Cowboy Junkies

Biography

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Whites Off Earth Now

The Cowboy Junkies were formed in Toronto in 1985, and are still composed of the original four members: Margo Timmins (vocals), Michael Timmins (guitar), Peter Timmins (drums) and Alan Anton (bass) - all siblings except for life-long-family-friend Alan. Their first album, Whites Off Earth Now, was released the following year on their own indie record label, Latent. The Trinity Session, their next release, was recorded live around one microphone in The Holy Trinity church in Toronto. The first single, "Misguided Angel" was a Top 10 hit.

The Trinity Session was followed up in 1989 with The Caution Horses and then 1992's Black Eyed Man. The band continued to receive critical acclaim for their music. 1993 brought Pale Sun, Crescent Moon, an album that played heavily on rock and blues. 200 More Miles, their live album, chronicled the band's first decade of live music. It was also their last album on label BMG, except for Studio, a compilation of greatest hits.

Lay it Down was the band's first album on record label Geffen. This album marked a return of sorts to the quieter, more evocative sound of their earliest releases. Michael Timmins, previously content playing rhythm guitar, was now the lead guitarist. 1998 brought Miles From Our Home, recorded in an old mill that the Junkies rented. In 1998, the band also decided to resurrect their indie label, Latent, and broke new ground online by releasing Rarities, B-Sides and Slow, Sad Waltzes (1999) and Waltz Across America (2000) exclusively over the Internet.

During the Waltz Across America tour, the band began writing and recording Open, released in 2001. 2002 saw the release of The Radio One Sessions, a 12 song compilation recorded live at the BBC. While touring to promote Open, the Cowboy Junkies filmed the DVD Open Road (2003). One Soul Now, released in 2004, was the first record the band made in their own studio. It is an album about relationships, a "blend of intimacy and immediacy" with an underlying theme that we are all connected.

2005 marked the band's 20th anniversary, which they celebrated with the release of a new CD and DVD. Early 21st Century Blues (2005) is a collection of songs written mostly by others along the themes of war, violence, fear, greed, ignorance, and loss. They cover songs by artists including Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, George Harrison, U2 and John Lennon. The band wanted to create "a small document of hope," to "reach out and touch a couple of souls."

Sources:CJFan's Web Site; Cowboy Junkies' official website; The Canadian Pop Music Encyclopedia

Relationship to Blue Rodeo

Cowboy Junkies and Blue Rodeo share the same Toronto-area roots. Here are a sampling of their One Degrees:

Jim Cuddy and Mike Timmins have played hockey together in a league full of Canadian musicians including Dave Bidini of the Rheostatics, and Gord Downie of The Tragically Hip.
Longtime friends Michael Timmins and Blue Rodeo's Greg Keelor go back as far as gradeschool. The members of each band have jammed together on countless occasions.
In 1999, Cowboy Junkies joined Blue Rodeo at the Stardust Picnic.
Jim Cuddy took the photos for the front cover of the Junkie's Whites Off Earth Now.
Kim Deschamps, a former member of Blue Rodeo, used to play with the Cowboy Junkies. Kim plays pedal steel and lap steel guitar on a number of songs , including "Blue Moon Revisited (A Song For Elvis)", "200 More Miles", "Me and the Devil", "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" and "Walking After Midnight."
Both the Cowboy Junkies and Blue Rodeo contributed recordings to Beautiful the first-ever salute to Gordon Lightfoot, Canada’s premier songwriter. The Cowboy Junkies open the album with “The Way I Feel” and Blue Rodeo recorded “Go Go Round.”

Last Updated

September 2006

Special Thanks To

Josephine