The Avett Brothers

Beginnings

Although they played music together since childhood, the brothers Scott and Seth Avett truly began their partnership in the late 1990s with the merger of Seth's Mount Pleasant High School rock band Margo, and Scott's college group Nemo. Seth's band Margo had released a song "Dumbfight" on a compilation album before merging with Nemo. After releasing three albums under the Nemo moniker the Avetts started experimenting with acoustic music with some friends at night. After a few street performances and get-togethers they dubbed "The Back Porch Project" or "Nemo Downstairs," the brothers and Nemo guitarist John Twomey put together an EP titled The Avett Bros. in 2000 while performing shows as both The Avett Brothers with Scott, Seth and John, and Nemo.

As Nemo broke up Scott and Seth continued to write acoustic music together. In early 2001 stand-up bassist Bob Crawford, formerly of The Memphis Quick 50, joined the Avetts and the band released their first full-length album Country Was. The Avett Brothers set out on a self-booked tour to promote the new album and in late 2002 began preparations for a follow-up.

With Ramseur Records

After releasing a live record of originals and covers titled Live at the Double Door Inn the brothers settled down to compile a new full-length album. During this time the band began a partnership with Dolph Ramseur, a local label owner who had been impressed by the group's live show and original material. After 70 hours in the studio, 2003's A Carolina Jubilee became the band's first release on Ramseur Records. Unlike their previous albums, A Carolina Jubilee demonstrated the band's genre-crossing writing and performing abilities.

In 2004, The Avett Brothers released their third album titled Mignonette. The new CD featured polished harmonies, introspective lyrics and a sense of dedication that pushed the band to new heights. The album, running longer than 70 minutes, included vocals by their sister Bonnie Avett and father Jim Avett. Mignonette is considered to be a concept album revolving around nautical themes and honesty, which are present in the real-world nautical cannibalism case R v Dudley and Stephens.

In 2005 the band released Live, Volume 2 which was recorded at both the Neighborhood Theatre and King's Baracade in Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina. The album spanned material from their career up to that point.

In early 2006 the band released Four Thieves Gone: The Robbinsville Sessions to much acclaim. The album was recorded in a lake house in Robbinsville, North Carolina over the course of 10 days and included collaborations with Paleface and Ian Thomas. The album was titled Four Thieves Gone after Scott Avett realized their song "Denouncing November Blue" sounded identical to the Charlie Daniels song "Uneasy Rider," whom they ultimately attributed songwriting credit.

During extensive touring in support of the album Scott and Seth Avett produced The Gleam, an EP of intimate, stripped-down recordings which was released in September 2006. They were inspired to create the album as a duo after their experience writing and recording "Famous Flower of Manhattan" during the Four Thieves Gone sessions.

The band released Emotionalism on May 15, 2007. It debuted at the top of the Billboard Top Heatseekers Albums chart, No. 134 on the Billboard 200 and No. 13 on the Independent Artist Chart. In support of the album the band made their national television debut on May 12 on Late Night with Conan O'Brien where they performed "Paranoia in B-Flat Major." Emotionalism marked the first appearance of cellist Joe Kwon, who has since become a full-time touring and recording member of the band.

On November 1, 2007, The Avett Brothers won the Americana Music Association Duo/Group of the Year and New/Emerging Artist of the Year awards. In July 2008, the band released The Second Gleam, another stripped-down acoustic album like 2006's The Gleam. In the same month, the band announced they had chosen Rick Rubin to produce their next album and were now signed to his American Recordings label.

With American Recordings

From September 8 to October 8, 2009, the Avett Brothers released 13 short videos describing their music and fans in anticipation of their upcoming album, I and Love and You. The videos include clips from past concerts, fan interviews and interviews with the members of the band. I and Love and You was released on September 29, 2009 and peaked at No. 16 on the Billboard 200 best selling albums, No. 8 in best selling digital albums, No. 7 in rock albums, and No. 1 in folk albums.

In the wake of the album's release, the Avett Brothers made the rounds on late-night TV, including appearances on the Late Show with David Letterman, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. On January 21, 2010, the band was featured on the long-running PBS series Austin City Limits.

In January 2010, drummer Jacob Edwards was added to the Avetts' touring lineup. In the fall of 2010 the band released their third live album and first concert DVD, Live, Volume 3. The performance was recorded the previous year during the band's homecoming concert at Charlotte, North Carolina's Bojangles Coliseum.

In early 2011, Avett Brothers bassist Bob Crawford learned that his daughter Hallie had a seizure due to a brain tumor. He took a hiatus from the band and was temporarily replaced by Langhorne Slim bassist Paul Defiglia. Bob returned to play with The Avett Brothers on the 53rd Grammy Awards in 2011 playing "Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise" before joining Mumford and Sons and Bob Dylan for a performance of "Maggie's Farm." After successful treatment at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital his daughter's condition stabilized and he returned to the band. The band kept Defiglia on as a touring member, playing organ, double bass, and keyboard.

In 2011, the band began the demo process for the followup to I and Love and You for a 2012 release, produced again by Rick Rubin. 24 songs were recorded. On June 26, 2012 The Avett Brothers released a preview of the single "Live and Die" on NPR Music and announced their sixth studio album The Carpenter would release on September 11, 2012. It debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and was nominated for Best Americana Album Grammy at 55th annual Grammy Awards. Jacob Edwards left the band in December 2012. Mike Marsh, formerly the drummer of Dashboard Confessional who recorded songs from I and Love and You, joined the band as a touring member at their annual New Year's Eve show in 2012.

On June 12, 2013, The Avett Brothers announced a follow-up companion to The Carpenter would be released in the fall of 2013. On July 27 at the Newport Folk Festival, The Avett Brothers announced that this new album would be called Magpie and the Dandelion. On August 8, 2013 The Avett Brothers announced via NPR that Magpie and the Dandelion, which consisted mostly of songs recorded during The Carpenter sessions, would be released on October 15, 2013. The NPR announcement also premiered their new single "Another is Waiting." The album was released to generally warm reviews and peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 during its first week. Tania Elizabeth, who had recorded with the Avetts during the Magpie and the Dandelion sessions, began touring with the band on November 21, 2013.

Near the end of May 2014, Seth Avett and Bob Crawford mentioned in different interviews they were recording demos for their next Rick Rubin produced album. During their concert of December 13, 2014 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Seth and Scott mentioned they spent November recording songs for their upcoming album. In November 2015 Seth updated the release estimate to be "early 2016."

On November 23, 2015, the band announced their fourth live album and second concert DVD, titled Live, Vol. Four would release on December 18, 2015. The live album was recorded at their December 31, 2014 concert in Raleigh, North Carolina. While touring in support of Live, Vol. Four the band continued speaking of their ninth studio album.

On March 3, 2016, the band published an open letter announcing their ninth full-length studio album titled True Sadness. In the letter, Seth Avett wrote "True Sadness is a patchwork quilt, both thematically and stylistically." The album released June 24, 2016 and debuted at number 3 on the US Billboard Top 200 and topped the US Folk and US Top Rock charts. The album received a mix of positive and negative critical reviews. Entertainment Weekly praised the band's experimentation and "willingness to tear down boundaries" while Pitchfork criticized the "baffling layers of synthesizers in what feels like a ploy to push the Avetts into clear Top 40 territory." The album scored two nominations in the 59th Annual Grammy Awards for Best Americana Album and Best Americana Roots Performance for the album's lead single "Ain't No Man." In October 2016, the band was accepted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame. On January 31, 2017 it was announced that a documentary about the production of True Sadness titled May It Last: A Portrait of The Avett Brothers directed by Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio would premier at the 2017 South by Southwest film festival.

Members

Discography

Other appearances

In popular culture

References to, and lyrics from, the Avett Brothers feature prominently in Slammed, a New York Times best-selling romance novel by Colleen Hoover.