Blogs > Indie Outing (the secret jambands roots of indie rockers)

Indie Outing: Jay Farrar, Son Volt

Son Volt at Bonnaroo 2006

Indie-Jam Connection: Son Volt/Uncle Tupelo principal Jay Farrar is one of the founding fathers of the alternative country movement. But Farrar is also an outspoken fan of the Grateful Dead. While many modern jambands channel their love of the Dead and the Allman Brothers Band through improvisation, Farrar mixed those band’s roots-oriented, American music with his own punk background to help create the signature, hipster-approved alt-country sound.

Notable Jam Moments: Jay Farrar’s decidedly folk/country sound has made him a favorite at jam-friendly festivals ranging from Bonnaroo to Mountain Jam to Wakarusa and High Sierra. Farrar also performed a solo version of the Grateful Dead classic “Candyman” at the American Beauty Project concert held at New York’s World Financial Center in 2007.

Lot Talk: “In high-school I had a friend who was into skate-punk like the Germs and, for some reason, he also had a side that was into the Grateful Dead. I think that speaks to the appeal of The Dead—that they can cut across party lines. But at that time we kind of had to hide our love of The Dead. We just listened and put it on compilation tapes and whatnot. It was kind of a guilty pleasure,” Jay Farrar, Jambands.com