The Mermaid Avenue series is one of the most successful and unusual folk-rock collaborations of the last few decades. At its core, the project took previously unpublished Woody Guthrie lyrics and set them to entirely new music composed and performed by Billy Bragg and Wilco. Celebrated for honoring Guthrie's spirit while creating something entirely new, the Mermaid Avenue recordings remain a landmark achievement in folk and Americana music.
 
The first volume is generally considered the centerpiece of the series. It blends Bragg's folk and political sensibilities with Wilco's emerging alt-country sound. Songs like "California Stars," "Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key," and "Ingrid Bergman" became modern folk standards. The album earned a GRAMMY nomination and received widespread critical acclaim.