Hailing from the deep South and with a name that summons loud, aggressive tunes, The Civil Wars aren’t quite the rabble-rousers their unusual moniker might suggest.

The Civil War are Joy Williams and John Paul White, both accomplished solo artists in their own right, and each with an impressive collection of tunes. Having both paid their dues on the Southern singer-songwriter circuit, the two recently began writing music together and have already developed a large fan following in the Southeast.

White, once signed with Capitol Records, has written for big acts like LeAnn Rimes and Rascal Flatts, while Williams has had her songs featured on popular shows like “Grey’s Anatomy,” “90210,” and “Drop Dead Diva.” As a group the duo recently hit another mile marker on their rise to fame, when their song “Poison and Wine” was featured in an episode of “Grey’s Anatomy.”

Due to their soft, yet highly emotional writing, it is easy to draw comparisons to groups like the Swell Season. But the two have a lighter side and a beautiful chemistry that shines when they share the stage.

Currently, the group has an EP and a live album (recorded at Atlanta’s Eddie’s Attic) under their belt. They are also polishing up their highly anticipated, full length debut album to be released in the coming months.

The Civil Wars will be performing at Standard Deluxe in Waverly this Friday, Sept. 17. Check out thecivilwars.com for more info, downloads and tunes.
The show starts at 7 p.m. with a performance by Taylor Hollingsworth (see page 20). Cover is $10.