Jenny & Tyler

Last Login 11/17/11

• East Nashville, TN
• Backed 3 projects
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To see Jenny and Tyler perform live is to be invited into their home and treated like an old friend. Audiences of all sizes are captivated instantly by the percussive guitar, soaring vocals, and harmonies to die for all wrapped up in a unique fusion sound a fan dubbed 'soulgrass'. But it is not the music alone that makes Jenny and Tyler so special; as they sing together, they manage to share deep parts of themselves in honest and engaging ways. This same intimacy translates onto both their debut and sophomore independent albums and has left many of their fans marveling at how they are able to express authentic personal emotion in such a public medium. The answer to this question is brought to light by the way Jenny and Tyler began making music together.

Born in Wilmington, DE in a home drenched in jazz and Barbra Streisand, Tyler was raised to the tune of his father's original compositions and his mother's voice crooning jazz standards. It wasn't long before Tyler picked up a guitar and began writing music of his own. One might say Jenny grew up steeped in old-timey tradition. Bluegrass and Southern Gospel formed the soundtrack of her early years, and she too began to find a home for self-expression in the art of songwriting.

In the fall of 2004 Jenny and Tyler met on a bus taking them from the University of Delaware to church. Almost immediately they began writing songs together. "It seemed natural for music to be part of our relationship, as it was such a big part of who we were individually," muses Tyler. They didn't form a duo right away; instead they helped each other with songs and backed each other up at shows. Tyler formed a band with his roommate, and Jenny continued to write and perform as a solo act. Before long Jenny and Tyler began dating and in the summer of 2006 they began work on an album together. "Really up until we started recording A Prelude we weren't a band," Jenny says. "Before that I wrote songs as a kind of therapy, almost because I had to. I never thought I would become a professional musician," she laughs. "But after that first record, everything changed."

In between the production and release of Jenny & Tyler's first record, A Prelude, the couple married, and in December 2007, the record dropped. The pair spent the next year touring the mid-Atlantic states and in August 2008 decided to move to Nashville to focus more on music. In April 2009 Jenny & Tyler released their second self-produced, independent record, This Isn't A Dream. "We really believe in this record," Tyler says, "it speaks to where our hearts are today. There is so much pain in our world and people are looking for something real to hold onto, often in all the wrong places." "But don't worry, it's not all serious stuff," Jenny interrupts, "There are some fun love songs too." " "Yes," Tyler nods. "We've really brought our bluegrass and jazz backgrounds together and produced something new with this one. It is us, but we have also tried to capture some of the emotion that comes through the different challenges and joys of the human experience and give them clarity and expression."

Jenny & Tyler toured extensively in support of their new record in the Spring and Fall of 2009. They are truly an independent band. "We operate as our own booking, management, store, publicity, we don't have anyone working for us," Tyler says. "It's overwhelming at times," Jenny adds, "But it's where we are for now and it really makes us appreciate what we have." It also makes for an interesting touring style. Jenny & Tyler take turns driving their Honda Element from city to city, staying with friends, family, and friends of friends along the way to cut costs. "We've met some really amazing people," Jenny says. "People are so kind to us and many times they open their homes to us without having met us before" "Yeah," adds Tyler, "It's a really incredible experience." Jenny & Tyler have sold over 5,000 records independently and plan on releasing their third record in the fall of 2010.