John Stirratt
Encyclopedia
John Stirratt is the bassist
and multi-instrumentalist for Wilco
, and The Autumn Defense
.
Stirratt was born in New Orleans, Louisiana
on November 26, 1967 and grew up in nearby Mandeville. He attended Mandeville High School and the University of Mississippi
.
He played regularly around the Southeastern US with The Hilltops, a band based in Oxford, MS that included his twin sister Laurie Stirratt
and her husband Cary Hudson
. It was during this time he met and befriended the band Uncle Tupelo
and supported them on tours of the East and Midwest.
After the breakup of The Hilltops in 1990 he recorded a record under the name The Gimmecaps and briefly joined Lafayette, LA band The Bluerunners before joining Uncle Tupelo in 1992 as bassist/guitarist on their last album Anodyne in 1993.
After the breakup of Uncle Tupelo, he joined Jeff Tweedy
and the remaining members Ken Coomer
and Max Johnston
to found Wilco
in 1994. He went on with Tweedy to be the only founding member to contribute to all their releases including Being There, Summerteeth, Mermaid Avenue Vol 1 and 2, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, A Ghost is Born, Sky Blue Sky and Wilco (the album).
The band has been nominated for 6 Grammys in 4 different categories, winning best Alternative album for A Ghost is Born in 2005.
They have played thousands of shows in their 15 year career and have become, according to Rolling Stone
, “one of the most well-known and innovative bands of the new millennium.”
Stirratt joined Wilco members Jay Bennett
and Ken Coomer to form Courtesy Move, an early Wilco side project that recorded an album in late 1996 that was never released.
He formed The Autumn Defense
2000 with friend and fellow New Orleanian Pat Sansone
. They recorded their debut The Green Hour in New Orleans and Nashville with former Wilco members Bob Egan and Ken Coomer in 2001 releasing the album on Stirratt’s own Broadmoor Records
.
They released Circles in 2003 with Greg "G. Wiz" Wieczorek on drums and Nashville based bassist Brad Jones
. Sansone’s subsequent addition to Wilco in 2004 allowed the band more time to collaborate resulting in their third, self-titled album The Autumn Defense (2006) bringing Sansone’s orchestral production to the forefront.
John Stirratt with sister Laurie Stirratt
recorded a duet Laurie & John on the folk-rock album Arabella (2003), the twins' first recorded output in 12 years.
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
and multi-instrumentalist for Wilco
Wilco
Wilco is an American alternative rock band based in Chicago, Illinois. The band was formed in 1994 by the remaining members of alternative country group Uncle Tupelo following singer Jay Farrar's departure. Wilco's lineup has changed frequently, with only singer Jeff Tweedy and bassist John...
, and The Autumn Defense
The Autumn Defense
The Autumn Defense is an indie band composed of multi-instrumentalists John Stirratt and Pat Sansone.-History:The Autumn Defense began as a side project for John Stirratt, best known for his work as bassist for alt-country bands Wilco and Uncle Tupelo...
.
Stirratt was born in New Orleans, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
on November 26, 1967 and grew up in nearby Mandeville. He attended Mandeville High School and the University of Mississippi
University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational research university located in Oxford, Mississippi. Founded in 1844, the school is composed of the main campus in Oxford, four branch campuses located in Booneville, Grenada, Tupelo, and Southaven as well as the...
.
He played regularly around the Southeastern US with The Hilltops, a band based in Oxford, MS that included his twin sister Laurie Stirratt
Laurie Stirratt
Laurie Stirratt is a member of the alt-country/roots rock band, Blue Mountain, in which she played bass guitar, occasionally rhythm guitar and sang harmony with her ex-husband, Cary Hudson. She released in 2004 an album as Laurie & John duo with her twin brother, John Stirratt of Wilco...
and her husband Cary Hudson
Cary Hudson
Cary Hudson is the lead singer, guitarist and main songwriter of the alternative country/Southern rock band Blue Mountain.-Biography:Cary was born in the small town of Sumrall, MS, located approximately 15 miles from Hattiesburg. Prior to Blue Mountain, Hudson was in a band called The Hilltops,...
. It was during this time he met and befriended the band Uncle Tupelo
Uncle Tupelo
Uncle Tupelo was an alternative country music group from Belleville, Illinois, active between 1987 and 1994. Jay Farrar, Jeff Tweedy, and Mike Heidorn formed the band after the lead singer of their previous band, The Primitives, left to attend college. The trio recorded three albums for Rockville...
and supported them on tours of the East and Midwest.
After the breakup of The Hilltops in 1990 he recorded a record under the name The Gimmecaps and briefly joined Lafayette, LA band The Bluerunners before joining Uncle Tupelo in 1992 as bassist/guitarist on their last album Anodyne in 1993.
After the breakup of Uncle Tupelo, he joined Jeff Tweedy
Jeff Tweedy
Jeffrey Scot "Jeff" Tweedy is an American songwriter, musician and leader of the band Wilco. Tweedy joined rockabilly band The Plebes with high school friend Jay Farrar in the early 1980s, but Tweedy's musical interests caused one of Farrar's brothers to quit...
and the remaining members Ken Coomer
Ken Coomer
Ken Coomer was the last drummer for the band Uncle Tupelo as well as the drummer for Chicago based-band Wilco until Yankee Hotel Foxtrot...
and Max Johnston
Max Johnston
Max Johnston is a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist best known for his work on fiddle, Dobro, banjo, and mandolin with the bands Uncle Tupelo, Wilco and more recently, The Gourds...
to found Wilco
Wilco
Wilco is an American alternative rock band based in Chicago, Illinois. The band was formed in 1994 by the remaining members of alternative country group Uncle Tupelo following singer Jay Farrar's departure. Wilco's lineup has changed frequently, with only singer Jeff Tweedy and bassist John...
in 1994. He went on with Tweedy to be the only founding member to contribute to all their releases including Being There, Summerteeth, Mermaid Avenue Vol 1 and 2, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, A Ghost is Born, Sky Blue Sky and Wilco (the album).
The band has been nominated for 6 Grammys in 4 different categories, winning best Alternative album for A Ghost is Born in 2005.
They have played thousands of shows in their 15 year career and have become, according to Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
, “one of the most well-known and innovative bands of the new millennium.”
Stirratt joined Wilco members Jay Bennett
Jay Bennett
Jay Walter Bennett was an American guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, engineer, producer, and singer-songwriter, best known for his work with the band Wilco.-Early life and work with Wilco:...
and Ken Coomer to form Courtesy Move, an early Wilco side project that recorded an album in late 1996 that was never released.
He formed The Autumn Defense
The Autumn Defense
The Autumn Defense is an indie band composed of multi-instrumentalists John Stirratt and Pat Sansone.-History:The Autumn Defense began as a side project for John Stirratt, best known for his work as bassist for alt-country bands Wilco and Uncle Tupelo...
2000 with friend and fellow New Orleanian Pat Sansone
Pat Sansone
Pat Sansone is a multi-instrumentalist in the rock bands Wilco and The Autumn Defense.Sansone was born in Meridian, Mississippi...
. They recorded their debut The Green Hour in New Orleans and Nashville with former Wilco members Bob Egan and Ken Coomer in 2001 releasing the album on Stirratt’s own Broadmoor Records
Broadmoor Records
Broadmoor Records was a New Orleans, Louisiana based indie record label. Established by Dave Bartholomew, it was named after his neighborhood Broadmoor, New Orleans....
.
They released Circles in 2003 with Greg "G. Wiz" Wieczorek on drums and Nashville based bassist Brad Jones
Brad Jones (musician)
Brad Jones is a Power pop music producer, and singer/songwriter. He has produced music for Cotton Mather, Matthew Sweet, Imperial Drag, Jill Sobule, and Marshall Crenshaw-Gilt-Flake:Label: Ginger Records Release: June 6, 2000Tracks:*The Blunderbuss...
. Sansone’s subsequent addition to Wilco in 2004 allowed the band more time to collaborate resulting in their third, self-titled album The Autumn Defense (2006) bringing Sansone’s orchestral production to the forefront.
John Stirratt with sister Laurie Stirratt
Laurie Stirratt
Laurie Stirratt is a member of the alt-country/roots rock band, Blue Mountain, in which she played bass guitar, occasionally rhythm guitar and sang harmony with her ex-husband, Cary Hudson. She released in 2004 an album as Laurie & John duo with her twin brother, John Stirratt of Wilco...
recorded a duet Laurie & John on the folk-rock album Arabella (2003), the twins' first recorded output in 12 years.