Wayward Son by Wayne Gillespie

This album also featured harmonica player Brendan Power (who later graced albums by Sting, Ray Charles, Mary Black & Van Morrison), Chanteuse Denny Stanway (Rua) and Bob Shepheard on Fretless Bass.

This album was re-mastered for CD and re-issued for retail sale in 2000.

Wayne Gillespie Bio

In the Beginning – 80’s

Born in Auckland, New Zealand into a musical family (father Mick a Jazz pianist and sister Sally a clarinet teacher), Gillespie was first inspired to write songs after hearing Leonard Cohen’s “You Know Who I Am” on a local radio show at the age of 14.

Some years later Gillespie makes his professional debut busking in Paris subways, playing to audiences in London folk clubs and Sydney’s Darlinghurst cafes before returning to Auckland in the early 80’s.

Wayne quickly became one of the leading figures in the prominant Auckland Acoustics movement playing pubs, cafes and folk clubs augmented by his band of brilliant musicians, Denny Stanway (vocals), Brendan Power (Harmonica) and Bob Shepheard (Fretless Bass).

Wayward Son

Wayne's first album, ‘Wayward Son’ was released on Gillespie’s own independent label in June 1984. The album was acclaimed by the NZ rock press and made the finals of the New Zealand Music awards in the Most Promising Vocalist & Folk Album of the Year categories. The song ‘Away With You’ also won an APRA NZ songwriting award in the same year.

The success of ‘Wayward Son’ resulted in Gillespie coming to the attention of producer Trevor Lucas (Fairport Convention, Sandy Denny, Goanna) and being signed by CBS Records (NZ). Lucas produced Gillespie’s second album; the electric ‘New Locations’ in Jan-March 1986, at the Music Farm in Australia’s Byron Bay, with a stellar cast of local musicians including Marcia Howard & Rose Bygrave (Goanna), Phil Emmanuel, and Denny Stanway.

Wayne went on to record his third album "Living in Exile" also for Sony NZ (1993) and later joining the New Zealand music award wining band the Narcs, producing their third album Push the Boat for the Hark label in 1996.

His 5th Album "Live at the Bunker" (2005)with guitarist Nigel Gavin is also available on CD Baby. See website for more details.

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