Biography
During the closing years of the 1970s, Will Rigby established himself as drummer in the dB's, the acclaimed jangle-pop outfit he assembled in New York City alongside North Carolina-born Gene Holder and Chris Stamey. Several months afterward, Peter Holsapple arrived from the south to link up with his acquaintance Rigby. Over time Rigby supported numerous prominent musicians while also issuing unconventional solo recordings. His debut LP, Sidekick Phenomenon, appeared via Egon—the imprint operated by Yo La Tengo members Ira Kaplan and Georgia Hubley—in 1985. Captured during idle periods inside the dB's practice area, this lo-fi recording mixed covers of Hank Williams and Merle Haggard numbers with Rigby-penned tracks.
Following the dB's dissolution, Rigby stepped away temporarily to focus on raising his children and his marriage to singer/songwriter Amy Rigby, from whom he later separated. Upon reentering the scene, Rigby collaborated with Murray Attaway, previously the leader of Guadalcanal Diary, along with Matthew Sweet. Additional partnerships included work alongside Freedy Johnston, Cheri Knight, and dB's alumni Stamey and Holsapple. A 1990 vinyl release of the single "Ricky Skaggs Tonight" came out on Brooklyn's Diesel Only, the label founded by Jeremy Tepper of the World Famous Bluejays. Throughout the 1990s he also performed with label associate Laura Cantrell as well as Kelly Willis. By the decade's close he had secured a steady position drumming for Steve Earle. Diesel Only put out Paradoxaholic in 2002—Rigby's initial solo effort after seventeen years—which drew upon the extensive collection of compositions he had accumulated. Although still tracked during downtime in exchange for studio time, this release carried greater professional refinement compared to his earlier work.
Following the dB's dissolution, Rigby stepped away temporarily to focus on raising his children and his marriage to singer/songwriter Amy Rigby, from whom he later separated. Upon reentering the scene, Rigby collaborated with Murray Attaway, previously the leader of Guadalcanal Diary, along with Matthew Sweet. Additional partnerships included work alongside Freedy Johnston, Cheri Knight, and dB's alumni Stamey and Holsapple. A 1990 vinyl release of the single "Ricky Skaggs Tonight" came out on Brooklyn's Diesel Only, the label founded by Jeremy Tepper of the World Famous Bluejays. Throughout the 1990s he also performed with label associate Laura Cantrell as well as Kelly Willis. By the decade's close he had secured a steady position drumming for Steve Earle. Diesel Only put out Paradoxaholic in 2002—Rigby's initial solo effort after seventeen years—which drew upon the extensive collection of compositions he had accumulated. Although still tracked during downtime in exchange for studio time, this release carried greater professional refinement compared to his earlier work.
Albums
