Soulful folk-pop duo The Civil Wars has made quite a mark on the genre in just a few short years, hitting the tour trail with the likes of Emmylou Harris and Adele. Singer/songwriters Joy Williams and John Paul White met at a Nashville songwriting session and got to work on an EP entitled “Poison & Wine” with producer Charlie Peacock, the title track of which appeared on the popular TV show “Grey’s Anatomy.”
“Barton Hollow,” The Civil Wars’ full-length debut, surfaced in early 2011 and landed at the top of Billboard’s Independent Albums and Folk Albums charts. It wasn’t long before the two musicians were performing on nighttime television talk shows on both sides of the pond, as well as tackling concerts at the Newport Folk Festival and the iconic Grand Ole Opry.
The Civil Wars also took home Grammy Awards for Best Folk Album and Best Country Duo/Group Performance for the title track, as well as an AMA Award for Duo/Group of the Year and a 2013 Grammy for Best Song Written for Visual Media (“Safe & Sound” with Taylor Swift).
Though the Nashville outfit produced albums, sold tickets and won awards, the two performers surprised fans with an unexpected hiatus after the August 2013 release of their eponymous sophomore set.