A high energy country-rock band from Arkansas, Backroad Anthem formed in 2012 in the centrally located Ozark Mountains-surrounded city of Fayetteville. Built around the talents of Craig Strickland (lead vocals/acoustic), Toby Freeman (lead vocals/electric), Eric Dysart (fiddle), Josh Bryant (lead electric), Brandon Robold (bass/vocals), and Isaac Senty (drums), all of whom met while leading worship at a local church, the group's undeniable chemistry and country-pop acumen quickly drew comparisons to contemporaries like Rascal Flatts and Jason Aldean. Within a year of forming, the group was sharing the stage with artists such as Chris Young, Josh Turner, Gary Allan, Easton Corbin, and the Eli Young Band, and their debut EP, 2013's Small Town Fame, peaked at number 24 on the iTunes Top Country Music Charts. Tragedy struck on December 27, 2015 when the body of frontman Craig Strickland was recovered near Kaw Lake in Oklahoma, after reports that he and friend Chase Morland had not returned home from a duck hunting expedition. The cause of death was hypothermia resulting from extreme weather conditions. A video for the title track off of their 2015 EP, Torn, was released a week after Strickland's death in tribute to the late artist. ~ James Christopher Monger