One of the most enduring bands in the alt-country community, Old 97's merged power pop melodies with classic country feel, anchored by the rock-solid twang of guitarist Ken Bethea and the emotive vocals of Rhett Miller, whose tales of romantic misadventure hit a sweet spot between yearning and swagger. The band first made a nationwide splash with their second album, 1995's Wreck Your Life, while their major-label debut, 1997's Too Far to Care, revved up their rock & roll leanings and punched up the melodic hooks. Despite positive reviews and a loyal following, the band never quite broke through to mainstream success, and in the 2000s, they left the major labels to return to the independents. Old 97's soldiered on to become alt-country's greatest survivors, playing fiery live shows and releasing spirited albums like 2014's insouciant Most Messed Up and 2020's rollicking but thoughtful Twelfth. Rhett Miller and Murry Hammond first partnered up in 1989, when Miller enlisted the latter's help in producing his debut solo album, Mythologies. Although six years younger than Hammond, Miller proved to be a dedicated musician as he canvassed the Dallas club circuit, playing a blend of folk and British-styled pop to local audiences. He also displayed a knack for storytelling, having previously earned a creative writing scholarship to Sarah Lawrence College. One year after Mythologies' release, Miller and Hammond teamed up once again, this time as part of the short-lived Sleepy Heroes. Although the Sleepy Heroes disbanded after issuing one album, the group's mix of pop and Texas-styled twang helped lay the foundation for Old 97's. Continuing to build upon that sound, Miller and Hammond linked up with lead guitarist Ken Bethea and recorded a demo tape at the Cedar Creek studio in Austin. Drummer Philip Peeples climbed on board shortly thereafter, and Hammond's childhood obsession with trains inspired the band's new name, which paid homage to the country ballad "Wreck of the Old 97."With their lineup intact, Old 97's released the debut album Hitchhike to Rhome in 1994. It garnered positive reviews and began to build the group's alt-country fan base, which they consolidated on the album's follow-up, Wreck Your Life. Issued in 1995 by the newly formed Bloodshot Records - a label that would also launch the alt-country careers of Neko Case and Ryan Adams - Wreck Your Life presented Old 97's as a sharp, eclectic country-rock outfit with a pinup-worthy frontman. Such positive attention led to a major-label deal with Elektra Records, which hoped to translate the band's underground buzz into mainstream success.