Sawyer Brown Biography

Sawyer Brown was founded in the early 1980’s in Apopka, Florida, when members Mark Miller, Bobby Randall, Joe Smyth, Jim Scholten, and Gregg Hubbard came together to establish the country music band. Originally naming themselves “Savanna,” they opted instead for Sawyer Brown, a tribute to a nearby location in town where they would often practice. Sawyer Brown performed locally nearly every night of the week, perfecting their sound, until they finally auditioned for Star Search in 1983.

Sawyer Brown won the grand prize and their first recording contract, signing with Capital Records in 1984 and releasing their debut single, “Leona.” The single rose into the top 40, but the follow-up, “Step That Step” was an even bigger success, hitting the number one spot on the country charts, and the debut album, Sawyer Brown, ended up at the number two spot on the country charts. For the next two decades, Sawyer Brown enjoyed steady success, with the release of a series of highly successful albums and singles, including: Shakin’ (1985), Out Goin’ Cattin’ (1986), The Boys are Back (1989), Buick (1991), The Dirt Road (1992), Outskirts of Town (1993), Six Days on the Road (1997), Mission Temple Fireworks Stand (2005), “Used to Blue,” “Betty’s Bein’ Bad,” “This Missin’ You Heart of Mine,” “My Baby’s Gone,” “The Race is On,” “The Walk,” “The Dirt Road,” “Some Girls Do,” “Café on the Corner,” “All These Years,” “Thank God for You,” “The Boys and Me,” “Hard to Say,” “This Time,” “I Don’t Believe in Goodbye,” “Treat Her Right,” and “Drive Me Wild.”

In total, Sawyer Brown has given audiences twenty albums and three number one country songs. The band has been recognized with a Country Music Association Award (Horizon Award, 1985) and an Academy of Country Music Award (Vocal Group of the Year, 1997.) Sawyer Brown continues to perform and record, and most recently released Travelin’ Band (2011.)