since his late teens...
...Jason (Jay) Byrd has been a professional guitarist, singer, and songwriter.. In his early twenties, he co-founded the blues-rock trio The Groov, and in 1996 joined the then-Grateful Dead cover band Wavy Train. Byrd's original songs and guitar work helped Wavy Train to forge a sound that combined pop-oriented melodies with extended improvisation. After moving to the Washington, DC area in 2001, Jason began crafting songs with a decidedly Americana bent. In 2005, Jason's composition "Olson Still" received an honorable mention in the Mountain Stage NewSong Festival Folk category. In 2010, he won the NewSong People's Choice Award for the Northeast Region. He also won the Gold Award (Acoustic/Folk category) and the BMI Songwriter Award in the 2010 Mid-Atlantic Songwriting Contest. Jason continues to write and perform original roots-influenced music. Often performing as solo with his acoustic guitar, he also can assemble top-notch players for a fuller sound that allows him to deliver driving," alt-country" rock, as well as intimate, soulful ballads. Jay is currently a singer, guitarist and songwriter in DC-based SOUTH RAIL with Lara Supan and Ben Potok
Guitars & Vocals / Jay Byrd
