Born in Arkansas and raised in Poteau, OK, country singer Billy Hoffman was diagnosed with a severe hearing disability at the age of three that doctors feared would keep him from ever learning to speak. Fortunately, the dire prognosis never came to pass although he endured a succession of operations from before he entered pre-school until high school. In high school, Hoffman nurtured his love of roots rock and country, beginning to play out. Following college and a stint in the Army, he returned home to work for the family construction business. His father, though, encouraged him to give a music career a shot and Hoffman soon landed his demos in the hands of legendary country music figure Joe Stampley.