After graduating from McCutcheon High School in 1985, Hoon joined a local glam metal band named Styff Kytten,[5][6] which also featured guitarist Michael Kelsey, bassist Brian Bundy and drummer Barry Koch.

[8] The band was possibly named for a term Smith's father used to describe the neighborhood stoners;[9] or for Blind Melon Chitlin, a character from a Cheech & Chong album.

[8] In Los Angeles, Hoon befriended his sister Anna's high school friend Axl Rose, also a native of Lafayette, IN.

Blind Melon began touring to promote the album, supporting and opening for acts like BAD II, PIL,[10] Ozzy Osbourne,[citation needed] Guns N' Roses, and Soundgarden[11] over the course of 1992–1993.

In the summer of 1993, the video for the album track "No Rain" was released as a single and featured a young girl, played by Heather DeLoach, in a bee costume, tap-dancing to unappreciative audiences.

His grave is inscribed with a line from Blind Melon's song "Change", the first song he wrote: I know we can't all stay here forever So I want to write my words on the face of today and they'll paint it[20]On November 12, 1996, Blind Melon released their final album featuring Hoon, Nico, as a tribute to him with all proceeds going to his daughter and to programs helping musicians deal with substance abuse.

The remaining members had planned to continue the band in memory of him and held auditions for a singer; however, they never managed to find a permanent replacement, and Blind Melon officially disbanded in 1999.

[8] After years of refusing to perform together out of respect for Hoon, the surviving members reformed Blind Melon in 2006, with Travis Warren taking his place.

[8][24] A documentary about Hoon titled All I Can Say (composed mostly of footage he shot on a handheld camera from 1990 to 1995) premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 26, 2019, and was released on June 26, 2020, on online streaming platforms.

[27] Since Hoon's death, various musical artists have mentioned him in song lyrics, including Dream Theater ("Just Let Me Breathe"), Sun Kil Moon ("Track Number 8"), and the Avett Brothers ("Smoke in Our Lights"), while others have written songs inspired by him, including Zakk Wylde ("Throwin' it All Away"),[28] The Used ("Poetic Tragedy"), [1] and Econoline Crush ("Sparkle and Shine").