[1] Archer grew up with his two brothers and two sisters in Twin City, Georgia, and began playing pool at the age of 12.

Archer is a two-time WPA World Nine-ball Champion, winning in both 1992 when he defeated Bobby Hunter, and later again in 1997 after beating Lee Kun-fang of Chinese Taipei (Taiwan).

In 2003, one of Archer's most successful years, he won tournaments such as Sudden Death Seven-ball[3] and the first World Summit of Pool.

television show, on September 3, 2003,[8] pitted Archer and Jeremy Jones against each other in a challenge match in speed pool.

He's an avid golfer, and ascribes his strong pool break to playing a lot of golf, noting similarities in having the timing right and using one's whole body in the stroke.