About

If I had to cite a specific date, I’d say my career in music started in December of 1968, shortly after watching on TV what is now referred to as Elvis Presley’s “Comeback Special”. That Christmas, Santa brought me a Sears-Roebuck guitar and I’ve been chasing after the magic ever since.

If you search my name on YouTube you’ll find videos and recordings dating all the way back to 1983. That’s when I fronted a rockabilly trio immodestly named Kevin Fayte & Rocket 8. In 1985 that trio recorded an album of 20 originals that was later licensed to England’s Nervous Records, an independent rockabilly-only label. We followed that up with a contribution to a Nervous Records compilation LP, “American Rockabilly” which was later licensed and repackaged by Japan’s Jimco Records.

About this “Fayte” thing: honestly, if I’d known I’d be stuck with a stage name for the entirety of my musical career, I’d have chosen differently. It’s not my real last name — it rhymes with “8”, it made the band name sound catchy, and after fronting the band I was in for the couple years previous to Rocket 8, my ego wanted my name out front. Ugh. 20-somethings.

Over the course of my career, I’ve gotten to know and perform with some pretty interesting people. I was in a band with the guy who would go on to invent the Klon guitar effects pedal. He was replaced by a guy who ended up in the band Garbage. We did some recording at, and were on the periphery of, the whole cool Smart Studios era in Madison, Wisconsin (my hometown). And I’ve been in bands that opened for rock legend Eric Burdon of The Animals, and surf guitar legend Dick Dale.

These videos and more can be found on my YouTube channel. Please Like and Subscribe!