JDJB left the Texas Gulf Coast and his fundamentalist Christian background behind for New York City at the age of 24 to pursue dreams of being a playwright. An early play, My Pet Homo (dir. Jon Michael Johnson) starred RuPaul and Mona Foot (aka Nashom Benjamin Wooden, who died early in the 2020 COVID pandemic).

For the better part of the 90s, JDJB was part of the neo-Vaudeville folk duo, Y’all, with Steven Cheslik-DeMeyer. Y’all appeared on The John Stewart Show (MTV), Comedy Central, and on dozens of cable access TV shows. Y’all performed in festivals, folk clubs, retirement homes and Unitarian churches in 40 states across the United States, on the Shetland Islands (Shetland Folk Festival), and in Edinburgh, Scotland (Fringe Festival). For the last two years, Byrd & partner Cheslik-DeMeyer lived on the road in a 20-foot travel trailer. Their documentary, Life in a Box, was released in 2003.

From 2003-2020, JDJB performed in theater productions with the likes of Rude Mechs, Rubber Rep, and Fusebox Festival, in Austin, Texas, where he now resides. He also wrote two memoir performance pieces, both directed by Jenny Larson for Salvage Vanguard Theater: Naked as a Gaybird deals with junior high bullies; Fumbling for the Knob looks at Jay Byrd’s religious upbringing and molestation/incest.

In 2020, JDJB tried his hand at painting with oil & acrylic markers. His piece 8 Fungi was accepted into his company faculty & staff art show. His first solo show, SELF-TAUGHT/SELF-PORTRAIT, showed at the Trinity Street Playhouse in Austin, TX, August 4 - September 30.