Jerry Cantrell: The Bridge That Kept Grunge Alive
Jerry Cantrell is the renowned lead guitarist and primary songwriter of Seattle legends Alice in Chains. However in the late 90s, the declining health of lead singer and songwriter Layne Staley led to the cancellation of major tours, limiting the band's exposure compared to their grunge contemporaries Nirvana and Pearl Jam. Instead tours were cancelled and new recordings slowed until they ended leaving the Seattle grunge scene largely inactive, a sudden halt fans weren't prepared for. Amid this uncertainty, Cantrell continued to create music. At this point, Nirvana had disbanded following Kurt Cobain's death, and Soundgarden had also broken up, creating an abrupt pause in the grunge movement. Cantrell released his debut album Boggy Depot in 1998 during Alice in Chains' hiatus. His childhood in Oklahoma was front and center on this record as it branched from their metal infused grunge to leaning into strong Southern Rock influences. It also featured guest appearances b...
