Wylie Gustafson

Life and career

Gustafson learned to sing and yodel from his father, R.W. "Rib" Gustafson, who is a traditional folk/cowboy singer, retired large-animal veterinarian, and author. The elder Gustafson learned to yodel from Austrians on the ski team at Montana State College (now Montana State University), Bozeman, Montana. Among Rib's credits are two books (Under the Chinook Arch, Room to Roam) about his life as a pioneering Montana veterinarian.

Wylie Gustafson founded his band, The Wild West Show, in 1988 in Los Angeles at the world famous Palomino Club where they were regulars on Ronnie Mack's Barn Dance. It was there that Gustafson showcased the first version of the Wild West Show which then included guitarist Will Ray. The group developed their sound alongside artists such as Dale Watson, Lucinda Williams, Dwight Yoakam, Rosie Flores and Dave Alvin. Since then, Wylie & the Wild West have played thousands of gigs, delighting audiences around the world with their unique brand of music which included elements of cowboy, traditional country, western swing, folk and yodeling.

Throughout his musical career, Gustafson has remained a working cowboy. Born into a ranching family in the empty sprawl of Northern Montana, Gustafson’s unique American perspective is the primary theme of his music. Gustafson and his family were featured in the 2013 Dodge Super Bowl commercial “God Made a Farmer”. Their image resembled a working-class family producing daily labor to help feed the United States as a whole. This ancient way of life remains the backbone of Gustafson's art.

Gustafson is particularly noted as a virtuoso yodeler, having originated the slow and ethereal High Plains Yodeling style that evokes the wide open spaces of his Montana home. He also created and voiced the signature "Yahoo-oo-oo!" for Yahoo, Inc.. His book and album, "How to Yodel- Lessons to Tickle Your Tonsils," was published by Gibbs Smith in 2007, and is the top selling publication on the rejuvenated vocal art. As of 2016, Gustafson remains one of the top choices of yodelers and his clean and clear style can be heard frequently on national advertisements, television and movies. Some major companies that have used his yodel include Yahoo!, Walt Disney Films, Porsche, Mitsubishi, Miller Lite, Taco Bell and Montana Tourism.

Gustafson is also an accomplished horseman (2005 & 2008 NCHA Western National Finals Top Ten Open Finalist) and cowboy. When not performing, he operates his Cross Three Quarter Horse Ranch near Conrad, Montana breeding, raising and training cow horses. When Gustafson was young, he was a competitive team roper. Sometimes when at home at his ranch, he participates in roping contests at local ranches. In 1998, he was a champion team roper at the Reba McEntire/Ben Johnson Celebrity Rodeo.

On April 25, 2007, "Montana Lullaby" was declared the official lullaby of Montana. A yodel by Gustafson was used to write the lullaby. As a result, Montana was the first state to have an official lullaby.

As of 2016, Gustafson continues to front Wylie & the Wild West Show, and they continue to record and tour on a regular basis. The group is one of the United States' major folk and cowboy festival attractions with their energetic dance songs, aesthetic ballads, and Gustafson's unique High Plain's yodeling. Gustafson's songwriting continues to gracefully challenge the preconceptions of their genre and boldly reflect the ever-evolving West.

Wylie & the Wild West Show have released twenty-one albums through 2015, most of which are available on iTunes, Amazon, and the band's official website: www.wyliewebsite.com.

Notable appearances