark Carolyn Natasha Mark is a Canadian alternative country singer-songwriter. She has recorded as a solo artist and as a member of the duo The Corn Sisters with American colleague Neko Case, as well as with the bands the Vinaigrettes, Jr. Gone Wild, ...
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The Mastersons The Mastersons, husband and wife duo Chris Masterson and Eleanor Whitmore, is an American alternative country band from Brooklyn, New York. Career History Masterson and Whitmore, both Texas born, enjoyed successful careers as supporting musicians ...
* Chris Mills *
Milton Mapes Milton Mapes is a band that formed in Austin, Texas in 1999. The band was named after band member Greg Vanderpool's grandfather. Singer/guitarist Greg Vanderpool and bandmate Roberto Sánchez, both veterans of Dallas’ Deep Ellum music scene, s ...
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Elizabeth Mitchell Elizabeth Mitchell (born Elizabeth Joanna Robertson) is an American actress known for her lead role as Juliet Burke on the ABC drama mystery series ''Lost'' (2006–2010). Mitchell also had lead roles on the television series '' V'' (2009–201 ...
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John Moreland John Robert Moreland (born June 22, 1985) is an American singer-songwriter from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Early life Moreland was born in Longview, Texas, the son of Robert Lloyd Moreland, an engineer, and Connie May Moreland (née Brandon), a school ...
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James McMurtry James McMurtry (born March 18, 1962, in Fort Worth, Texas) is an American rock and folk rock/americana singer, songwriter, guitarist, bandleader, and occasional actor (''Daisy Miller'', ''Lonesome Dove'', and narrator of ''Ghost Town: 24 Hours i ...


O

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Old 97's Old 97's is an American rock band from Dallas, Texas. Formed in 1992, they have since released twelve studio albums, two full extended plays, shared split duty on another, and have one live album. Their most recent release is ''Twelfth''. They ...
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Old Crow Medicine Show Old Crow Medicine Show is an Americana string band based in Nashville, Tennessee, that has been recording since 1998. They were inducted into the Grand Ole Opry on September 17, 2013. Their ninth album, '' Remedy'', released in 2014, won the Gr ...
* Mark Olson *
Lindi Ortega Lindi Ortega (born May 28, 1980) is a Canadian country singer-songwriter from Toronto, Ontario, who had lived in Nashville, Tennessee then moved to Western Canada in 2017. She spent nearly a decade as an independent artist in the Toronto music ...


P

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Gram Parsons Ingram Cecil Connor III (November 5, 1946 – September 19, 1973) who was known professionally as Gram Parsons, was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and pianist who recorded as a solo artist and with the International Submarine Band, ...
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Joe Pernice Joseph T. Pernice (born July 17, 1967) is an American indie rock musician and writer, who has fronted several bands, including the Scud Mountain Boys, Chappaquiddick Skyline, The New Mendicants and the Pernice Brothers. Originally from Holbrook ...


R

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Richmond Fontaine Richmond Fontaine was an American four-piece rock and alternative country band, based in Portland, Oregon. They were active between 1994 and 2016 and recorded eleven studio albums, four live albums and two EPs. Underpinned by lead singer and so ...
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Jason Ringenberg Jason Ringenberg (born November 22, 1958) is an American musician, singer-songwriter and guitarist and the lead singer of Jason & the Scorchers. Early life and education Ringenberg was born in Kewanee, Illinois, and grew up in nearby Sheffiel ...
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Bruce Robison Bruce Ben Robison (born June 11, 1966) is an American, Austin-based Texas country music singer-songwriter. Bruce and his brother, fellow singer-songwriter Charlie Robison, grew up in Bandera, Texas, near San Antonio, and he currently resides i ...
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Carrie Rodriguez Carrie Luz Rodriguez (born July 31, 1978) is an American singer-songwriter and the daughter of Texan singer-songwriter David Rodriguez and Texas painter Katy Nail, and is the granddaughter of prolific Texas essayist Frances Nail. She sings and ...
* Roman Candle *
Justin Rutledge Justin Rutledge (born January 3, 1979) is a Toronto-based Canadian alternative country singer-songwriter signed to Outside Music. Rutledge's musical style is often compared to that of American alt-country singer Ryan Adams. His influences, both ...
* Matthew Ryan


S

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Scud Mountain Boys Scud Mountain Boys are an United States, American alternative country band. Formed in 1991 in Northampton, Massachusetts, it comprised Joe Pernice, Stephen Desaulniers, Bruce Tull and Tom Shea. Stephen Desaulniers left the band and was replaced b ...
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Son Volt Son Volt is an American rock band formed in 1994 by Jay Farrar after the breakup of Uncle Tupelo. The band's current line-up consists of Farrar (vocals, guitar), Andrew DuPlantis (bass guitar), John Horton (guitar), Mark Patterson (drums), and Ma ...
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Souled American Souled American is an American alternative country band from Chicago that was active mostly in the late-1980s and early-1990s. The band was founded in Normal, Illinois and consists of vocalists Chris Grigoroff (also guitar) and Joe Adducci (also ...
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Split Lip Rayfield Split Lip Rayfield is an American vocal and acoustic instrumental group from Wichita, Kansas, United States. Though they are sometimes classified as a bluegrass, alternative country, or cowpunk band, their music draws on a wide array of influe ...
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Jesse Sykes Jesse Sykes (née Solomon) (born July 17, 1967) is an American singer and songwriter, best known for her band Jesse Sykes & the Sweet Hereafter, which was formed in 1999 with Phil Wandscher. Early life and education Sykes was born in Mount Kis ...
* Jesse Sykes & the Sweet Hereafter


T

* Tarnation * Three O'Clock Train *
Tres Chicas Tres Chicas are an alternative country group from Raleigh, North Carolina. History Blakey and Cary met in 1997 when Glory Fountain shared a bill with Whiskeytown. Blakey met Lamm when she attended a Hazeldine show in Chapel Hill, and soon all ...
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Jeff Tweedy Jeffrey Scot Tweedy (born August 25, 1967) is an American musician, songwriter, author, and record producer best known as the singer and guitarist of the band Wilco. Tweedy, originally from Belleville, Illinois, started his music career in high s ...
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Two Cow Garage Two Cow Garage is an American band from Columbus, Ohio. History The group was formed in September 2001 by the singer/guitarist Micah Schnabel (born in Bucyrus, Ohio), who began playing with the drummer Dustin Harigle in and around Columbus. Guit ...


U

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Ugly Casanova Ugly Casanova is an American indie rock band signed to Sub Pop Records. The band has released one album, ''Sharpen Your Teeth''. Career According to the Ugly Casanova website, in 1998 a man named Edgar E. Graham, a.k.a. "Ugly Casanova", impressed ...
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Uncle Tupelo Uncle Tupelo was an alternative country music group from Belleville, Illinois, active between 1987 and 1994. Jay Farrar, Jeff Tweedy, and Mike Heidorn formed the band after the lead singer of their previous band, The Primitives, left to attend c ...
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Suzie Ungerleider Suzanne Elizabeth Ungerleider, who formerly wrote and performed under the name Oh Susanna, is an American-Canadian alternative country singer-songwriter from Vancouver, British Columbia. Career Ungerleider chose to perform under the name Oh Sus ...
(aka Oh Susanna)


V

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Townes Van Zandt John Townes Van Zandt (March 7, 1944 – January 1, 1997) was an American singer-songwriter.


W

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The Waco Brothers The Waco Brothers are an American alternative country, or country-punk rock, band based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. History The Waco Brothers was formed by Jon Langford of the Mekons. The group grew out of Langford's wish to play more c ...
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Water Liars Water Liars is an American rock band from Water Valley, Mississippi, that included songwriter/vocalist/guitarist Justin Peter Kinkel-Schuster, drummer/producer/multi-instrumentalist Andrew Bryant, and bassist GR Robinson. Their name is derived fro ...
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Whiskeytown Whiskeytown was an American alternative country band formed in 1994 from Raleigh, North Carolina. Fronted by Ryan Adams, the group included members Caitlin Cary, Phil Wandscher, Eric "Skillet" Gilmore, and Mike Daly. They disbanded in 2000 with ...
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Wilco Wilco is an American alternative rock band based in Chicago, Illinois. The band was formed in 1994 by the remaining members of alternative country group Uncle Tupelo following singer Jay Farrar's departure. Wilco's lineup changed frequently dur ...
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Kelly Willis Kelly may refer to: Art and entertainment * Kelly (Kelly Price album) * Kelly (Andrea Faustini album) * ''Kelly'' (musical), a 1965 musical by Mark Charlap * "Kelly" (song), a 2018 single by Kelly Rowland * ''Kelly'' (film), a 1981 Canadi ...


References


Bibliography

*{{cite book, editor-first=Colin, editor-last=Larkin, editor-link=Colin Larkin (writer), year=2006, title=
Encyclopedia of Popular Music ''The Encyclopedia of Popular Music'' is an encyclopedia created in 1989 by Colin Larkin. It is the "modern man's" equivalent of the '' Grove Dictionary of Music'', which Larkin describes in less than flattering terms.''The Times'', ''The Kno ...
, edition=4th, publisher=
Oxford University Press Oxford University Press (OUP) is the university press of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world, and its printing history dates back to the 1480s. Having been officially granted the legal right to print books ...
, isbn=978-0-1953-1373-4 Alternative country musicians