Biography
Born on August 1, 1964, in Baltimore, Maryland, Adam Duritz drew inspiration from Van Morrison and Bob Dylan yet shaped melancholy lyrics that aligned more closely with the world-weary outlook of post-grunge rock & roll. He launched Counting Crows in 1991 alongside guitarist David Bryson in San Francisco, where the pair first delivered acoustic performances in coffeehouses. The lineup later expanded with bassist Matt Malley, guitarist Dan Vickrey, drummer Steve Bowman, and keyboardist Charles Gillingham. Blending roots rock with R.E.M. jangle, the group cohered around Duritz’s sad, introspective songs. Two years afterward they tracked their debut album, August and Everything After. At first the record found only modest traction, circulating mainly through the few adult alternative stations then on the air. The upbeat “Mr. Jones” nevertheless broke through on MTV in 1994, resonating with Generation X alternative rock listeners fatigued by Seattle’s guitar-driven intensity. Once the pensive ballad “Round Here” reached the airwaves, Duritz attained the superstardom he had imagined inside “Mr. Jones.” Despite the widespread critical praise August and Everything After earned, he was repeatedly cast as a Morrison clone, and the band even stood in for Morrison at the 1993 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ceremony. In the mid-’90s Duritz’s private affairs supplied steady tabloid copy during his relationship with actress Jennifer Aniston. After the couple parted, he sustained Counting Crows’ momentum while also supporting Ryan Adams on the album Gold.
Albums
