[1] Given their early history and use of electric interpretations bluegrass themes, some Jamband historians consider them the forefathers of what is now known as “Jamgrass” [2] Band members Matthew Mayes and John Felty were childhood friends in Brevard, North Carolina, and assembled the group after completing undergraduate studies and moving to Macon, Georgia.
The group refers to its music as "mountain rock" and features the guijo, a guitar-banjo hybrid invented by Matthew Mayes.
[6] The group's own label, Autonomous, released albums such as Wade (1994),[7] Lucky Day (1995),[8] and Here Be Dragons (1998).
[9] Autonomous had a distribution deal with Roadrunner Records and helped launch the careers of Strangefolk and Sister Hazel.
[10] With Steve Trismen's addition in 1999 the group added fiddle to its sound, and in the 2000s they expanded to a septet when guitarist John Meyer and drummer Noel Felty came on board.