Wyly Bigger

Growing up along the edge of the murky waters of the Mississippi River, it is no surprise Wyly Bigger chose the path of blues and rock and roll music. Hailing from Marion, Arkansas, just across the water from Memphis, Tennessee, Wyly started his journey on the piano at only four years old, teaching himself songs by ear and following in the footsteps of those from all over the southern delta. Spending a lot of his time between Memphis and Clarksdale, Mississippi, Wyly learned the blues from several mentors, including Pinetop Perkins and Bob Margolin. At age 26, he’s now been taking over the Memphis music scene, keeping the spirit of rock n’ roll alive through the walls of Earnestine and Hazel’s, Beale Street clubs, Cooper-Young hot-spots, and many other local dives.

Not only has Wyly made a name for himself in Memphis, but his music has carried itself internationally, bringing the Delta Blues as far as Canada and even Norway. Splitting his time between touring and providing session work for local Memphis artists, Wyly’s debut album, Broken Telephone, brings the buried spirit of rock n’ roll piano back to life. The title track of the record made Wyly a finalist for the Memphis Songwriter of the Year in 2021. The album was recorded on local label Madjack Records at the historic Shelby Foote Mansion in midtown Memphis and produced by local singer/songwriter and producer, Mark Edgar Stuart. It includes energetic call and response songs, as well as universal ballads of heartbreak and questioning oneself over long, lonely nights. With an all-star cast of Memphis musicians backing Wyly, including Matt Ross-Spang, Danny Banks, Mark Edgar Stuart, and Jim Spake, Broken Telephone captures the alive spirit of the Memphis community and the soul that still exists within the city today. If there is anyone keeping the music of the past alive with the spirit of the present, it is Wyly Bigger.