Beginning his career in 2008, Tyler Edwards was the songwriter and front man for South Carolina rock band, I Anthem. After releasing two EPs and an LP, the band had multiple songs break the Top 10 on Billboard’s Rock Charts and music featured on MTV and NASCAR. In 2015, Edwards disbanded the group, launched his solo career with a 6-song EP, Too Young for Love, and relocated to Seattle, WA. After developing a new local fan base, he recorded a live album in 2016, Live from the Columbia City Theater.
Since releasing his first solo record in 2017, Tyler has sold out multiple Seattle venues and shared the stage with national acts such as Ian Noe, Will Hoge, Nicki Bluhm, and The Steel Wheels. With his new album, A Falling Sky, out this past Friday, Edwards has put his best foot forward with a songwriting process he describes below as “effortless.” Indeed, “Highway Dust” is a gentle ballad full of steel resolve. Look below the surface of Edwards’ lullaby-like cadence, and you’ll find a beautiful, sedate, love song — not just for a single person, but for the adventure life places before us.
Do you start off with the music or lyrics first? Why?
I spend majority of my time working on the lyrics but generally, a melody and lyric happen at the same time. I generally don’t work on the chorus until I have the verse. So it starts with melody and words, but then I camp out with the lyrics before moving on. I guess I do this because I’m not really interested in a catchy melody if there is no deeper meaning that intrigues me. I listen to lyrics first when I hear songs for the first time.
Explain the title of your album.
A Falling Sky is a line from another song on the album called “Sugar Hill.” In that song, the line goes, “Don’t be afraid if the evening takes a turn, if the stars ignite a falling sky, just let it burn.” I think this line really summarizes the tone of the overall record and the past few years we have gone through as a society. Times get tough but sometime we just have to believe we will get through it.
What have you missed about touring?
Nothing beats playing songs live and having the opportunity to connect with people. I think the best songs tell a story or start a conversation. I am thankful for the digital means to distribute music and be heard, but nothing beats getting to see how your songs communicate and affect people face to face. I also just love traveling and sharing new experience with new and old friends.
How are you using your platform to support marginalized people?
I’m trying to listen and share more of what speaks to me from other artists, especially the ones that might not get a fair shot. I don’t know how much of a platform I have necessarily, but I do think that one of the most powerful things we can do to support artists is to tell others about their art. So, I try to seek out new music and tell others. For instance, I have really been getting into Big Thief; Adrianne Lenker is an amazing songwriter. There are also a few more artists I love that I hope people find and fall in love with like Sera Cahoone, Deep Sea Diver, and Lemolo.
Do you have any songwriting tips you can share?
I would say take your time and make peace with your inner critic. I think peace takes honesty; so, I have found so much satisfaction in not rushing or lying to myself. If something doesn’t feel quite right, it’s okay to leave it alone for a little bit and come back. People are gonna like different things, but people will always respect what you do if it feels genuine. There needs to be freedom to create but also laser precision to edit and change. I also think the ultimate sign that a song is finished is when it feels effortless. The magic trick here is that you put in the effort, a lot of effort, but you keep pushing until you reach the feeling of… this has always been exactly what it should be. I can’t tell you how to reach that, but you will know when you get there.
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