Gary L. Loyd

Gary Loyd was born in Greeneville, TN. on January 15th, 1957. It was at the age of six that he knew he loved music, when he began singing in the church choir. At the age of twelve he received his first guitar from a cousin who introduced him to the Johnny
Cash song: "Folsom Prison Blues". Before long, Gary was practicing day and night to learn the song, and by the time he graduated High School he was playing six nights a week at a local top 40 club in nearby Johnson City, TN.
In 1976 Gary and his band got the opportunity to open for Dave Loggins, who was promoting his song "Please Come To Boston" at a local venue. It was Loggins who inspired Gary to begin writing his own songs and shortly afterwards Gary left the band to pursue his career in Knoxville, TN.
After a couple years of performing and music classes at the University Of Tennessee, Gary was becoming known in the local club scene for his original acoustic music. In 1979, while working as a regular at local dinner club Charleston's, Gary once again found himself opening for another big act: Chet Atkins with Lenny Breau. Chet, who owned the club gave Gary some very important advice that night. He said, "If you're going to be in music business, you've got to go where the business is, move to Nashville". So a few years later, after a six month gig at the 1982 Worlds Fair, Gary took Chet's advice and moved to Nashville.
It wasn't long until Gary met Buzz Cason who took an interest in him and began producing and writing with him. Gary signed with Buzz's Southern Writers Group and as an artist for Buzz Cason Productions and Volzone Records. He began touring throughout the United States and abroad and performed in such venues as The Ryman Auditorium and The Grand Ole Opry.
By 1990 he had become a staff writer for Encore Plus Entertainment and was there until 1992. For two years, beginning in 1994, he was a staff writer for Hayes Street Music. Then in 1997, he and his brother Rich built a full service recording studio called Soundscape Recording, Inc. While running Soundscape his clients included Keith Urban, Kenny Rogers and Shelby Lynn. Gary also produced and co-produced over 60 radio spots including the 1999 highlights mix and the dance mix for the Titans Radio Network .In 2001 Gary signed as a staff writer with Toby Keith's Paddock Music.
In the span of these years he has written hundreds of songs by himself or with such co-writers as, Lari White, Craig Wiseman, Stephony Smith, and The Kinleys among many others. He has also had cuts by Tim McGraw, Michelle Wright, Barbara Mandrell, Melissa Marshall, Moe Bandy, Vern Gosdin, Highway Nine, and Cliff Richards.
Gary is currently a staff writer for Blacktop Music Inc. and has recently enjoyed having the title track to Sony's new artist Shelly Fairchild's album due to be released this Summer, along with having the debut single for Carolina Rain, "I Ain't Scared", and he also looks forward to having their follow up single, "Louisiana Love". When Gary is not spending his time writing and recording, he is with his wife Marla and children, Kaylan, Casey, Brandon, and Emily.

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