Played together in the Plebes and the Primitives with high school friend Jay Farrar, before dubbing themselves Uncle Tupelo in the mid-1980s
Wife, Sue Miller, previously ran the Chicago rock club Lounge Ax, where Uncle Tupelo often performed
Formed Wilco with former Uncle Tupelo members John Stirratt, Ken Coomer and Max Johnston after that group disbanded in 1994
Made his studio debut with Wilco on the country-rock album A
M
(1995); commercial breakthrough came in 2002, with the acclaimed Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
Published a book of poems titled Adult Head in 2004
Side projects include Golden Smog, featuring members of the Jayhawks and Soul Asylum, and Loose Fur, with producer Jim O'Rourke and Wilco drummer Glenn Kotche
Son Spencer plays drums in a rock band called the Blisters