Wayne Bickley:  

Life Seven days after graduation, I had joined the Marines where I went to various schools in electronics. While on tour in Hawaii, I also played drums in the local hotels in Waikiki. Warming up the fans of Minnie Ripperton and the Ohio Players and playing opposite of Kool and the Gang before they made their big break, and numerous telethons with Don Ho. The country star Jeannie C Reilly was performing in Pearl Harbor when her drummer was stricken with Hepatitus, I was asked to complete her tour while she was in Hawaii. Before leaving Hawaii, I married my wife Sheila who I met in one of the clubs. I returned back to the states and was stationed in North Carolina, where my son Shane was born, during that time I continued with country music and played a few sessions of a tour with Bill Anderson as a result of winning a Battle of the bands on his TV show. After ten years in the Marines, and reached the rank of Gunnery Sergeant. I decided to make a major move in my life and left a very successful career in the Marines. I started my own business after a tour in Japan which evolved in working with the entertainment industry. I was elected Assistant Executive Director of the California Country Music Association and held that position for over 4 years. I toured with Stevie Wonder (UK 1989), Billy Crystal, Robin Williams, Merele Haggard, Ricky Skaggs, Dionne Warwick, Linda Rondstadt, Ann Jillian, Steve Landsburg ....Expand for more