Tyrone Wells

Campus Circle
By David Tobin

The evolution of an artist or a band can be precarious. Second-guessing creativity and passion for marketability and consumer appreciation can infiltrate even the most dedicated souls.

So, when asked to review Tyrone Wells almost a year and a half after he first came onto the scene, I wondered what I'd get.

Since that time, he has gone on to break the record for the number of shows booked on college campuses, he's getting support from STAR 98.7 and Universal Republic Records made him an offer no one could refuse. A lot can change in a year.

The curtain went up, and the music poured through the crowd. Smiles ran across the faces of all the band members as the lights illuminated the fans below.

Wells' sound hadn't changed a bit. The emotion was still as present in every song as the day it was written.

The first indication that Tyrone and his band have evolved was the addition of J. Michael on keys. Michael didn't add something to the music, he brought something out of it – funk.

The band opened up its songs and jammed with rhythm instead of just going from song to song. Not only did it give a fresh sound to the set list, but the band seemed to feed off the energy, as did the crowd.

Just because they added keys doesn't mean this sell-out crowd was witnessing a band on its way somewhere. Wells took time between songs to let the band have a part of the stage.

This is the first step to becoming a band and not just a singer playing his guitar with some guys backing him up. It's rare that you see the focus get shifted to the rest of the band when the name of the act is a single person.

During two different points during the show Wells stepped away from the mic and the El Rey carried a verse and chorus of some fan favorites. One of the highlights of this crowd interaction came when the yodeling requests couldn't be ignored anymore.

Yes, yodeling. Apparently Wells is as multi-talented as he is tall. This guy got the whole place to partake in a call and response of record-breaking yodeling numbers.

Toward the end of a set, Wells took it up a notch and made sure everyone knew this was a band that would be around for a long time. Trumpet and sax players Aaron Leibowitz and Ben Adamson took the stage with a smile and led the band into a jam of some funky favorites. Drummer Mark Chipello's father arranged the mix of Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson and other funk songs.

It's been pretty neat to follow a band like this from the cramped Viper Room to a sold-out show at the El Rey. Seeing a band evolve gives me hope that music is still alive and not dying just because the record labels are having issues. Bands can evolve, grow and develop on their own if they just stick to what got them started in the first place … the music.
- Campus Circle

BUZZ BANDS
For this songwriter, school is back in
Tyrone Wells plies his folky trade on the college circuit, and Low Vs. Diamond grab the alt-rock brass ring.

January 18, 2007

Things are rolling now

He has busked in Brea, strummed outside the cineplex at the Irvine Spectrum and sung over the whir of espresso machines at most any coffeehouse that would have him. But the most serendipitous 15-minute performance of Tyrone Wells' career came a year ago at
the National Assn. of Campus Activities convention in Boston.

"I played 'No Good Without You,' then I told a story," Wells says of the showcase in front of collegiate talent buyers that led to about 150 offers to play gigs. The son of a preacher from Spokane, Wash., ended up taking more than 100 of them; then, in a manner of
speaking, he ran the table on 2006, getting signed to Universal Republic, which on Feb. 6 will release his debut "Hold On."

"Sometimes I felt like I was pushing a boulder up a hill," Wells says. "Then I got to the top and everything started rolling."

Wells' stock in trade is a sincerity that gives shape to his soulful, peace-love-understanding balladry. He's as liable to lapse into storytelling at his shows as he is jamming - "Anybody can hop onstage and play a couple songs," he says - and his charisma is very real, friends say.

"He will play anytime, anywhere," says Wells' producer, Orange County-based Chris Karn. "If he's at Denny's having breakfast and meets a group of people who might be interested in his music, he will grab his guitar, stand up in his booth and play."

Wells headlines the El Rey Theatre on Saturday.
- LA Times

By A.J. Crandall

Friday, February 6, 2009

There are few music venues in Portland as intimate as the KINK.FM Live Performance Lounge. Nestled in the center of a very suburban looking office building, less than 200 yards from the I-405 and in the heart of downtown, it is a dimly lit conference room turned music cave where wonderful things occur on a practically daily basis.

The first half of February is no different. M. Ward, Fiction Family, Tyrone Wells, Lisa Hannigan, Ben Taylor and Todd Snider will have spent the lunch hour with about fifty or sixty lucky listeners and staff members; playing a few songs, telling a few stories, signing a few autographs.

To long time listeners, and you know who you are, it is the ‘Golden Ticket”, a chance to share in the magic. You are THIS close to the performer, making a real connection and hearing a one of a kind performance. Acoustic, mostly, and delivered without the din of background noises that will no doubt compete for your aural attention later that night at whatever venue you’ll wind up going to see them at.

Plus the nice Performance Lounge sponsors throw in an energy drink to enjoy, which comes in handy to stave off the stomach rumblings of fifty to sixty people who have delayed lunch to see the show.

Two days ago, the Golden Ticket arrived via e-mail. “You’ve made the cut” it began. I was in. Tyrone Wells, who was appearing Thursday night at the Aladdin Theater, would be the special guest. I caught him the last time he came to town and remember being taken by his rapport with the audience. He interacted with the fans, told engaging stories, both as a set up to as well as the main thrust of his songs. I was really looking forward to it.

I had read that Wells was going to have a busy day. An appearance on a local morning news/talk show early, KINK.FM Live Performance Lounge at mid day, a guest DJ spot on another radio station for drive time and then the full concert at the Aladdin after dinner. One might call that a full plate.

We settled in around noon in the dimly lit LPL. Zero carb energy drink in hand, I took a front row seat, not quite being quick enough to snag a spot on one of the two cozy couches. Tyrone Wells and his band strode out from the green room to the front of the room. With a quick intro from KINK’s Sean Martin, they were on. He started with the first song of his that caught my attention a few years ago, What Are We Fighting For. This anthemic shout out took on an entire new life in the intimate room and acoustic production.

He followed a short Q&A with the vocally stunning Sea Breeze, from 2006’s Hold On. Kudos must go to Michael Kapulos on the other acoustic guitar on this tune. Sweet melodic timbre jumped from his fingers during the brief solo.
Wells told a story of his days at UCLA, bailing out James Taylor on stage when he was the only one in a crowded auditorium who understood the international sign for capo. As I said, he is an engaging performer. Now here’s where the magic comes in.

To preface his latest single, More from his new album Remain, Tyrone Wells told another story. He told us about how, after working on getting an album out, the process takes over. So much so that, even though he plays the songs night after night, in town after town, he isn’t listening to it. He has written some pretty powerful lyrics, but wasn’t hearing them. Until a fan opened up to him one day.

She said she had heard this new song, More at a very precarious time in her life. She had told him that she was at her breaking point; she had decided to end her life. That was until she had heard the song. As she listened to it, she regained hope enough to change plans. The song spoke directly to her, bringing her around, literally saving her life.

While telling this tale, Wells was visibly choked up, tears evading his best efforts to blink them away and trickled off his cheek. It made the beginning of the song difficult for him to sing, being that emotionally tied up in the power and vulnerability that his creation held for him.

For me, it was the magic moment, when the music transcends the mathematical into the spiritual. The passion that Wells sang that song with was palpable, thick and fore bearing. I not only heard this tune, I felt it. It got inside me and, for that three and a half minutes, took me to another place. The Golden Ticket had paid off again.
Rock on through the zero carb energy drink induced fog. - KINK.FM

Remain- To be left after the removal, loss, destruction, etc., of all else [Dictionary.com]

I was searching for the right words to say that could express my overall feeling of this album and while I searched and searched I came across the above definition that I feel is an accurate representation. From the title track "Remain" until the ending track "Together" you are taken through the journey of life. Through the joys, the pains, the questioning and the longing for something "More," no stone is left unturned.

When a singer sings from their heart, you know it. When they've lived the words that they sing, they show it. And when you can relate to them because you are experiencing similar occurrences in your life you are grateful to know that you are not alone and that you now have something to help you make it through those rough times.

Aside from the fact that Tyrone has an awesome voice that could sing about anything and have you believe it and buy it, he uses his voice as a tool to encourage and inspire others. The song "More" is featured on the promo for the new season of Intervention and has had life changing impacts on the lives of its listeners. Reminding us that there so much more for us to live for, this song has literally saved peoples lives.

Though this album is more pop/rock than some of his previous more soulful releases, every now and again you get a glimpse of the soul that is deeply rooted within him. With a voice so strong and diverse he is able to cross into different genres of music with an ease and sincerity that everyone can enjoy.

My favorite tracks are "Remain", "More", "Losing Ground", "In Between the Lines", "Along the Way" and "Enough." I think that speaks very highly when my favorite tracks make-up half of the album. Not to diminish anything else on the record, these are just the ones that I love to play over and over.

This inspiring collection of music is in stores NOW and be sure to check out Tyrone when he comes to Seattle, WA on February 6th at Neumos and Spokane, WA February 7th at Knitting Factory.


The Beat: Interview with Tyrone Wells
by Aaron Fields | KSTW.com

Posted: 01/27/09

I am very excited to introduce some of you and further familiarize others with a very talented singer/songwriter by the name of Tyrone Wells. He's a native of Spokane, WA and courtesy of Universal Republic I had the extreme pleasure of speaking with him personally this past weekend.

What inspired you to get into music?
I always loved to sing from a very young age. I was always involved with music in school. When I was in college I started a band named Skypark. Eventually I went solo and released 3 independent records and the third was picked up by Universal Republic.

Where did you first began building your music career?
What was your first show like? I've always been involved in music but I began to get serious about making a career out of it in college in LA. My first show was at a coffee shop and a few of my friends were there. I can remember being nervous and shaking but it went well.

Your performing at Neumo's on February 6th, 2009, have you ever performed there before? What other places in the area have you performed?
I've never played at Neumos but I've played at the Crocodile cafe, Chop Suey, Nectar, Q café, Showbox with Colbie Calliat and Bumbershoot.

How does it feel to come back to your hometown and perform?
There's something about being from a region that makes me feel like I get more love in Spokane and Seattle. I get a lot of love from the fans and I miss the rain and the season changes. It's always good to come home.

What was your inspiration for this new album?
Going to London where I recorded 4 songs and wrote 6-7 of the songs on the record. The change of scenery and the vibe of each song all helped to create each story.

What are your favorite songs on the new album?
It's hard for me to say…it's like a parent trying to pick their favorite child. From front to back it's an overall solid record and I love every song.

"Before hearing 'More' I was suicidal, just wanting to end the pain, guilt and shame. While listening to the lyrics I realized even I have something to live for." – Susie How does it make you feel knowing your song had this much impact on someone's life?
When I get an email like that it's like the clouds parted and God was smiling down. I think I cried when I read that. As an artist you hope your making some sort of difference and leaving some sort of a mark. When I read that I realized I'm where I'm supposed to be and I'm grateful for that. I want my music to enrich peoples lives. Inspire them and give them hope. The best music gives you a longing in your heart and soul that you can't explain. That's what I'm trying to accomplish with what I do.

How is this album different than your previous ones?
It's lusher in production; we went for less of a singer/songwriter vibe and a more fuller band arrangement. I think t - kstw.com | The Beat

Singer Tyrone Wells showcased his acclaimed soul songs at the release party for his latest album ‘Remain’
by Shannon McHugh


When most people think of the folk music genre, they imagine a female singer with long flowing hair adorned with flowers, carelessly strumming a beat-up guitar, singing songs about war and hate and how they should both just stop.

This isn’t always the case, however, as the attendees of Tyrone Wells’ album release party quickly learned last Friday night at the El Rey Theatre.

“With this new album, and with my record label really trying to get me out there in the music world,” Wells explained, “they did an interesting thing: They put me in the folk genre. I really don’t think I’m much of a folk musician, but apparently it worked because my album is now number one on the folk charts.”

The night was a wonderful celebration for Wells, a longtime musician who has played everywhere from coffeehouses and bookstores to weddings and proposals and, now, larger venues like the El Rey. His music began with just him and an acoustic guitar, singing sappy love songs about the women in his life, which immediately attracted the attention of every woman in the room. That has not changed much. Finding a man in the room on Friday night was like trying to find a needle in a very dim and noisy haystack.

Before Wells’ nearly two hour set, two other amazing musical groups came up to show the crowd what they could do. The first performer was Keaton Simons, a bluesy guitar man with a milky-smooth voice and songs that could melt the hardest of hearts. He sang of heartache, falling in love and the ultimate desire to “get the hell out of [his] house.”

The next group of performers was a band by the name of Lady Danville, a group that began when the members joined an a cappella group at UCLA and is now performing all over the country with Wells. Their music has a more folksy vibe, with Michael Gardner on piano and vocals, Dan Chang on guitar and vocals and Matthew Frankel on the cajon (a drum that looks like a box that he plays by slapping various faces of the box to generate different sounds) and vocals, as well.

Then, after a couple stage changes, Wells is ready to make his entrance, but not before Erykah Badu’s song, “Tyrone” comes through the speakers singing, “I think you better call Tyrone.” Suddenly, the curtains open and a tall, pale, bald man steps onto the stage and the crowd goes wild. It seems he has much more of a pop or rock vibe than a folk artist, but the record label knows best, right?

He begins to sing his first song, “Sink or Swim,” from his new album “Remain.” The song exudes a different feel than most of his previous albums, which had more of a blues or soul feel, and the crowd loves it. He continues by singing all of the songs on his new album. Highlights included “Enough,” “In Between the Lines” and the album’s namesake, “Remain.”

The most emotional part of the night was when he spoke about his song, “More,” which he said has truly inspired not only him, but also many people around the country, moving them in a way that not many artists have the ability to do very often. It’s a song about how everyone has worth in the world and everyone is just looking for that piece of life that they so desperately desire which makes them feel like, well, more.

“This song is really important to me,” Wells explained. “It is a song that talks about hope and knowing that there is something more out there for everyone. I had this woman come up to me at a show and tell me she was planning on killing herself the night she heard this song, and when she heard it, she decided not to do it. It resonates with people.”

His new album, “Remain,” is currently on iTunes and can be found on his website at www.tyronewells.com. - Daily Trojan