Uncle Tupelo

Uncle Tupelo formed in Belleville, Illinois in 1987 with Jay Farrar on guitar and vocals, Jeff Tweedy on bass and vocals, and Mike Heidorn on drums. They came together with different musical backgrounds, Farrar and Tweedy were drawn to traditional country, while Heidorn brought a punk sensibility. That combination gave their early recordings a particular kind of tension, heard on songs like 'Gun' and 'I Got Drunk' from their 1990 debut album No Depression.

Their four albums, released between 1990 and 1993, moved through different territory. No Depression established a template that would later be called alt-country. Still Feel Gone followed in 1991, and March 16-20, 1992 captured them live. Their final album, 1993's Anodyne, included the title track and 'Satan, Your Kingdom Must Come Down,' showing a broader range that incorporated folk and more experimental touches.

The band broke up in 1994. Afterward, Farrar started Son Volt and Tweedy formed Wilco, both of which developed significant followings in the years that followed.