John Paul White and Joy Williams: Two distinctly varied artists hailing from very different backgrounds, came together to form the iconic duo known as The Civil Wars. Their rare partnership produced 'Barton Hollow', their Grammy-winning debut album, which is now being honored with a special deluxe edition to mark its 13th anniversary. Atwood Magazine engaged with producer Charlie Peacock, who played a key role in shaping the band’s sound and legacy, to discuss the album’s creation and its lasting influence.
Stream: 'Barton Hollow' – The Civil Wars
The Civil Wars blended Americana with hints of French nouveau jazz, country, pop, folk, bluegrass, classical, and Appalachian music, making them hard to categorize, which contributed to their charm. Their captivating onstage chemistry and recording harmonies felt almost like a dance. Despite their differing musical backgrounds, both John Paul White and Joy Williams experienced a remarkable synergy together, a striking moment in music history.
According to the story, White and Williams met at a songwriter retreat in Nashville, where they were grouped with other artists to compose a hit for an unnamed band. Paired randomly, they quickly realized their strong creative connection, even though they had come from vastly different musical worlds and had released differing styles of music before their encounter. Williams recalled, “when he (White) started singing, I felt like I knew where he would go before he got there.” Similarly, White mentioned that when they began singing together, there was an unusual connection; it felt like a dance where he could lead her, and she could also lead him. After this workshop, they decided to meet again and wrote the song “Falling” during their first session, and the rest is history.
In 2011, The Civil Wars released their debut album, Barton Hollow, which created significant ripples in the music scene. Firstly, it was recorded and released independently on Sensibility Music, a label co-owned by Williams and her then-husband Nate Yetton. Secondly, the rise in popularity of Americana music in the late 2000s was unexpected. Barton Hollow is an iconic album, recognized as one of the most beautifully crafted and produced records from the last decade.
The opening track “20 Years” features a distinctive and familiar chord progression, evoking a sense of coming home to a place you never knew existed. The heart-wrenching love song “Poison & Wine” captured a global audience after being featured on Grey’s Anatomy, with lines that evoke a bittersweet longing. “I wish you’d hold me when I turn my back / The less I give the more I get back / Ooh, your hands can heal, your hands can bruise / I don’t have a choice, but I still choose you.”
Perhaps the sole upbeat song on the album is “I’ve Got This Friend,” which suggests two friends meant for each other but may actually be talking about one another. “My Father’s Father” stands out for its atmosphere and poetic lyrics, inspired by the election of President Barack Obama and the hope and change it represented.
The duo’s work not only explores the darker aspects of love, loyalty, and life but also the honest parts that exist without being distinctly good or bad. This honesty can be heard in “Poison & Wine,” where themes of vulnerability in relationships are beautifully articulated. The Civil Wars achieved both critical and commercial success, winning two Grammys in 2012 for Barton Hollow, produced by Charlie Peacock, as well as another award for their collaboration with Taylor Swift on the song “Safe and Sound” from The Hunger Games soundtrack. They toured worldwide and released multiple EPs and live LPs until they suddenly canceled their European tour in 2012 and parted ways. Although White and Williams regrouped temporarily to complete their sophomore self-titled album, The Civil Wars, produced by Peacock, their reunion was brief, leading to their official split in 2014.
Previously successful in their own rights, both artists resumed their individual careers after the duo's disbandment. Williams released her EDM-influenced record VENUS in 2015, followed by the Grammy-nominated Front Porch in 2018. White established Single Lock Records, an independent label in Florence, Alabama, in 2013, and later released the critically acclaimed rock and country album Beulah in 2016, along with the countrypolitan record The Hurting Kind in 2019. Their producer, Charlie Peacock, continued to work with various bands, including The Lone Bellow, Kris Allen, and Switchfoot, and wrote a memoir detailing his career in music.
Recently, Dualtone Records released a deluxe edition of Barton Hollow on vinyl for the first time, featuring five bonus tracks, an etched disc, and new album artwork. The bonus tracks include: “Go,” “Pressing Flowers,” “Tip of My Tongue,” a cover of The Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back,” and the classic
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John Paul White and Joy Williams: Two distinct artists, hailing from vastly different backgrounds, created a unique synergy as the renowned duo, The Civil Wars—a remarkable partnership that resulted in ‘Barton Hollow,’ their Grammy-winning first album, which is now being commemorated with a special deluxe edition for its 13th anniversary.