Lyle Mays facts for kids

Lyle David Mays (born November 27, 1953 – died February 10, 2020) was an American jazz musician. He was a talented pianist and composer. He was also a key member of the famous Pat Metheny Group.

Lyle Mays and Pat Metheny wrote almost all the music for their group. Because of their amazing work, Lyle Mays won eleven Grammy Awards.

About Lyle Mays

Early Life and Interests

Lyle Mays grew up in a quiet part of Wisconsin. He was a very curious kid and often had to learn things on his own. He loved four main things: chess, math, architecture, and music.

His mom, Doris, played the piano and organ. His dad, Cecil, taught himself to play the guitar. Lyle started playing the organ at church when he was 14. His music teacher even let him practice making up his own music.

College and Early Career

Lyle Mays was inspired by jazz albums like Bill Evans at the Montreux Jazz Festival. He studied music at the University of North Texas. There, he wrote and arranged music for the school's famous jazz band, the One O'Clock Lab Band.

After college, Lyle toured with a big jazz band called Woody Herman's Thundering Herds.

Joining the Pat Metheny Group

In 1975, Lyle Mays met Pat Metheny at a jazz festival. Later, they started the Pat Metheny Group. Lyle was a very important part of this group for over 30 years. He helped create their unique sound and won many awards. He was nominated for 23 Grammy Awards and won 11 of them!

After a big tour in 2010, Lyle Mays decided to stop performing music publicly. He later worked as a software development manager.

Lyle Mays' Music and Other Work

Musical Contributions

In the Pat Metheny Group, Lyle Mays played piano, organ, and synthesizers. He also played other instruments like trumpet and accordion. He helped write, arrange, and put together the group's music.

Lyle also composed music for children's audiobooks. These included stories like East of the Sun, West of the Moon and The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Famous actress Meryl Streep read the stories for these audiobooks.

His music was also used in commercials. A sound from his song "As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls" was used for Christian Dior cologne ads for almost 30 years!

Classical Compositions

Lyle Mays was known as a very creative jazz pianist. But he was also serious about classical music. He wrote several classical pieces. One piece, "Twelve Days in the Shadow of a Miracle," was for harp, flute, viola, and synthesizer. He also wrote "Distance" for a Pat Metheny Group album.

Lyle worked with companies like Kurzweil and Korg. He helped them create new sounds for their electronic keyboards. This was because he understood both computer programming and music.

Collaborations and Other Artists

Other famous musicians recorded Lyle's songs. The R&B group Earth, Wind & Fire recorded his song "Close to Home." Brazilian singers Milton Nascimento and Zizi Possi also recorded versions of this song.

Architecture and Design

Since he was a child, Lyle Mays loved building things with LEGO bricks. He kept this passion his whole life. As an amateur architect, he designed his own house and music studio. He also designed his sister's house in Wisconsin.

Lyle was inspired by the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright. He used ideas from architecture in his music. He liked to combine different sounds to create something completely new, just like Wright created unique buildings.

Death and Legacy

Lyle Mays passed away in Los Angeles on February 10, 2020, at the age of 66. He had been battling a long illness.

In 2022, Lyle Mays was given a special award after his death. He won a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition for his song "Eberhard."

Discography

As leader/co-leader

• As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls with Pat Metheny (ECM, 1981) – recorded in 1980
• Lyle Mays (Geffen, 1986) – recorded in 1985
• Street Dreams (Geffen, 1988)
• Fictionary (Geffen, 1993) – recorded in 1992
• Solo: Improvisations for Expanded Piano (Warner Bros., 2000)
• The Ludwigsburg Concert (Jazzhaus, 2015)
• Eberhard (self-released, 2021)

As member

One O'Clock Lab Band

• Lab 74 (NTSU Lab Jazz, 1974)
• Lab 75 (NTSU Lab Jazz, 1975)

Pat Metheny Group

• Pat Metheny Group (ECM, 1978)
• American Garage (ECM, 1979)
• Offramp (ECM, 1982) – recorded in 1981
• Travels (ECM, 1983) – live recorded in 1982
• First Circle (ECM, 1984)
• The Falcon and the Snowman (EMI, 1985) – soundtrack recorded in 1984
• Still Life (Talking) (Geffen, 1987)
• Letter from Home (Geffen, 1989)
• The Road to You (Geffen, 1993) – live
• We Live Here (Geffen, 1995)
• Quartet (Geffen, 1996)
• Imaginary Day (Warner Bros, 1997)
• Speaking of Now (Warner Bros., 2002)
• The Way Up (Nonesuch, 2005)

As sideman

With Pat Metheny

• Watercolors (ECM, 1977)
• Secret Story (Geffen, 1992)

With others

• Phil Wilson & Rich Matteson, The Sound of the Wasp (ASI, 1975)
• Steve Swallow, Home (ECM, 1980)
• Joni Mitchell, Shadows and Light (Asylum, 1980)
• Eberhard Weber, Later That Evening (ECM, 1982)
• Bob Moses, When Elephants Dream of Music (Gramavision, 1983) – recorded in 1982
• Mark Isham, Film Music (Windham Hill, 1985) – compilation
• Pedro Aznar, Contemplacion (Interdisc, 1985)
• Betty Buckley, Betty Buckley (Rizzoli, 1986)
• Bobby McFerrin, Medicine Music (EMI, 1990)
• Woody Herman, Live in Warsaw (Storyville, 1991)
• Paul McCandless, Premonition (Windham Hill, 1992) – recorded in 1991
• Igor Butman, Falling Out (Impromptu, 1993)
• Toots Thielemans, East Coast West Coast (Private Music, 1994)
• Nando Lauria, Points of View (Narada, 1994)
• Noa, Noa (Geffen, 1994)

See also

In Spanish: Lyle Mays para niños