Born and raised in Toowong, Brisbane, Fanning received piano lessons from his mother at an early age.

Fanning joined Haug, John Collins, and Steven Bishop, who had recently formed Powderfinger, and took the role of lead singer.

After Bishop left and drummer Jon Coghill (guitarist Darren Middleton)joined, the band released five studio albums in fifteen years and achieved mainstream success in Australia.

During Powderfinger's hiatus in 2005, Fanning began his solo music career with the studio album Tea & Sympathy.

While Powderfinger's style focuses on alternative rock, Fanning's solo music is generally described as a mixture of blues and acoustic folk.

[4] Fanning's mother began teaching him to play piano as a young child, although his siblings were not interested in music.

[3] Haug had recently formed Powderfinger with high school friends John Collins and Steven Bishop, who would become the band's foundational bass guitarist and drummer, respectively.

'"[9] In 1992, current guitarist Darren Middleton was invited to join Powderfinger by Fanning and Haug, after they were impressed by his work in Brisbane band Pirate.

[8][11] Throughout the late 1990s, Powderfinger rose to prominence throughout Australia, receiving several accolades and achieving highly successful record and concert ticket sales.

As the most vocal and prominent member of the band, the popularity of the group elevated Fanning as a powerful individual in the Australian music industry.

[14] Much of the inspiration for the work on the album came from Fanning's reaction to the death of his brother in 2002, and to the ending of a 12-year relationship with his girlfriend, Philippa Sison.

Fanning was supported by musicians Jerry Marotta, Keith Duffy, and John Bedggood, who also formed part of his live band.

[23] The title of the album came from a chapter of Brooklyn Follies by Paul Auster, a book that Fanning had read during recording.

[26] The tour's aim was to promote the efforts of Reconciliation Australia to reduce the 17-year life expectancy gap between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Australians.

In a 1998 interview, Fanning said, "I don't think I have the perfect voice or anything",[31] and said that delivering the song's message was more important than "showing off [his] chops".

[32] In his work on Tea & Sympathy, Fanning referred to his inability to play guitar solos leading to different elements becoming a focus of the songs.

Fanning has said that although political messages may be common throughout his and Powderfinger's music, it is not his central focus when writing songs: "A balance has to be struck in a lot of ways, in the sense that primarily I'm a musician.

[36] On 8 July 2007, Fanning wrote a piece for Adelaide's Sunday Mail, describing his recent trip to Uluru.

In the piece, he criticised those who climbed the rock, saying he was "appalled that kids were being taught to disrespect the wishes of Aboriginal people on their own land".

[34] In his piece, Fanning also criticised the 17-year life-expectancy gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians, and encouraged all to join a conversation on reconciliation.

"[37] However, he has occasionally stated his views on social and political issues, giving The Dominion Post his stance on Aboriginal affairs in light of the Across the Great Divide tour: The trial of the policeman [Senior Sergeant Chris Hurley] that was charged [over the death in custody of 36-year-old Palm Island man Mulrunji Doomadgee in 2004] has gone ahead and he was acquitted.

The band played at the 2005 WaveAid concert to raise money for victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake,[38] and the Across the Great Divide tour in 2007 to promote the efforts of Reconciliation Australia.

It was this break-up (along with the then-recent death of his older brother) which influenced much of the lyrical content and sombre atmospheric mood of Tea & Sympathy.