Brendan Bayliss is an American musician, the founder, a lead guitarist

Guitarist

A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...

 alongside fellow guitarist and band member Jake Cinninger

Jake Cinninger

Jake Cinninger, born Jacob Alan Cinninger, December 16, 1975 in Niles, Michigan, is an American musician. He has risen to fame as one of two lead guitarists, in the Chicago-based jam band Umphrey's McGee.-History:...

, and primary vocalist for progressive rock

Progressive rock

Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...

 band Umphrey's McGee

Umphrey's McGee

Umphrey's McGee is an American progressive rock jam band based in Chicago whose music is often referred to as "progressive improvisation", or "improg" ....

. He formed the band in 1997 and took its moniker from the name of a distant relative he met at a wedding named Humphrey McGee. "My father’s aunt’s sister’s son’s kid," says Bayliss. "He’s just a nice guy. Lives on a farm, I think." Bayliss is one of the band's main songwriters.

Bayliss attended the University of Notre Dame

University of Notre Dame

The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...

, where his father Bob Bayliss is a tennis

Tennis

Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...

 coach, and formed the Star Wars

Star Wars

Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...

 inspired Tashi Station with bass player Ryan Stasik

Ryan Stasik

Ryan Fabec Stasik is the bassist for progressive rock group Umphrey's McGee. Stasik originally hails from the Pittsburgh area, though he grew up in Portage, MI and is now based out of Chicago, IL. He is a founding member of Umphrey's McGee, having played in the group Tashi Station with guitarist...

 and keyboardist Gregg Andrulis. After the band split in the fall of 1997, Bayliss and Stasik joined up with Joel Cummins

Joel Cummins

Joel Nathan Cummins is an American musician, and founding member/keyboardist for progressive rock band Umphrey's McGee....

 and Mike Mirro - two former members of another recently defunct local band, Stomper Bob - to form Umphrey's McGee

Umphrey's McGee

Umphrey's McGee is an American progressive rock jam band based in Chicago whose music is often referred to as "progressive improvisation", or "improg" ....

.

Bayliss uses Paul Reed Smith

Paul Reed Smith

Paul Reed Smith , is a luthier and the founder and owner of PRS Guitars.Smith is originally from Bowie, Maryland. He made his first guitar while at St. Mary's College of Maryland, and continued to build guitars after he finished college, making them one at a time, one a month...

 guitars, Mesa/Boogie and Oldfield amps, endorses VOX

Vox (musical equipment)

Vox is a musical equipment manufacturer which is most famous for making the Vox AC30 guitar amplifier, the Vox Continental electric organ, and a series of innovative but commercially unsuccessful electric guitars and bass guitars...

 Classic Plus amps, and along with the rest of Umphrey's McGee

Umphrey's McGee

Umphrey's McGee is an American progressive rock jam band based in Chicago whose music is often referred to as "progressive improvisation", or "improg" ....

 endorses Morley pedals and BBE Sound equipment.

Bayliss recently founded a non-profit charity called USTORM (United So Together Our Reach Multiplies), a non-profit organization aimed at raising funds to help needy children and young adults improve their lives by providing access to various music and art educational programs.

Bayliss and fellow musician Jeff Austin

Jeff Austin

Jeff Austin is a mandolinist and singer best known for being a part of the Yonder Mountain String Band....

 of Yonder Mountain String Band

Yonder Mountain String Band

The Yonder Mountain String Band is an American progressive bluegrass group from Nederland, Colorado. Composed of Dave Johnston, Jeff Austin, Ben Kaufmann, and Adam Aijala, the band has released five studio albums and several live recordings to date.- History :The band's history stretches back to...

 have played a handful of shows together since the summer of 2006 and, as of May 11, 2010, have released a studio album together under the name 30db. The album is called One Man Show, and the band went on tour in Spring, 2010, to release their album.