fˈaʊndᵻd ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi nˈaɪn æz ɐ mˈoːɹ blˈuːɡɹæsˈoːɹiəntᵻd bˈænd wɪð məɡwˈaɪɚ ænd stɹˈeɪɚ—ðˈɛn ɡˌoʊɪŋ baɪ ðɛɹ bˈɜːθ sˈɜːneɪmz ʌv ˈɜːwɪn—ɐlˈɔŋ wɪð lˈɔːɹə lˈɪntʃ ænd ɹˈɑːbɪn lˈɪn mˈeɪsi, ðə bˈænd dɪdnˌɑːt ɐtʃˈiːv mˈeɪnstɹiːm səksˈɛs ʌntˈɪl lˈɪntʃ ænd mˈeɪsi lˈɛft ænd wɜː ɹᵻplˈeɪst baɪ lˈiːd sˈɪŋɚ nˈæɾɐli mˈeɪnz.
Founded in 1989 as a more bluegrass-oriented band with Maguire and Strayer—then going by their birth surnames of Erwin—along with Laura Lynch and Robin Lynn Macy, the band did not achieve mainstream success until Lynch and Macy left and were replaced by lead singer Natalie Maines.