Hailing from the countryside surrounding Charleston, West Virginia, American Minor shifted base to Champaign, Illinois, near the start of 2002. The five-piece outfit quickly drew local attention through a sound that fused biting hard rock with the spirit of classic Faces albums and touches of blues and Southern rock, generating early word-of-mouth excitement. Rob McCutcheon on vocals, Bud Carroll and Josh Gragg on guitar, Bruno on bass, and Josh Knox behind the drums soon connected with David Lowery, who guided them through an initial demo recording. Their appearance at South by Southwest in 2004 attracted the notice of former Blind Melon musicians Christopher Thorn and Brad Smith, who steered the group toward Jive Records. After signing with the label, American Minor released the Buffalo Creek EP on Jive in October 2004, followed by their self-titled debut album in August 2005.
