John Connolly

Atlanta-based Sevendust became one of the rising stars in heavy metal with an aggressive blend of bottom-heavy riffs and soulful, accessible melodies. The band, comprised of frontman Lajon Witherspoon, John Connolly (guitar), Clint Lowery (guitar), Vince Hornsby (bass), and Morgan Rose (drums), first appeared in 1995 as Crawlspace, releasing the single "My Ruin" on the Mortal Kombat: More Kombat recording. Shortly thereafter the group changed their name to Sevendust and released their self-titled debut in 1997. 

Two years later, they issued Home and played over 800 shows alongside groups like Creed and a gig at Woodstock '99. Their angst-ridden third album, the aptly titled Animosity, appeared in fall 2001, and Seasons followed in 2003. In late December 2004 word surfaced that Lowery had left the band, and those rumors proved true the following February when Sevendust announced ex-Snot guitarist Sonny Mayo as Lowery's replacement. (Lowery, a co-founder of Sevendust, eventually surfaced in the hard rock supergroup Dark New Day.) Next, Sevendust's fifth album, appeared in October 2005, with Alpha following in March 2007. ~ Kirk Dombek, All Music Guide - Written by Kirk Dombek