Imagine being a young, aspiring, hopeful painter who's asked by Michelangelo to tag along, watch him work and add your own flourishes to his Sistine Chapel masterwork.
The magnitude of such a lofty experience has to be what young guitar phenom Tyler Bryant is probably feeling right about now. Intrigued and awed by guitar since the tender age of 6, Bryant, now 20, is on the road supporting guitar wizard Jeff Beck on his current tour. So how did this kid from the little town of Honey Grove, Texas land this highly coveted slot opening up for THE guitar god? I hit Tyler with that very question when I spoke with him a few days ago on a day off from the tour.
"It's a funny story," the engaging guitar prodigy — who recently relocated to Nashville — told me in a recent phone interview. "I sent an e-mail to my booking agent and asked him to try and get me a ticket to see Jeff Beck at The Ryman, or to try to get me to open for him." Imagine his surprise when the agent took things a step further and e-mailed the request to Beck's camp and included a link to some footage of Tyler in action. Apparently that was enough to convince Beck and his people to invite Tyler to occupy the support slot not only for the show at the legendary Nashville venue, but for the duration of Beck's tour as well. Tyler, who enthusiastically lists Jeff Beck as his favorite guitarist and one of his biggest influences, was floored with the news. "I couldn't believe it," Bryant ecstatically remembered.
It's obvious in his voice and through his giddiness when discussing his experiences with Beck that he knows how fortunate an opportunity like this is. "He's unreal" Bryant gushed about Beck. "He's always reinventing himself. Jeff Beck is always finding another sick way to make his guitar scream!"
And the admiration seems to be a mutual thing. Beck has been inviting young Tyler to join him on stage of late. "Jeff's asked me to come onstage to join him for the Sly and the Family Stone song 'I Want To Take You Higher,'" Bryant proudly stated. Could there be a higher form of praise from the renowned axe man? How does an up-and-coming player deal with such a flattering invitation? "I was trying to be cool on the outside … but I was screaming on the inside!" he joked.
Beck is know for his reclusive tendencies and for being shy, so I asked Tyler what it was like the first time he met the man face-to-face. "I knocked on his dressing room door and introduced myself," he replied. A bold move for sure, but when chatting with Tyler, I got the feeling he's mature way beyond his years, so it's not an unexpected move on his part. And his maturity, his levelheadedness and his poise are welcomed components of what makes him a special kid. A special kid who just happens to be a pretty amazing guitarist, too.
A word like "prodigy" loses it's validity when it's bandied about so freely these days. Every kid who's got an unusual talent gets beamed around the world in an instant thanks to viral video sites like YouTube and the like. But, as I can wholeheartedly avow, as can many others believers, Tyler Bryant is the real thing. Jaws usually drop and eyebrows raise when Tyler starts to play his guitar. The tall, slender Texan has started to gain quite the reputation for his chops. Add to that package good vocals and songwriting, and he almost sounds too good to be true. "I started writing songs when I was about 15" he remembered. "I needed someone to sing them and I just decided to just sing them myself." He makes the decision sound effortless, like a total no-brainer, but never wanders into the area of cockiness.
"I'm just a rock 'n' roll kid at heart." Tyler told me about some his favorite vocalists. "I love Tom Petty. I love his unique style and phrasing. I'm also a big Chris Robinson/Black Crowes fan. And a big Mick Jagger fan too." And now it's me who's floored: the fact that a 20-year old is citing these three distinctive and idiomatic vocalists as influences is staggering enough, but the passion and elation that he uses when describing them is refreshing.
I have to guess that he was alone in his admiration for such artists while growing up among his schoolmates. "Oh yeah … I was a weird kid" he laughed. "I sucked at sports. I was just so into music." And his isolation was felt none
more than on one day in particular that sticks out in his memory.
Asked personally by Eric Clapton to come play at his Crossroads Festival, Tyler needed to leave school early to make it to the event on time. "Where are you going?" a female classmate asked as he prepared to leave. "Eric Clapton asked me to come play guitar at his festival!" he eagerly quipped. "Who's Eric Clapton" the girl replied. It couldn't been the first time Bryant felt that type of cultural loneliness as most artistic kids do in their formative years. But it's only made him stronger and more determined. Among his goals? "There need to be more rock 'n' roll badasses!" he responded, already on a clear path to becoming one himself. On a more serious note, he talked about wanting to amass a solid fanbase and give his generation one of their own to cheer on. And what of fame and fortune and radio airplay? "My number one goal is to make good honest music. Radio airplay would be nice, too" he admitted. A far cry from the outrageous delusions that sometimes flood the minds of young artists on the brink of stardom.
Bryant has completed his first EP, My Radio, which has been selling well as an iTunes digital download. And for purists who'd rather own physical product, CD pressings are also available. Tyler will begin recording his debut full-length at the beginning of June and he's pretty psyched about it. Working with producer Jay Joyce (Patty Griffin, Cage The Elephant, Emmylou Harris), Bryant epitomizes the eagerness and anxiousness that's often lost on older, more seasoned artists. And again, it sets him apart from many of his contemporaries who have long since compromised their love of music and their passion into nothing more than a job.
Bryant's job is loving music. And playing music. And his practice has paid off.
Those who plan on attending either of Jeff Beck's two shows at the gorgeous Ruth Eckerd Hall this weekend (Friday, May 6 or Saturday, May 7) should make sure they arrive early enough to catch Bryant's opening solo acoustic set, though he normally fronts a tight three-piece band back home in Nashville. But don't expect a typical, ordinary set. Tyler warns that what sets his type of acoustic performance apart is that he plays through an electric guitar amp and uses a wah-wah pedal while doing so. His approach has elicited praise from Beck like "rootsy" and "courageous." He's also garnered some pretty deep appreciation from country music picker (and a personal favorite of mine), Vince Gill. He studied under the tutelage of Texas bluesman Roosevelt Twitty (who he met at a guitar store at the age of 11). And he's been handed plenty of pearls of wisdom from a range of musicians in his young life. The most meaningful? A tidbit from Beck: "It's not what you put in, but what you leave out." He was referring to most upstart guitarists' desire to "shred" endlessly. A good mantra for an upcoming guitar hero to stick to.
How have the audiences greeted him so far? "The response has been unbelievable" Tyler humbly stated. I assure him that, judging from what I've seen and heard of his work so far, the positive response will continue when he rolls into Florida for the first time in his young life. Catch him now while you have the chance, for his star will continue to shine and his reputation and stature as a hot-shot guitarist is only going to increase by leaps and bounds.
This article appears in Apr 28 – May 4, 2011.