Bassist John Cunard, a veteran of metal and alternative bands in North Carolina, joined in time for the group to record its debut album, Ten Acres, in rural western Massachusetts. The album, a set of spare, spacious story-songs, was issued in October 2008 and defined the band's sound as slow and mournful, evoking Townes Van Zandt and, in the harmonies of Riley and Leigh, some of the better moments of Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris. Drummer Nick Cisik, who had briefly played with Riley in a band called Miss Stanton's Boys in 2006, joined Cady Wire at year's end as the group began playing shows throughout New York City. Ten Acres was followed in 2009 by a very-limited-release lo-fi EP, Pyrite, with album art hand-designed and constructed by artist Angie Pickman. By spring 2009 Cady Wire was at work on their full-length follow-up to Ten Acres, with the working title Winter's Kids. ~ Joseph McCombs