Hotchkiss had been the lead singer for L.A.-based Apostles. After deciding to form a full band, the duo recruited Jimmy Stafford (lead guitarist for The Apostles) on guitar, Charlie Colin on bass, and Scott Underwood on drums, thus solidifying Train's lineup in 1994. Train attempted to get signed under Columbia Records in 1996, but were rejected. Subsequently, the band decided to release their first self-titled CD independently. By 1997, they were touring nationally, opening concerts for bands such as Barenaked Ladies, Hootie & the Blowfish, Cracker and Counting Crows. 1998–2000: Train Train is the band's eponymous debut album. Initially released on Aware/RED, a joint venture with Columbia, A&R executive Tim Devine picked up the record for release on Columbia. The album was released on February 24, 1998, with a different track listing from its independent counterpart. It was self-produced for $25,000, and three singles from the album were released. The first single released, "Meet Virginia", was sent to adult album alternative radio in March 1998. In 2000, it became a top-20 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 20. The second single, "Free", was released in July 1998 and experienced success on pop/mainstream rock stations, and the third single was "I Am", released in 1999. The album brought the band national fame, and was certified platinum by the RIAA. Following the success of the debut album, the band began working on their second album. 2001–2002: Drops of Jupiter Drops of Jupiter, the band's second album, was produced by Brendan O' Brien, who has also worked with artists such as Pearl Jam, King's X, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band and Neil Young. Before the release of the second album, the band released the single "Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)". The song was a massive hit; it entered the Hot 100 on March 10, 2001, and spent 54 weeks on the chart before being relegated to the recurrents chart. The song won a Grammy Award for Best Rock Song, as well as a Grammy Award for Best Arrangement, which was written by Paul Buckmaster, known for his string arrangements for Elton John. (The band reportedly hired Buckmaster expressly to create a sound similar to his arrangement for John's "Burn Down The Mission".) The album Drops of Jupiter was released on March 27, 2001, and became Train's first multi-platinum album, with the success of the lead single. The