John McCauley III got off to an early start with Deer Tick. He recorded the first album by himself when he was 18 and set up tours before he had band mates.

Five years later, his booze-and-depression-soaked, homemade country blues has grown into an indie rock phenomenon, earning him and his band a spot at this past summer’s Newport Folk Festival, interviews with NBC’s Brian Williams, and thousands of miles of touring.