The Pat Metheny Group is an American jazz fusion group founded in 1977 in Missouri.The core members of the group are guitarist, composer and bandleader Pat Metheny; and keyboardist and composer Lyle Mays, who was in the group at its inception.Other long-standing members include bassist and producer Steve Rodby, who joined in 1981, and Paul Wertico, who was the group's drummer for 18 years from 1983 to 2001.