Western Flyer was an American
country music
Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...
band founded in 1992 by Danny Myrick (lead vocals, bass guitar),
Chris Marion (keyboards, vocals), T. J. Klay (harmonica,
mandolin
A mandolin ( it, mandolino ; literally "small mandola") is a stringed musical instrument in the lute family and is generally plucked with a pick. It most commonly has four courses of doubled strings tuned in unison, thus giving a total of 8 ...
, vocals), Bruce Gust (drums, vocals), Steve Charles (lead guitar, vocals), and Roger Helton (
acoustic guitar
An acoustic guitar is a musical instrument in the string family. When a string is plucked its vibration is transmitted from the bridge, resonating throughout the top of the guitar. It is also transmitted to the side and back of the instrument, ...
,
banjo
The banjo is a stringed instrument with a thin membrane stretched over a frame or cavity to form a resonator. The membrane is typically circular, and usually made of plastic, or occasionally animal skin. Early forms of the instrument were fashi ...
, vocals). The band released two albums for
Step One Records
Step One Records was an independent American record label established in February 1984 in Nashville, Tennessee. The label was founded by singer-songwriter and producer Ray Pennington with Curtis Potter, the former of whom had produced for Waylon ...
, as well as six singles. Their highest peaking single is "What Will You Do with M-E?", which reached No. 32 on the ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' country charts in 1996. After Western Flyer disbanded, Marion joined the
Little River Band
Little River Band (LRB) are a rock band originally formed in Melbourne, Australia, in March 1975. The band achieved commercial success in both Australia and the United States. They have sold more than 30 million records; six studio albums rea ...
, and Myrick began writing songs for other artists.
History
Western Flyer was founded in 1992 by lead singer and bass guitarist Danny Myrick and keyboardist Chris Marion. Completing the lineup were harmonicist/mandolinist T.J. Klay, drummer Bruce Gust, lead guitarist Steve Charles, and guitarist/banjoist Roger Helton. The band members met in Nashville at a church where some of them had been playing in the church band. The band took the name Western Flyer from a brand of bicycle.
The group signed to the independent Step One Records label in 1993, and released a self-titled debut album a year later. This album accounted for five chart singles, of which four reached the lower regions of the ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' country charts. The album's third release, "
Cherokee Highway
"Cherokee Highway" is a song by American country music band Western Flyer. It was released in 1995 as the third single off the band's self-titled debut album. Lead singer Danny Myrick co-wrote the song with Tony Wood, and the band co-produced the ...
", did not chart in the U.S., although it was a Top 40 hit on the ''
RPM
Revolutions per minute (abbreviated rpm, RPM, rev/min, r/min, or with the notation min−1) is a unit of rotational speed or rotational frequency for rotating machines.
Standards
ISO 80000-3:2019 defines a unit of rotation as the dimensionl ...
'' Country Tracks charts and received media attention for its story of interracial violence.
Western Flyer's second album, 1996's ''Back in America'', produced its highest charting single in "What Will You Do with M-E?" which reached No. 32 on the U.S. country charts.
Also included on this album were "She Wants to Be Wanted Again," which
Ty Herndon
Boyd Tyrone Herndon (born May 2, 1962), known professionally as Ty Herndon, is an American country music singer and songwriter. His music career began in the 1980s as a member of the Tennessee River Boys, a predecessor to the country band Diamon ...
also released on his 1996 album ''
Living in a Moment
''Living in a Moment'' is the second studio album by American country music artist Ty Herndon. The album was released in 1996 (see 1996 in country music) via Epic Records. Like his debut album '' What Mattered Most'', the album has been certified ...
'' and released as a single in 1997, and "Lost in You", which received a "Critic's Choice" review in ''Billboard''. ''Back in America'' produced no other chart singles, and Western Flyer disbanded in 1997. Marion subsequently joined the
Little River Band
Little River Band (LRB) are a rock band originally formed in Melbourne, Australia, in March 1975. The band achieved commercial success in both Australia and the United States. They have sold more than 30 million records; six studio albums rea ...
, a
rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
group, in 2004. Danny Myrick signed to a songwriting contract with 3 Ring Circus Music, which is owned by
Jeffrey Steele
Jeffrey LeVasseur (born August 27, 1961), known as Jeffrey Steele, is an American country music singer and songwriter. Along with recording his own material, Steele has become a prolific Nashville songwriter, having co-written more than 60 hit ...
. Myrick has co-written "
International Harvester
The International Harvester Company (often abbreviated by IHC, IH, or simply International ( colloq.)) was an American manufacturer of agricultural and construction equipment, automobiles, commercial trucks, lawn and garden products, household e ...
" for
Craig Morgan
Craig Morgan Greer (born July 17, 1964) is an American country music artist. A veteran of the United States Army as a forward observer, Morgan began his musical career in 2000 on Atlantic Records, releasing his self-titled debut album for that ...
, "Loud" for
Big & Rich
Big & Rich is an American country music duo composed of Big Kenny and John Rich, both of whom are songwriters, vocalists, and guitarists. Before the duo's foundation, Rich was bass guitarist in the country band Lonestar, while Kenny was a solo ...
,
the Number One hit "
She's Country
"She's Country" is a song written by Danny Myrick and Bridgette Tatum and recorded by American country music artist Jason Aldean. It was released in December 2008 as the first single from Aldean's 2009 album '' Wide Open''. The song became Aldean' ...
" for
Jason Aldean
Jason Aldean (born Jason Aldine Williams; February 28, 1977) is an American country music singer. Since 2005, he has been signed to BBR Music Group, Broken Bow Records, a record label for which he has released ten albums and 40 singles. His 2010 ...
, and "
How Far Do You Wanna Go?
"How Far Do You Wanna Go?" is a song recorded by American country music group Gloriana, written by Danny Myrick, Jeffrey Steele and Matt Serletic. It was released in September 2009 as the second single from the band's self-titled debut album.
Co ...
" by
Gloriana
''Gloriana'', Op. 53, is an opera in three acts by Benjamin Britten to an English libretto by William Plomer, based on Lytton Strachey's 1928 ''Elizabeth and Essex: A Tragic History''.
The first performance was presented at the Royal Opera Hous ...
.
''Western Flyer'' (1994)
Track listing
#"Western Flyer" (Danny Myrick, Tony Wood) – 3:53
#"She Should've Been Mine" (
Kent Blazy
Kent Blazy (born in Lexington, Kentucky) is an American country music songwriter. His credits include several singles for Garth Brooks (including Brooks' first number one hit, "If Tomorrow Never Comes"), as well as singles by Gary Morris, Diamon ...
, Jim Dowell,
Rob Crosby
Rob Crosby (born Robert Crosby Hoar; April 25, 1954) is an American country music artist. Between 1990 and 1996, Rob charted eight singles on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts. He has also recorded six studio albums, wi ...
) – 3:41
#"His Memory" (Donny Kees, Richard Ross) – 3:20
#"Cherokee Highway" (Myrick, Wood) – 4:45
#"I Would Give Anything" (Roger Ball) – 3:10
#"Friday Night Stampede" (
Marcus Hummon
Marcus Spencer Hummon (born December 28, 1960) is an American country music artist. He is the father of country singer Levi Hummon.
Early life
Hummon was born in Washington, D.C.. He graduated from Williams College.
Career
After several years o ...
,
Monty Powell
Monty Powell (born June 1, 1961) is an American country music songwriter best known for collaborating with Keith Urban, and for producing albums by Diamond Rio.
Powell's first songwriting credit was a jingle for an Allstate commercial. After mov ...
) – 3:07
#"Liar's Moon" (Myrick, Don Pfrimmer, Philip Douglas) – 2:41
#"A Hundred Others Like It" (Myrick, Wood) – 2:45
#"The One Who Understands" (Greg Barnhill, Richard Bach) – 3:43
#"Pathway to the Moon" (Hummon, Michael Puryear) – 3:43
Personnel
Western Flyer
*Steve Charles-
electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that requires external amplification in order to be heard at typical performance volumes, unlike a standard acoustic guitar (however combinations of the two - a semi-acoustic guitar and an electric acoustic gui ...
, background vocals
*Bruce Gust-
drums
A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...
,
percussion
A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Exc ...
, background vocals
*Roger Helton-
banjo
The banjo is a stringed instrument with a thin membrane stretched over a frame or cavity to form a resonator. The membrane is typically circular, and usually made of plastic, or occasionally animal skin. Early forms of the instrument were fashi ...
,
fiddle
A fiddle is a bowed string musical instrument, most often a violin. It is a colloquial term for the violin, used by players in all genres, including classical music. Although in many cases violins and fiddles are essentially synonymous, th ...
,
acoustic guitar
An acoustic guitar is a musical instrument in the string family. When a string is plucked its vibration is transmitted from the bridge, resonating throughout the top of the guitar. It is also transmitted to the side and back of the instrument, ...
, background vocals
*T.J. Klay- acoustic guitar,
harmonica
The harmonica, also known as a French harp or mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used worldwide in many musical genres, notably in blues, American folk music, classical music, jazz, country, and rock. The many types of harmonica inclu ...
,
mandolin
A mandolin ( it, mandolino ; literally "small mandola") is a stringed musical instrument in the lute family and is generally plucked with a pick. It most commonly has four courses of doubled strings tuned in unison, thus giving a total of 8 ...
, background vocals
*
Chris Marion-
keyboards
Keyboard may refer to:
Text input
* Keyboard, part of a typewriter
* Computer keyboard
** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping
** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware
Music
* Musi ...
, background vocals
*Danny Myrick-
bass guitar
The bass guitar, electric bass or simply bass (), is the lowest-pitched member of the string family. It is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric or an acoustic guitar, but with a longer neck and ...
, lead vocals
Additional musicians
*Cory Hutchinson- background vocals
*Steve Mauldin- string arrangements
*Kris Wilkinson-
strings
String or strings may refer to:
*String (structure), a long flexible structure made from threads twisted together, which is used to tie, bind, or hang other objects
Arts, entertainment, and media Films
* ''Strings'' (1991 film), a Canadian anim ...
''Back in America'' (1996)
Track listing
#"Back in America" (
Layng Martine, Jr.) – 3:52
#"Lost in You" (Bryan Smith) – 3:36
#"Wish You Were Here" (Bob Dellaposta) – 3:54
#"Surrender" (
Joe Diffie
Joe Logan Diffie (December 28, 1958 – March 29, 2020) was an American country music singer and songwriter. After working as a demo singer in the mid 1980s, he signed with Epic Records' Nashville division in 1990. Between then and 2004, Diffie ...
,
Kent Blazy
Kent Blazy (born in Lexington, Kentucky) is an American country music songwriter. His credits include several singles for Garth Brooks (including Brooks' first number one hit, "If Tomorrow Never Comes"), as well as singles by Gary Morris, Diamon ...
,
Lonnie Wilson
Lonnie Wilson is an American drummer, songwriter, and record producer, known primarily for his work in country music.
Born in Monroe, Louisiana, Wilson was originally the lead singer of the band Bandana, which charted ten singles on the Hot C ...
) – 2:52
#"I Know Where You're Coming From" (Jerry Taylor, Ashe Underwood) – 3:41
#"What Will You Do with M-E?" (Craig Martin, Rick Tiger) – 4:38
#"New Tin Roof" (Chapin Hartford, Jeff Moseley) – 3:11
#"
She Wants to Be Wanted Again" (Billy Henderson, Steven Dale Jones) – 4:09
#"Less Than a Minute" (Tommy Barnes) – 3:15
#"Black and Blue" (Danny Myrick, Tony Wood) – 3:05
#"Rhythm of the Highway" (Myrick, Wood) – 4:17
#"
Sixteen Tons
"Sixteen Tons" is a song written by Merle Travis about a coal miner, based on life in the mines of Muhlenberg County, Kentucky. Travis first recorded the song at the Radio Recorders Studio B in Hollywood, California, on August 8, 1946. Cliff ...
" (
Merle Travis
Merle Robert Travis (November 29, 1917 – October 20, 1983) was an American country and western singer, songwriter, and guitarist born in Rosewood, Kentucky, United States. His songs' lyrics often discussed both the lives and the economic expl ...
) – 8:14
Personnel
Western Flyer
*Steve Charles-
electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that requires external amplification in order to be heard at typical performance volumes, unlike a standard acoustic guitar (however combinations of the two - a semi-acoustic guitar and an electric acoustic gui ...
, background vocals
*Bruce Gust-
drums
A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...
,
percussion
A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Exc ...
, background vocals
*Roger Helton-
banjo
The banjo is a stringed instrument with a thin membrane stretched over a frame or cavity to form a resonator. The membrane is typically circular, and usually made of plastic, or occasionally animal skin. Early forms of the instrument were fashi ...
,
fiddle
A fiddle is a bowed string musical instrument, most often a violin. It is a colloquial term for the violin, used by players in all genres, including classical music. Although in many cases violins and fiddles are essentially synonymous, th ...
,
acoustic guitar
An acoustic guitar is a musical instrument in the string family. When a string is plucked its vibration is transmitted from the bridge, resonating throughout the top of the guitar. It is also transmitted to the side and back of the instrument, ...
, background vocals
*T.J. Klay- acoustic guitar,
harmonica
The harmonica, also known as a French harp or mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used worldwide in many musical genres, notably in blues, American folk music, classical music, jazz, country, and rock. The many types of harmonica inclu ...
,
mandolin
A mandolin ( it, mandolino ; literally "small mandola") is a stringed musical instrument in the lute family and is generally plucked with a pick. It most commonly has four courses of doubled strings tuned in unison, thus giving a total of 8 ...
, background vocals
*
Chris Marion-
keyboards
Keyboard may refer to:
Text input
* Keyboard, part of a typewriter
* Computer keyboard
** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping
** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware
Music
* Musi ...
,
piano
The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...
, background vocals
*Danny Myrick- lead vocals
Additional Musicians
*Bobby All- acoustic guitar
*Kelly Back- electric guitar
*
Buddy Emmons
Buddy Gene Emmons (January 27, 1937 – July 21, 2015) was an American musician who is widely regarded as the world's foremost pedal steel guitarist of his day. He was inducted into the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame in 1981.
Affectionately known by ...
-
steel guitar
A steel guitar ( haw, kīkākila) is any guitar played while moving a steel bar or similar hard object against plucked strings. The bar itself is called a "steel" and is the source of the name "steel guitar". The instrument differs from a conve ...
*
Aubrey Haynie
Aubrey Haynie (born March 27, 1974) is an American bluegrass musician who plays the fiddle and mandolin. In his career, he has recorded three studio albums for the Sugar Hill Records label, all three of which contained mostly songs that he wr ...
- fiddle
*Dirk Johnson- keyboards, piano
*Jerry Kroon- drums
*Gary Prim- keyboards, piano
*W. David Smith-
bass guitar
The bass guitar, electric bass or simply bass (), is the lowest-pitched member of the string family. It is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric or an acoustic guitar, but with a longer neck and ...
*Kevin Williams- acoustic guitar
Singles
;notes
Music videos
References
External links
Official TJ Klay websiteOfficial Bruce Gust websiteOfficial Steve Charles website
{{Authority control
Country music groups from Tennessee
Musical groups from Nashville, Tennessee
Musical groups established in 1992
Musical groups disestablished in 1997
Step One Records artists