One part Southern rock, heavy on the blues, and a dash of psychedelic pop. The Black Crowes used that recipe to launch a brilliant yet turbulent career that has stretched across five decades. For this edition of the Throwback Threesome, we’re headed to Georgia, where the band first took flight.
It all started with brothers Chris (lead singer) and Rich Robinson (guitar), who initially formed the band in 1984 while attending Walton High School in Marietta, Georgia. The first incarnation of the band was called Mr. Crowe’s Garden. The name was inspired by Leonard Leslie Brooke’s 1903 children’s book, Johnny Crow’s Garden.
As Mr. Crowe’s Garden worked their way up through the clubs and began recording demos in the late-1980s, the band became a quintet with Steve Gorman on drums, Johnny Colt (bass) and Jeff Cease (guitar). In that time, they also changed their name to the Black Crowes.
Highs And Lows For The Black Crowes
The band signed their first big recording contract in 1989 and released their debut album, Shake Your Money Maker, the following year. The Black Crowes’ follow-up, The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion, reached the top of the Billboard 200 in 1992. In all, they put out nine studio albums, with a tenth called Happiness Bastards coming March 15, 2024.
One of the constants with the Black Crowes has been change. Over the years, band members came and went. The group itself even took a few breaks along the way. It all came to a head in 2015 when, according to JamBase, Rich Robinson announced that the Black Crowes were breaking up over a disagreement regarding ownership of the band. He and his brother, Chris, didn’t speak to one another for about four years.
Ultimately, the Robinson brothers reconciled and reunited to plan a 2020 tour commemorating the 30th anniversary of Shake Your Money Maker. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic got in the way and pushed it back to 2021. The Black Crowes are touring once again in 2024 with a show at Ovens Auditorium on May 1st.
