"I used to be a beautiful thing/I used to wear my heart on my chest," he sings at one point, later adding, "And now I'm getting miles ahead, even though I can't get out of bed, even though my gut's all wrenched, I think I'm making progress."

Around the time Boone, now 37, ended his 20s, his career path began to weigh on him. He hoped that if he could break out into the national music scene, he might not have to spend his weekends driving across snowy highways for gigs while trying to raise a family.

He signed up to work with a public relations firm, a manager and a radio promoter who told him to expect success that never came, as the music industry was drastically shifting. It was all "smoke and mirrors," he said. He'd paid them himself, adding financial hardship to the disappointment.

Suffering from insomnia, he was prescribed medication that spurred allergic reactions. Another prescription followed, and then he was taken off those. The withdrawal was brutal, and he went through "incredible, incredible pain" and has spent years recovering, unable to play music or leave his house.

Now, he sees a gig around Montana and family time with his wife, Stephanie, and their 7-year-old son Meyers, as a life to be grateful for.