Out Of The Mosh Pit, Into The 'Country Club'

One fateful night in a Toronto bar, a celebrity punk veteran shared the stage with a local rock outfit, and an idea for a collaborative country album was born.

Three years later, John Doe (co-founder of the L.A. punk group X) and Canadian indie rockers The Sadies have released their musical brainchild. Their album Country Club draws out the soul and edge of traditional country tunes without pulling the artists away from their respective roots.

Thirty years ago, Doe's punk sound was distinguished for its slight bluesy twang, and The Sadies have a long history of joining forces with other country-rock artists (most frequently and notoriously backing Neko Case).

On Country Club, Doe and The Sadies croon through covers by country favorites like Merle Haggard, Tammy Wynette, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson, and include some original tracks as well.

"Country ... always seemed like a snooze to me [until] The Sadies and I played together at a festival in Canada, and it was like, 'This is what [country] should be,'" Doe tells Fresh Air host Terry Gross.

Doe, also an actor on the big and little screen, joins Terry Gross in the studio with The Sadies for an hour-long chat and live performance.

This broadcast originally aired May 19, 2009.