Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tyler Lance Walker Gill. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Tyler Lance Walker, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

I’m a musician. I’ve been playing music since I was a kid, and writing my own for a number of years. I gravitated to country music in my writing, because that’s what I grew up listening to in the house. Once I started playing country music in town, I immediately realized there wasn’t much of a “scene” for what I was doing. Long story very short, years went by until I finally decided to see if I could do something to help bolster that scene in Louisville.

And that’s how I became a Tonk Show Host. I didn’t know how to interview people. I didn’t know how to be a “host” at all. And it wasn’t until I started doing it that I realized it’s a very specific skill. I wouldn’t say I’m a professional by any means, but I will say that I’ve gotten much better over time, and the only way I could have gotten the skills I have is through practice.

You can practice music at home in your bedroom. You can sound terrible in front of no one but your cats until you sound good, then you can go do that in public. In this artistic endeavor, I haven’t had the luxury of failing alone. I get to fail in front of a live audience every week, and it’s made me a far better performer over all. So, I’ll say failing is learning if you keep trying.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I grew up in a slightly musical family. My aunt ran a country music jamboree in Mount Washington. It happened every Saturday night. There was a house band and other musical guests. My mom would get up and sing a few from time to time. No one was playing original music, it was all classic country music covers. I was a kid, basically forced to go along, so naturally, I hated country music.

When I got older and started learning the guitar, I steered clear of country altogether. However, as I started writing, country music is just what came out. I think the damage was done in those formative years, so much so that I couldn’t escape. It was woven deep into my brain. Luckily as I got older, I fell in love with country music. Not just the nostalgia of it being the sound track of my childhood, but the craft itself. The characters. The showmanship. All of it. It’s a uniquely American art form that is constantly evolving. It’s not just music, it’s a show.

With the Tuesday show, I get to tap into that element beyond the music itself. It’s super fun for me and hopefully for my audience.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

We live in a time where it’s easier than ever to be creative and find your audience. We all have the internet in our pockets. More to that point, we all have the internet blasted directly into our faces at all times. So as a consumer of art and creativity, it’s never been easier to be a fan. On the flip side, it’s never been more noisy. We’re constantly inundated with “content” and we can’t help but gobble it up.

I think the best thing people can do to support artists is to go see them in person. Go be in the room. Experience art where it happens. Supporting folks on the internet is great, and hitting that follow button is the easiest thing in the world and we should always make sure to do that, BUT… there’s nothing better than the communal experience of art in real time. Seek it out, because if artists aren’t supported, they can’t continue creating.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I live to entertain. The most rewarding thing in the world, to me, is providing a good time for others. Whether that’s through music, comedy, a mix of both, whatever. I want to put on a show where people walk away happier, even if only briefly. We all need to escape for a while, and providing that escape for myself and others is the most important thing I can do with my life.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.tlwgmusic.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrtlwg/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/honkytalkin
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@HonkyTalkin
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@honky_talkin

Image Credits

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