The Civil Wars Have Officially Broken Up

Sad news for fans of good music: Joy Williams and John Paul White, the country/folk duo known as The Civil Wars, have officially broken up after over a year on hiatus.

This is a break up that's been brewing for quite a long time, as The Civil Wars first began canceling tour dates back in 2012 over what was described by the duo as “internal discord and irreconcilable differences of ambition.” The Civil Wars still released an album in August 2013, the self-titled The Civil Wars, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and earned the duo their fourth Grammy Award. However, their separation meant that neither Williams nor White did much in the way of promotion for the album itself.

In an official statement announcing the break up, Williams detailed her emotional turmoil over the split:

“I am saddened and disappointed by the ending of this duo, to say the least,” the statement read. “JP is a tremendous musician, and I will always be grateful for the music we were able to create together.”

In their last act as a duo, The Civil Wars released their cover of “You Are My Sunshine” as a digital download.

“I sincerely hope that ‘You Are My Sunshine’ will be accepted as a token of my gratitude for every single person that has supported our duo throughout the years,” Williams added in the statement. “I’m so thankful and my heart is full.”

This is certainly disappointing news, but sometimes it's better to just cut your losses than to force a creative endeavor that isn't working anymore. Still, the duo gave us some great music over the years (I've embedded one of my favorite songs of their below). Here's hoping Williams and White land on their feet, respectively.

Via: Entertainment Weekly

Credit: Allister Ann