DOES LYLE WORKMAN have one of the most apt surnames, or what? Since making his debut in 1986 with the Bay Area–based band Bourgeois Tagg, the versatile guitarist has been one of the most in-demand players around, recording and/or touring with the likes of Sting, Beck, Todd Rundgren, Michael Bublé, Sarah McLachlan, Bryan Adams, Sheryl Crow and Frank Black. And that’s just scratching the surface of his credits. When he’s not collaborating with top stars, Workman has an enviable second day job as a film composer, having scored numerous Judd Apatow pictures, such as The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Superbad and Get Him to the Greek.
“I’ve always wanted to play with rock bands and make records, but film scoring came out of left field,” Workman says. “I met a film executive who needed guitar playing on one of his personal projects, and after that I won the lottery and did Judd Apatow’s first film. It’s nothing I planned on, but I applied myself and studied a lot. I took a film scoring course at UCLA and got my orchestral chops together. When the opportunity comes around, you have to be ready.”
In many ways, it mirrors how Workman approaches recording sessions. “I always wantthen I’ll decide what gear will best fulfill those needs. I’ve done a few records with Michael Bublé, so I know what he likes, but sometimes a producer will say, ‘We’re going to do something a little different,’ and I’ll modify what I bring to a session.”
