From a young age, guitarist Mark Lemhouse developed a passion for blues while growing up amid a household of musicians. He first took up the instrument at age 11 and devoted himself to the style by absorbing every sound within reach as he shaped a distinctive voice. Gaining experience through performances, he later settled in Memphis, where he also mastered drums alongside Robert Belfour. There he further adopted the Mississippi blues approach of sidestepping chord changes, which convinced him that the form could suit virtually any instrument. He examined that principle at the Blues Foundation 2002 International Blues Challenge, finishing as a finalist and appearing onstage with his group, the Handy Three. While also performing with the Bluff City Backsliders, he turned to his own material and issued Big Lonesome Radio on Yellow Dog Records before the year closed.
