Wayne Willingham

After 26 years as a full-time entertainer, Wayne Willingham walked away.  The years had taken their toll; He was disillusioned, bored, jaded, aimless.  He changed careers - completely shifting gears, and achieved more than he ever thought possible.

After listening to a friend's band in Fort Worth in late 2014, he was inspired enough to pick up his guitar and try to knock off some of the rust.  By his own admission, those first few weeks were pretty rough.  But like in his earliest days as a teen, he fought through it. The rust is gone, and a consumate artist and performer has re-emerged.  This time, it's not for the money, nor the applause, but for expression and fulfillment. This time, it's personal.

No longer interested in night clubs and cover songs, Wayne returned to his roots.  Like his singer/songwriter heroes Paul Simon, Gordon Lightfoot, John Denver, Joni Mitchell  and others, he rediscovered his own creative voice, writing his own songs and telling his own stories.

An all-original album "Stayed in Love Too Long" was released September 2017.  "YOYO", a new 7 song collection is slated for release Labor Day 2018.  Wayne is finally having the musical career he first intended.

The voice is still there - perhaps clearer and more expressive. The hands are back - ask other guitarists, or just listen for yourself.  The stage presence is that of a seasoned veteran.  And there is that one thing that was missing before his sabbatical: The sheer joy.