Possessed of dazzling instrumental chops and an absolute mastery of acoustic musical styles, The Waybacks have taken North America by storm in less than a year. Whether mesmerizing audiences at intimate venues or creating a sensation at major festivals, the band has brought its onstage alchemy to enthusiastic fans far and wide.
Eclectic in both their influences and approach, The Waybacks embrace multiple genres and put their unique stamp on the lot, rendering them all with characteristic charm, wit and virtuosity. In so doing, they transcend genre altogether, conjuring up musical landscapes that defy boundaries but always find their center at the crossroads of fun and fascination.
From newgrass and western swing to jug band and jazz, from folk and fiddle music to improvisational excursions that defy categorization, Waybacks music is wild, energetic and unpredictable. With their stellar musicianship and innate sense of adventure, they stand in good company with the few bands at the forefront of New American acoustic music.The success of the group's approach is evident in its broad appeal to audiences of all ages, shapes and tastes, whether they sit enraptured, stand drop-jawed at breathtaking flights of fancy or just plain get up and dance. This is a populist band in the best sense of the term, one whose ardent fan base spreads the word like wildfire.
Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, The Waybacks are Stevie Coyle (rhythm and fingerstyle guitar and vocals), James Nash (lead guitar, mandolin and vocals), Chuck Hamilton (drums and percussion) and Joe Kyle Jr.(standup bass and vocals). Nearly a century and a half of musical experience steps onstage with them at every gig, including professional associations with a host of musical luminaries ranging from Ramblin' Jack Elliot to Lawrence Welk. Go figure. Fleet-fingered and muddy-booted, they can play like nobody's business.