Of all of the music I have played through the years and all of the folks I have played with, “The Lyles Gurley Band” is by far my favorite. Two guitars, one cabassa, and three vocals were all that was required to make it happen.

When I first met Sammy and Karen Lyles they already had a trio with the unique name “The Lyles Dickerson Band”. I think Dickerson’s first name was John, and this guy was one hell of a musician. He played guitar and banjo, and his singing voice had the presence of Joe Cocker. Exactly how I was able to steal his place in the band I don’t recall. Let’s just say persistence paid off.

Sammy Lyles had a knack for finding parties to play in the most remote locations you could imagine. Each one was about a forty-five minute drive from Columbia and

required traveling at least two miles down a dirt road. There was never another house in listening distance, and there were always many kegs of beer. We never showed up as the entertainment, we just pulled out the guitars and found a quite corner to play in. Without fail we would have the attention of the entire house in a matter of forty-five minutes. I found it pretty cool that a couple of acoustic guitars and some good harmony could win out over a 100 watt stereo every time.

There were also the rare occasions we would play for money. One of my favorite spots from those times was Aun’s Feed Stable. This was a quaint little place in Lexington, SC that actually got mention in OUI magazine. YES! They have since closed down shop, but I am proud to have been in one of the bands that made it on their stage. To the survivors of Aun’s, I say thank you for letting “The Lyles Gurley Band” be a part of that legend.