Gary and his younger brother, Micky Braun, grew up in Idaho, playing in a family band lead by their father, Muzzie Braun, and accompanied by their older brothers, Cody and Willy (both of Reckless Kelly). After high school, lead singer and guitarist, Micky, drummer, Travis Hardy, and Micky-taught bassist, Mark McCoy, moved to Arizona and played casually for a short time, until deciding to move back to Idaho where Gary was working at a local ranch. Gary then joined the band as a guitarist (harmonica player, harmony vocalist, mandolin player, and they landed their first gig as Micky & The Motorcars at a Salmon, Idaho, wedding in early 2001. That fall, Ken Smith joined the band as lead guitarist and, in January 2002, the band moved to Austin, Texas.
