Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Petty. They and their team shared their story with us below:
Wisebird got their start in the early 2000s as a group called Hoodroo Pone based out of Salt Lake City, with founding members William Webster on guitar and vocals, Dave Meservy on drums and vocals, and Steve Bauman on bass.
Hoodroo Pone had a song called A Wisebird, which would serve as the inspiration for the next version of the group, in which drummer Dave Meservy would switch to a keyboard setup utilizing vintage keyboards and synth bass, and rotating drummers. After several years of performing, Meservy and Webster moved out of state, to Fort Collins, Colorado, and Austin, Texas, respectively, pursuing families’ continued education and careers. In 2016, the two planned a mini-reunion tour around the Salt Lake bar scene. In search of a drummer, they reached out through a series of mutual friends and met drummer Chris Petty who was, at the time, on hiatus from studying at Berklee College of Music. After a quick rehearsal and several gigs, the three musicians agreed they had great chemistry, and continued to book mini-tours twice a year, gradually building a deep repertoire of original music written by Meservy and Webster.
In 2018, the trio began releasing music under the new lineup, starting with an EP of live performances from The Cabin in Park City, UT. 2020 saw the release of their first studio single, “One Steady Roll”, written by Webster with production and engineered by Petty. Their latest 2023 single release, “Free To Stay”, marked their first release utilizing a remote-production process, each member independently recording their parts from their current homes: Meservy in Stevensville, MT, Webster from Austin, TX, and Petty from Salt Lake City, UT. They plan to continue releasing singles throughout 2023 leading up to an album, with plans for more mini-tours, and are working towards playing at festivals.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It hasn’t always been smooth. Relocation and living in different states have made performances intermittent, and releasing music has been challenging.
As the lives of the three members have stabilized, they have been able to refine their remote production strategy and make a plan for touring.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Wisebird is known for bridging the gap between old and new music. Guitarist and vocalist William Webster are deeply steeped in American Folk and roots music, possessing a high level of skill on traditional instruments like banjo, dobro, and harmonica and an impressive knowledge of traditional music. This has earned him the nickname (and Instagram handle) “Ragtime Willie”. Many of Wisebird’s songs allude to this traditional style of American Blues and Folk.
Keyboardist and vocalist, Dave Meservy, brings more of a rock and funk sound to the group, versed in heavy blues/rock riffs of the late 20th century, with a modern edge reinforced by the novel use of a Moog synth bass in place of a traditional bass guitar player. Drummer and producer, Chris Petty, having studied jazz music extensively, lays down the groove with a deep pocket while adding flare with jazz-inspired textures and fills, and complementing the traditional, rock, funk, and blues writing of Webster and Meservy with modern recording and production techniques.
Networking and finding a mentor can have a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Get to know others in your field, and support them in what they do. Hone your craft, be great at what you do, and more importantly, love what you do.
Let your work be an expression of who you are. This will help attract the right people into your network.
Additionally, follow common-sense business practices like transparency and good communication.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/wisebird
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wisebirdmusic/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Wisebird/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4WILemtgCWQQEW6qQs2ntDLwxVwpep7W
