John Stirratt

John Chadwick Stirratt is an American bassist and multi-instrumentalist for Wilco and The Autumn Defense.

John Stirratt
Background information
Birth name	John Chadwick Stiratt
Born	(1967-11-26) November 26, 1967
Genres	Alternative rock, alt.country, folk-rock, indie pop, indie rock
Occupation(s)	Musician, songwriter, producer
Instrument(s)	Bass, guitar, piano, keyboards, synthesiser, banjo, violin
Years active	1989–present
Labels	Sire Records, Reprise Records, Nonesuch Records, Broadmoor Records, Yep Roc Records

Early career

Stirratt grew up in Mandeville, Louisiana. He attended Mandeville High School and the University of Mississippi, and is a member of Phi Kappa Tau fraternity.

He played regularly around the American South with The Hilltops, a band based in Oxford, Mississippi which included his twin sister Laurie Stirratt and her husband Cary Hudson. During that time he met and befriended the band Uncle Tupelo supporting them on tours of the East and Midwest.

After the breakup of The Hilltops in 1990 Stirratt recorded a record under the name The Gimmecaps and briefly joined The Bluerunners, a Lafayette, Louisiana band, before joining Uncle Tupelo in 1992 as bassist/guitarist on their last album Anodyne.

Wilco and The Autumn Defense

Stirratt discussing making Sky Blue Sky in 2007

After the breakup of Uncle Tupelo, Stirratt rejoined Jeff Tweedy, Ken Coomer, and Max Johnston to found Wilco in 1994. Since Wilco began, Stirratt, and Tweedy are the only members to contribute to all Wilco releases.

Stirratt also joined Wilco members Jay Bennett and Ken Coomer forming Courtesy Move, an early Wilco side project which recorded an album in late 1996 that was never released. Stirratt formed The Autumn Defense in 2000 with friend and fellow New Orleanian Pat Sansone.

External links

• Media related to John Stirratt at Wikimedia Commons
• The Autumn Defense