Named after the University of Alabama football coach %Paul "Bear" Bryant, brothers Bear and Bryant "Bo" Rinehart were born and spent much of their childhood in rural Possum Kingdom, SC, where their pastor father ran a church camp. After moving to nearby Seneca, the two siblings were exposed to a variety of music, and started playing instruments themselves. While at Furman University, Bear, besides being an excellent wide receiver (he won the 2002 Banks McFadden trophy for South Carolina football player of the year), also sang and played the guitar and piano, and started performing on-campus with longtime friend and drummer Joe Stillwell.