Their lyrics (suggestive of outlaw country) featured themes such as alcoholism, rural poverty, and violence, and included references and homages to the likes of Jesco White and Dale Earnhardt.

Nine-pound Hammer first played at the Ross Theater, opening for the Xtian rap group, the Disciples of Decadence, in nearby Evansville, Indiana, with drummer Toby Myrig, David Epperson, and bassist Brian (Forrest) Payne, in 1984.

David and Brian left, and Bart Altman, thunderstick man from the Disciples of Decadence, joined on bass.

Brian Moore (Active Ingredients) and Rob Hulsman (Tarbox Ramblers) joined on bass and drums in 1988, just before recording the band's first LP, The mud, the blood, and the beers.

More recently, they were featured on Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters Colon the Soundtrack with the track "Carl's Theme," in which the lyrics play off of the character "Carl" and one of his lines in Aqua Teen Hunger Force.