Biography

Reese Wynans

Reese Wynans

“Stevie had the best phrasing and feel of any guitarist I had ever worked with. I had to up my game, when I joined the band. I think I became a more aggressive and dynamic player with them." - Reese Wynans

Reese Wynans was born on 28th November 1947 and grew up in Sarasota, Florida, USA, during the 1950s. He had 6 brothers and sisters and they all began taking piano lessons at an early age, but he was the only one who "really loved playing."

Reese was a member of the band "Second Coming", which from November 1968 to March 1969 also included two future and founding members of The Allman Brothers Band: guitarist Dickey Betts and bassist Berry Oakley.

He was involved in the initial jam session with Duane Allman, Betts, Oakley, Butch Trucks and Jaimoe that led to the formation of the Allman Brothers Band, but was eased aside in favor of vocalist Gregg Allman, as founder Duane Allman did not want two keyboardists, two guitarists and two drummers all in the same band.

In 1973 he played with Captain Beyond and was on the album "Sufficiently Breathless". He quit after just one show with the band, later explaining, "Captain Beyond was a great band to play with, but from the management side it was terribly organized... I was very poor at that time, living in somebody´s else garage, so I needed to work and had to quit."

He also played with The Explosives along with Freddie Krc and Cam King.

Reese joined Stevie and Double Trouble in 1985, playing keyboards on Soul to Soul and In Step. He performed live with the group until Stevie's death in 1990.

After Stevie's death, Reese joined the touring bands of Joe Ely and Lee Roy Parnell. He also toured with Chris Layton and Tommy Shannon on Double Trouble's "Been A Long Time" tour and has performed with Texas R&B rocker Delbert McClinton.

Since moving to Nashville, Tennessee in 1992, Reese has played keyboards for a number of country artists including Brooks & Dunn, Trisha Yearwood, Martina McBride, and Hank Williams Jr. He has also played for blues artists Buddy Guy, John Mayall, Kenny Wayne Shepard, Colin James, Ana Popovic, Dudley Taft, Eli Cook, and Los Lonely Boys.

Reese frequently performs live at 3rd & Lindsley Bar and Grill in Nashville with a number of established local bands, usually consisting of Nashville session musicians.

In late 2014 and early 2015, Reese was inducted into the Musician's Hall of Fame, Austin City Limits, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, all as a part of Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble.

In 2015 he became the touring keyboard player for blues rock guitarist Joe Bonamassa, replacing Derek Sherinian. He had previously played keyboards on Bonamassa's 2014 album Different Shades of Blue and his "Muddy Wolf" tour, where Bonamassa played songs originally recorded by Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf.

Reese appeared with Bonamassa on his Winter 2016 tour and features on his latest album Blues of Desperation.

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