Born in Taft, Texas, LaRue was raised in Yanush/Buffalo Valley, Oklahoma, where he still visits regularly and began playing country music at a young age.

He befriended Jason Boland and Cody Canada and the three moved into the infamous "Yellow House" where they would have late night jam sessions and entertain other various musicians around the town, like Mike McClure and Brandon Jenkins.

[1] LaRue was heavily influenced by Woody Guthrie, Bob Childers, Mike Hosty and the "Red Dirt" music scene.

[2] In 2002, LaRue led The Organic Boogie Band and released Downtown, recorded in private sessions at Cain's Ballroom in Tulsa.

Winsworth claimed in court documents that she was getting ready for work when LaRue began physically assaulting her and ultimately pushed her down a flight of stairs in their home.