Before they were The Black Crowes, Chris and Rich Robinson formed Mr. Crowe's Garden in 1984, when they were still in high school. By 1988 Mr. Crowe's Garden had become The Black Crowes, and in March 1990 the band--composed of Chris Robinson (vocals), Rich Robinson (guitars), Jeff Cease (guitars), Johnny Colt (bass) and Steve Gorman (drums)--released its first album, "Shake Your Moneymaker."
In October 1991, Cease left the band, replaced by ex-Burning Tree guitarist Mark Ford. Keyboardist Eddie Harsch also joined, and the sextet recorded three albums together, "The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion;" "Amorica;" and "Three Snakes and One Charm."
Soon after "Three Snakes and One Charm" hit record shelves, Colt and Ford were out and bassist Sven Pipien was in. The Crowes soldiered on, recording "By Your Side" in 1999 and "Lions" in 2001. It would be their last new studio release for seven years.
In 2002, drummer Gorman was fired and the Crowes disbanded, with the brothers Robinson each pursuing solo careers. By 2005, however, the band was alive again, with the Robinsons recruiting Harsch, Colt and Pipien back into the fold, along with drummer Bill Dobrow. They hit the road, and in Atlanta, Georgia, Steve Gorman joined them onstage and was soon back in the band, and Dobrow was out.
The lineup changes continued as Ford and Harsch left in 2006 during a tour. They were replaced by guitarist Paul Stacey and keyboardist Rob Clores, both of whom lasted little more than a year. In summer 2007, Adam MacDougall replaced Clores and North Mississippi Allstars' guitarist Luther Dickinson solidified the act. The Crowes were soon back in the studio and recorded "Warpaint," their seventh studio album, released March 2008. The band have since announced an upcoming double-album ("Before The Frost/Until The Freeze") slated for a September 2009 release.
Stan Robinson--father of Chris and Rich Robinson--had a single in the charts in 1959. His "Boom-A-Dip-Dip" reached #83 on the Billboard charts that year.