Counting Crows


 * Name: Counting Crows
 * Origin: San Francisco, California, USA
 * Years Active: 1991-Present
 * Label(s): Geffen
 * Genre(s): Folk Rock, Alternative Rock

Biography
Formed in San Francisco from the ashes of popular Bay Area groups Sordid Humor and The Himalayans, Counting Crows opened for Dive for a short period before becoming more popular than the headline act. Their debut album, produced by T Bone Burnett was an unqualified smash, eventually selling over 10 million copies, primarily on the back of two early hit singles, Mr. Jones & Round Here. The follow-up was less of a commercial success, although it was generally considered a more mature effort. Veteran producer Gil Norton worked with them to produce a longer, more conceptual album which eventually spawned the hit single A Long December. A two-disc live CD appeared in 1998, and then the mediocre, David Lowery produced album This Desert Life followed in 1999. After a long break and much touring, the fourth studio album appeared in 2002. Hard Candy was a pop-driven affair which gave the Counting Crows a much-needed hit in the cover version of Joni Mitchell's Big Yellow Taxi, which appeared as a hidden track at the end of the album. A greatest hits album followed, and was revised soon after to include another radio hit, Accidentally in Love, written for the movie Shrek 2. The song also garnered a Grammy nomination in 2004 for best original song written for a motion picture.

Current members

 * Adam Duritz - Vocals, Piano
 * David Bryson - Guitar
 * Dan Vickrey - Guitar
 * David Immergluck - Guitar, Mandolin, Pedal Steel Guitar
 * Charlie Gillingham - Keyboards, Accordion
 * Jim Bogios - Drums
 * Millard Powers - Bass Guitar, Upright Double Bass, Piano, Vocals

Former members

 * Ben Ulrich - Drums (1990-1992)
 * Marty Jones - Bass Guitar (1990-1992)
 * Lydia Holly - Keyboards (1990-1992)
 * Toby Hawkins - Drums (1990-1992)
 * Steve Bowman - Drums (1992-1994)
 * Ben Mize - Drums (1994-2002)
 * Matt Malley - Bass Guitar (1992-2005)

Studio Albums

 * August And Everything After (1993)
 * Recovering The Satellites (1996)
 * This Desert Life (1999)
 * Hard Candy (2002)
 * Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings (2008)

Compilations

 * Films About Ghosts (The Best Of...) (2003)

Live Albums

 * Across A Wire: Live In New York City (1998)
 * New Amsterdam: Live At Heineken Music Hall (2006)