Jaren Johnston, Kelby Ray and Neil Mason – all born and bred in Nashville – were members of the four-piece band American Bang from 2005 to 2010. In 2011, the trio founded The Cadillac Black and released their debut self-titled album the following year. After landing a deal with Big Machine Records in 2013, they discovered their name was being used by another group so instead became The Cadillac Three (aka TC3), re-issuing their debut album under the freshly minted moniker.
During these early years, Johnston was building his reputation as a songwriter by working on hit tracks like You Gonna Fly with Keith Urban and Southern Girl with Tim McGraw. Plus The Cadillac Three had made it a priority to focus on their live shows, taking gigs to play wherever and whenever they could. The rollicking threesome were soon known for their high-energy performances as well as for melding rowdy country music with the rebellious spirit of Southern rock.