The Delines

Biography

The Delines are a Portland, Oregon-based band formed around 2012 by songwriter Willy Vlautin, formerly of Richmond Fontaine, and vocalist Amy Boone, co-founder of Damnations, TX. Vlautin, inspired by Boone's voice during joint tours, wrote songs specifically for her and convinced her to join, marking the band's origin as an outlet for his cinematic narratives of working-class struggles, the lost, and the resilient. Their debut album, Colfax (2014), experimented with alt-country and soul-ballad sounds featuring pedal steel, Rhodes, horns, and strings, evoking influences like Dusty Springfield, Rickie Lee Jones, Bobbie Gentry, and Sammi Smith.[1][4][6]

The band's sophomore album, The Imperial (2019), faced a major setback when Boone was hit by a car in Austin, Texas in 2016, breaking both legs and requiring nine surgeries, skin grafts, and three years of rehab; she now walks with a cane crafted by a bandmate. Despite the interruption—much of the album was recorded pre-accident—the group persisted, solidifying their lush, late-night country-soul style through European and Australian tours. Boone's gritty, lonesome delivery of Vlautin's short-story-like lyrics became central, with subsequent releases like The Sea Drift (2022) exploring Gulf Coast themes at Boone's request for love songs without tragedy.[1][2][4]

Known for their soulful Americana, The Delines have built a dedicated following, particularly in the UK and Ireland, with sold-out shows and critical acclaim for their perseverance and evocative music. Vlautin, also an acclaimed novelist whose works have been adapted into films, channels similar gritty realism into the band's output, transitioning from Richmond Fontaine's punk-infused Americana to The Delines' more ballad-driven sound.[1][5]

Fun Facts

• Amy Boone uses a cane handcrafted by a bandmate following her 2016 accident, which she wielded during early post-recovery tours despite mobility challenges.[1]
• The band originated from Vlautin's obsession with Boone's voice; he wrote a 'thesis' persuading her to join after hearing her warm-ups on tour.[1]
• Boone's accident halted momentum after successful international tours, but she insisted on flying to Portland mid-recovery—jokingly requesting a blindfold and cigarette en route—to finish The Imperial.[1]
• For The Sea Drift, Boone challenged Vlautin to write a love song 'where no-one dies,' inspired by Tony Joe White's 'Rainy Night in Georgia,' shifting the album's Gulf Coast setting.[4]

Musical Connections

Key Collaborators

• Willy Vlautin - songwriter, guitarist, band founder (all albums including Colfax (2014), The Imperial (2019), The Sea Drift (2022)) [2012-present]
• Sean Oldham - drummer from Richmond Fontaine (all albums) [2012-present]
• Freddy Trujillo - bassist (all albums) [2012-present]
• Cory Gray - multi-instrumentalist (keyboards, trumpet, horns, strings) (The Imperial and later albums) [2014-present]
• Jenny Conlee - keyboards (initial contributor from The Decemberists) (early recordings) [2012-2014]
• John Morgan Askew - producer (The Imperial) [2018]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. Mr. Luck & Ms. Doom (Mr. Luck & Ms. Doom)
2. The Oil Rigs at Night (Colfax)
3. Her Ponyboy (Mr. Luck & Ms. Doom)
4. Left Hook Like Frazier (Mr. Luck & Ms. Doom)
5. Sitting On The Curb (Mr. Luck & Ms. Doom)
6. The Haunting Thoughts (Mr. Luck & Ms. Doom)
7. Maureen's Gone Missing (Mr. Luck & Ms. Doom)
8. There's Nothing Down The Highway (Mr. Luck & Ms. Doom)
9. Don't Miss Your Bus Lorraine (Mr. Luck & Ms. Doom)
10. Hold Me Slow (The Sea Drift)

External Links

• Spotify