Vocalist/songwriter Joel R.L. Phelps originally earned see as an associate of indie rock and roll stalwarts Silkworm, the group he co-founded in his indigenous Missoula, MT in 1987. He still left Silkworm within the wake of the 1994 work Libertine, forming support combo the Downer Trio with bassist Robert Mercer and drummer William Herzog to record 1996’s extra, country-influenced Warm Springs Evening. 3 followed 2 yrs afterwards, and in 1999 Phelps resurfaced with Blackbird.