James Byrd's Atlantis Rising

James Byrd was playing guitar before then, but he became serious about his music the day that Jimi Hendrix died. Byrd began working hard at his craft, first mastering the art of blues, then moving into more metallic guitar styles. In 1980, he assembled his first non-cover band. By the next year, Byrd had relocated from his native Seattle to Los Angeles and began playing that circuit. He did not stay there long, though, moving back home in 1982. There he met up with Ken Mary and Ted Pilot and the beginnings of Fifth Angel were in place. By 1983, that group had assembled a demo ...