Northern California-based reggae group Groundation were formed by guitarist/singer/lyricist Harrison Stafford, keyboardist Marcus Urani, and bassist Ryan Newman in 1998. The rest of the band personnel has fluctuated. Groundation self-released their debut album, Young Tree, on their own Young Tree label in 1999. Subsequent records included Each One Teach One, Hebron Gate, and We Free Again. In 2005, Groundation released the dub album Dub Wars. After the appearance of Upon the Bridge on October 17, 2006, the band not only toured internationally as usual, but, for the first time, also performed in the eastern half of the U.S. The domestic release of Here I Am on August 18, 2009, also heralded a round of American tour dates. ~ William Ruhlmann