About

Doing life backwards

The name

People ask about the name. Layor76 is Royal turned around, plus the year I was born. It started as a play on words, but the longer I lived, the truer it got. I was helping raise my brothers and sister before I was grown. I learned what love was by almost losing it. I found out who I was by first becoming everything I wasn't. I've spent fifty years doing life backwards, and the songs and books are me finally turning it right side up.

The story

I grew up in Warren, Ohio, the oldest of five, throwing newspapers before sunrise and making sure everybody ate. I spent years running from what I came from, from what it taught me, and from myself. Addiction took more than it ever gave. A woman I first saw in a church pew in 1995 stayed through all of it. Today there's a quiet house, my family, dogs asleep on the floor, and a kind of peace I never thought I'd get to keep.

Why

Writing is how I make sense of life. Sometimes it becomes a book. Sometimes it becomes a song. Different form, same reason.

Written by Andrew Royal and produced with help from AI tools.

Every scar has a story. Every story has a sound.

FAQ

What do I get when I buy a song?

A high-quality MP3 and a lyric sheet, ready to download right away and yours to keep.

What about the books?

The memoir and Pieces That Still Know My Name are sold here: you get the PDF and the e-book (EPUB), so you can read on a phone, tablet, computer or most e-readers.

What does "pay what you want" mean?

Every item has a minimum price and a suggested price. Pay the minimum, the suggested price, or more if you want to support the work.

Some songs are on Spotify. Why buy them here?

Buying here supports me directly, and you get the download and the lyric sheet. Songs marked "Only on layor76.com" aren't anywhere else.

How are the songs made?

Written by Andrew Royal and produced with help from AI tools.

Where are the other books?

The Old Man in My Coat, The Architecture of Us and What We Don't See are on Amazon, in paperback and Kindle. Each book's page links to them.

How do I get the free song?

Pick any song on the home page and confirm your email. One free song per person. One claim per verified email.

How do I download on my phone?

After you buy: Gumroad emails you a receipt, and the download page opens right away. Tap View content (or the link in the receipt) to see your files. You can come back any time: the link in your receipt keeps working, and so does your Gumroad library if you make an account with the same email.

iPhone

Tap Download next to the song.
Tap Download again if Safari asks.
The file goes to the Files app, in Downloads. Tap it to play.
Lyric sheets (PDF) open right in Files, or in Books.
Books: tap the EPUB, then Share, then Books. It opens in Apple Books.

Android

Tap Download next to the song.
The file goes to your Downloads folder. Open it from the Files app, or with any music player.
Lyric sheets (PDF) open in any PDF viewer.
Books: open the EPUB in Google Play Books (Library, then Upload) or any e-book reader.

Prefer an app? The free Gumroad app (App Store / Google Play) keeps your purchases in one place. Sign in with the email you used at checkout.

The album’s studio WAV files come as one large ZIP (about 950 MB). They’re easiest on a computer. On an iPhone, tap the ZIP in Files to unzip it.

Still stuck? Email hello@layor76.com with the email you used at checkout, and I’ll send you a fresh link.

Why does the lock screen stop working after I pause on iPhone?

On iPhone, after pausing from the lock screen, open the page and tap play to resume.

How is my purchase delivered?

Your purchase is delivered by Gumroad (our checkout partner) — you'll get a download link right away and by email.

Refund policy

All sales are final. Your purchase stays in your Gumroad library, so you can re-download it any time. If a file is ever broken, email hello@layor76.com and I'll send you a working copy.