(Photo courtesy of Webster Public Relations)
By: Jacob Elyachar, jakes-take.com
I am very excited to welcome singer-songwriter Michael “MT” Tyler to Jake’s Take.
As a descendant of the Father of Country Music, the late Jimmie Rodgers, MT began to hone his skills as a musician when he was 10-years-old. Five years later, his life changed when he met producer Michael Knox on MySpace. After exchanging songs and ideas back and forth, the duo finally met in person at a Nashville gig. Mr. Knox advised MT to relocate to Nashville to master his craft and MT has not looked back.
As a songwriter, Michael co-penned numerous hits including Dierks Bentley’s number one selling hit: “Somewhere on a Beach,” Jason Aldean’s “Laid Back,” three songs for LOCASH including “Shipwrecked,” and wrote Kelsea Ballerini’s duet with Jason Aldean: “First Time Again.”
Several of music’s finest media outlets including Roughstock and Taste of Country have praised his work. Also, CMT named MT as one of their “17 for 2017” artists for its year-long Listen Up campaign and premiered his debut single: “Crazy Last Night,” which was selected as a part of Billboard’s Country Songs of the Summer.
In this edition of A Conversation, Michael revealed his music models, previewed his upcoming first studio album: 317, and teased his U.S. Tour.
Jacob Elyachar: When did you get interested in music? How did that passion evolve into the desire of having a career in the recording industry?
Michael Tyler: I have always loved music. I grew up around it. My mother’s side of my family was very musical. My grand-uncle, grandpa, uncle, and my mom were all musicians, and I started listening to music at a very early age. When I was 10 or 11-years-old, I picked up a guitar and started playing with it. As I began to teach myself how to play and sing, I learned that I was related to a guy named Jimmie Rodgers, who was considered to the Father of Country Music. Without his connection, I believe music would not play an influential role in my life.
JE: Who are your musical role models? How did they influence you as an artist?
MT: One of my biggest musical role models is Jason Aldean. The way he influenced me is through his ability to record music. I could best describe his music by its big rock-influenced guitar sound. I have always wanted to have a sound similar to Jason’s, so I am working with his producer, Michael Knox, on a bulk of my album. I grew up listening to a lot of people, but John Mayer is another one of my musical role models. He is such a great songwriter. I love his melodies.
JE: CMT premiered your latest music video: “They Can’t See.” Could you describe to my readers when you found out that CMT announced the premiere?
MT: It was unbelievable! I used to sit in front of my TV watching The Top 20 Countdown before I went to school. I remember watching the music videos with my guitar in hand, as I learned all the songs’ melodies and learned all the lyrics. When I woke up that morning to watch the premiere of my music video, it was one of the coolest and most surreal moments in my life. It received a lot of positive feedback on YouTube as it has over 563,236 views and I am very glad that people love the music video. I am also very grateful to CMT for putting their video on their station.
(Album cover property of Reviver Records)
JE: Let’s talk about your upcoming first studio album: 317. What were some of the challenges that you faced throughout the production process? How did you overcome them?
MT: Luckily, I was in the studio with Michael Knox, who is a mastermind when it comes to picking out songs to be put on the record. I got to sit back, allowed things to unfold and let Michael work his magic. There were not many complications when it came to recording the album. We have been working together for over nine years, and we knew exactly what we wanted to do! I had so much fun working in the recording studio that the only complication that we had in this process was trying to get me out of the studio! (Laughs)
JE: This month, you will go on a mini-tour to promote “317.” What can your fans look forward to the most from your tour?
MT: Hopefully, they can look forward to the most is when I am singing, I hope that they can forget about their problems before and after my show. I encourage everyone to come, have fun, and listen to the positive vibes and messages that are sprinkled throughout my songs. I hope that people dance, jump around, and overall have some fun!
JE: Who are some of the artists, producers, or songwriters that you want to work with in the future?
MT: I would love to write a song with John Mayer. I would love to do a CMT Crossroads special with him. I also would like to tour with Jason Aldean.
JE: If you had the chance to meet with aspiring singer-songwriters who want to have a career in the music industry, what advice would you share with them?
MT: Keep writing and posting your videos on YouTube. Eventually, the right person is going to see your hard work and effort that you put into your music. Hard work pays off!
For more information about Michael, visit his website!
Are you on social media? Visit Michael’s Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, & YouTube channels.
