The Civil Wars

The Civil Wars
The Civil Wars in 2012
Background information
Origin	Nashville, Tennessee, United States
Genres	Americana, folk, indie folk
Years active	2009–2014
Labels	sensibility, Columbia
Website	www.thecivilwars.com
Members	Joy Williams John Paul White

The Civil Wars were a critically acclaimed American musical duo composed of Joy Williams and John Paul White. Formed in 2008, The Civil Wars won four Grammy Awards prior to their 2014 breakup.

Both Williams and White had solo careers prior to meeting at a songwriting workshop in Nashville in 2008. Williams had recorded several moderately successful albums and was signed as a songwriter to Warner/Chappell; White had independently released The Long Goodbye—which was originally set to be released through a deal with Capitol Records—and was writing for EMI Music. At the workshop, approximately 25 songwriters were assembled by music publishers to write radio singles for an unnamed band later identified as the country group Gloriana. Williams and White were randomly paired to write together, and quickly discovered an affinity. In a 2012 interview, Williams said that "when he started singing it was like I knew where he was going to go before he went there." In the same interview, White said that when he and Williams "started singing together, there was this weird click; it was like there was a dance going where I knew I could lead her but she could lead me, too." Following the workshop, White and Williams made immediate plans to meet again. They wrote the song "Falling" during their first session, which took place at Williams' house.

Looking for a name for the project, Williams came up with The Civil Wars. "It has nothing to do with the historical meaning. There is a great quote that I believe is Plato, who said, 'Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a great battle,'" she said. "As I was thinking about the music we make, that sense of battle seemed applicable." The duo performed for the first time as The Civil Wars at the French Quarter Cafe in Nashville on April 7, 2009. Williams' former producer Charlie Peacock was in attendance, and impressed by their dynamics and on-stage chemistry, began working with them the following day. On April 8, 2009, Shalom Aberle recorded The Civil Wars' second live show. Eight of the songs that were recorded that night were on Live at Eddie's Attic, which was released through Sensibility Music on June 30, 2009 as a free download on The Civil Wars' website. In addition to a live and demo version of "Falling", the record included "Poison & Wine", covers of Leonard Cohen's "Dance Me to the End of Love", and Sade's "No Ordinary Love", and "If I Didn't Know Better", which was later covered in an episode of Nashville. Released through Sensibility Music, a recording, marketing, licensing and management company established by Williams and her husband, Civil Wars manager Nate Yetton, Live at Eddie's Attic had been downloaded more than 700,000 times as of 2014.