Wylie standing on horseback

Photo by Ross Hecox, Western Horseman

In this era of prepackaged superstars, of pale imitations of country music being pushed onto the public by faceless media giants, the music of Wylie & The Wild West is a beacon of truth and honest beauty. As one critic says, “Wylie Gustafson is the coolest cowpoke around. Forget everything you hate about modern country, this guy is old-school cool without being a tired period piece.”


Singer, songwriter, rancher, horseman, and the original, world-famous Yahoo!® yodeler, Wylie Gustafson leads the musical outfit known as The Wild West. The first incarnation of the group formed in 1989, getting its start on Ronnie Mack’s Barn Dance at the Palomino Club in North Hollywood. Since then, Wylie & The Wild West have played thousands of gigs, delighting audiences around the world with their unique brand of good-time cowboy music. They’ve performed at the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, The National Folk Festival, Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, on A Prairie Home Companion, and have appeared more than 50 times on the Grand Ole Opry. Add to that an appearance by Wylie on Late Night with Conan O’Brien, with Wylie teaching Conan to yodel.


Whether playing for a crowd of 50 or 5,000, Wylie’s goal is always the same: “To win a crowd with good music and make ‘em feel like they got their money’s worth.” Looking back over two decades with The Wild West, he says, “My idea about playing live music has pretty much been the same since I started playing in high school dance bands in the mid-70s: be an entertainer. It all started as I watched Chuck Berry on T.V. one night as he duck-walked, strutted, kicked, and grooved across the stage while never missing a beat. Now that was entertainment!”

Conan O'Brien and Wylie

Wylie & Conan O’Brien (Photo Courtesy NBC Universal)

 

 

 

 

 

No kidding! On April Fools Day 2008, Wylie appeared on Late Night with Conan O’Brien promoting his book, How to Yodel: Lessons to Tickle Your Tonsils. Conan joined Wylie in a rockin’ rendition of the band’s top-selling iTunes title “Yodel Boogie.” The show’s official blog described the 6-minute chapter as “the highlight of the day.”

Wylie gave Conan high marks for bravery in accepting the challenge of learning to yodel in front of 2.5 million viewers, and for his abilities in carrying it off successfully. “We only had about five minutes to rehearse earlier in the day. “Conan was a superb host, especially off camera,” Wylie said. “His crew was first class through and through.”’

 

Wylie and the Wild West on stage at the Bing

Professional photographer Bill Winters captures the essence of a typical Wylie & the Wild West engagement with this fast-paced slideshow. Follow Wylie, Ray, Scot and Rick from equipment load-in to the final encore at the spectacular Bing Crosby Theatre in downtown Spokane, Washington. Photos and footage from October 16, 2010.