Sure, life on the road gets tiring. There's Nashville one night and Little Rock the next, followed by an all-night drive to Austin. But for the Eli Young Band, such a life is the stuff of dreams—just one more milestone on the road to eventual stardom.

Since forming while students at the University of North Texas, the Eli Young Band (EYB) has developed a rabid following through constant touring and two albums: their self-titled debut from 2000 and the four-song When It Rains from 2004.

April finds the band moving to Carnival Recording Company for its latest release, Level.

The first single, "Small Town Kid," already is ascending the Texas Music Chart. A video is ready for airplay on CMT and GAC. The follow-up single, "When It Rains," is poised for similar success.

2005 may be EYB's breakthrough year. Prime billing at Carnival's 2005 SXSW showcase (following Mando Saenz and Bruce Robison) indicates that the label feels the same way.

This may seem like overnight success for four guys in their mid-20s (the youngest, lead vocalist and songwriter Mike Eli, turns 24 on the release date), but EYB has been paying its dues on the Texas and Red Dirt music scenes for five years.

Eli and lead guitarist James Young comprise the band's nucleus. Eli and Young started out as a duo before adding classmates Jon Jones (bass) and Chris Thompson (drums).

Shows around North Texas began to generate buzz and earn EYB a following at such locales as Denton's Rbar, Dallas's Gypsy Tea Room, and Plano's Love & War in Texas. The band expanded its virtual fan base by shifting its online discussion forums to Galleywinter, home to perhaps the most avid enthusiasts in music today.

Their willingness to jump in the van at a moment's notice and head out for last-minute opening gigs has helped EYB reach fans of many of today's established Texas music stars. In the last year alone, the band has opened for the likes of Jack Ingram, Jason Boland, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Roger Creager, and Pat Green.

While the boys might greet many a sunrise from their van, they also know how to spot a rising star. EYB used to share the occasional stage with former Nashville Star and current Sony chanteuse Miranda Lambert.

Mike, James, Jon, and Chris hope to blaze a similar trail to stardom. But don't think they'll forget about the fans who helped make them a success.

"We're in this for the long haul, building up our fan base one audience at a time," says Young. "And that's our bottom line."