Southern rock singer/songwriter Connor Christian left home at 14 and traveled the world, visiting South Korea, France, Belgium, Singapore, and elsewhere before returning to the U.S. and settling in Atlanta, Georgia. There he put together a backup band called the Morningstar Revival with whom he released his debut album, A Southern Gothic, through the Perfect Symmetry label on February 16, 2007. As he performed up to 250 shows a year throughout the country, Christian amassed a following. By 2008, he had renamed his group Southern Gothic, and it consisted of Joe Abramson on bass and backing vocals; Dan Emmett on fiddle, mandolin, and other instruments; and Shawn Thacker on drums. Vintage Earth Records released Connor Christian & Southern Gothic's album 90 Proof Lullabies on March 10, 2009. The band toured constantly and internationally for nearly three years, playing club stages, roadhouses, and opening tour slots for everyone from Tim McGraw to ZZ Top to Heart to Big & Rich. Their independently released sophomore album, New Hometown, arrived in February of 2013; it reached the number five spot in Billboard's country chart within the first three weeks of its release. ~ William Ruhlmann