The husband-and-wife duo Bill and Bonnie Hearne first emerged in the late '60s as proponents of the Austin, TX, country-folk scene; over the following decades, they remained early and enthusiastic supporters of area performers, including Lyle Lovett, Nanci Griffith, and Tish Hinojosa. While many of their protégés subsequently went on to great commercial success, the Hearnes languished in relative obscurity and ultimately moved to Santa Fe, NM; still, they remained a popular draw on the folk festival circuit, and their regular gigs at area hotel bars consistently sold out. After a series of shoestring-budget self-releases, the Hearnes secured the financial backing of friend Barney Crutchfield, and with producer Jim Rooney they recorded their 1997 Warner Western debut, Diamonds in the Rough, a celebration of the couple's 25th anniversary, featuring guest appearances from Lovett, Griffith, Hinojosa, and Jerry Jeff Walker. Mid-2000 saw the release of Watching Life Through a Windshield.