Bon Iver recorded his 2007 debut album “For Emma, Forever Ago” alone in a remote cabin. The album was principally the work of Justin Vernon, who used the Bon Iver name for the project.
After dealing with illness, personal difficulties, and the collapse of his previous band, Vernon left Raleigh, North Carolina, and went to his father’s hunting cabin in northwestern Wisconsin. He began recording there in late 2006 and developed the album during a period of isolation.
The cabin story is often simplified into the idea that Vernon made every part completely without help. He did play all the instruments and created extensive overdubs, but he later added some finishing touches elsewhere, including brass on “For Emma.” The record was first self-released in July 2007 before receiving a wider release in 2008.
The album’s intimate songs, including “Flume,” “Skinny Love,” and “ re: Stacks,” helped turn a private recording project into Bon Iver’s breakthrough.