Ryan Adams & the Cardinals

This in an article about the current day rock band. For the 1950s R&B vocal group, see The Cardinals

Ryan Adams & the Cardinals

The Cardinals are an American rock band that were formed in 2004 and fronted by alternative country singer-songwriter Ryan Adams until 2009. The band was featured on the albums Cold Roses, Jacksonville City Nights, Follow the Lights, and Cardinology as Adams' backing band. Though credited as a solo Ryan Adams release, the 2007 album Easy Tiger also features the Cardinals, as does the Willie Nelson album Songbird.

Regarding the band's name, Adams states that he "suggested the Cardinals because it was my high school football team, I thought it would be very funny, considering those people wanted to beat the shit out of me. I'd go to school with Danzig shirts on. My nickname at school was literally 'Satanic.'"

History

Initially, The Cardinals consisted of Ryan Adams, Brad Pemberton, JP Bowersock, Catherine Popper, and Cindy Cashdollar. The band toured in 2004 and recorded Cold Roses. Cashdollar left in 2005 and was replaced by Jon Graboff.

The band toured worldwide without Cashdollar to promote Cold Roses, and during this period returned to the studio to record their second album, Jacksonville City Nights. Bowersock left after the album was recorded, and was replaced by Neal Casal.

In 2006, Popper left the band and was replaced by Chris Feinstein prior to a European tour in 2006. In 2007, The Cardinals joined Ryan Adams to record his new album, Easy Tiger, and the album's producer, Jamie Candiloro, was added to the lineup on piano. Follow the Lights appeared later in the year, once again produced by Candiloro.

Their latest album, Cardinology, was released in October 2008, and, according to Pitchfork Media, Ryan Adams & the Cardinals may be known as simply "The Cardinals" from now on.

In January 2009, Adams announced that he would leave The Cardinals in order to "step back" from making music, citing hearing loss due to Ménière's disease as part of the reason for his decision.

In April 2009, when asked about the Cardinals' future, guitarist Neal Casal stated: "I have absolutely no idea what the future holds. The Cardinals were the best band I've ever been in, and I would love to play with them again. Only time will tell what's going to happen. [...] I'll certainly miss it a lot."

In May 2009, drummer Brad Pemberton stated that: "everyone was a bit fried, so it was the right time to step back for a minute. I encouraged Ryan to go and get married, and have a life and find some peace; the guy hasn’t really slowed down in ten years, and he needed it as much as we did. Ryan and I have shared too much and are too good of friends to not ever do anything again, but I think we all need to do our own thing for a minute."

In July 2009, it emerged that The Cardinals were not finished and had landed a gig with singer/songwriter Gin Wigmore in New Zealand.

Band members

The most recent line up of The Cardinals Live Cincinnati, OH 2008. Left to right, Ryan Adams, Brad Pemberton, Neal Casal, Chris Feinstein and Jon Graboff.

Current

• Brad Pemberton — drums and percussion (2004-present)
• Neal Casal - guitar, piano and vocals (2005-present)
• Jon Graboff — pedal steel, guitar and vocals (2005-present)
• Chris Feinstein — bass guitar and vocals (2006-present)

Former

• Ryan Adams — vocals, guitar, piano, harmonica and banjo (2004-2009)
• Catherine Popper — bass guitar, vocals and piano (2004-2006)
• J.P. Bowersock — guitar (2004-2005)
• Cindy Cashdollar — steel guitar, lap steel, guitar and vocals (2004-2005)
• Jamie Candiloro — piano and keyboards (2007)

Discography

• 2005: Cold Roses
• 2005: Jacksonville City Nights
• 2006: Songbird – Willie Nelson
• 2007: Easy Tiger (billed as Ryan Adams solo)
• 2007: Follow the Lights EP
• 2008: Cardinology

External links

• Official Site
• Live recordings by The Cardinals at the Internet Archive