<P> As a three - piece, Urie, Smith, and Weekes recorded and released the band's fourth studio album, Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die!, in 2013 . Prior to the release of the album, Smith unofficially left the band due to health and drug - related issues, leaving Urie and Weekes as the remaining members . </P> <P> In 2015, Smith officially left the band after not performing live with the band since his departure in 2013 . Shortly thereafter, Weekes reverted to being a touring member once again, leaving Urie as the only member of the official lineup . In April 2015, "Hallelujah" was released as the first single from Panic! at the Disco's fifth studio album, Death of a Bachelor (2016). </P> <P> Panic! at the Disco was formed in 2004 in the suburban area of Summerlin, Las Vegas, by childhood friends Ryan Ross, who sang and played guitar, and Spencer Smith, who played drums . They both attended Bishop Gorman High School, and they began playing music together in ninth grade . They invited friend Brent Wilson from nearby Palo Verde High School to join on bass, and Wilson invited classmate Brendon Urie to try out on guitar . The quartet soon began rehearsing in Smith's grandmother's living room . Urie grew up in a Mormon family in Las Vegas and early on missed some rehearsals to go to church . Ross initially was the lead vocalist for the group, but after hearing Urie sing back - up during rehearsals, the group decided to make him the lead . Initially, Panic! at the Disco was a Blink - 182 cover band . </P> <P> In the group's early experimental demos, the band created a sound that was different from the many death - metal groups that were performing in Las Vegas at the time . The band signed a recording contract without having performed a live show . "We never went out and played shows before we got signed because the music scene in Las Vegas is so bad . There's not a lot going on," Smith said . "In our practice space, there were something like 30 bands, and every day we'd walk into that room and hear the exact same death - metal bands . So it kind of influenced us to be different . And to get out of Las Vegas ." Urie began working at Tropical Smoothie Cafe in Summerlin to afford rent for the band's new practice space . The four left their educations behind to concentrate on music; Ross had a falling out with his father when he dropped out of college, and when Urie dropped out of high school his parents kicked him out of the house . He stayed with friends until he could afford to rent an apartment . </P>

Who was the original lead singer of panic at the disco