The Blacks

The Blacks, a Chicago-based insurgent country band, were formed in 1994 by singer/guitarist Danny McDonough, a former member of psychedelic hard rockers Cornmother, who quit the latter group after discovering the music of <a href="spotify:artist:1FClsNYBUoNFtGgzeG74dW">Hank Williams</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:7x83XhcMbOTl1UdYsPTuZM">Tom Waits</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:19eLuQmk9aCobbVDHc6eek">Louis Armstrong</a>. Teaching himself basic drumming and trumpeting skills, he began writing songs on a four-track recorder; after several months, he met DePaul University symphonic music student and bassist Gina Black at a local concert, and days later they played together for the first time.

Within weeks <a href="spotify:artist:0eu0y7eJ5NMo07NEQEIq1V">Black</a> dropped out of DePaul, and after <a href="spotify:artist:56yeY09668gasaayysXiS5">McDonough</a> adopted the surname <a href="spotify:artist:0eu0y7eJ5NMo07NEQEIq1V">Black</a> as well, the couple began performing as the Black Family, making their live debut in late 1995. After going through a series of drummers, the group (now shortened to simply the Blacks) recruited James Emmenegger, becoming a four-piece with the addition of guitarist <a href="spotify:artist:6LME2TKD5Ygke6oI7x1zjD">Nora O'Connor</a>; upon playing hundreds of live dates across the Midwest, the group signed with the Bloodshot label, issuing its <a href="spotify:artist:1rXo0MAHZ3gkwNctFPcR4z">Eric "Roscoe" Ambel</a>-produced debut, Dolly Horrorshow, in 1998. Just Like Home followed two years later. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi