Wells started writing songs and performing in high school. He moved to Lexington, Kentucky in 2005 to start a band, and a year later founded Fifth on the Floor. Fifth on the Floor self-released two albums, 2007's The Color of Whiskey and 2010's Dark and Bloody Ground. In 2013, they released their third full-length, Ashes & Angels, produced by multiple Grammy-winning producer/artist Shooter Jennings and released by Black Country Rock/Entertainment One.[3] In January 2015, the band announced they were breaking up. Their final release, the EP& After, was released that same month.
On August 5, 2016, Wells released his debut solo album, Dawn in the Distance. The album was produced by Duane Lundy.[4]
On August 9, 2018, Wells released a single, "A Love Song", as part of the 10 in 20 Series, a series that has featured a number of Grammy-winning and nominated artists, including Sturgill Simpson, Matt Duncan, and Justin Craig.[5] The next day, Jason Eady released his album I Travel On, which included a co-write with Wells, "Pretty When I Die".[6] Later that year, Wells released a physical-only 7" vinyl single that included a stripped-down version of "The Dogs" and a cover of Elton John's "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters".
On August 28, 2020, Wells released his second studio album, The United State, also produced by Lundy.[7]