Thomas E. Parton was born in Wellsboro, Pennsylvania in 1958. A self-proclaimed country boy from head to toe, he graduated high school in 1977 from Canton High and served two years in the United States Air Force, where he received an honourable discharge. Throughout the 1980s he became involved with alcohol and drugs, which cumulated into criminal activity and years of incarceration. While incarcerated, he taught himself how to read and write music, as well as play guitar. He served his time doing art and leather craft, while also earning an Associates Degree from Penn State University in 1993. Having recently been granted parole, he plans to continue his education and earn a Certified Addiction Counselling (CAC) training accreditation to work as a drug and alcohol dependency counsellor.