Western Flyer
| Company type | Music group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1992 in Nashville, Tennessee, United States |
| Headquarters | Nashville , United States |
| Products | Country music albums and singles |
Western Flyer was a country music group from the United States, established in 1992 in Nashville, Tennessee. The ensemble consisted of Danny Myrick (lead vocals, bass guitar), Chris Marion (keyboards, vocals), T. J. Klay (harmonica, mandolin, vocals), Bruce Gust (drums, vocals), Steve Charles (lead guitar, vocals), and Roger Helton (acoustic guitar, banjo, vocals). They produced two albums under the Step One Records label and released six singles. Their most successful single, "What Will You Do with M-E?", peaked at No. 32 on the Billboard country charts in 1996. Following the band's dissolution, Marion became a member of the Little River Band, and Myrick focused on songwriting for various artists.
History
Western Flyer was created in 1992 by lead vocalist and bassist Danny Myrick alongside keyboardist Chris Marion. The group was completed with T.J. Klay handling harmonica and mandolin, Bruce Gust on drums, Steve Charles playing lead guitar, and Roger Helton on guitar and banjo. The members initially connected while performing together in a Nashville church band. The name of the band was derived from a bicycle brand.
In 1993, they signed with the independent label Step One Records and launched their debut album titled Western Flyer in 1994. This debut yielded five singles that charted, with four entering the lower tiers of the Billboard country charts. Their third single, "Cherokee Highway," failed to chart in the United States but achieved Top 40 status on Canada’s RPM Country Tracks chart and attracted attention for its commentary on interracial violence.
Their sophomore album, Back in America released in 1996, included their highest-charting single "What Will You Do with M-E?", which reached No. 32 on U.S. country charts. This record also featured "She Wants to Be Wanted Again," later covered by Ty Herndon, as well as "Lost in You," which earned a "Critic's Choice" accolade from Billboard. No additional singles from this album made it onto the charts, and the band parted ways in 1997.
After disbanding, Chris Marion joined the rock-oriented Little River Band in 2004. Meanwhile, Danny Myrick signed a songwriting deal with 3 Ring Circus Music, owned by Jeffrey Steele, contributing to successful tracks including "International Harvester" by Craig Morgan, "Loud" by Big & Rich, the chart-topping "She's Country" performed by Jason Aldean, and "How Far Do You Wanna Go?" recorded by Gloriana.
Track listing
- "Western Flyer" (Danny Myrick, Tony Wood) – 3:53
- "She Should've Been Mine" (Kent Blazy, Jim Dowell, Rob Crosby) – 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, Monty Powell) – 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
Western Flyer
- Steve Charles - electric guitar, backing vocals
- Bruce Gust - drums, percussion, backing vocals
- Roger Helton - banjo, fiddle, acoustic guitar, backing vocals
- T.J. Klay - acoustic guitar, harmonica, mandolin, backing vocals
- Chris Marion - keyboards, backing vocals
- Danny Myrick - bass guitar, lead vocals
Supporting musicians
- Cory Hutchinson – backing vocals
- Steve Mauldin – arrangements for strings
- Kris Wilkinson – string performers
Song list
- "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, Kent Blazy, Lonnie Wilson) – 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" (Danny Myrick, Tony Wood) – 4:17
- "Sixteen Tons" (Merle Travis) – 8:14
Western Flyer
- Steve Charles – electric guitar, backing vocals
- Bruce Gust – drums, percussion, backing vocals
- Roger Helton – banjo, fiddle, acoustic guitar, backing vocals
- T.J. Klay – acoustic guitar, harmonica, mandolin, backing vocals
- Chris Marion – keyboards, piano, backing vocals
- Danny Myrick – lead vocals
Supporting Musicians
- Bobby All – acoustic guitar
- Kelly Back – electric guitar
- Buddy Emmons – steel guitar
- Aubrey Haynie – fiddle
- Dirk Johnson – keyboards, piano
- Jerry Kroon – drums
- Gary Prim – keyboards, piano
- W. David Smith – bass guitar
- Kevin Williams – acoustic guitar
Singles
| Year | Single | Highest chart positions |
Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | CAN Country | |||
| 1994 | "Western Flyer" | 61 | — | Western Flyer |
| "She Should've Been Mine" | 62 | — | ||
| 1995 | "Cherokee Highway"[lower-alpha 1] | — | 38 | |
| "Friday Night Stampede" | 71 | 62 | ||
| "His Memory" | 74 | 80 | ||
| 1996 | "What Will You Do with M-E?" | 32 | 36 | Back in America |
| 1997 | "Wish You Were Here" | — | — | |
| "Lost in You" | — | — | ||
| "—" indicates singles that did not chart | ||||
- notes
Music videos
| Year | Video Title | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | "Western Flyer" | Greg Crutcher |
| "She Should've Been Mine" | ||
| 1995 | "Cherokee Highway" |
External links
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