Frontman Joey Kneiser, bassist Bingham Barnes, keyboardist Maggie Gresham, and guitarists Jason Manley and Gregory Jacks comprised the band's first lineup, which made its debut in 1998 by releasing Southern by the Grace of Location through the band's own Champ Records label. A second album, All We've Learned About Living, followed two years later.

Glossary's lineup fluctuated during the early 2000s, with Joey Kneiser always remaining at the forefront. The band's sound proved to be consistent, however, and Glossary issued a series of albums (including the regional favorite How We Handle Our Midnights) that merged Southern twang with plenty of guitar muscle. Feral Fire appeared in 2010, featuring another revised lineup -- Kneiser and Barnes were the only remnants of the band's original incarnation -- and another batch of alt.country rock songs. ~ Mike DaRonco & Andrew Leahey