Winyah Bay might ring a familiar tune for some: rivers rushing, vibrant sunsets dipping below the ocean view, teenagers laughing and sea breezes rustling through mossy live oak and cabbage palmetto trees. A new sound has emerged in recent years: Winyah the band, a Lowcountry quintet striving to become something bigger than themselves. Thomas Rowland, Luke Gordon, Stephen (Stevo) Russell, Robert Buffington Jr. (Rob) and Jacob Riley (Jake) embarked on their journey as an indie rock band with the goal of blending their talents with the nostalgia of home, Pawleys Island.
“We hope in some of our music it reflects the feelings of where we come from; calm and beautiful, but also chaotic and forever changing,” said lead guitarist Gordon. The band draws on their experiences growing up in the Southeast as inspiration for their unique coastal rock sound. The band’s name, Winyah, is a tribute to their roots. “We all have respect for where we come from and deciding to name the band Winyah felt like we could bring home with us everywhere we go,” explained Gordon.
Mount Pleasant and Charleston have been a close second as far as home goes. Lead singer Rowland and Scottie Frier from the iconic Windjammer have a long history that significantly impacted the future of Winyah. In Rowland’s middle school days, he purchased the deal of a lifetime – a guitar, four free lessons and a lifelong friendship with Frier. In 2020, Frier recalled a drive when a random cover of Steve Lacy’s “Dark Red” came on his Spotify, sung by none other than Rowland himself. This moment rekindled Rowland and Frier’s connection and soon Frier became the person Rowland reached out to for business advice regarding Winyah.
“Then he [Rowland] hits me up saying, ‘Hey, is there any way to get my band to play out there?’” recounted Frier. With the help of Frier, Winyah began playing late nights at The Windjammer, and at some point, Frier said, “We started noticing, those kids are selling tickets. Like it’s not just people walking up to listen to the band, like there was a line out the door on more than one show.”
Frier connected Winyah to producer Matt Zutell at Coast Records in Charleston, where the group continues to record and produce music. Gordon commented, “The music scene in Charleston has been very influential and motivating.”
In the past two years, Winyah has grown from an idea into a constantly evolving and beloved band with nearly 150,000 followers on Instagram and more than 715,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. Frier recalled his realization that Winyah was gaining serious traction and attention while performing at The Windjammer, stating, “Okay, these kids are doing this.”
Fast forward to 2026, Winyah has traveled the East Coast, selling out shows and making their way home to perform as an opening act at Credit One Stadium, something that once seemed unimaginable. Looking back, Gordon expressed awe at the times he would pass Credit One on the way to the Charleston International Airport. “I never would’ve quite guessed I’d be playing music with some of my best friends in there.”
By Ella Duane
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