In 1996, he moved to Nashville, where he quickly attracted attention at local clubs, earning a residency at the World-Famous Turf and, when that club was destroyed by a tornado in 1998, at Robert's Western Wear with Don Kelly's band. He backed Gary Chapman at the Ryman Auditorium, home of the Grand Ole Opry, and became the first unsigned artist in Nashville to receive an endorsement deal with Fender musical instruments. After his manager left part of a demo on Steve Vai's voice mail, Vai called back with an offer for Hiland to sign to his Favored Nations label. There followed two years of trial-and-error preparation for Hiland's first album of original country and rock guitar instrumentals, Johnny Hiland, released in August 2004. Meanwhile, Hiland had become a busy session musician in Nashville, recording with Ricky Skaggs, Toby Keith, Randy Travis, Janie Fricke, and Lynn Anderson. ~ William Ruhlmann, Rovi