Fisher

The modern rock duo Fisher, which hails from West Virginia, capitalized on the emerging trend of online music distribution and ultimately secured a recording contract after an intensive campaign on www.mp3.com. The lineup consists of singer/songwriter Kathy Fisher alongside composer, producer, and keyboardist Ron Wasserman; the pair began collaborating in the mid-'90s amid the demanding environment of Los Angeles while both sought steady income.

Kathy Fisher's distinctive ethereal vocals later appeared in advertisements for Napa, Nike, Hyundai, and Hallmark. The band's initial breakthrough arrived via the track "Breakable," featured on the soundtrack for the 1996 Gwyneth Paltrow film Great Expectations, which also showcased contributions from Duncan Sheik, Chris Cornell, Iggy Pop, Tori Amos, and Pulp. Extensive promotion generated significant attention for Fisher after a connection appeared on Tori Amos' official website.

Subsequent touring engagements included dates alongside Oasis and Lisa Loeb as well as appearances on the 1998 Lilith Fair circuit. In spring 1999 the group issued its independently released debut album One. Drawn to the surge in digital music access, Fisher ensured its catalog reached multiple online platforms, amassing nearly three million streams throughout 1999 and placing eleven songs inside the Top 40 on www.mp3.com.

That visibility prompted a contract with Farmclub.com/Interscope, yielding the major-label debut True North in fall 2000. Two years afterward the act returned with the roots rock double-disc Uppers and Downers.