Sawyer Brown

Formed in 1981, Sawyer Brown is a Florida-based country music quintet. They are best known for their 19 Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart including three landing in the number 1 position: “Step That Step” (1985), “Some Girls Do” (1992), and “Thank God for You” (1992). The group’s five original members – Mark Miller, Jim Scholten, Bobby Randall, Joe ‘Curly Smyth, and Greg ‘Hobie’ Hubbard – were initially members of country music artist Don King’s backing band. When King decided to retire in 1981, the five musicians decided to stay together, choosing their name randomly out of a phone book. Sawyer Brown came to prominence in 1983 when the won the top prize on the televised talent show Star Search and won cash and a recording contract. Between 1984 and 2017, Sawyer Brown issued 18 studio albums – including one Christmas release – plus five compilations and one live album. The band won numerous awards including the 1985 CMA Horizon Award, the 1997 ACM Vocal Group of the Year, TNN/Music City News’ Vocal Band of the Year (six times in a row between 1993 and 1998), and CMT Country Music Awards’ Video Group of the Year (three times between 1993 and 1995). Over the course of their career, Sawyer Brown saw very few line-up changes: guitarist Bobby Randall was replaced twice, and bassist Jim Scholten left the band in 2021. Their initial country/pop crossover appeal faded by the end of the 1990s, but the band persevered and continued to tour and release albums. In February 2024, Sawyer Brown returned with the single “Under This Ole Hat,” their first new music since 2015. The single was the lead-off track from their 19th album Desperado Troubadours, their first studio full-length since Travelin’ Band (2011).