▁called ▁East ▁to ▁West ; ▁his ▁brother - in - law , ▁James ▁Otto , ▁is ▁also ▁a ▁country ▁music ▁singer . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁De M arc us ▁called ▁Le V ox , ▁and ▁convinced ▁him ▁to ▁come ▁to ▁Nash ville ▁and ▁provide ▁some ▁harm on ies ▁on ▁Michael ▁English ' s ▁album ▁G ospel , ▁which ▁he ▁was ▁producing . ▁They ▁engine ered ▁the ▁album ▁together , ▁and ▁became ▁English ' s ▁back - up ▁band . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁same ▁time , ▁De M arc us ▁had ▁become ▁the ▁band le ader ▁of ▁Ch ely ▁Wright ' s ▁band , ▁where ▁he ▁met ▁Joe ▁Don ▁Ro oney , ▁the ▁guitar ist ▁in ▁that ▁band . ▁De M arc us ▁and ▁Le V ox ▁were ▁working ▁in ▁a ▁Pr inter ' s ▁Al ley ▁night club ▁and ▁when ▁their ▁part - time ▁guitar ist ▁could ▁not ▁make ▁it ▁one ▁night , ▁De M arc us ▁invited ▁Ro oney ▁to ▁join ▁them . ▁Jim ▁R iley ▁was ▁the ▁drum mer ▁and ▁band le ader ▁for ▁the ▁band . ▁The ▁group ▁covered ▁the ▁hit ▁Sh en ando ah ▁single ▁" The ▁Church ▁on ▁C umber land ▁Road " ▁that ▁night . ▁To ▁the ▁group ' s ▁re collection , ▁a ▁bond ▁was ▁formed ▁instantly . ▁ ▁S inger ▁Mil a ▁Mason ▁recommended ▁the ▁group ▁to ▁record ▁produ cers ▁Mark ▁Bright ▁and ▁Mart y ▁Williams , ▁who ▁played ▁Ly ric ▁Street ▁Records ▁A & R ▁Doug ▁Howard ▁a ▁three -