At just 19 years old, Waylon Wyatt has earned his title as a fresh new face in the country music scene. Wyatt has gained steady momentum over the past few years after posting a TikTok of his original song “Everything Under The Sun” on a whim in 2023. After gaining hundreds of thousands of views overnight and entering the whirlwind of the music industry, Wyatt has signed with Darkroom Records, released two EPs and went on tour all while still doing schoolwork during the week. In January, he announced the Everywhere Under The Sun Tour starting April 23 in Texas and finishing up in Wyoming on July 7.
Touching down in Cleveland, Ohio, the energy outside the Beachland Ballroom was full of excitement despite the gloomy weather as fans waited eagerly for the doors to open. The rain didn’t dampen anyone’s spirit as they shuffled into the venue and chattered excitedly before the show began.
For the first time on this tour, Julia Digrazia joined the lineup to open the show for Wyatt. Originally from Phoenix, Arizona, Digrazio has an impressive music background ranging from fiddle, mandolin, guitar and banjo along with her captivating singing and songwriting. Digrazio showed off her impressive guitar skills from the first song
“Rollercoaster,” teaming up with fellow guitarist JR Adkins for an acoustic set between the pair of them. Fans warmed up to her quickly, singing and swaying along to songs like “Growing Pains” and “Highlight Reel.” She finished up her set with “When You Kiss Me Goodnight,” a then-unreleased song that dropped officially on May 8 with The Kruse Brothers. After her opening run, she joined the crowd to sign autographs and take pictures in between the sets, leaving everyone in good spirits before Wyatt took the stage.
A fan chant of “Waylon, Waylon, Waylon” was heard through the venue moments before the band walked on stage, ending with a loud roar as the music started. From the jump, Wyatt had the crowd wrapped around his finger as they all sang along to every word of “Pretty Little Liar.” Digrazia and Adkins rejoined the stage for Wyatt’s set to play the fiddle, banjo and the guitar respectively, along with Jack McLoughlin on the bass and Austin Drewery on the drums. For that first song, Wyatt played guitar and harmonica at the same time when he wasn’t also singing. The instrumentation alone was incredibly impressive, filling out the songs perfectly as Wyatt’s vocals cut smoothly through to the crowd.
It was clear to see the true friendship between the band as they played off of each other perfectly. Wyatt’s deep, silky vocals paired perfectly with Digrazio’s impressive fiddle playing as she accented the guitars and added that slight twang that Wyatt is known for. It was heartwarming to see just how much fun the band was having on stage together while also being a testament to the true talent that was displayed as they fell into a comfortable rhythm together without missing a beat.
It was evident early on how important the fans were to Wyatt during this show. Midway through the set, he asked if anyone knew the song “Sunday Supper,” and immediately invited a fan up to sing it with him. The duet was beautiful, leaving that fan with a wonderful memory of the night to hold onto forever. As the show continued, Wyatt eagerly interacted with fan signs, played deep cuts like “Stranger To Me” that a fan shouted from the crowd for him to play, and signed another fan’s arm for a tattoo.
During a small acoustic section towards the end of the set, he even sang a rap song called “Worn Out Dreams” that he wrote at just 12 years old at another fan’s request. The relationship between the band and the crowd truly felt like a hometown set despite him being so far from Arkansas. As Wyatt sang “Arkansas Diamond,” the whole crowd’s flashlights lit up the room as they sang along to how much his home state means to him in his journey as a musician and as a human being.
Waylon Wyatt is truly just beginning his music journey, quickly becoming a name to be remembered in the country music scene. It’s clear to see how much his current fans are proud to see his growth from the very beginning of his story and are eager to see what he accomplishes next as his fanbase continues to grow.
Catch Waylon Wyatt on tour: here
Keep up with Waylon Wyatt:
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