The Freewheelers

Roots-rock outfit the Freewheelers came together in Los Angeles in 1989, locking in singer/guitarist Luther Russell, bassist Jason Hiller, pianist Chris Joyner, keyboardist Dave Sobel, and drummer John Hofer before cutting their self-titled Geffen debut in 1991. Although the record drew favorable notices, it made little headway commercially, so the group stayed out of sight until 1996, when they returned without Sobel on the American Recordings album Waitin' for George, a title chosen to salute producer George Drakoulias. Persistent lack of interest soon prompted the Freewheelers to call it quits, after which Russell launched his solo path with the 1997 release Low Down World and Other Songs and later rejoined Hiller to launch the band Federale.