New traditionalist country singer Keith Harling was born in Greenwood, SC, and raised in Chattanooga, TN. Influenced by Lefty Frizzell, Conway Twitty, and Keith Whitley, he built himself a drum set at the age of ten and taught himself to play by mimicking the musicians he watched on television; throughout high school and college, Harling also played bass, saxophone, and trumpet in a variety of local rock bands. After a period in Florida, he relocated to Nashville but found the music industry impenetrable, and after six months returned to Chattanooga. There Harling spent the next seven years honing his writing and performing skills in area clubs. Finally, in 1996, he signed to MCA's publishing division as a songwriter, and after playing a showcase, he landed a recording contract just six weeks later. His debut LP, Write It in Stone, followed in 1998; Bring It On appeared a year later. ~ Jason Ankeny