Lee Tyler Post Interview for June edition of IndustryMag.Net - By Belinda Humphries
It's rare you'll find that I venture too far away from featuring 'true blues artists' in this column, then again, I keep finding this connection and reawakening among the music of our pop culture that ties back into root music and that's exactly what we have for this month's Upstate Blues Report featuring Lee Tyler Post.
Lee told me he can still recall the day he personally and emotionally felt moved as he was driving to his blue collar job 18 years ago, listening to the radio when he heard Bob Dylan's "Knockin' On Heaven's Door". He said to himself 'that's the most brilliant artist, musician and songwriter I've ever heard"…It was an awakening. He knew at that exact moment he had to buy a guitar and forevermore sing, write and play from the heart, as if he had found his purpose in life at the early age of 22, no matter how good or not he was…and yes, the universe smiled upon him and said 'you're good, do it'.
And so he has, traveling from town to town ever since, like a gypsy troubadour daring to pull in strangers, word by word and note by note. And somehow, the bills get paid and life is good, those fantasy existents we all like to dream about but are often scared to pursue. How many of us are living true to 'if I could do or be anything today where money's not an object, I would be or do _____". That's why I must feature Lee this month, as not only a musical genius but an inspiration to everyone reading this article, going through life on a path you think you have to be on versus one that you dream about and wish you could be on.
But there's more to the story, oh yeah, I dug a little deeper…because I am always curious who and what influenced music in all of us, from our very earliest childhood memory. Was it your what your parents listened to or allowed you to listen to, was it your church or choir music, what your older or younger siblings were into, your school friends, musicals at your school plays or your first theater experience, your first vinyl, 8-track, cassette or CD?
So allow me to introduce you to Lee Tyler Post. And make a note: you heard it here first at Industry Mag because this guy is THE next big thing, the real deal as the talent scouts like to say.
Ok, I'm sorry to gush on here, but I must! How did I find Lee Tyler Post? Well, while he's a "SC" artist, he's not from 'here'. In his world, "SC" stands for Southern California, San Diego to be exact. And yes, I found him on the notorious myspace where there are some incredible musicians and Indie labels just waiting to be discovered. But ironically when I hit him up on myspace, I had no idea of his plans to move to Asheville. Divine intervention? Because, guys, really, you gotta trust me on this and check him out either on myspace and at a live show. And now that he's officially relocated to Asheville, he'll be more local-club accessible and will be entering the Greenville music scene, especially if I have anything to do with it……
Let's just say I go to bed every night with Marvin Gaye (ok, ok, ok: 'listening to', not 'with'); and now I am sharing this musical night with Lee (his wife Jackie completely understands!). Lee's music has the ability to intimately connect on a one-on-one personal level in each of his songs…where the listener almost feels guilty, like they're eavesdropping on extremely private moments…whether you want to rock, to just 'feel', to cry, or to allow a stranger to express that which you feel but can't express-- listen to Lee's music. I challenge you to feel, really feel.
Lee Tyler Post's musical landscape ranges from Acoustic Soul, to Roots Rock, to Southern Blues, with a splash of Adult Alternative. His lyrics convey stories of everyday people and especially heart-wrenching ballads that are guaranteed to hit a personal note. He calls it "Rock N Soul." He's got original music and songs that could all be number one hits in about 3 to 4 different genres….Simon Cowell? Where are you? Yet he is completely happy gigging at coffee houses, restaurants, side or main stages…doesn't matter…he's living a life few of us will ever know, touring the country, meeting new people, discovering new places every day. Connecting to people through that universal language of music, doing what he loves most in life.
I even wondered during the interview if he realized just how amazing he is, and how he's crossing over to the masses while he's busy building a reputation as a road warrior with his blue-collar approach, performing 150-200 shows a year and driving 25,000-40,000 miles annually. He has also released 5 studio albums during this period. His tours, which some call a "perpetual tour", take him through cities as far away as Seattle, NYC, Tampa, San Diego, and everywhere in between! He is one artist staying and living 'true'…he'll never sell out to commercialization, labels, digital or money….he doesn't need to. The grass is greener here on this side.
I made the assumption that Lee moved to Asheville because of its vibrant and eclectic music scene but that wasn't the case. Seems it was more due to geographic centralization where he could cover the entire east coast within one full day of driving, versus the days of driving it takes to cover just one west coast state. And to come home from off the road to the Blue Ridge Mountains, Western Carolina and Upstate SC as his personal retreat--makes sense to me.
Plus, his southern rock and soul style probably lends itself more to us folks here in the south and on the east coast who grew up with and can relate to the likes of his influences, which read like an E! Entertainment Channel Top 100 list of all time best: Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Eric Clapton, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Allman Brothers, Aretha, Seger, Hendrix, Tom Waits, Janis, Bruce, Elton, alright already! He's killing me here…and did I mention: Walt Whitman, Ernest Hemmingway and Robert Frost…I'm exhausted…so go to www.myspace.com/leetylerpost for a full list of influences…and you'll hear almost every one of them in his original songs which is what makes his music eerie and comfortingly familiar all at the same time….yet new and addicting.
One reviewer writes: "Lee's marathon live performances (2-3 hr sets) have been described by his fans as an emotional roller-coaster, passionate, powerful and moving, honest & pure, intense and straight from the heart..." His down-to-earth on-stage persona compliments his dynamic voice and electrifying shows.
I got goose-bumps just listening to his myspace on my laptop the first time I clicked him in to my world…and live, oh good lord. That's a WOW; hate that you guys missed his first Greenville performance at Sticky Fingers…but no worries, he's going to be back at all our favorite Greenville music clubs real soon.
So, back to his first memorable musical influence: his older brother Chris. With a pretty popular music loving, self-taught musician guitarist brother 9 years older, who was up on all the great artists and tunes of the time in the 70's and 80's, Lee sat back and let his brother have the spotlight. But his brother went the direction of corporate America and was successful in his own right as a business man, not pursuing music as a career. So that fateful day of reconnecting with Bob Dylan became the impetus for Lee to sincerely embrace music without looking like he was just imitating or mocking an older brother. After all, who can really make a good living as a singer songwriting pub and coffee house gigging musician? Isn't that just something you do as a hobby, a passion?
But little did Lee's brother realize the influence he's had and still has on Lee's life and decision to be dedicated 100% 24/7 to sharing his soul and naturally honed musical abilities with you, his audience.
And get this: he not only personally writes, produces, publishes, books, and 'hand puts' his CDs together, he personally records his albums on a 16-track two inch analog machine with zero digital corrections. Sometimes that raw stuff is what the real stuff is made of. Roots, history, raw.
Of course, none of this article means anything to you our Industry Mag heroes and supporters unless you trust us and take in a show…just go to www.myspace.com/leetylerpost for an up-to-the-minute tour schedule because believe me, he's adding on new gigs daily…and Greenvillians, don't let NYCity start to steal him away from us! Seems the old Hendrix and Dylan hang outs there in SoHo have discovered Lee too! Now that's saying something. Let's keep him in demand here, in Greenville because Greenville is fast becoming one of the hottest live music scenes on the east coast!
For more information and tour schedule, please visit: www.leetylerpost.com and www.myspace.com/leetylerpost
Show your support at an upcoming show and tell him Industry Mag sent you!
*Online June 1st! Hard Copies hit the stands as well ...*
By Belinda Humphries - IndustryMag.net (Jun 10, 2008)