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Frontman Rhett Miller and bassist Murry Hammond first collaborated in 1989 on Miller’s debut solo album “Mythologies”. With Miller’s subsequent tour his impressive songwriting and blend of folk and British pop came to the fore, and the two paired up again the year after to form the short-lived project Sleepy Heroes.
Before long the duo enlisted the help of lead guitarist Ken Bethea to record their debut demo, before recruiting drummer Philip Peeples, and officially naming themselves Old 97’s after the country ballad “Wreck of the Old 97”. The band’s debut album “Hitchhike to Rhome” appeared in 1994 to positive critical response and earned Old 97’s an dedicated alt-country fan base. Now signed to the newly operating Bloodshot Records, the band released their sophomore album “Wreck Your Life” in 1995. The album cemented their position within the alt-country genre and led to Old 97’s signing with major-label Elektra Records on the verge of a mainstream breakthrough.
In 1997 Old 97’s made their major-label debut “Too Far to Care” to more positive reviews and an extensive touring schedule to boot, including on the Lollapalooza tour. The band’s subsequent offering “Fight Songs” (1991) produced more of the same highly-polished country-pop songs and led to ever more impressive relentless gigging, however Old 97’s remained on the cusp of a breakthrough that seemed eternally out of reach. Following the release of their fifth studio album “Satellite Rides”, Miller took some time out to record his solo power pop album “The Instigator” in 2002, followed in 2006 by the orchestral “The Believer”.
Old 97’s period of inactivity ended in 2004 with the album “Drag It Up” followed soon after by the live album “Alive & Wired”. In an attempt to recapture some of their roots, the band’s subsequent album “Blame It on Gravity” was recorded in their hometown of Dallas and was argued as a return to form for the band, featuring some of their strongest songs to date. Shortly after bassist Murry Hammond released his own solo album titled “I Don’t Know Where I’m Going But I’m on My Way” in 2008, followed a year later by Miller’s fourth solo self-titled release.
A pair of live albums, initially intended as a double live album, appeared in 2010/11 “The Grand Theatre, Vol. 1” and “The Grand Theatre, Vol. 2”. In a collaboration with Waylon Jenning in 1996, a limited edition EP titled “Old 97’s & Waylon Jennings” was released on Record Store Day in 2013, followed by “Most Messed Up” in 2014, the band’s highest charting album, which reached No. 30 on the Billboard 200.
Old 97’s are notable for help pioneering the alternative country genre in the mid ‘90s with other acts like Uncle Tupelo and The Jayhawks, and their strong slant to rock and roll gives their performances a strong energetic vibe. Lead singer, Rhett Miller, approaches his songwriting by writing lyrics that are heavily influenced by the country genre, which have strong ties to storylines, and his musical presentation is delivered with a stronger force, often encompassing the sound of rockabilly music. Miller’s presents his vocal in a very raspy and sincere way, and often sings songs about his drinking and his rowdy behavior. Miller is often seen with an acoustic guitar on stage creating the richer, deeper sounds of the band’s music while Ken Bethea plays the grittier sounds on the electric guitar. Ken Bethea usually plays a Fender Telecaster, which allows him to get high treble sounds as well as a twang, which enhances the western vibe of Old 97’s.
Old 97’s give a highly intense performance when they take the stage. They blast through songs like “Timebomb” playing it with all of their energy. Rhett Miller exerts all his effort into yelling out the vocals and erratically strums his guitar like a loose canon. Old 97’s also veer into more subtle and beautiful territories with their performance when they play some of their ballads like “Question”, which helps convey Old 97’s diverse range.
Old 97’s play a great range of songs from their albums and even throw in some cover songs like Merle Haggard’s “Mama Tried” into the mix. There is never a strong presence of stage theatrics during an Old 97’s concert as the band relies on their high energy performance and their tight chemistry with one another to make the show an impactful experience.
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