About Me
Tyler T. was born and raised in Lubbock, Texas. At the
age of 10, his family relocated to the Houston area
and it was there that Tyler first became interested in music, particularly guitar. In 1998, his folks moved back to Lubbock and he bought his very first electric guitar. Throughout junior high and high school, Tyler became involved in several different
bands and jam groups. Upon graduation from Coronado
High School, Tyler enrolled at South Plains College to
pursue an education and a future career in music. Throughout his
college years, he performed throughout the area both as a solo act and with various bands. While at South Plains College, Tyler developed a fond interest in different styles of music, unusual instruments, and in creating original sounds. He also enjoyed songwriting and touring throughout the state. After many years of starting, joining, and performing with different bands, he discovered his niche - performing solo as Tyler T., a nickname
given to him by friends throughout the years. He eventually earned his degree in Commercial Music from South Plains College and continues to jam locally as well as all over the country.
When Tyler first became interested in music, he was drawn heavily to the old classic rock artists (such as Led Zeppelin, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and AC/DC). He also became involved with the sounds of the early 90's Grunge scene, popular at the time of his adolescence. It was during this time that Tyler got his first taste of guitar from various friends who were learning to play themselves. It wasn’t long before Tyler got his own guitar, and began taking lessons from Sean Frankhouser, an instructor at Brandon Guitar Studio in Lubbock, Texas. A few years after starting lessons, Tyler had to discontinue and he began teaching himself different instruments. He taught himself basic piano, drums, and bass, based on what he knew about the guitar. Tyler's influences and interests began to evolve as he got into different types of music in high school. The Grateful Dead, Michael
Hedges, and other types of music changed the way he wrote and performed. At the age of 18, he began his first solo performances around town. After several years of experimenting with different styles and voicings, Tyler eventually evolved into an exclusive acoustic guitar player.
Tyler enrolled at South Plains College in the fall of 2003. While there, he enrolled in courses in Audio Engineering, Music Theory, Songwriting, as well as in other courses that are essential to developing musicians. Throughout his college experience, he continued to play around with different ideas and instruments. He gained a reputation around town as a truly unique performer and continued to evolve as a musician. It was during this time period that Tyler got interested in loop sampling and didjeridoos- the defining aspects of his original style. The loop sampling allowed Tyler to play more than one instrument on stage and record them on the spot, creating the sound of an entire band, yet executed by only him. The number of instruments increased as he added small instruments such as hand drums, shakers, triangles and jew’s harps. He bought a didjeridoo in the summer of 2005 and incorporated it as a major staple of the sound. As more people around this area discovered Tyler and his unique style, he started to play more frequently, the size of his audience increased, and he began to participate in small tours. He received high recognition and respect from his college professors, as well as fellow musicians. He also began recording, giving guitar lessons, and jamming with new groups. While in college, he became known as the "one man band", as well as the only performer to use didjeridoos in stage performance. Tyler eventually made his way into every live music venue in Lubbock and played an average of four to five nights a week. Tyler graduated with an Associate’s Degree in Commercial Music in May of 2007.
The music of Tyler T. is as original as his influences are diverse. Tyler fell in love with the aggressive acoustic guitar sounds of songwriters like Ani DiFranco, Keller Williams and Kaki King. There are also traces of high energy electronica and techno beats rumbling under the grooves he creates. He also draws inspiration from Classical and Avant Garde music, as well as music from all over the world. Tyler gets his vocal timbre from growing up listening to early grunge and his improvisational spirit from listening to artists like Frank Zappa and the Grateful Dead. There are many other things that set Tyler T. apart from other performers. Every performance from Tyler will be
something totally new - featuring parts never before played, totally improvised, and never done again. This is part of what keeps his musical evolutionary process rolling and his songwriting inspiration flowing. Tyler has held on to a musical vibe that has an "organic" feeling. He has always been fond of using sounds that have certain earthy tones to them such as natural percussion (marimbas and xylophones), woodwind instruments, and acoustic instruments. In addition, a sense of unpredictability, raw energy, and theatrical expression contribute to the makings of the music of Tyler T.
To this day, Tyler is respected as one of the hardest working musicians not only in Lubbock, but also in Texas and the western states. He continues to tour, write constantly, record, and perform relentlessly. He has played countless shows, festivals, road gigs, private parties, and community gatherings since the beginning of his career. He has also performed with and met many highly respected and loved artists throughout the music industry. At 23 years old, Tyler T. still lives in Lubbock, Texas and can be found almost any night of the week at any live music venue in town, or out.
