Carbon Leaf

Carbon Leaf
Carbon Leaf performing live at the Bluebird Theater in Denver, CO, 2009
Background information
Origin	Richmond, Virginia
Genres	Americana, Indie Rock, Alt Country, folk rock, Indie Folk, Bluegrass, Roots Rock, Celtic
Years active	1992–present
Labels	Constant Ivy Music, Vanguard
Website	www.carbonleaf.com
Members	Barry Privett Terry Clark Carter Gravatt Jason Neal Jon Markel
Past members	Palmer Stearns Devin Maguire Brian Durrett Scott Milstead Jordan Medas

Carbon Leaf is a quintet from Richmond, Virginia, United States, known for their alt-country, Celtic, and folk-infused Indie Rock. Though some of the band members have changed through the years, Carbon Leaf has been consistently creating and performing music since the early 1990s.

Carbon Leaf got their start at Randolph-Macon College in Virginia in 1992, practicing in an auditorium on campus. Their next step was playing backyard parties, mixers, fraternity, and sorority parties. Shortly after everyone graduated, they moved to Richmond, Virginia. From Richmond, they played the college circuit in Virginia and up the East Coast before moving on to clubs. Their style is not "Brazilian Polka Metal", despite the joking claims of guitarist Carter Gravatt (B., David. 2002).

Meander, their first album, was released in 1995. The first songs Carbon Leaf wrote, including "One Day" and "Country Monkee" are on the album.

Shadows in the Banquet Hall, released in 1997, includes "Flood," "Wolftrap and Fireflies," and "Attica's Flower Box Window." An award-winning video was made for "Flood."

Ether~Electrified Porch Music (1999) is the first album with Jordan Medas as the bassist and contains "Home" and "American Tale." The band had sold over 10,000 copies of their first three independent CDs by late 1999, released on their own label, Constant Ivy Music.

Echo Echo was released in 2001 with "The Boxer" as the first track. In January 2002, Carbon Leaf won the first-ever American Music Awards Presents the Coca-Cola New Music Award for "The Boxer." As part of winning they performed "The Boxer" live on the AMAs, becoming the first unsigned band to perform at the awards show. Following this appearance, "The Boxer" entered regular rotation on radio stations including Washington, DC's DC101 (WWDC 101.1 FM). In May 2002, the band members gave up their day jobs in order to dedicate more time to the band and touring. The hidden bonus track "Dear" from their Echo Echo CD was originally written to play over the closing credits and on the soundtrack of the Kevin Hershberger civil war film Wicked Spring. Barry Privett also starred in the film. In September 2002, Carbon Leaf won the Pontiac Vibe Summer Sound Off resulting in "The Boxer" being played in Pontiac Vibe commercials on MTV and VH1.