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The Wreckers is an American country duo formed in 2004 by singer-songwriters Michelle Branch and Jessica Harp.
The Wreckers were formed when Michelle Branch recruited her longtime friend and backing vocalist Jessica Harp -- who, at the time, was en route to signing a record deal of her own -- on a new musical venture, incorporating elements from both Branch's pop-rock style and Harp's classical style to form a unique-sounding duo. Thus, The Wreckers (a shortened form of the second band name given to the girls by Michelle's husband Teddy Landau, "The Cass County Homewreckers") were formed, and signed to Maverick Records. Soon, their song "The Good Kind" -- originally recorded solely by Harp -- was featured on the hit teen television series One Tree Hill. They performed this song on the show on February 8, 2005. Later that month, the duo embarked on the month-long, nation-wide One Tree Hill Tour alongside Gavin DeGraw, Tyler Hilton, and Bethany Joy Lenz. Branch later expressed her dislike of going on tour without releasing an album first, and The Wreckers then attempted to release their debut album, Stand Still, Look Pretty. However, the album faced several delays.
Stand Still, Look Pretty was finally released in May 2006, followed by a heavy promotional radio campaign by the band. It made the top five on the country music albums chart in the United States, also making the top twenty on the Billboard 200. Though the market for country music is generally smaller in the UK compared to the United States, the album reached number one on the country chart on that side of the Atlantic. They performed in Indianapolis, Indiana at Monument Circle on April 2 as part of the Final Four celebration. The Wreckers went on tour as Rascal Flatts opening act during the summer of 2006, in addition to playing smaller club dates as headliners. "My, Oh My", was the second single from Stand Still, Look Pretty, and its Wild West-themed video was filmed on the Wild West stage at Universal Studios. They were nominated for "Vocal Duo of the Year" at the 40th Annual CMA Awards, but lost to Brooks & Dunn. In the summer of 2007, they will be on tour with Keith Urban.
In December 2006 The Wreckers were nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal" for "Leave the Pieces".
The duo has since stated that their next recording projects will be solo albums. Jessica Harp has stated that they will indeed continue The Wreckers as a side project, but solo albums are what "feel right" for now.
Jessica Harp recently became engaged to Jason Mowry who plays fiddle, Mandolin in their back up band.
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