In the late 1950s or early 1960s, Styner went under the name of Rusty Howard and was in a music group called the Rhythm Rangers. Along with lyricist Guy Hemric (1931–1993), they were a team that was prolific in writing for films during the 1960s. Many of these films were the B-grade type, including
beach party films. The first film that Styner and Hemric wrote for was
Beach Party in 1963. Hemric and Styner's songs for beach party films include "It Only Hurts When I Cry", performed in
Beach Blanket Bingo by
Donna Loren and released on Loren's 1965 LP of the same name along with seven other compositions by the songwriters. The song has become Loren's signature tune. He also scored over 30 films over the years. These include
Ski Party (1965),
Thunder Alley (1967),
The Savage Seven (1968), ''
The Devil's 8 (1969), The Cycle Savages (1969), The Sidehackers (1969), Tick, Tick, Tick (1970), Corky (1972), The Genesis Children (1972), Cycle Psycho (1973), Mitchell (1975), and Dixie Dynamite'' (1976). In the 1970s, along with
Joe Porter and
Kenny Myers, he produced the
High Voltage album for singer Nick Anthony. That same year, he produced Chet Baker's
Blood, Chet and Tears album. In 1972, he worked with
Solomon Burke and
Gene Page, co-producing Burke's 1972 single, "I Can't Stop Loving You". ==Later life and death==