In 1999, in Tucson, Arizona, when the desert city was just becoming fertile ground for a blossoming indie music scene, Cordero was formed, merging the talents of singer and founder Ani Cordero with members from local acts such as Calexico and Giant Sand. A year later, Cordero (the group and its namesake vocalist) moved east to New York, expanding to include a revolving backing band as eclectic and diverse as its new home. Since then, the ensemble has supported The Wailers, Indigo Girls and Neko Case, while releasing a string of successful folk-rock albums on Chicago-based label Bloodshot Records.