EQUIPMENT
On stage, Gary almost always sings thru a Shure KSM9 condenser microphone. His preferred guitar setup is a Taylor 314ce Grand Auditorium Acoustic w/Expression System electronics, played through a Crate Ca125dg acoustic amp, connected to a Radial J48 active direct box.
He also occasionally uses Shure Beta 87a, Beta 58a & SM58 mics, as well as a Taylor 510c w/Fishman Ellipse pickup and a Fishman Loudbox 250 amp.
INFLUENCES
Gary McAdams was raised in rural Freestone County, Texas, first learning to sing with his musical family and also in the Baptist church. The incredibly diverse cultural environment of Texas in general, and of Gary's upbringing in particular, greatly influenced his tastes, style and abilities, and not just musically.
Gary's earliest musical influences were his mother, Dorothy McAdams and his older brother David McAdams. Later, a good friend, Bodie Posey, had a big influence on him as far as performing with confidence and with individuality.
Gary would consider his biggest vocal influences to be Merle Haggard, George Strait, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Robert Plant, George Jones and Alison Krause.
Another huge influence of Gary's vocal abilities comes from his experience as an acclaimed young trumpet player. He was trained from an early age in Classical, Choral and Jazz trumpet and became very accomplished. But, he experienced an accident - requiring dental surgery in his late teens - that made it impossible for him to play ever again. At that point, he became primarily a vocalist. However, he began to, and continues to this day, utilize scales and horn-like phrasing/breathing techniques that can be directly traced to his trumpet background.
Some of Gary's other musical influences include Louis Armstrong, Chet Atkins, Tony Rice, Bob Wills, B.B. King, The Beatles, Duke Ellington and Chet Baker.
