Wildfire was formed in 2001 by four departing members of J. D. Crowe & The New South. Phil Leadbetter, Robert Hale, Darrell Webb and Curt Chapman recorded their first CD "Uncontained" for Pinecastle Records as a four-piece band with Scott Vestal filling in on banjo. The band later hired Barry Crabtree on banjo, and recorded two more CDs for Pinecastle Records ("Where roads Divide" and "Rattle Of The Chains"). Leadbetter departed the band in December 2006 to form the band Grasstowne with Steve Gulley and Alan Bibey.