Carl Byron profile picture

Carl Byron

7/31 w/Michelle Shocked; 8/1-2 w/Claudia Russell

About Me

“I've enjoyed working with Carl on two of my favorite records: Anne McCue's 'Roll' and 'Kola Motel', along with numerous other sessions. We are also brothers-in-arms in the world-famous Sin City All Stars. I recommend Carl highly for any musical endeavor."--Dusty Wakeman, owner Mad Dog Studios/producer (Anne McCue, Lucinda Williams, Dwight Yoakum, Michelle Shocked)
“Carl played on my last two albums and we have played many good rockin' shows together. He is a great musician and a real gentleman to work with.”-- Anne McCue
“Whether working with Carl as a keyboardist or collaborating with him on a composition, he brings great skill, focus and expertise to any project. His knowledge of different musical styles and instrumentation is extensive and it's always a pleasure to work with him.”--Eric Corne, Chief Engineer/Producer, Mad Dog Studios
“Carl knows his instruments inside and out, he's creative, he's fast, he takes direction well, and he's very easy to get along with, inside and out of the studio. There's nothing else you could want from a great session musician. He's my first call keyboard player.”--Daniel Kresco, producer/songwriter
"Carl Byron’s deft, harmonically ambitious keyboard work was a special treat throughout, adding color and intrigue to every song."--Los Angeles View
"His is a first-rate talent. Here is a composer who combines intellect with a loving heart."--New York Amsterdam News
Keyboardist/composer Carl Byron was born in Beirut and raised in parts of Asia, Africa and the US. He studied with Aurelio de la Vega at CSUN and was composer-in-residence at the Elkhorn Music Festival and the Sun Valley Summer Symphony.
Carl has worked with Anne McCue, Michelle Shocked, Jim Lauderdale, the Young Dubliners, Tony Gilkyson, Olivea Watson, Ben Vaughn, Lynn Anderson, Mike Stoller, Gerry Goffin, Ronee Blakely, Nicole Gordon, The Spencer Davis Group, Sally Dworsky, Low And Sweet Orchestra, Lisa O'Kane, Austin Hanks, David Baerwald, Sin City All Stars, Bo Diddley, Thelma Jones, Warren Zevon, Mike Martt, Marvin Etzioni, Ryan Hedgecock, Charlie Louvin, Fiona Kernaghan, Walkie Talkie, Leila Florentino, David Serby, Nicky Corbett, Stonehoney, Brittney Elizabeth, Diego Sandrin, Michael Harris, Dawn McCoy, Raining Horseshoes, The Snakehandlers, Travis Howard, Barbara Cohen, Michael Anderson, Angela Easterling, Anny Celsi, Fisher, Claudia Russell, Dave Phenicie, Bruce Burton & King Size, John Vester, Desborde, Pearly Kings, Steve Barton, 29 Mules, Kyle Johnson, Darius, and others.
Carl is organist and co-composer with HOUND ; the group's song The Old Zoo is in THE DEAD GIRL and is also on the soundtrack CD from Lakeshore Records and at iTunes.
Check out Carl's tango piano on Miss Fortune by CLAUDIA RUSSELL. You can also see Carl performing in videos by OLIVEA WATSON .
Carl is available as a sideman, session musician, arranger and composer.
Some recent and upcoming releases that feature Carl:
  • ANNE MCCUE Roll (2004), Koala Motel (2006)
  • NICOLE GORDON All My Change (2008) OLIVEA WATSON Way Down Deep (2007) LORIE DOSWELL Dream Drivin' (2008) ERIC CORNE Kid Dynamite & The Common Man (2008) STONEHONEY Songs From A Hillside Living Room (2008) ROBIN WILEY Somethin' bout Love (2008) TED RUSSELL KAMP Poor Man's Paradise (2008)
  • LEILA FLORENTINO Sail (2005)
  • CLAUDIA RUSSELL Song Food (2001), Ready To Receive (2005), Live (2007)
  • FIONA KERNAGHAN Shadow Wine and Truth Lilies (2007) OCTOMUTT Please Betty (2008) SLEEPY GUITAR JOHNSON The Mojo Sessions (2008) JOHN VESTER All The Way Out West (2008) ANNY CELSI Little Black Dress & Other Stories (2004)
  • YOUNG DUBLINERS Real World (2005)
  • MICHAEL HARRIS BAND Open Letter (2006)
  • ANGELA EASTERLING Earning Her Wings (2006)
  • MICHAEL ANDERSON White Trash Shakespeare (2006)
  • DAVE PHENICIE Long Lonely Time (2006)
  • CHUCK WAGON &amp THE GRAVY TRAIN Maximum C & W (2006)
  • NICKY CORBETT Wonderland (2007)
  • AUSTIN HANKS Salt Of The Earth (2005)
  • BRUCE BURTON & KING SIZE On The Avenue (2008)
  • GRANT LANGSTON Koreatown (2005)

  • My Interests

    Music:

    Member Since: 7/11/2006
    Band Website: myspace.com/houndsvilleusa
    Band Members:
    Carl Byron, keyboards, accordion, ocarina, pan-pipes, heart, soul, ears, eyes, mouth, throat, lungs, arms, hands, fingers, legs, feet, toes and occasionally some brains.
    Influences: "be nice to people and let them pay for meals" --Langston Hughes

    Sounds Like: "if it sounds good, it is good"--Duke Ellington
    Record Label: HowMuchDoIOwe? See my blog on that subject...
    Type of Label: None

    My Blog

    My gig with Bo Diddley

    Many moons ago, Bo Diddley was booked for a show at the now-defunct Music Machine in West LA. At the time, I was a member of the Rockin' Jimmys--a band that specialized in early rock & roll--and we w...
    Posted by Carl Byron on Wed, 04 Jun 2008 10:48:00 PST

    Current Carl

    Some of the recording projects I've been working on recently include Tony Gilkyson's version of Chris Gaffney's "Road To Indio" for a tribute CD to the late, sorely-missed songwriter/accordionist/root...
    Posted by Carl Byron on Sat, 10 May 2008 01:46:00 PST

    Carls Delta Airlines classical in-flight playlists

    If you're flying Delta Airlines, you can listen to classical music programs that I write and voice for that carrier. These programs run 90 minutes (in two 45-minute segments), and play on channel 5 on...
    Posted by Carl Byron on Thu, 28 Feb 2008 07:09:00 PST

    Recent News

    Thanksgiving is here and it's a good time to reflect on all the blessings that I've had the good fortune of receiving. In my musical career of late, I'm grateful for the opportunities I've had to make...
    Posted by Carl Byron on Tue, 20 Nov 2007 01:18:00 PST

    Sin City All Stars video up on Amoeba website

    Amoeba has posted a video of our entire November 8 Gram Parsons tribute show. It's at http://amoebarecords.com. Find the "Live Shows" tab and navigate from there. Amoeba's sound crew did a great job w...
    Posted by Carl Byron on Tue, 18 Dec 2007 02:18:00 PST

    New photos by Rafael Gayol

    Please check out the new photos on my MySpace site taken by Rafael Gayol, including the main shot on the opening page. Some of you may recall Rafael's excellent drumming over the years; of late he's a...
    Posted by Carl Byron on Mon, 29 Jan 2007 01:26:00 PST

    (In)Famous Last Words: How Much Do I Owe?

    My friend Bruce Kaplan often recounts my reaction from many, many years ago when he called me immediately after a big meeting with RCA, which was chasing after our then-hot band. According to Bruce, t...
    Posted by Carl Byron on Fri, 17 Nov 2006 12:31:00 PST

    Great review of Anne McCue in the Washington Post

    I'm just back from playing dates with Anne McCue in Nashville (at the Mercy Lounge and Rutledge) and northern Virginia (at the Birchmere) supporting the release of her new record, Koala Motel--if you ...
    Posted by Carl Byron on Mon, 02 Oct 2006 11:35:00 PST

    Carl Byron full bio

    Carl Byron was born in Beirut and raised in parts of Southeast Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and northern Virginia. He studied composition with Aurelio de la Vega at California State University, Nort...
    Posted by Carl Byron on Wed, 26 Jul 2006 11:35:00 PST

    Sinnin', Singin' and Savin'

    One of my favorite maxims of the Sin City crew is, "you gotta sin to be saved." Based on last night's "Saints and Sinners" - A Gospel-Spirit Revival at the Mint (August 20, 2006), I think it's also f...
    Posted by Carl Byron on Mon, 21 Aug 2006 09:06:00 PST