From the moment we heard the opening lines of "Looking for a Way Out" from Uncle Tupelo's sophomore release 'Still Feel Gone' in 1991, we were stunned. That whiskey soaked voice telling stories about being stuck in a dead end mid-western town struck a chord with us. We have been huge Jay Farrar fans ever since. So when Son Volt split up in 1998 and there was no word about Jay's upcoming plans, we went looking for him. After a few emails and phone calls, we found out that Jay was recording some solo material and that in fact, he needed his own website. We were honored to fill that role for him.

Jay has been crowned the founding father of the 1990s alt-country movement, a title he accepted reluctantly when he formed and fronted two of the genre's key bands, Uncle Tupelo and Son Volt. Farrar was born and raised in Belleville, IL, a small town not far from the Illinois/Missouri border. Farrar was 12 when he first began leaning to play the guitar, and in high school he made friends with a fellow musically inclined student named Jeff Tweedy (who now leads Wilco). Farrar and Tweedy formed a garage rock band called the Primitives, but after a few years (and the arrival of drummer Mike Heidorn), Farrar and Tweedy would begin incorporating the influence of the country music they had grown up with and the traditional folk sounds that had struck their fancy. Renaming themselves Uncle Tupelo, they forged a sound that fused the ferocity of punk rock with the melodic structures and lyrical intimacy of country, and while they weren't the first to combine punk and country, their formula was unusual enough to spawn a whole new musical subgenre, with literally dozens of likeminded bands soon following in their wake. Later, Jay formed Son Volt and released 3 albums before moving on to pursue solo projects. He has recently re-formed Son Volt with new band members and is promoting the rock-fueled 'Okemah and the Melody of Riot' album. Since working with Jay, we have had the pleasure of releasing a bonus DVD with the Stone, Steel & Bright Lights album, contributed footage to the Son Volt 'Okemah' dual disc documentary, and to make availalbe a exclusive digital download through Jay's site with 'Live In Seattle.' We feel blessed that we have the pleasure to work with one of our musical heroes, and an all-around nice guy.

On July 12, 2005 Legacy Recordings released Son Volt's 'Okemah and the Melody of Riot,' the first new album in seven years from Jay Farrar’s Son Volt. "It feels good to have found a home at Legacy Recordings. I've known some of the guys there for almost ten years. Their longevity speaks volumes," says Farrar. Legacy Recordings will release the album in DualDisc format with exclusive interview and video content.

Anchored by Farrar’s songwriting and propelled by a renewed rock and roll aesthetic catalyzed by a cast of new players, Son Volt’s 'Okemah and the Melody of Riot' was produced by Farrar and recorded straight to analog tape in St. Louis during October 2004. Farrar adds, "We didn't know what we were capable of as a band. Since none of us knew exactly what to expect, the recording session was unconstrained and spontaneous. I think we found a creative flow." The album is Son Volt's first new release since 1998’s critically acclaimed 'Wide Swing Tremolo.'

Son Volt has finished recording a brand new record which will be released in the Spring of 2007. In October, Transmit Sound/Legacy will release 'Gob Iron,' a collaboration between Jay Farrar and Anders Parker. This collection features traditional songs which Jay and Anders re-worked by adding and re-writing lyrics as well as the music.

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