J. Roddy Walston and the Business comprising vocalist/guitarist/pianist J, Roddy Walston, lead guitarist/vocalist Billy Gordon, bassist/vocalist Logan Davis and drummer Steve Colmus began playing together when Walston moved from the southern church town of Cleveland, Tennessee to Baltimore. They since have earned their fans through what Spin articulates as "full of spirited and sweaty Southern Rock." the band recorded Essential Tremors at Soil of the South Studios in Georgia with Mark Neill, the Grammy-winning producer and engineer of Black Keys' Brothers and Matt Wignall (Cold War Kids, Delta Spirit).