Edward Lewis Wynne was born in Portland Oregon, grew up in Carlton Oregon and moved to Southern California at the age of 15. He played sax throughout high school while acting and singing in bands and stage productions. At the age of 16 Ed answered an ad out of a local newspaper, "oldies band looking for sax player". This band, "The Die Hards" became Eds first working situation. While singing and playing 50’s & 60’s music in the Die Hards he also played sax in his high school jazz band, concert band and marching band. He also joined an original ska and rockabilly band with some high school friends, The Mana Rays.
By the time he was 21 Ed had played with greats like Roy "Guitar" Gaines, Ronnie Laws, Roland Batista, The Platters and Bill Medley. In Los Angeles Ed was a mainstay on the South Central L.A. Club Scene playing places like Marla Gibbs Memory Lane, The Total Experience, Freddy Jets Pied Piper, The Dodger Club and The Page Four. He spent most of his nights playing soul, funk and R&B at the Page Four in the Late Night Express band, Monday night at Memory Lane with the Whodunit Blues Band which included serious blues men Keb Mo, Charlie Tuna, Monk Higgins and Lermon Howard and Tuesday night jams at Memory Lane with Del Atkins (Anita Baker) and Herman Jackson (Whitney Houston & Stevie Wonder). The Late Night Express backed up local R&B singer Greg Rose of the Rose Brothers. Ed spent over a year in this band with fellow side man Grammy winning guitarist and singer Keb Mo.
In late 89 and early 1990 Ed toured with Vesta Williams on her For You Tour. In 1991 Ed was hired by Universal Studios Hollywood to play the part of Blue Lou in the Blues Brothers Rhythm & Blues Review. During his 7 years with the Blues Brothers Show Ed continued to find time to play various gigs and dates for T.V. including the ABC All-Star Pro Sports awards show with Buster Poindexter, a live broadcast from the Universal Amphitheater. Ed co-wrote, co-produced and sang all the lead vocals on the CD, Sneakin In for the band Bad Karma. Bad Karma featured Ed on lead vocals, Rick Zahariades on guitar (co-writer and co-producer), Matt Laug on drums (Slash’s band Snakepit & Alanis Morrisette’s Jagged Little Pill) and Lance Morrison on bass (Don Henley & Alanis Morrisette’s Jagged Little Pill). Seven songs from that CD have been heard in T.V. shows and films for Disney, Hallmark and A&E. Ed played Reggae and World Music in bands like Tropical Waves and The World Peace Posse. Ed also produced five summers of musical entertainment for Universal Studios which included everything from a 4 piece beach band to a 10 piece Blues Brothers show band. Ed produced these bands from concept to completion serving as producer, musical director, horn choreographer, contractor, payroll service, saxophonist and lead singer.
The Al McKay Allstars- Live In Europe
After many years at Universal Studios Ed decided to hit the road and took the job of Musical Director for the Emmy Winning performer Wayne Brady of Whose Line Is It Anyway and the Wayne Brady Show. After a year with Wayne Brady Ed joined the Frankie Valli band and then went on the road with The Doobie Brothers for their 2002 summer tour. Currently Ed Wynne can be seen performing live with The Al McKay All-Stars and Ellis Hall & The Truth.
