After graduating from high school, he attended the University of Texas at Tyler, earning a degree in industrial technology, and in his senior year there, he discovered the guitar, and began writing songs. He moved to Austin, Texas in 1999, quickly becoming a part of the Red Dirt scene. His first album, Because She Loves Me, appeared in 2001, with his second, Behind the Pine Curtain, following in 2003. The Walt Wilkins-produced Conviction was released in 2005, and by then, Rhyder was firmly established on the Texas scene. 2007's Live, on Apex Records, delivered Rhyder's first charting Texas single, "Before I Knew Your Name." Radney Foster produced Every Night, which appeared in 2008, while Rhyder went back to Wilkins as producer for 2010's Head Above Water. Live at Billy Bob's Texas appeared in 2011, with That's Just Me arriving in 2013. ~ Steve Leggett