Biography

Not a person but a four-piece punk band from Richmond, Virginia, Ann Beretta consisted of guitarists/vocalists Rob Huddleston and Leer Baker, bassist Chris Rupp, and drummer Russ Jones. Featuring members of the defunct local act Inquisition, the group formed in 1996 and was heavily influenced by the likes of the Clash, Rancid, and Stiff Little Fingers. They released their debut full-length, Bitter Tongues, on Fueled by Ramen Records in 1997 and followed it later two years later with To All Our Fallen Heroes on Lookout. After that, Rupp and Baker left the band to start Sixer, Matt Bedford joined on bass (though he was later replaced by Donovan Greer), and the band continued as a three-piece. The live album The Band Played On: Live at Home was released by Raw Power Records in 2000. A third studio effort, New Union Old Glory, surfaced in early 2001 (Lookout); Huddleston also released his first album of folk-influenced solo work under the moniker Foundation that same year. Two years later, Ann Beretta left Lookout for the small Canadian punk imprint Union 2112 for the release of Three Chord Revolution. Huddleston continued work with Foundation as Ann Beretta eventually went on hiatus. Wild, Young, and Free, a collection of demos and outtakes, appeared in 2012, and Old Scars, New Blood, an album of re-recorded songs from throughout the band's catalog, was released in 2018. ~ Heather Phares, Rovi