The majority of Truth & Salvage Co. convened in the city of
Asheville, North Carolina, in the early 2000s while performing in other groups.
Bill "Smitty" Smith,
Joe Edel,
Walker Young and
Scott Kinnebrew first started playing together in the jazz/ragtime outfit Scrappy Hamilton in the Spring of 1999, touring the East Coast extensively for five years and releasing three albums independently. The band gained some underground notoriety, opening for such well-established acts as
Squirrel Nut Zippers,
Dirty Dozen Brass Band,
The Moldy Peaches and
Rebirth Brass Band. During this time, the band had a song ("Wastin' Time," penned by Kinnebrew) featured in the 2002 horror film,
Cabin Fever. During this same time period, Tim Jones was the leader of the reasonably successful rock outfit Old Pike, based out of Indianapolis, Indiana. Signed early in their career to Epic Records subsidiary 550 Music, the band (featuring future members of My Morning Jacket and Roguewave) recorded and released a debut album (produced by Jim Scott) and toured extensively. The band gained attention by supporting such successful artists as
Ben Folds Five,
Whiskeytown,
John Mellencamp and
The Old 97s. Despite such early success, however, the group opted to disband in 2001, at which time Jones moved to Los Angeles with the intent of beginning a solo career.
Adam Grace grew up in
Tupelo, Mississippi, and toured the South making a name for himself in the college circuit. At seventeen, Adam moved to
New York City and pursued acting and music, eventually landing a role on Broadway. In 2001 Adam moved to Los Angeles and backed many a musician on the scene, including
Gary Jules who released the remake of
Tears For Fears' hit single "Mad World" for the hit film
Donnie Darko. Throughout the early 2000s, Grace shared stages with top touring acts and made numerous appearances on TV shows as an actor, musician, and magician. As with his Truth & Salvage Co. counterpart Tim Jones, Grace would find himself relocating to Los Angeles in the early-2000s in an effort to further his career. In 2005, Scrappy Hamilton relocated to Los Angeles, attempting to boost their popularity by performing in a larger market. At the time, Jones was performing at the Hotel Cafe in
Hollywood every Sunday night. In between Scrappy Hamilton gigs, Smith, Edel, Young and Kinnebrew became resident musicians at Cranes Hollywood Tavern with a musical collaborative called the Beachwood Rockers. The buzz surrounding each residency would eventually draw the five musicians together. When Adam Grace found his way into the mix, the line-up was set, and Truth & Salvage Co. was born. In late 2008, Truth & Salvage Co. caught the attention of
Black Crowes frontman and co-songwriter
Chris Robinson, who had recently established his own record label (Silver Arrow) with his brother
Rich Robinson. Enthusiastic about the band's potential, Robinson immediately signed the band to his label, providing Truth & Salvage Co. with the distinction of being the first artist on the Silver Arrow roster. Robinson also enlisted the band as the opening act for the Black Crowes' 2009 tour in support of their
Before the Frost...Until the Freeze record, a slot that would expose Truth & Salvage Co. to just the right audience for their sound. On this tour, a four-track EP was made available, featuring four songs from the band's album, which was revealed to be in process in Los Angeles and being produced by Robinson. ==Recent==