The Wayne Byerly Band is made up of three members: Wayne, Bob, and Nick. The group is an unlikely mix of personalities, all hailing from vastly different backgrounds to form their special trio. Their strength is in their bond, their dedication to perfecting Wayne’s original sound, and their respect for each other’s work/life balance. They welcomed me to their practice space at Bob’s home studio to share their stories while also allowing me to share a bit of mine.
Wayne Byerly- The Vocals and Guitar
Wayne picked up a guitar for the very first time while serving a sentence in prison. He always dreamed of becoming a musician as an adolescent but never got the chance to pursue it. After a long stint of high-profile bank robberies, he found himself serving time and utilizing music as a way to pass the time. His cellmate was an experienced picker that taught him a few chords to start out with. Wayne was hooked on guitar from then on. During his last 3 years of sentencing, he practiced several hours every day. As he progressed, he began singing over chords and putting words to the melodies he was creating. He joined a band in prison named Mixed Nuts. They would play shows for the prisoners on holidays and special occasions, allowing him to get a feel for live audiences. He served his time, got out, committed more crimes, and served another sentence before marrying and having children. He didn’t touch the guitar for about 15 years as life and other priorities took precedence. He rebuilt a life with his family outside prison walls and became a fulfilled husband and father. After his mother passed, the family was cleaning out her home when he came across a lost tape recording of a Mixed Nuts performance. Hearing it reignited his passion. He started putting a studio together and playing again. After a couple of years, he built up the courage to attend local open mics. He met his bassist, Bob, during one of these performances, and they formed the duo that eventually became the trio. Wayne continues to write songs and practice his vocal lessons every day while he’s driving on his day job. Music gave him a voice, a second chance at life, and a way to cope with years of a high-stress life of crime. He has plenty to sing about and experiences to draw from, giving his lyrics the authentic grit of an outlaw turning his life around.
Bob—The Bassist
Bob is a retired automotive service manager with a love for all things music. He spent his career managing shops and service writing, limiting music to be a side hobby. Now that he has left the daily grind, he spends as much time in his home studio as possible. During high school, he attended many hard rock concerts. He loved music but didn’t quite have the drive to learn until a friend gave him a crash course on the bass. After borrowing it and practicing, he decided to keep at it after realizing he had an undeniable knack for it. Bob joined a cover band that eventually transitioned into creating and performing originals. He would write lyrics and bass lines for the band, and they would come together with their own parts to make it whole. He fell in love with the process of songwriting and recording, eventually building his own home studio to delve even further. He taught himself guitar and keys and brought in drummers to help him record his own tracks. About five years ago, Bob received a message from Wayne about putting a band together. Once they met and practiced together, they realized the fit was mutually perfect, and they formed the band. Bob is generous in assisting artists who want to record but don’t have enough funds to afford a big studio. He continues to record his own music alongside the band’s originals. He also manages the band’s communication, social media, booking, and recording performances for YouTube.
Nick- The Drummer
Nick was only 7 years old when he began playing drums. His dad was a professional trombonist, so he naturally took to that instrument as well. He focused on trombone primarily but later decided the drums had his heart. His Aunt Francis gave him different pieces of a drum set for each birthday, and he took lessons from a man named John Wacker from UNR. He was part of a couple bands in high school, Rottweiler and Freestyle, that played gigs at Elks lodges. He became a firefighter in Alaska before moving to Philly to attend Temple University for dental school. While attending university, he lived downtown and found the perfect ska/punk band to join. They toured and played parties, bars, and local gigs. After finishing dental school, he decided to become an oral surgeon and moved to Denver for schooling. There, he played in a band called Trashcan Fetus for a few years. He moved back to Idaho and opened his own practice in Caldwell. He played in Boise-based bands, Blind Fury and Tower 9, before joining The Wayne Byerly Band.
The band strives to play a live show every few months, planning and balancing performance with their lives outside of music. They have fun together and focus on delivery of Wayne’s originals over covers but aren’t opposed to throwing a couple fun ones into shows.
Be sure to follow The Wayne Byerly Band on their website, YouTube channel, and Facebook to stay up-to-date on their performance schedules! They’re also looking to add a lead guitarist to the mix, so if you’re out there reading this, reach out to Bob!
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