After six years of perfecting his story songs about the downtrodden of small-town America, Knight came to Nashville and won a coveted spot on a songwriters' night at the Bluebird Cafe. Performing songs like "Framed," which would eventually wind up on his debut album, he caught the ear of Frank Liddell, who signed him to a publishing deal with Bluewater Music. Knight went back home and kept writing, and when Decca Records hired Liddell for an A&R position, Knight got a record deal. When Decca released his self-titled debut in 1997, Knight still lived in a house trailer on 90 acres in Slaughters. He has since become a popular name in Americana music, releasing four more albums: his 1998 self-titled sophomore effort, 2001's Pretty Good Guy, 2003's Jealous Kind, and 2006's Enough Rope.