Folk-rocker Michelle Malone was born and raised in Atlanta, spending her summers on tour with her mother, a pop singer turned gospel vocalist. While attending Agnes Scott College, Malone befriended the Indigo Girls' Amy Ray and Emily Saliers, who in turn encouraged her to pursue a career in music; she soon quit school and honed her skills in local clubs, issuing her debut album New Experience in 1988. Forming the band Drag the River, she returned two years later with Relentless, followed in 1992 by the solo For You Not Them. After completing 1993's seasonal jazz-inspired effort A Swingin' Christmas in the Attic, Malone formed another group, Band de Soleil, to record 1994's Redemption Dream; she then again went solo, resurfacing three years later with Beneath the Devil Moon. Homegrown followed in 1999, and in mid-2000 Malone issued Lucky to Be Live. Strange Bird, Vol. 3 and Hello Out There followed in early 2001. Malone and The Low-Down Georgia Revue signed on with Amy Ray's Daemon to promote Stompin' Ground, which was slated for a fall 2003 release.