Editing Blues Traveler (section)

===First albums===
Blues Traveler released [[Blues Traveler (album)|their self-titled debut album]] in 1990,<ref name="Larkin">{{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]|editor-first=Colin|editor-last=Larkin|editor-link=Colin Larkin (writer)|publisher=[[Virgin Books]]|date=1997|edition=Concise|isbn=1-85227-745-9|page=156}}</ref> with the song "[[But Anyway]]" getting airplay on college radio stations. The album included [[Joan Osborne]] on backing vocals on two tracks.

A second album, ''[[Travelers and Thieves]]'', followed in 1991.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/blues-traveler-mn0000758453/biography|title=Blues Traveler {{!}} Biography & History {{!}} AllMusic|website=AllMusic|access-date=October 9, 2017}}</ref> Upon Bill Graham's death that year, they released a live [[Extended play|EP]], ''[[On Tour Forever]]'',<ref name="Larkin"/> as a tribute to Graham, which featured guitarist [[Carlos Santana]].

Around this time, the mainstream national audience was exposed to Blues Traveler by [[Television presenter|television host]] [[David Letterman]],<ref name="Larkin"/> who has introduced them as "[his] favorite band". The band has since made more appearances on ''[[Late Show with David Letterman|The Late Show]]'' than any musical artist. Letterman's band leader [[Paul Shaffer]] has played on a number of Blues Traveler recordings.

In 1992, the group founded the [[H.O.R.D.E.]] festival as an alternative to others such as [[Lollapalooza]], along with other bands such as [[Phish]] and Spin Doctors. Blues Traveler began recording their third album, ''[[Save His Soul]]''. Recording was temporarily interrupted by John Popper's [[motorcycle]] accident, although the band resumed touring shortly thereafter with Popper in a [[wheelchair]].<ref name="Larkin"/> Two singles were released from the album, "Defense & Desire" and "Conquer Me", which reached No.&nbsp;34 on the [[Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks|Mainstream Rock Tracks]] chart.