JayDee Maness was raised in Sunnymead now called Calexico and Riverside County. JayDee’s fascination with the steel guitar started when he was a young child, his neighbours had a lap steel Magnatone with a matching amplifier. He liked the color of it, so his dad bought both the amplifier and steel guitar for $50.00 even though they didn’t have much money, from there on he started playing steel guitar by the age of 10. He started off by taking 12 lessons on a 13 week course but afterwards he self taught by listening to various country bands. By the time he reached the age of 15 he was playing around in bars in the San Bernadino/Fontana area of California. When he was 16 years old JayDee met his girlfriend Luaine at their local high school. The couple dated for a few years before getting married and have been together ever since. At the age of 20 he landed first gig at the “Aces Club” where he played there regularly for almost 4 years. After his successful time at the “Aces Club”, JayDee went on to play at various different clubs before recording his album “International Submarine Band” with Gram Parsons. The album was recorded on the Lee Hazelwood Inc. Label.
During the late 1960’s JayDee began recording for Cliffie Stone, which gave him the opportunity to work with a variety of different musicians. By 1969, JayDee was given the opportunity to become one of Buck Owen’s Buckaroos. Upon, taking the opportunity he toured with the band for approximately one year. During that time, JayDee, got his first dose of working within the television business by being on the first season of the “Hee Haw Show.”
By the early 1970’s, JayDee began to work for a local house band at the world famous Palomino Club. He worked there until 1974 before he left with his wife and kids to pursue other opportunities in Nashville, Tennessee. Upon arriving in Tennessee he worked with Ray Stevens but the time there was limited, as he returned to California and the Palomino Club by 1975.
By 1978 JayDee once again left the Palomino Club to focus more on his recording and television work. During this time he worked on the entire season of “Dukes of the Hazard,” while the “Urban Cowboy Craze” took over, thus creating more opportunities for him. One of his most notable accomplishments was working on Vince Gill’s first two RCA records and becoming part of the Vince Gill band in 2000 before leaving the band in 2004.
In 1985 Jaydee formed The Desert Rose Band. The band was highly successful landing on the Billboards Top 100 before disbanding 1994. JayDee stated that he left band to focus more on his television and recording work.
JayDee has since worked on various different projects ranging from working with individual artist such as Sting, SheDaisy, Clint Black, Freddie Fender, Doug Kershaw, Marty Robbins and so much more. Some of the soundtracks he has been associated with are; Urban Cowboy, The Other Side of The Mountain I II, A Thing Called Love, The Longest Yard, The Rush and many more. Upon those accomplishments JayDee got the ACM Steel Guitar Player Award for 15 years (not all in a row). He was also honor with the Guitar Player People’s Choice Award from 1988 through 1991.