The Old 97's take their name from The Wreck of the Old 97, a song popularized by Vernon Dalhart in 1924.
They got their name from an old wrecked car. 
mnli hypothesis: They got their name from an old wrecked car.  premise: The Old 97's take their name from The Wreck of the Old 97, a song popularized by Vernon Dalhart in 1924.