Louisiana native Andy Griggs was influenced by Merle Haggard before gravitating towards outlaw country and gospel music in college. After experiencing personal loss and finding solace in music, he pursued a career as a musician. Griggs' debut album, You Won't Ever Be Lonely, released in 1999 and achieved gold status with three Top Ten singles. He continued his success with subsequent albums, including Freedom in 2002 and The Good Life in 2008.