The great-grandson of Montana and North Dakota pioneers, Sand grew up hearing cowboy poetry and country music. When hip hop culture hit "the Rez" (the Flathead Indian Reservation in western Montana, where Sand lived most of his early years), he learned to rap and rhyme to the pulse of baling machines and irrigation pumps. By his late teens, when he discovered Marley and Dylan, he had already begun to find his own prophetic voice.

Sandman has toured the country many times, sharing bills with acts ranging from Devendra Banhart to Kimya Dawson to Michael Franti & Spearhead. Selling "Sandman" t-shirts and pillowcases (recycled items slapped with the Sandman brand), worn leather belts, and old cowboy shirts, Sand keeps his audiences entertained during the breaks as well as on stage. He stays in touch with fans and friends between tours through his blog journal (www.rappincowboy.com).