Questions
Who started My Morning Jacket and when?
Jim James created the band in Louisville, Kentucky in 1998, as an outlet for acoustic songs his previous band, Month of Sundays, could not use.
Where does the band’s name come from?
Reportedly, Jim James found a discarded coat with the letters "MMJ" on it, and that inspired the name My Morning Jacket.
Who was in the original lineup?
The first roster was Jim James (vocals and guitar), his cousin Johnny Quaid (guitar), Tom Blankenship (bass), and J. Glenn (drums), all formerly of the Shelbyville emo-punk band Winter Death Club.
Who is in the band now?
The current lineup is Jim James (lead vocals, guitar), Tom Blankenship (bass), Patrick Hallahan (drums), Bo Koster (keyboards), and Carl Broemel (guitar, pedal steel, and saxophone).
Is it true Jim James recorded vocals in a grain silo?
Yes. For the 2001 album At Dawn, James recorded vocals inside a grain silo, creating a heavily echoed sound that became a hallmark of the band’s early releases.
What was their first album?
Their debut, The Tennessee Fire, came out in May 1999 on Darla Records.
Which album was their big breakthrough?
Z in 2005 marked their critical breakthrough, with Rolling Stone critic David Fricke writing that America was a lot closer to getting its own Radiohead, and it was not Wilco.
When did the lineup change to the current members?
J. Glenn left in 2000 and Patrick Hallahan took over drums in 2002, then Johnny Quaid and Danny Cash departed in January 2004 and were replaced by Bo Koster and Carl Broemel.
What is the story behind their legendary Bonnaroo set?
Their 2008 Bonnaroo performance became instantly legendary, a roughly four-hour midnight set in heavy rain featuring 35 songs and a guest appearance by Kirk Hammett of Metallica. Rolling Stone called it career-defining.
Have they been nominated for any Grammys?
Yes. Evil Urges (2008) was nominated for Best Alternative Rock Album, and The Waterfall (2015) was nominated for Best Alternative Music Album.
Why is there a Waterfall II?
The sessions for The Waterfall reportedly produced over 24 completed songs, enough to fill two albums, so a second volume, The Waterfall II, followed in 2020.
Did they ever appear on a TV show as themselves?
Yes. They appeared as themselves in an American Dad! episode titled "My Morning Straitjacket" (aired November 22, 2009), which was inspired by co-creator Mike Barker’s experience at their 2008 Bonnaroo set.
What kind of music do they play?
The band blends indie rock, art rock, psychedelic rock, alternative country, Southern rock, jam, and Americana.
What record labels have they been on?
Over the years the band has been signed to Darla Records, Wichita Recordings, ATO Records, V2 Records, and Capitol Records.
How many albums have they released?
They have put out a run of studio albums since 1999, with their tenth studio album, Is, arriving in 2025.
