[4][6] Gourley's parents both competed in the Iditarod, and for a while the family lived in a remote "off the grid" cabin accessible only by dogsled.

He attended Wasilla High School, but dropped out at age 15 to study at home and work in construction with his father.

[10] In the spring of 2003, Gourley recorded vocals for the song "Motelroom.Grandpiano" with the band Fear Before on their first album, Odd How People Shake.

[10] Gourley and longtime partner and bandmate Zoe Manville have a daughter born in 2011,[12] who is afflicted with a very rare neurodegenerative disease.

The disease is an extremely rare genetic mutation of the DHDDS gene, which has only been diagnosed in 6 people total worldwide.