Love and Theft   -  Biography

Love and Theft is a country band comprised of Stephen Barker Liles, Brian Bandas and Eric Gunderson. All three members were born in 1984 and met each other through mutual friends in Nashville. Liles grew up in Palm Harbor, Fla., listening to early gospel and contemporary Christian music. He initially intended to be a college basketball coach prior to moving to Nashville. Gunderson was raised in Charlotte, N.C., and his family's musical tastes include Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, the Eagles, the Beatles and bluegrass. Bandas grew up in Austin, Texas, in a musical family, and his grandfather and uncle were both noted jazz players. All three take turns on lead vocals, in addition to extensive harmony. They also write their own material together. After playing a showcase for the performing rights organization ASCAP, several phone calls led to an audition which led them to sign with Carolwood Records, a sister label to the Disney-owned Lyric Street Records. In 2008, they opened several shows for Taylor Swift. In March 2009, they released their first single, "Runaway." Their debut album is expected later in the year.