[2] Byers picked up trombone and played with Karl Kiffe before serving in the United States Army in 1944 and 1945.
[3][2] In the second half of the 1940s he arranged and played trombone for Georgie Auld, Buddy Rich, Benny Goodman, Charlie Ventura, and Teddy Powell.
[2] In the middle of the 1950s he was in Paris arranging; he also led a session of his own, released as Jazz on the Left Bank, at this time.
[2] Byers had extensive credits arranging and conducting for film,[2] and won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Orchestrations for City of Angels.
[1] Material from his career is held by the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.[1] With Count Basie With Bob Brookmeyer With Al Cohn With Billy Eckstine With Coleman Hawkins With Al Jarreau With J. J. Johnson With Quincy Jones With Lee Konitz With Jack McDuff With Gary McFarland With Hal McKusick With Carmen McRae With Joe Newman With Lalo Schifrin With Bud Shank With Charlie Shavers With Julius Watkins With Andy Williams With Cootie Williams With Kai Winding With Frank Zappa