The Bittersweets
Encyclopedia
The Bittersweets are an alternative country
duo from Nashville, Tennessee
, founded by singer-songwriter
Chris Meyers (guitar, keyboards, vocals) and Hannah Prater (vocals, guitar) in 2005. They frequently tour venues and festivals in the Southern United States
.
, California
after Meyers had moved there after attending Kenyon College
in Ohio
. Before they met, Hannah Prater had toured as a jazz vocalist in Europe
. Prater, a California
native, is the child of two music teachers. Meyers, born in Massachusetts
, began playing guitar in his teens and toured locally while still in college.
Before releasing their first full length album, The Bittersweets opened for Train
at the Fillmore West
in San Francisco. According to their official biography, "The manager of a teenaged musician Meyers was tutoring got the Bittersweets’ demo
into the hands of taste-making San Francisco station KFOG
" which helped broaden their success. After their third public appearance they signed with Virt Records
. After moving to Nashville the band signed with Compass Records
.
Alternative country
Alternative country is a loosely defined sub-genre of country music, which includes acts that differ significantly in style from mainstream or pop country music...
duo from Nashville, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, founded by singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Chris Meyers (guitar, keyboards, vocals) and Hannah Prater (vocals, guitar) in 2005. They frequently tour venues and festivals in the Southern United States
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
.
History
Meyers and Prater met in San FranciscoSan Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
after Meyers had moved there after attending Kenyon College
Kenyon College
Kenyon College is a private liberal arts college in Gambier, Ohio, founded in 1824 by Bishop Philander Chase of The Episcopal Church, in parallel with the Bexley Hall seminary. It is the oldest private college in Ohio...
in Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. Before they met, Hannah Prater had toured as a jazz vocalist in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. Prater, a California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
native, is the child of two music teachers. Meyers, born in Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, began playing guitar in his teens and toured locally while still in college.
Before releasing their first full length album, The Bittersweets opened for Train
Train (band)
Train is an American pop rock band from San Francisco, California, formed in 1994. The band currently comprises a core trio of Patrick Monahan , Jimmy Stafford and Scott Underwood ....
at the Fillmore West
Fillmore West
The Fillmore West was an historic music venue in San Francisco, California made famous by concert promoter Bill Graham. Named after Graham's original "Fillmore" location at the intersection of Fillmore Street and Geary Boulevard, it stood at Market Street and South Van Ness Avenue and was formerly...
in San Francisco. According to their official biography, "The manager of a teenaged musician Meyers was tutoring got the Bittersweets’ demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
into the hands of taste-making San Francisco station KFOG
KFOG
KFOG is an FM radio station in San Francisco, California, broadcasting on 104.5 and sister station KFFG 97.7 FM MHz. The 97.7 transmitter is located near Cupertino, California, and it is a simulcast of 104.5 KFOG....
" which helped broaden their success. After their third public appearance they signed with Virt Records
Virt Records
Virt Records is an independent record label based in Seattle, USA.Virt artists are primarily singer/songwriters.-Artists signed to Virt Records:Current*Ellery*The Bittersweets*Shane Nicholson*Brenda Weiler*Beth Boucher*Rachel GaudryFormer...
. After moving to Nashville the band signed with Compass Records
Compass Records
Compass Records is a Nashville-based independent record label founded in 1995 by musicians Garry West and Alison Brown. Currently home to nearly 100 folk, bluegrass, Celtic, jazz, and new acoustic artists, the label releases about 20 records a year...
.
Studio Albums
The Life You Always Wanted released June 27, 2006 on the Virt RecordsVirt RecordsVirt Records is an independent record label based in Seattle, USA.Virt artists are primarily singer/songwriters.-Artists signed to Virt Records:Current*Ellery*The Bittersweets*Shane Nicholson*Brenda Weiler*Beth Boucher*Rachel GaudryFormer...
label
Additional musicians drums: Steve BowmanSteve BowmanSteve Bowman is an American rock drummer and songwriter. He was a founding member and drummer for the Counting Crows during the recording and period of time following their debut album, August and Everything After. The band's unexpected success led them to performancess on Late Night with David...
(Counting CrowsCounting CrowsCounting Crows is an American rock band originating from Berkeley, California. Formed in 1991, the group gained popularity following the release of its debut album in 1993, August and Everything After, which featured the hit single "Mr. Jones"...
, Third Eye BlindThird Eye BlindThird Eye Blind is an American alternative rock band formed in the early 1990s in San Francisco. The songwriting duo of Kevin Cadogan and Stephan Jenkins signed the band's first major label recording contract with Elektra records in 1996 resulting in two multi platinum albums. The band's lineup...
); bass: Daniel Schacht (Jolie HollandJolie HollandJolie Holland is an American singer and performer who combines elements of folk, traditional, country, rock, jazz, and blues...
); piano and guitar: Jerry Becker
All songs written by Meyers
Produced by Meyers, Schacht and Becker
Tracks
- When the World Ends
- Adam
- Bag of Bones
- Long Day
- Houston
- Mostly Happy People
- Burn out My Eyes
- Shooting out the Sky
- Rapture
- Prison
- And Death Shall Have No Dominion
Goodnight, San Francisco released September 9, 2008 on the Compass RecordsCompass RecordsCompass Records is a Nashville-based independent record label founded in 1995 by musicians Garry West and Alison Brown. Currently home to nearly 100 folk, bluegrass, Celtic, jazz, and new acoustic artists, the label releases about 20 records a year...
label
Produced by Lex Price (Mindy SmithMindy SmithMindy Smith is an American singer-songwriter. Her music can be classified as all of the following: folk, country, Americana, bluegrass, pop, rock, and even alternative. Her voice and music have been compared to that of Shawn Colvin, Patty Griffin, Norah Jones, and Alison Krauss.-Biography:Smith...
)
Additional Musicians steel guitar: Russ Pahl (Don WilliamsDon WilliamsDon Williams , is an American country singer, songwriter and a 2010 inductee to the Country Music Hall of Fame. He grew up in Portland, Texas, and graduated in 1958 from Gregory-Portland High School. After seven years with the folk-pop group Pozo-Seco Singers, he began his solo career in 1971,...
); bass: Dave Jacques (John PrineJohn PrineJohn Prine is an American country/folk singer-songwriter. He has been active as a recording artist and live performer since the early 1970s.-Biography:...
); drums: Steve BowmanSteve BowmanSteve Bowman is an American rock drummer and songwriter. He was a founding member and drummer for the Counting Crows during the recording and period of time following their debut album, August and Everything After. The band's unexpected success led them to performancess on Late Night with David...
(Counting CrowsCounting CrowsCounting Crows is an American rock band originating from Berkeley, California. Formed in 1991, the group gained popularity following the release of its debut album in 1993, August and Everything After, which featured the hit single "Mr. Jones"...
); guitar: Doug Lancio (Patty GriffinPatty GriffinPatty Griffin, born Patricia Jean Griffin, March 16, 1964, is an American Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter and musician. She is especially known for her down-home crafting of songs and her connection to musicians including Emmylou Harris, Ellis Paul, and the Dixie Chicks, who have played with...
); cello: David HenryDavid HenryDavid Henry is an IFBB professional bodybuilder.At age 17, David started training with weights for his track & field events and competed his first bodybuilding competition, the Team Muscle Tech Challenge, where he won...
(Ben FoldsBen FoldsBenjamin Scott "Ben" Folds is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and television personality. From 1995-2000, Folds was the frontman and pianist of the alternative rock band Ben Folds Five. Since the group disbanded, Folds has performed as a solo artist and has toured all over the world...
); organ: John Deaderick (Emmylou HarrisEmmylou HarrisEmmylou Harris is an American singer-songwriter and musician. In addition to her work as a solo artist and bandleader, both as an interpreter of other composers' works and as a singer-songwriter, she is a sought-after backing vocalist and duet partner, working with numerous other artists including...
)
Mixed by Jason Lehning (GusterGusterGuster is an American alternative rock band from Boston, Massachusetts. Formed in 1991, the group is known for its live performances and humor, founding members Adam Gardner, Ryan Miller, and Brian Rosenworcel came about to begin practice sessions while attending Tufts University in Medford,...
)
Tracks
- Wreck 4:20
- Blue 3:55
- Is Anyone Safe 4:48
- Birmingham 3:49
- 45 3:59
- My Sweet Love 3:39
- Bordertown 4:19
- Tidal Waves 4:30
- Lies 4:30
- Goodnight, San Francisco 3:52
- When the War is Over 4:21
- Fortunate Wind 3:24
Extended Play Release
EP released January 1, 2005 on the Poor Valley Recording Co. label
Tracks
- Long Day 4:06
- Mostly Happy People 3:39
- Shooting Out the Sky 4:39
- Bag of Bones 4:41
- Houston 5:12
Live Albums
Long Way From Home released in 2009 on the Compass Records label
Tracks
- Mostly Happy People 3:36
- Adam 4:30
- When the World Ends 3:53
- Houston
- Shooting Out the Sky 4:30
- Bring Me Little Water, Sylvie 2:24 (Lead Belly)
- Rapture 3:48
- Bag of Bones 5:07
- Unchained MelodyUnchained Melody"Unchained Melody" is a 1955 song with music by Alex North and lyrics by Hy Zaret. It has become one of the most recorded songs of the 20th century, by some counts having spawned over 500 versions in hundreds of different languages....
5:05 (Alex NorthAlex NorthAlex North was an American composer who wrote the first jazz-based film score and one of the first modernist scores written in Hollywood ....
and Hy ZaretHy ZaretHy Zaret was an American Tin Pan Alley lyricist and composer best known as the co-author of the 1955 hit "Unchained Melody", one of the most recorded songs of the 20th century.-Biography:...
) - Long Day 3:52
- Prison 3:51
Live in Atlanta 2.4.09 released February 10, 2009 on NoiseTrade.com
Tracks
- Wreck 4:41
- Blue 4:17
- Fortunate Wind 2:34
- Prison 3:49
- Birmingham 4:07
- Goodnight, San Francisco 4:19
- Is Anyone Safe 4:09
- My Sweet Love 4:10
- Long Day 3:57
Other Notes
- "Long Day" from The Life You Always Wanted appears on the KFOG Local Scene: Volume 3 compilation.
- The band has opened for TrainTrain (band)Train is an American pop rock band from San Francisco, California, formed in 1994. The band currently comprises a core trio of Patrick Monahan , Jimmy Stafford and Scott Underwood ....
, Rosanne CashRosanne CashRosanne Cash is an American singer-songwriter and author. She is the eldest daughter of the late country music singer Johnny Cash and his first wife, Vivian Liberto Cash Distin....
, and the Cowboy JunkiesCowboy JunkiesCowboy Junkies are a Canadian alternative country/blues/folk rock band. The group was formed in Toronto in 1985 by Margo Timmins , Michael Timmins , Peter Timmins and Alan Anton ....
. - The band's music has been used in prime-time series "Men In TreesMen in TreesMen in Trees is an American romantic television dramedy series which premiered on September 12, 2006 on ABC and starred Anne Heche who played relationship coach Marin Frist. The series was set in the fictional town of Elmo, Alaska and concerned Marin Frist's misadventures in relationships...
" and "Saving GraceSaving Grace (TV series)Saving Grace is an American television crime drama series which premiered on TNT on July 23, 2007 and ran until June 21, 2010. The show stars Academy Award-winner Holly Hunter in her first television series, as well as Leon Rippy, Kenny Johnson, Laura San Giacomo, Bailey Chase, Bokeem Woodbine,...
". - The Life You Always Wanted was listed amongst the top 200 sellers in the San Francisco Bay AreaSan Francisco Bay AreaThe San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
during the first week of its release.