Although Uncle Tupelo broke up before it achieved commercial success, the band is renowned for its impact on the alternative country music scene.

[5] Hailing from Belleville, Illinois, The Plebes sought to enter a battle-of-the-bands competition but needed another high school student as a member to perform.

Wade Farrar was the lead singer of the band, but his commitment to Southern Illinois University and an attempted enlistment in the United States Army meant he was only able to dedicate a small amount of time to the group.

[8][14] The trio recorded a four-song demo tape, which got them supporting slots opening for headline artists such as Johnny Thunders and Warren Zevon.

[15] Uncle Tupelo began to play regular shows at Cicero's Basement — a bar close to the campus of Washington University in St. Louis.

[8] Uncle Tupelo recorded demo tracks in the attic studio of future Chicago punk producer Matt Allison in Champaign, Illinois.

The demo, distributed with the title Not Forever, Just for Now, includes "I Got Drunk" and "Screen Door", as well as early versions of several other songs that would appear on the band's first studio album.

[17] The CMJ New Music Report gave the tape a rave review, and called Uncle Tupelo the best unsigned band of the year.

The accolade drew the attention of independent labels, and the band decided to sign with Jay Fialkov and Debbie Southwood-Smith of Giant Records, who offered to book them at CBGB in New York City.

In between tours, Farrar, Tweedy and Heidorn formed a country cover band named Coffee Creek, along with Brian Henneman (later a member of The Bottle Rockets).

[25] Soon afterward, Uncle Tupelo recorded "Shaking Hands (Soldier's Joy)" on Michelle Shocked's album Arkansas Traveler and joined her on the accompanying tour with Taj Mahal and The Band.

[26][27][28] Alternative rock had broken into the mainstream by 1992, and an album released in that style was expected to earn the group a major-label record deal.

However, Uncle Tupelo did not want to follow in the footsteps of groups such as Nirvana, and decided to play country and folk songs "as a big 'fuck you' to the rock scene".

[32] Despite turning away from the style of popular alternative rock, major labels began to show significant interest in Uncle Tupelo after March 16–20, 1992 was released.

McEwen, who brought notable acts such as Dinosaur Jr. and Shawn Colvin to Sire, had been interested in them since hearing the Not Forever, Just for Now demo tape.

[34] Around the time of the recording of March 16–20, 1992, Mike Heidorn had secured a steady job at a Belleville newspaper company and was dating a woman who had two children from a previous marriage.

The band also experimented with new members: John Stirratt replaced Brian Henneman (who left to form The Bottle Rockets) while Max Johnston, the brother of Michelle Shocked, joined as a live mandolin and violin performer.

[38] Now a five-piece, Uncle Tupelo recorded their major label debut at Cedar Creek studio in Austin, Texas in early 1993.

[40] In 1993, the band contributed a cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival's track "Effigy" to the AIDS-Benefit album No Alternative produced by the Red Hot Organization.

With the addition of Stirratt, Coomer, and Johnston just prior to the recording of Anodyne, Farrar and Tweedy's relationship became more tumultuous, leading to verbal altercations after concerts.

[46] As a favor to Margherita, who had spent a substantial amount of money to keep the band running, Farrar agreed to a final tour with Uncle Tupelo in North America.

[47] Following Uncle Tupelo's final tour, Tweedy encouraged his bandmates to join him in a new group, while Farrar searched for members for a band of his own.

Son Volt had an early college rock hit with "Drown" from the album Trace, but Wilco maintained a more commercially successful career in the years to follow.

[58] The band has released songs originally performed by Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Carter Family, Lead Belly, Gram Parsons, The Soft Boys, The Louvin Brothers, Texas Tornados, and The Stooges.

[30] Critic Michael Corcoran likened the band's musical style to "Bob Mould fronting Soul Asylum on a speeded-up version of a Gram Parsons song.

[55][61] While the genre eventually became associated with solo artists such as Gram Parsons and Lyle Lovett, Uncle Tupelo is considered the first alternative country band.

[65][66] Heidorn commented in a Country Standard Time interview:[67] It's strange to hear Uncle Tupelo mentioned because what we were doing was in such a long line of musical history.

[68][69] Uncle Tupelo's usage of distorted guitars to play a style of music that was known for its earnestness became a lasting trend in 1990s modern rock.

[70] Jason Ankeny wrote in AllMusic that:[1] With the release of their 1990 debut LP, No Depression, the Belleville, IL, trio Uncle Tupelo launched more than simply their own career—by fusing the simplicity and honesty of country music with the bracing fury of punk, they kick-started a revolution which reverberated throughout the American underground.Their 1990 album No Depression lent its name to an influential alternative country periodical.