The Chicago punk-blues duo Cash Money was formed in 1994 by singer/guitarist John Humphrey, an alumnus of God and Texas. After founding the jazz-rock unit Late Great Danes, Humphrey enlisted former Rosehip Scott Giampino to play drums; when the Late Great Danes went on hold, Humphrey and Giampino continued performing together as Cash Money. After a single on the tiny Tug-O-War label, the duo signed with Touch and Go, and entered Chicago's Idful Music studios; produced by Red Red Meat drummer Brian Deck, Cash Money's full-length debut Black Hearts and Broken Wills emerged in early 1997.