In August of 1991, Fleming McWilliams and John Mark Painter tied the knot during an outdoor ceremony in Nashville where they met years earlier at Belmont College.

Later that year the rocker-couple, and band mates Stan Rawls and Shawn McWilliams (Fleming's bro), committed again, this time to a record deal with Universal Records.

The group adorably called itself Fleming & John and tested the waters with its 1995 debut release, Delusions of Grandeur.

This album displays a healthy variety of rock-hard beats and sappy love songs, but Fleming & John perfected its sound and caught my attention with its sophomore attempt, The Way We Are, four years later.

Though married performers Yoko Ono and John Lennon may have left listeners nauseated over the idea of matrimonial music-making, Fleming & John successfully compose an album that compromises by mixing catchy rock tunes with love songs that might be cheesy at times, but are too sincere and melodic to hate.

Fleming leads the group with a voice that is anything but the bubble-gum pop sound that's signature to so many female singers today.

The redheaded gal is a southerner at heart and you can hear it in her vocals. The combination of her booming yet somewhat raspy voice is nothing but complemented by the Southern twang that might even make a country fan appreciate this album--but don't let that scare you off.

The album starts with a short track of a small child reluctantly singing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star," and moves quickly but flawlessly into rock bit "I'm So Small."

Fleming ironically sings of being tiny while her big voice proves she could never go unnoticed as she hints at in this energizing opener.

The rock-out pace is kept with the next track, "Sssh!" Fleming sings the part of a girl who refuses to believe her love interest doesn't share her feelings. A thumping bass drum backs up disappointing lyrics, "...and when I finally kissed you, you walked out of the room," but Fleming & John keep you rockin' right through the pain (and embarrassment).

What impresses me most about The Way We Are is how many emotions are expressed through so many genres of music on a single CD. Track 6, "Don't Let It Fade Away," might bring you to the depths of depression reminiscing about a relationship's end. But the tunes that follow, such as the disco-esque "Sadder Day," "Ugly Girl" and "I Fall for You" play with the idea of love, getting hurt and jealousy in a silly, humorous and upbeat way.

The song I once played repeatedly on this album (yup, I'm that kind of girl) is track 11, "Rain All Day." This song is immediately effective at creating just the mood it's going for. Guitar, bass and bongos create a very chill vibe that carries the song throughout. Strings are later added to the bittersweet air of the song -- and there's even a rain stick.

Fleming coons to her lover "it's just a phase, you're in a daze, maybe a melancholy day" and goes on hoping for rain all day so they can stay all day, together. Because, she continues, "there is no place, on the face, of the earth I'd rather be." If that isn't what it's all about, I don't know what is.

Last I heard of Fleming & John was in 2002, I believe, and the group was working on its next album. So far, no word of any of the members or a new album, but I can't help but hope the group's namesakes are still in love and writing rocking love songs.