Producing some of the most striking music in the alt-country genre during the mid- to late '90s, Richmond Fontaine was formed in 1994 by singer/songwriter Willy Vlautin (also a successful author) shortly after he relocated from his native Reno to Portland, Oregon. He teamed up with Dave Harding (bass) and Stuart Gaston (drums) and, drawing inspiration from their love of U.S. punk and roots rock, made their debut with 1996’s Safety on the local Cravedog label. The quality of Vlautin’s lyrics served immediate notice of a new songwriting talent, and the follow-up, Miles From, allied Vlautin’s lyrical brilliance to a much-improved musical performance. 2002’s Winnemucca introduced a more experimental edge into several tracks, and Vlautin’s songwriting hit a new peak on 2004’s excellent Post to Wire, earning comparisons to Raymond Carver.