Biography
King Leg fuses classic rock and roll with traditional country elements and contemporary edge in a combination that proves both unexpected and effective, functioning at times as the performing identity of Bryan Joyce—the songwriter and vocalist—or as the designation for Joyce alongside his full ensemble. Born in 1986 and raised in Nebraska, Joyce took up songwriting during his teenage years and, while still in high school, became a member of his earliest group, an Andrew W.K. tribute band. As his focus on composition deepened, he relocated to Nashville, Tennessee, intending to establish music as a profession. In that city he formed a cover band devoted to the Smiths, a choice that highlighted his modest vocal similarity to Morrissey, even though his timbre draws more frequent comparison to Roy Orbison. When his musical prospects stalled, Joyce enrolled in college with the goal of entering medical school, yet after being denied admission a friend urged him to resume songwriting. He therefore moved to Los Angeles, assembled a band, and began appearing under the King Leg name. The group quickly attracted local attention, prompting veteran A&R executive and label chief Lenny Waronker to recommend them to Seymour Stein, president of Sire Records and the man responsible for signing the Ramones, Talking Heads, and Madonna. Stein shared Waronker’s enthusiasm and promptly placed King Leg under contract. The band then booked sessions at Capitol Records’ Studio B, where Dwight Yoakam and Chris Lord-Alge produced recordings of Joyce’s material. On June 30, 2017, King Leg issued its debut single, “Great Outdoors.” The first album, Meet King Leg, arrived the following October, after which the act toured in support, opening shows for co-producer Yoakam.
Albums
Singles
