Formed in Atlanta in 1986, the hard-rocking, Southern roots-music-steeped Drivin' n' Cryin' were never embraced on a national level, but have reigned supreme in the region during their tenure. Originally made up of singer/songwriter Kevn Kinney on guitar and vocals, Tim Nielsen on bass and Paul Lenz on drums, the band's debut was the timeless hard rock/bluegrass fusion Scarred But Smarter(1986) on 688 Records, the label that grew out of the punk-era Atlanta club of the same name. The band followed with Whisper Tames the Lion in 1988 for Island and replaced Lenz with Jeff Sullivan on drums.