He’s had his ups and downs, but keyboardist Reese Wynans has had a 60-year career that most musicians can only dream of. Beginning in his native Florida with players who would later form the groundbreaking Allman Brothers Band, Wynans went on to work with artists like Boz Scaggs and Carole King before becoming a driving force in Double Trouble, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame backing band of the late guitar icon Stevie Ray Vaughan. After Vaughan died, Wynans started a new chapter in his life when, at the suggestion of Nashville megaproducer Tony Brown, he became a Music City session player. Since then his work has been heard on recordings by Vince Gill, Gretchen Wilson, Brooks & Dunn and many others, in addition to records by leading blues artists like Buddy Guy and Kenny Wayne Shepherd.
For the past decade Wynans has been on the road supporting blues-rock guitarist Joe Bonamassa, playing all over the world. But now Wynans has decided to dial it back a little, staying a little closer to his Brentwood home and the Nashville studio work, particularly his Hammond B-3 playing, that he still gets calls for.
“Well, I’ve retired from the Joe Bonamassa touring band,” he said. “I want to say semi-retired, if they wanted me to come out and do a couple of shows or something like that I would. That group is always on the road and that’s a little too much for me at this point. As far as other road gigs, like weekend or spot gigs here and there, I would absolutely do that. And I’m still doing sessions of course.”
On Friday, August 21st, Wynans will be leading an all-star band of Nashville friends and special guests in a show at 3rd and Lindsley, performing material by Vaughan, Delbert McClinton and others, and from his own album Sweet Release. “Ron (Brice, owner of 3rd & Lindsley) had asked me to get something together so I was really pleased to do that for him,” Wynans said.
“The first thing I thought was who would I like to have in the band,” he said, “and Lynn Williams (Wallflowers, Phil Keaggy) on drums is one of the guys who I played with years ago with Lee Roy Parnell, he’s one of the the best feeling drummers I’ve ever worked with. Alison Prestwood (Blake Shelton, Needtobreathe) is one of the most creative bassists I’ve worked with, she’s just underrated and a fantastic player. I wanted to have a guitar player with some edge and Kenny Greenberg (Miranda Lambert, Luke Bryan) was really the first guy I thought of. I’m so happy to have those guys, and then we got Jimmy Hall to come in and do some singing, the best singer in the world. Kevin McKendree (Josh Turner, Brian Setzer) is going to join me for double keyboards, I’ve always wanted to do something in a band with both of us playing at the same time. I feel like I’m in a room with a bunch of giants, they’re all masters of their craft. It’s gonna be a fun show.”
“I’m going to be 80 next year, and I’m gonna hobble up there and do my best just to have a great time,” he joked. “I just love playing music so that’s what it’s about. I love doing this, so we put this band together have a good time and that’s what we’re gonna do.”
Wynans has had a career working with legends in several genres, especially guitar players, that most musicians can only be envious of. “I’m a lucky guy, I’ve worked with some great people,” he said. “I don’t know what it is about guitar players, they just seem to like having me in the band. Dickey Betts, Duane Allman, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Joe Bonamassa…I’ve just been on top of the world with guitar players like Kenny Wayne Shepherd who’s fantastic. I’ve been lucky enough to work with all of those guys.”
For more information about the show on Friday, August 21, go to www.3rdandlindsley.com/calendar/.
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