NEW ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: Tyler Farr

By Bob Doerschuk

© 2013 CMA Close Up® News Service / Country Music Association®, Inc.

Tyler Farr celebrates girls and trucks. Just what Country Music needs, right?

In Farr’s case, absolutely. He follows a familiar path through much of Redneck Crazy, his Columbia Nashville debut. But every now and then he slams on the brakes and veers in an unexpected direction.

Farr’s drawl draws from somewhere south of his hometown, Garden City, Mo. He rasps too, whether it’s from loving the outdoorsman’s lifestyle or working four nights each week at Tootsies Orchid Lounge. (The legendary Nashville venue hired him originally as a bouncer.)

His music is catchy, riff-heavy and steeped deep in tradition. He knows what kind of image he projects. But he has fun with it too, on “Wish I Had a Boat,” which is all about … wishing he had a boat. On various tracks, he compliments his ladies by comparing them to moonshine.

Then hold on for those sudden turns. The title track, let’s be honest, paints a scary picture of a jilted lover beaming his truck’s lights into his ex’s window at 3 AM and hurling empty beer cans at “both of your shadows” inside. This guy sounds dangerous; but on the other hand, Farr fully conveys his raw fury and pain without apology.

Yet on the last track, “Living With the Blues,” Farr goes solo, just acoustic guitar and a near-whispered lyric that reflects fragility and doubt. These yin and yang performances suggest there’s much more in Farr’s artistry than mere boat lust.

For more on Tyler Farr, visit www.CMACloseUp.com.

IN THEIR OWN WORDS

MUSICAL HERO
“George Jones.”

DREAM DUET PARTNER
“Hank Williams Jr.”

BOOK ON YOUR NIGHTSTAND
“The Bible.”

PET PEEVE
“People posting food on Instagram.”

WORD YOU SAY OVER AND OVER AGAIN
“Damnit.”

FAVORITE MODE OF TRANSPORTATION
“My truck.”

MOMENT YOU’D LOVE TO RELIVE
“The last day is spent with my grandpa.”

FAVORITE FOOD ON THE ROAD
“Vienna sausages.”

TITLE OF YOUR AUTOBIOGRAPHY
“One Hell of a Ride.”

ITEMS FOR YOUR TIME CAPSULE
“What the hell is a time capsule?”

SOMETHING WE’D NEVER GUESS ABOUT YOU
“I buy things at Bed Bath & Beyond.”

On the Web: www.TylerFarr.com

On Twitter: @TylerFarr