Now Playing
I'll See You In My Dreams
Available for live shows, recording sessions, and lessons.
Jason Kuykendall is a pedal steel, lap steel, dobro, and guitar player. Based on Bainbridge Island, Washington, he keeps busy across a few different bands — honky-tonk, hillbilly jazz, bluegrass, rock and soul. He started on guitar, got pulled toward the steel, and picked up mandolin and dobro on the way. He has studied pedal steel with Doug Jernigan, of the Steel Guitar Hall of Fame, and Hawaiian steel with Alan Akaka — one of the foremost living masters of Hawaiian steel guitar — and more recently began studying Western swing with Chris Scruggs, of Marty Stuart’s Fabulous Superlatives.
Recent and upcoming appearances with country, Americana, bluegrass, and steel-guitar projects around Western Washington.
| Date | Event | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Fri May 15 6:00pm |
Wildwood Angels Trio |
Finn River Cidery Port Townsend, WA |
| Sun May 17 1:30pm |
Morgan Smith and Co. |
Viking Fest Poulsbo, WA |
| Fri May 22 6:30pm |
The Grifting Cowboys |
Olalla Winery Olalla, WA |
| Fri May 29 7:00pm |
Cowboy Genius |
Kangaroo and Kiwi Ballard, Seattle |
| Wed Jun 10 6:00pm |
Morgan Smith and Co. |
The Sip Poulsbo, WA |
| Sat Jun 20 6:00–8:00pm |
Eric Auckerman |
Bainbridge Pavilion Bainbridge Island, WA |
| Sun Jun 21 7:00pm |
The Grifting Cowboys |
Oysterhouse Olympia, WA |
| Fri Jul 10 7:00pm |
Casey Freedom |
Haystack Festival North Bend, WA |
| Sat Jul 11 7:00pm |
Western Arrow |
Treehouse Bainbridge Island, WA |
| Thu Jul 16 2:00–4:00pm |
The South Seas |
Golden Gardens Historic Bathhouse Seattle, WA · Private corporate event |
| Sun Jul 19 5–7pm |
Cowboy Genius |
Little Red Hen Seattle, WA |
| Tue Jul 21 1:00pm |
The South Seas |
Private Event Poulsbo, WA |
| Sat Jul 25 7:00pm |
Casey Freedom |
Private Event Seattle, WA |
| Sat Aug 1 | Cowboy Genius |
Broadmoor Golf Club Seattle, WA |
| Thu Aug 6 4:00pm |
The South Seas |
Private Event Bainbridge Island, WA |
| Fri Aug 7 6:30pm |
Wildwood Angels |
Olalla Winery Olalla, WA |
| Fri Aug 14 1:15–2:15pm |
The South Seas |
Poulsbo Arts Festival Poulsbo Waterfront — Poulsbo, WA |
| Sun Aug 16 2–3pm |
The South Seas |
Art on the Green Bainbridge Island, WA |
| Sat Aug 22 5:00pm |
Wildwood Angels Trio |
Meadowmeer Golf Course Bainbridge Island, WA |
| Fri Sep 18 7–9pm |
The Grifting Cowboys |
Olalla Winery Olalla, WA |
| Sat Sep 19 3:00pm |
Western Arrow |
Punch Firehouse Thorpe, WA |
| Sat Sep 20 2–5pm |
The South Seas |
Eleven Winery Bainbridge Island, WA |
| Wed Nov 11 5pm |
The South Seas |
The Triple Door Musiquarium Lounge, Seattle, WA |
| Date | Event | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Fri Jan 2, 2026 6:30pm |
Wildwood Angels |
Olalla Winery Olalla, WA |
| Sat Sep 27, 2025 4:00pm |
Wildwood Angels |
Port Townsend Winery Port Townsend, WA |
| Fri Aug 29, 2025 7:00pm |
Wildwood Angels |
Olalla Winery Olalla, WA |
| Sat Aug 9, 2025 5:00pm |
Wildwood Angels |
Marrowstone Vineyards Nordland, WA |
| Sun Jul 20, 2025 12:00pm |
Wildwood Angels |
Sehmel Homestead Park Gig Harbor, WA |
| Sun Jun 8, 2025 11:00am |
Wildwood Angels |
Kingston Public Market Kingston, WA |
| Fri Jun 6, 2025 6:00pm |
Wildwood Angels |
Winslow Green Summer Concerts Bainbridge Island, WA |
| Thu May 9, 2025 7:00pm |
Wildwood Angels |
Fraternal Order of Eagles Belfair, WA |
| Fri Apr 18, 2025 6:00pm |
Wildwood Angels |
Bainbridge Brewing Alehouse Bainbridge Island, WA |
| Sat Apr 12, 2025 6:00pm |
Wildwood Angels |
Rainy Daze Brewing Poulsbo, WA |
| Fri Mar 21, 2025 5:00pm |
Wildwood Angels |
Alderbrook Golf & Yacht Club Union, WA |
| Sat Mar 8, 2025 7:00pm |
Wildwood Angels |
The Spar Tacoma, WA |
| Sat Jan 18, 2025 6:00pm |
Wildwood Angels |
Private Event Bainbridge Island, WA |
| Fri Jan 10, 2025 6:00pm |
Wildwood Angels |
Bainbridge Brewing Alehouse Bainbridge Island, WA |
| Sat Nov 9, 2024 7:00pm |
Wildwood Angels |
Gobblefest Bainbridge Island, WA |
| Sat Oct 19, 2024 6:00pm |
Wildwood Angels |
The Pavilion Bainbridge Island, WA |
| Thu Aug 29, 2024 3:30pm |
Wildwood Angels |
Waterfront Farmers Market Gig Harbor, WA |
| Sun Jun 22, 2024 4:30pm |
Wildwood Angels |
Make Music Day Bremerton, WA |
I teach guitar, pedal steel, lap steel, and dobro from my home studio on Bainbridge Island — working with students at all levels, from people picking up a guitar for the first time to players who want to push deeper into jazz voicings, slide technique, or the mechanics of the steel.
Lessons are focused and practical. You'll leave each session with something you can actually use — not just theory. In-person sessions take place in my private music studio. Zoom works well for most of what we cover.
Alongside years of playing, I completed two professional certificate programs through Berklee Online — one in jazz guitar, one in music theory, ear training, and harmony. That’s why lessons go beyond “copy this lick”: I can show you how the music actually works and why.
All levels welcome. Rock, blues, country, jazz, and Americana. Technique, theory, and the specific vocabulary of each style.
One of the most expressive instruments in music. All levels.
Hawaiian, country, and western swing styles. Great entry point for players curious about steel guitar.
Squareneck resonator guitar played in lap position — bluegrass, country, blues, and Americana styles. Not bottleneck slide.
“I’ve been taking dobro lessons from Jason for 4 months now, and I highly recommend him for anyone who wants to learn dobro, lap steel, or pedal steel. I came to him with rather specific goals, and he’s tailored my lessons to those goals. At the same time, he’s pointed out helpful orientations to the dobro that hadn’t occurred to me from my experience on guitar. Every lesson has been well thought out and motivating. He is a natural teacher, as well as a great musician. Try him out!”
Especially useful for adult beginners, returning players, and guitarists curious about steel or dobro.
No preparation needed for the first lesson — we'll figure out where to start, play a little, and make a simple plan from there.
Available in person at my home studio on Bainbridge Island, or via Zoom — whichever works best for you.
Jason plays pedal steel and guitar.
The sound of tumbleweeds, pedal steel, yearning, and the Beatles.
Jason leads this group, playing lap steel and guitar.
Jazz standards, Hawaiian classics, and Western swing played with a mid-century sensibility. A 1958 Fender Stringmaster, a vintage Fender Rhodes, archtop guitar, and bass.
Jason played pedal steel as a session sideman.
American Idol finalist known for his powerful vocals, heartfelt storytelling, and blend of modern country, southern rock, and gospel influences.
Jason plays pedal steel.
Straightforward honky-tonk. Buck, Merle, Cash, Willie, along with a little Neil Young and Emmylou Harris.
Jason played pedal steel and guitar.
Big band, bop, hardcore twang, French café, film noir, and sounds from the space age.
I do remote and in-studio overdubs — pedal steel, lap steel, dobro, and guitar. Send me a rough mix, tell me what you're hearing, and I'll send back a part that fits the song. I've done this on country, Americana, and roots records, and you can hear examples in the projects below. Remote sessions turn around quickly. In-studio work available on Bainbridge Island and in the greater Seattle area.
Home studio with a Universal Audio interface, professional mics, and direct-input recording — clean, mix-ready tracks. For remote sessions, send a rough mix, tempo, key, and any reference tracks you have in mind.
For show bookings, lesson inquiries, session work, or anything else — email is the best way to reach me.
jasonkuykendall@gmail.comBased on Bainbridge Island — available throughout Kitsap County, Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia, and the greater Puget Sound region.
For show bookings: include date, location, event type, and budget.
For recording: send a rough mix, tempo, key, and a reference track.
For lessons: share your instrument, experience level, and musical goals.