Starting as an independent musician in the late 1990s, he released three independent albums before signing with Universal South Records. With the release of his Dove Award-winning debut album, "Happy", released in 2003, his first radio single, "More", stayed at No. 1 on Christian Adult Contemporary charts for nine weeks and received two Dove Award nominations. His second album, "History", was followed by a 2006 re-release of the originally independent album, "Sellout". In 2007, he faced vocal issues that threatened his career with two months of prescribed vocal rest. His third studio album, "Something to Say", also enjoyed chart success with No. 1 hits, "You Are Everything" and "The Motions".