Dayton attended Southwest Minnesota State University and was introduced to both jazz and classical performing, and studied cello with True Sackrison at The Curtis Institute of Music.
At the University of Minnesota that he had the opportunity to work with Dizzy Gillespie, Thad Jones and Phil Woods and to make his first international tour to Mexico City to perform for then-President Lopez Portillo.
Dayton moved to Fountain Hills, Arizona and formed the Dayton-Privett Band with Mark Prentice, Tom Sawyer and Ron Privett.
[5][6] For the next 15 years the Jeff Dayton band performed on worldwide tours, TV and record dates, celebrity events and many concerts.
Campbell and the Jeff Dayton Band also played with Gene Autry, Willie Nelson, Bob Hope, Vince Gill and dozens more."
In 2003, Dayton filled in with Kenny Chesney's band on the Margaritas and Senoritas tour, playing on his first night in front of 16,000 in Madison, WI.
In 2008 Dayton signed to Black River Music Group and produced records for Sony artist Chance McKinney and Lorrie Morgan bandmenber Daisy Mallory.
Dayton has been a backup player for other musicians, including: Dizzy Gillespie (1977), Thad Jones (1978), Bo Diddley (1983), Steve Wariner (1983), Toby Keith, Mark Wills, Rhett Akins, Rodney Atkins, Mac Davis, Willie Nelson, Tammy Cochran (2004), Sarah Darling (2008–2010) and Donovan Chapman (2022).