As the ’90s began the band’s constant touring schedule finally took its toll. In early 1990, lead singer and original member, Grant Lanning decided to leave the group in order to spend more time with his family. Danny and Darrell were chosen to take over his singing duties for the band. Though the sound barely changed, the influence of the younger lead vocals began to make a fresh impact in the overall feel of the band. For the next two years the Waymasters continued to tour heavily. The group, however, was running on fumes. After many nonstop years of traveling, they were in dire need of a self-imposed rest to recharge. Ad to that, job changes for some members and college for others, new obligations had started to affect their schedule. As a result, near the end of 1991, the Waymasters decided to take a well deserved break from the road.
Though they weren’t traveling in the early and mid 1990s, the group wasn’t disbanded and in fact kept busy with
members participating in various projects.
They would often get together in assorted
incarnations to praise in song. Consequently,
they were frequently seen performing at
annual festivals in the mountains of North
Carolina and TN. Finally, in 1997, the group
reentered the studio to begin production of
its sixth record. Their good friend, Brian
Kuhl, would join the previous, recharged
version of the band: Tommy, Harold, Clif,
Danny, Tim, Darrell, and Chewie. Brian
had been a college mate of Danny’s and
a songwriting partner of both Darrell and
Tim. Also a lead guitarist, Brian was to be
featured on an original song on the new
project. However, the group was now
very spread apart. Job opportunities had increased the milage between them. Previously having been based out of Asheville, NC, members now spanned two states, from Nashville, TN, to Morganton, NC. This made recording a difficult and, oftentimes, long process, with actual recording only averaging a few hours a month at times. The 90s ended with the group in the studio. And as
the millennium began, so too did a new chapter of the Waymasters.