Wylie Gustafson Explained

Wylie Gustafson
Birth Name:Wylie Galt Gustafson
Birth Date:7 June 1961
Birth Place:Conrad, Montana, U.S.
Genre:Country, cowboy, folk, yodeling
Occupation:Yodeler Singer Songwriter Cowboy Horseman
Years Active:1988–present
Website:Wylie & the Wild West

Wylie Galt Gustafson (born June 7, 1961) is an American singer-songwriter who has toured nationally and internationally with his band, "Wylie & The Wild West". The band is known for its blend of cowboy, traditional country, folk and yodeling.[1] Wylie is renowned for his creation of the ubiquitous Yahoo! yodel used in the tech company's worldwide advertising campaign.[1] Gustafson is a fourth generation Montana cowboy and is a 2019 inductee into the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame.[2] [3] [4] He is the younger brother of Lieutenant Governor of Montana Kristen Juras.

Life and career

Gustafson was born June 7, 1961, near Conrad, Montana,[5] the son of R.W. "Rib" Gustafson, a traditional folk/cowboy singer, retired large-animal veterinarian, and author. The elder Gustafson, who taught his son to sing and yodel, learned to yodel from Austrians on the ski team at Montana State College (now Montana State University), Bozeman, Montana.[1] 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 Palomino Club where they were regulars on Ronnie Mack's Barn Dance.[6] 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.

Gustafson is particularly noted as a virtuoso yodeler, having originated the slow and ethereal High Plains Yodeling style. He also created and voiced the signature "Yahoo-oo-oo!" for Yahoo, Inc. He later sued Yahoo! for copyright infringement over the terms of the contract and use of his yodel. The case was settled out of court for an undisclosed amount.[7] 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 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.

In 1996, Gustafson (as himself) appeared on the Cartoon Network's Space Ghost Coast to Coast (episode "Freak Show").

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.[8] In 1998, he was a champion team roper at the Reba McEntire/Ben Johnson Celebrity Rodeo.[9]

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.[10] [11]

In October 2019, Wylie was named as an inductee into the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame.[12]

Gustafson continues to front Wylie & the Wild West Show and they continue to record and tour on a regular basis performing 60–80 shows a year on average. Wylie & the Wild West Show have released twenty-one albums through March 2024.

Personal life

Wylie currently resides at his horse and cattle ranch in northern Montana with his wife Jenny and 3 children.[13] His older sister, Kristen Juras,[14] is the current lieutenant governor of Montana. Gustafson also has a brother, Erik, who performed at the 2018 International Blues Challenge Competition.

Notable appearances

Discography

Albums

YearAlbum
1992Wylie & the Wild West Show
1994Get Wild
1996Glory Trail: Cowboy & Traditional Gospel Songs
Cattle Call
1997Way out West
1998Total Yodel!
2000Ridin' the Hi-Line
2001Paradise
2004Hooves of the Horses
Cowboy Ballads and Dance Songs
2005Live! at the Tractor
2007Bucking Horse Moon
Christmas for Cowboys
2008Yodel Boogie!
2009Hang -n- Rattle!
2009Unwired: Western Warehouse Jubilee Live
2011Raven on the Wind
2012Rocketbuster
2013Sky Tones- Songs of Montana
2014Relic
2015Song of the Horse
20172000 Miles from Nashville
2019Cowboy Vernacular- Songs of the Ranch Culture
2022Bunchgrass

Singles

YearSingleChart PositionsAlbum
CAN AC[15]
1994"Ugly Girl Blues"38Get Wild
1995"Hey Maria"
"Cattle Call"Cattle Call
1998"Girl on the Billboard"Way out West
2001"Saddle Burn"Paradise

Music videos

YearVideoDirector
1992"This Time"Randy Cohen
1993"Doctor My Heart"[16] Brooks Dailey -1993"Black Boots and Blue Jeans"Mitchell Cohen
1993"Yodeling Fool"
1994"Ugly Girl Blues"
1995"Hey Maria"
"Cattle Call"
1998"Girl on the Billboard"
2005"Live! at the Tractor Tavern"Brian Barnett

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: The yodeler who sued Yahoo. Crockett. Zachary. the HUSTLE. April 20, 2019. March 22, 2022.
  2. News: Wylie Gustafson Sings More Than Yodels, Really is a Cowboy. Nickell. Joe. Missoulian. October 15, 2010. August 9, 2011.
  3. Web site: Wylie and the Wild West. Montana Living. August 21, 2010. September 5, 2011.
  4. Web site: Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame announces 2019 inductions. Montana Living. October 1, 2019. November 8, 2019.
  5. Web site: Yodeling Conrad cowboy inducted into MT Cowboy Hall of Fame . Golden Triangle News . October 9, 2019 . February 9, 2020.
  6. Web site: The yodeler who sued Yahoo. April 20, 2019. The Hustle. en-US. April 27, 2020.
  7. Web site: Crockett . Zachary . The yodeler who sued Yahoo . The Hustle . April 23, 2019 . April 21, 2019.
  8. Web site: Cross Three Quarter Horses – Introduction to our ranch.. Cross Three Quarter Horses. en-US. April 30, 2017.
  9. News: Wylie's Biography Wylie & the Wild West. Wylie & the Wild West. April 30, 2017. en-US.
  10. News: Montana's Lullaby . Billings Gazette. April 25, 2007. September 5, 2011.
  11. Web site: Montana Designates Nation's First Official Lullaby . https://archive.today/20130201092811/http://www.prweb.com/releases/montana_lullaby/song_cowboy/prweb522356.htm. dead. February 1, 2013. PRWeb. April 27, 2007. September 5, 2011.
  12. Web site: Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame announces 2019 inductions. Montana Living. October 1, 2019. November 8, 2019.
  13. Web site: Wylie Gustafson Splits Time Between Music and Ranching. nodepression.com. March 2, 2018 . March 22, 2022.
  14. Web site: Entertainer wants compensation for use of his yodel. Associated Press. missoulian.com. April 21, 2002 . November 10, 2020.
  15. http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?brws_s=1&file_num=nlc008388.2600&volume=60&issue=10&issue_dt=September%2026%201994&type=1&interval=24&PHPSESSID=aoiac6ur4bdj6102f45l1sodr5 RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks
  16. Web site: CMT : Videos : Wylie & the Wild West Show : Doctor My Heart. https://web.archive.org/web/20160305071413/http://www.cmt.com/videos/wylie-the-wild-west-show/384207/doctor-my-heart.jhtml. dead. March 5, 2016. Country Music Television. October 14, 2011.