From one gig to the next, the band has assumed every configuration from trio to nine-piece, combining traditional rock instruments (guitar, bass and drums) with saxophone, conga, keyboard, fiddle, mandolin, banjo, pedal steel, accordion, charango and more.

In October 2004, Wayback regulars
Tom Woolley
(guitars, bass),
Bev Seckinger
(bass, guitar),
Jim Lipson
(percussion, harmonica) and #1 special guest
Shanti Foster
(fiddle, mandolin, guitar) released Barrio Jam, featuring a dozen additional players from Tucson's eclectic musical barrio. In his Tucson Citizen review, Chuck Graham says, "Barrio Jam feels like Saturday night in a great downtown bar... Barrio Jam sounds like the real Tucson."

Shortly after the release of Barrio Jam, Steve Kemble signed on as the band's full-time drummer.

In spring 2007, the band released Welcome to the Family. Core Waybackers Jim, Tom, Bev & Steve are joined by a dozen Tucson musicians for a studio recording that captures the high energy vibe of their live shows.

The tracks range from rock and blues to country, swing, reggae, a calypso classic and some things we don’t even know how to categorize.

Welcome to the Family features original tunes by Wayback co-founder Tom Woolley, as well as local and regional songwriters John Coinman, Mitzi Cowell, Virginia Scharff, Jeanie McLeary, Rosie Flores and Tish Hinojosa, plus Wayback-ized versions of songs by The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Michael Franti and Pink Floyd.


Drummer Steve Kemble departed Tucson in summer 2008 to launch MudStrawLove, a natural building, training and consulting business, with wife and partner Mollie Currie in Asheville, NC. As sad as it was to bid Steve and Mollie farewell, the Wayback Machine rolls on... Introducing our new drummer extraordinaire Robin Horn. We are also pleased to continue to host frequent guest appearances by Top Dead Center guitarist Michael Begala and longtime Waybacker, Shanti Foster on violin and mandolin.

A Different Band Every Night

Fusing tight vocal harmonies with a penchant for improvisation, this band has traversed the musical map from Grateful Dead and classic hippie rock to reggae, Latin, blues, honky tonk, zydeco, ska, New Orleans-style funk, and beyond. In the spring of 2005, the Wayback Machine picked up its third consecutive TAMMIE (Tucson Area Music Award) for Best Cover Band.

Since 1999, the Wayback Machine has evolved from a folk duo to a Deadhead-style jam band of seven to its current core group of four (more below), augmented by an ever-expanding rotation of Tucson's finest musicians.

Early Wayback pre Folk Fest
Barrio Jam
Barrio Jam - Core 4
Bev, Jim,Tom and Steve toast after the Holiday Dance Jam in December '06.
Kitchen ginseng toast
Wayback with
Wayback with Gene Holmes and Les Merrihew