12 Stones were formed in the small New Orleans suburb of Mandeville, LA. The group was mostly still in their teens when they formed the lineup of vocalist
Paul McCoy, bassist
Kevin Dorr, guitarist
Eric Weaver, and drummer
Aaron Gainer. After performing no more than 12 live performances, they took their demo to New York City and performed at an industry showcase. The band ended up signing to Wind Up Records to record their debut album with producer
Jay Baumgardner. The album saw a release in 2002, less than two years after the formation of the group. More success came to the band in 2003, when
McCoy duetted on "Bring Me to Life" with
Evanescence, which became a smash hit and was included on the
Daredevil soundtrack as well as
Evanescence's debut album,
Fallen.
12 Stones released their second album,
Potter's Field, which featured a heavier, more guitar-driven sound than their debut. After taking a break from music to spend time with their families, the band reconvened to make their third album. Inspired by the effects of Hurricane Katrina on their hometown,
12 Stones recorded
Anthem for the Underdog in Memphis, TN, with
Justin Rimer and
Skidd Mills during the better part of 2006, and the album was released in 2007. ~ Bradley Torreano, All Music Guide