We were lucky to catch up with Michael Tipton recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Michael, thanks for joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

I would say the most meaningful project I’ve worked on so far has been my solo album that was released in 2023 and the subsequent formation of my band, The Scoundrels.

Back in 2020, when we were all on lockdown, I had the time to get back in to the music I grew up on, which was largely western swing and traditional country music. I went on a deep dive of several records I had not listened to in decades and from that, a creative spark was ignited. I began learning the guitar parts to some of the songs I had been listening to, learning new chord patterns and a style that I had not previously played. Simultaneously, I was preparing to move out of my rural home and as a part of that, went through boxes upon boxes of newspaper clippings from my youth: I raised cattle and was involved in 4-H from first grade through my senior year in high school and I had a bunch of photos that brought me back to pre-internet life on the farm. I also came across all the old band news articles and photos across the many years I have been playing music.

I began reflecting on the parts of my upbringing and experiences from “the road” with bands, which turned that creative spark in to a fire. I knew I wanted to put together a project that paid personal tribute to both the past and the future, musically. I knew I wanted it to be rooted in traditional country music. I had no idea where to begin on that as I had never pursued this type of project on my own: I had always been a part of a band with multiple people inputting the direction from the start. So, this was mine to own and could be a great starting point for myself to distinguish a change in direction musically and lyrically for me.

After I moved back to Kansas City, I started digging around for live music that aligned with my interests. I began going out to see bluegrass and traditional country acts around the area, just to feed the fire and get me familiar with the community of people making that type of music. What I found, over time, was that there is a treasure trove of talent in Kansas City in the form of folk, country, bluegrass and roots musicians. I fell head over heels in love with that community and wanted to be a part of it.

As I began writing songs for this project, I found the stylistic approach was so different than any other type of music I had played before (rock, electronic, funk) so many of my first attempts at writing country songs were pretty bad! as an artist, sometimes you treat your creations like they are a baby to you and you don’t ever throw things out, even if they’re bad. Realizing this, I took an approach to my songwriting that was more objective than before, yet I had these really personal stories I wanted to share, so that was a juxtaposition I had never been in before and it was challenging to keep pushing myself to fine tune the music and re-do the lyrics and alot of times, just scrap the whole damn thing and start on another idea.

This became a very intentional and meaningful dive into the craft of songwriting. I watched endless hours of performances and attended songwriting webinars and events. I had to admit to myself that I had about 1/2 of the understanding I needed to really achieve what I wanted to do, so I kept learning.

I ended up writing 7 songs that I thought were solid and told good stories so then I booked time at a studio (Weights & Measures Soundlab in KC) to start laying down the basics. During that time, I reconnected with two of my childhood friends who had spent years playing music and touring with and they were game for tackling some country music. We played a couple of small shows and I brought in other musicians that I had met through attending other live music events the years previous.

Concurrently, a friend of mine and I had gone into the studio to mix and album that was “lost” almost 12 years prior, so I got back into the swing of editing song parts, listening closely for nuances in the recordings and so on. I feel like if I hadn’t done that piece, which was not related to the country project, the recording of my solo album would’ve been much more difficult. It’s funny how the Universe drops things in your lap that later you look back on and say “Whoa- I really needed that information for the future.”

Once songs began getting recorded, I started to realize that each song I had written had a little tie-in with one or two other songs in the set I was recording. I began really looking at how I could tell a larger story from the whole set of songs and what order those needed to be played in to tell it correctly. Once that clicked in my brain, the title “Out of the Woods” was established for the album and I began making sure the instrumentation across the album was diverse and supported the storytelling as a whole.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a longtime musician. When I was in second grade, I was asked what I wanted to be when I grow up and I said “rock star!” Music is just a part of my DNA. I played in bands in high school and college and then right after college, began playing with a band we named Tabla Rasa, which lasted for 6-7 years and we spent many hours on the road and playing for people across the Midwest. It was my first taste of success in music.

I play guitar, harmonica, sing and have enough knowledge of piano, mandolin and now some banjo to be dangerous. Back in 2012, I started a Talking Heads tribute band in Kansas City. We are called Found A Job and we have a great fanbase here! we play Knuckleheads, Lemonade Park, The Ship, and Recordbar typically. It’s comprised of 8 people and it’s a high-energy choreographed performance we put on. In addition, I play the country music I’ve written, along with some traditional and modern traditional cover songs in Michael Tipton & The Scoundrels.

I also host a podcast called “Bottom’s Up: The Country & Western Music of Kansas City” where I share the songs and scene happenings of the folk, roots, country and western community! You can find it on Spotify currently, but will be relaunched on all platform in early 2025.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My mission is to be a respected part of the Kansas City musical legacy. The folks playing music today in all genres that reside in Kansas City get to be a part of that legacy and it’s not something I take for granted. I want to be a part of Kansas City re-defining itself as a live music destination for people all over the country. If I can do that through a podcast, my own music, connecting artists from other cities to KC artists or just inviting people to and attending shows by KC artists, then I am upholding a legacy that started back in the Prohibition Era with the legendary jazz musicians that made KC a hotspot for music. That, to me, is worth the time and effort I put into my own art.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

There are a couple of things. One, it’s seeing people connect with the music and lyrics at a live show. Getting folks out on the dance floor. This is the most rewarding part of what I have done over the last 20 years. The second, is that I meet the coolest people! Whether they are fans of Found A Job that I meet after a show or other musicians I get to work with. I feel like, especially in the last 3-4 years, I have met and been able to collaborate with some of the most interesting and talented people I’ve ever had the pleasure of rubbing elbows with. It’s made such an impact on my life on in so many ways and I’m really grateful for this experience I get to have.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.michaelbtiptonmusic.com
• Instagram: @michaelbtiptonmusic
• Facebook: @michaeltiptonmusic
• Youtube: @michaelbtiptonmusic
• Soundcloud: @michaelbtiptonmusic
• Other: tik tok: @michaelbtiptonmusic

Image Credits

Primary photo by Ryan Bell

Portrait photo by Morgan Miller Photography