Adam Duritz

Duritz and producer/guitarist David Bryson formed Counting Crows in San Francisco in 1991.[6][7] When Gary Gersh of Geffen Records heard the band's demo tape, he was "blown away". A bidding war between nine different record labels broke out in February 1992. In April, the band—which, by that time, included other members—"signed a deal with Gersh and Geffen believed to be so lucrative that industry wags dubbed them Accounting Crows".[8]

The band's first album, August and Everything After, charted within the top five of the Billboard 200,[9] and the single "Mr. Jones" (1993) was a number-one hit in Canada.[10][11] After the band performed as the music guest on Saturday Night Live, "Mr. Jones" jumped 40 spots in the charts.[12] The album has been certified 7× Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.[13] Six of the band's albums have charted on the Billboard 200[9] and four have been certified gold or platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.[13] Counting Crows was nominated for two Grammy Awards in 1994.[14] The band also received a 2004 Academy Award nomination for the song "Accidentally in Love", which was included in the film Shrek 2.[4][5][15]

Duritz has collaborated with The Wallflowers (led by Jakob Dylan) on the album Bringing Down the Horse on the track "6th Avenue Heartache"; with Ryan Adams on Gold and the song "Butterfly in Reverse" from Hard Candy; with Peter Stuart on Propeller and Daisy; with Live on V;,[16] with Dashboard Confessional on the track "So Long, So Long" from Dusk and Summer[17] and with Maria Taylor on the song "Waiting In Line."[18]

Duritz also contributed the songs "Spin Around", "You Don't See Me", and "You're a Star" to the Josie and the Pussycats soundtrack that was performed by the film's fictional title band. Along with bandmates Dan Vickrey, Bryson, and Immerglück, Duritz co-wrote the song "Accidentally in Love" for the soundtrack of the movie Shrek 2, winning them each an award from BMI.[19]

Duritz's lyrics have been described as "morose" and "tortured"[20] and as "wordy introspection",[21] while his vocals have been called "expressive".[20]

In October 2018, Duritz co-founded the Underwater Sunshine Music Festival.[22]

Duritz co-founded the record label E Pluribus Unum in 1997.[23][24] Before the label was purchased by new ownership,[23][24] Duritz had signed Joe 90, Gigolo Aunts, and Neilson Hubbard.[25] In 2007, Duritz launched a record label called Tyrannosaurus Records.[24] Debut artists on the label included Notar and Blacktop Mourning.[24] As of 2015, the label was defunct.[26]

Duritz was executive producer for the film The Locusts[27][28] and produced the ensemble comedy film Freeloaders.[29] He appeared in the 2007 mockumentary film Farce of the Penguins.[30]

He is the son of Gilbert and Linda Duritz, both physicians. Duritz has a younger sister, Nicole.[31]

Duritz has dissociative mental health issues.[32][33] He disclosed this mental health issue publicly in 2008.[34][35]

In August 2019, Duritz—who had "rocked voluminous dreadlocks" since Counting Crows was formed—traveled to London to shave them off his hair.[36] He had previously revealed that the dreadlocks were extensions.[37]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Adam Duritz.

• Adam Duritz at IMDb
• Adam Duritz discography at MusicBrainz