Tyrone Wells interview

Born a pastor’s son just outside of Seattle, Tyrone Wells grew up listening to the choirs at church and his father play the accordion at home. While he loved music and played guitar in college as a hobby, it didn’t hit him that he could have a career as a musician until after he graduated. If you didn’t know anything about Tyrone you would think he was just another down-to-earth twenty-something year old passing time till he figured out what he wanted out of life. Aside from his vertical height and genuine friendliness there’s nothing that stands out and makes you think he would be the intriguing, artistic force he is on stage.

I had the opportunity to interview Tyrone over lunch during a “rest” day on his tour (he was still working that day promoting the album, he would just not have to perform that night) and I saw him perform the next night at the Highline Ballroom in NYC. Having listened to his new record, Remain, a solid pop-rock effort, I didn’t expect the passion and soul that he delivers through his voice and music in his live show to be what it was.

Tyrone sings from his heart and captures the audience with that raw but focused power on his own songs and old favorites like “With a Little Help From My Friends.” He has taken major steps from writing and singing the love found/ love lost songs that have been on his past efforts. The first single off the record, “More,” is a beautiful and heart wrenching song that you might have heard as the theme song on Intervention this season. That song has been important not only for Tyrone who said it is still cool to hear his own music on the radio and on TV but also for many of his fans. He has had a few approach him and tell him that song took them through a really hopeless time. It helped them find meaning again and basically saved their lives.

“Writing is my favorite part of what I get to do,” Tyrone said. Then he must have been in heaven working on the album. Co-writing for 4-5 months both in the US where he worked with Tim Myers, David Hodges and Matt Scannell and in London with Martin Terefe and Iain Archer. Its his second major label release but the first in which they have seen it the whole way through. Tyrone’s major label debut was slated to be his third indie release when he was signed by Universal and the CD, Hold On, was released by Universal untouched. Tyrone wrote and co-wrote over 60 songs for the new record which usually happens when artists are told to write more till the label thinks they have a hit song to push to radio. When I asked him if it felt daunting to have to answer to his label throughout the making of the CD he said that Universal was actually very hands off and it was liberating creatively because he was allowed the space he needed and the financial backing to take the time he needed to create in the studio.

Tyrone really shines though when you hear him live and see the emotion he pours into his music. He broke out of the LA music scene selling out a 1000 seat club. “The majors came calling,” he says making it sound incredibly simple. But, Tyrone definitely paid his indie dues. He released two albums on his own, toured through the NACA College Market circuit setting a record 152 interest forms filled out by schools at a showcase at NACA Nationals and worked for “five years doing everything on my own steam.” As he became more popular he was requested to perform for peoples weddings, proposals (sometimes couples had a special song) even funerals. As first it seems like strange place for an artist to perform and Tyrone explained that he has those same hesitations at first but that “it means a lot to be the breath and voice of hope and closure in such a difficult time.”

Back when he was unsigned Tyrone was performing his song “Sea Breeze” at a swap meet and a girl on her cell phone was next to the stage telling her friend that some singer-songwriter was playing Sea Breeze. Tyrone asked her who she thought wrote it and she said her friend Sam did. She would barely believe him when Tyrone told her it was actually his song and they proceeded to find out that Sam was talking credit for another song as well. Its a funny story and you get to hear the song acoustically afterwords so check it out here. Tyrone said that Sam never did come forward and apologize for claiming he wrote those songs. As a songwriter, I’m not sure I would feel flattered that they loved a song so much they tried to steal credit for it (even if it is just among friends) or a little angry that they might not have thought I was good enough that anyone would ever hear it and find out. Tyrone definitely handled it well, I hope Sam at least watched the video and appreciates his 15 minutes of shame/fame.

Definitely check out Tyrone’s new album Remain though if you have a chance to hear him live thats even better. You will probably find him on the next Rockboat cruise! He’ll be the guy thats tall, bald and super friendly so you won’t miss him.