Gideon Smith and the Dixie Damned is a North Carolina based musician. Gideon began singing with local bands in the Carolina music scene in 1989. In 1997, he formed "Gideon Smith & The Dixie Damned" with friends Otis Hughes and Boo Duckworth; who were formerly of the PolyGram Records act, Animal Bag. In 1998 they recorded a self-titled EP which was picked up for distribution by 'Game Two Records'. Small Stone Records signed Smith in 1999 after hearing the disc. In 2000, Smith recorded demos at Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee .