World Cafe Looks Back: Uncle Tupelo's Family Tree

Enlarge this image toggle caption Jim Leatherman Uncle Tupelo at the Sapphire Supper Club in Orlando, Fla. Jeff Tweedy (second from left) went on to form Wilco, while Jay Farrar (second from right) created Son Volt. Jim Leatherman

Set List Uncle Tupelo, "Acuff-Rose"

Uncle Tupelo, "Slate"

Uncle Tupelo, "Give Back The Key To My Heart"

Son Volt, "Tear-Stained Eye"

Son Volt, "Windfall"

Son Volt, "Medicine Hat"

Wilco, "Box Full Of Letters"

Wilco, "Outtasite (Outta Mind)"

Wilco, "She's A Jar"

Wilco, "Kamera"

Wilco, "What Light"

Wilco, "You And I"

Throughout the month of October, we celebrated the 20th anniversary of World Cafe and revisited some of the best and most memorable interviews of the past 20 years.

The influential alt-country group Uncle Tupelo spawned Wilco and Son Volt shortly after it broke up in the mid-'90s. In this episode, we'll hear archival performances from all three bands, and assess the state of their genre as it's continued to develop.

Uncle Tupelo was born when three friends — Jay Farrar, Jeff Tweedy and Mike Heidorn — decided to re-form their high-school band after its lead singer left for college. Based in Belleville, Ill., the members of Uncle Tupelo quickly realized that their punk idols The Ramones and The Sex Pistols were not the toast of their music scene. They began to explore country music, and resulting blend on the group's 1990 album No Depression became synonymous with the alt-country sound. During its short but remarkable run, Uncle Tupelo recorded a live session with World Cafe before its split in 1994.

With the breakup of Uncle Tupelo, Farrar formed Son Volt, which has put out critically successful Americana albums from 1995 through its most recent record, American Central Dust, in 2009. The band has visited World Cafe on several occasions over the years, and we'll play three songs from different points in the late '90s.

Led by Jeff Tweedy, Wilco has released music that's run the gamut from folk-rock to experimental pop. Wilco has graced World Cafe many times over the years, and we'll hear a selection of songs from visits between 1995 and 2009. The band's most recent album, The Whole Love, came out this year.

This segment originally aired on October 25, 2011.