Vocalist/guitarists Cooper Seay and Chris McGuire formed the punk-pop band Ellen James Society in the late '80s in the Athens/Atlanta area with bassist Bryan Lilje and the first of an assortment of drummers that stabilized in 1992 with Stephen Hines. The group played backup band and support act to the Indigo Girls on an American tour, appearing on Nomads*Indians*Saints and Back on the Bus Y'All. Indigo Girl Amy Ray then signed Ellen James Society to her Daemon label and co-produced the group's 1990 debut album, Reluctantly We. The band released The Survivors Parade in March 1992, but the album proved their last. McGuire then formed Mary Fortune Express, while Seay moved on to play with Viva La Diva. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide