Wells The Traveler

?Wells the Traveler bring together the tough edge of Northern English rock and the soul of American folk. In songs packed with emotion and melody, Manchester born Danny McGaw, draws from the experiences of a long personal journey. A pro-soccer player turned street singer, Danny honed his skills on the sidewalks of Santa Monica, before finding his way to Kansas City, where he quickly established a reputation as a singer and songwriter of rare intensity.
He began playing with the excellent rhythm section of Jason Jones and Dan Hines (ex Paw). Then Chad Brothers brought his evocative guitar work to the band. Finally, in the muddy campground of the Walnut Valley Bluegrass festival, Danny met Mike West. Mike, a veteran banjo player and respected producer, had lived in Manchester England in the 1980s, touring with indie rock bands of that time. Instinctively, Danny enlisted Mike as the fifth member of the band and producer for Wells the Traveler’s debut CD, ‘One for the Dreamers’.
‘One for the Dreamers’ was recorded live this year at the 9th Ward Pickin’ Parlor, Lawrence, Kansas. The chemistry between the musicians in the studio was extraordinary. Dynamic arrange- ments combined with expressive vocal performances to produce an album full of subtlety, power and raw feeling. “After three days of recording, we realized we had experienced something ex- ceptional ,” says Danny McGaw, “It was like a meditation, like a kind of church.”
The music of Wells the Traveler ranges from anthemic to bare and intimate, from garage rock to folk, searing electric guitars to mandolin and banjo. It is a rare meeting of British rock and American acoustic traditions in finely crafted songs, sung with honesty and heart.