Wayne Fugate

Wayne Fugate is one of the New York area's most versatile acoustic musicians. Making his musical home in the space in, around and between the American roots styles of bluegrass, blues, jazz, and old-time music, he can move gracefully from these styles to any of his other musical loves in the worlds of Classical, Scandinavian and Quebecois music.

Wayne was recently heard (and seen) on Broadway playing mandolin and guitar on Steve Martin and Edie Brikell's five-time Tony nominated musical "Bright Star" and also played on the show's First National Tour. His other recent theatrical credits include a concert performance of the musical “The Snow Child” with Book by John Strand and Music by Bob Banghart and Georgia Stitt and Residencies with the Department of Theater and Dance at High Point University and School of Theater at UNC Greensboro.

Wayne is a founding member of the widely acclaimed, eclectic string band "Uncommon Ground". He also performs and tours with “Mandolin Madness”, an ensemble featuring mandolin great, Barry Mitterhoff. Other projects include “Lisa’s Pieces” where he performs alongside Grammy Award winning fiddle phenom, Lisa Gutkin (from the Klezmatics) and “The New York Mandolin Ensemble”, one of the country’s premiere mandolin-centric chamber orchestra groups.

Wayne can be heard on the soundtracks of Emmy nominated film "Home" and Louis B. Mayer award winning short film, "Respects". Other film credits include a performing appearance in the award-winning film "A Bread Factory", starring Tyne Daly, James Marsters and Janeane Garofalo.

In demand as 'first call' freelance artist, some of Wayne's other performing credits include stage work with Bluegrass luminaries Tony Trischka, Hazel Dickens, Barry Mitterhoff, Kenny Kosek, Walt Michael & Co, Jay Ungar & Molly Mason, Kenny Kosek, and banjo legend Bill Keith.

Wayne has performed on two continents at noteworthy venues that include Carnegie Hall's Isaac Stern Auditorium and Weill Recital Hall, Symphony Space, The Great Hall at Edinburgh Castle, West Point, Sugar Loaf Performing Arts Center and The Levitt Pavilion for the Per-forming Arts.

He is active as a mandolin teacher, offering both private instruction and workshops at prominent festivals and music camps throughout the country. Wayne is the author of two instructional and tune books for mandolin available through Alfred Publishing and Mel Bay.

Wayne makes his home in New York's Hudson Valley. He is married to a tremendously talented actress, has three incredibly wonderful and beyond amazing kids, is the proud human "parent" to a cat named Miles and is not-so-secretly obsessed with NY Giants football, technology and gadgets of all kinds.