 The band's name is a mix of the abbreviation for the "country & western" music genre (C&W), and Run DMC, a popular hip-hop group of the time.The band was composed of veteran musicians including lead vocalist Russell Smith, formerly of the Amazing Rhythm Aces; banjoist Bernie Leadon, formerly of the Eagles and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band; along with Nashville songwriters Jim Photoglo and Vince Melamed, both of whom played various instruments.In performance and in the album artwork and liner notes, the members portrayed fictitious non-identical quadruplets The Burns Brothers, each with pun names