LaWayne Leno began his piano studies in his native North Dakota with Belle Mehus, and later with her sister Alma Mehus Studness. He continued his studies in New York City with Oxana Yablonskaya, a long-time Juilliard faculty member. He is a graduate of the University of Mary in Bismarck.

LaWayne's teaching career began as a 'junior teacher' at the Mehus Conservatory in Bismarck, while still in college. He later became a full-time faculty member of the Mehus Conservatory. About 20 years ago, he began teaching as one of the faculty for Dr Reid Smith's piano program, which included studios at Minnehaha and Mounds Park Academies as well as a home studio that boasted an enrollment of nearly 100 students.
 

He has been a long-time church organist, choir accompanist, and for several years a duo partner of violinist Alex Romanoff. LaWayne has performed in master classes with Yoheved Kaplinsky, chair of piano at Juilliard, Finnish pianist Antti Siirala, Tamas Ungar of Texas Christian University, and Jin Zhang, chair of the piano performance section of the Central Conservatory in Beijing. He studied and performed for three years at the Piano Texas Institute in Fort Worth. He taught and performed with Dr Reid Smith at the 2007 International Yves Nat Piano Festival in Serignan France, and performed the Schubert Fantasy for 4-hands with Reid in a Schubert Club Courtroom Concert. LaWayne and fellow faculty member Virginia Sundberg performed a recital consisting of the complete 4-hand piano sonatas of Mozart.
 

In addition to his piano work, LaWayne has received international recognition as the author of two biographies - both available for sale on Amazon.com:

 The Untold Story of Adele aus der Ohe: From a Liszt Student to a Virtuoso, 

and 

Roses of the Prairie: The Artistry of Belle Mehus, Alma Mehus Studness, and Anne-Marit Studness Bergstrom. 

His most recent work, a novel entitled Oxana and the Red Dress is now available.