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Tyler James Kelly
Tyler-James Kelly makes 1970s-inspired country music for the modern world. It's a warm, lived-in sound, created by a longtime songwriter who's happy to be a torchbearer for the music that's always inspired him. A guitarist since the age of 10, he grew up listening to honky-tonk pickers and top-shelf songwriters, falling in love with artists like Hank Williams, Jerry Reed, Robert Johnson, George Jones, and Jim Croce. He also developed a taste for the storytellers of the 1970s, including Kris Kristofferson, Merle Haggard, Don Williams, and Guy Clark. Kelly's appreciation for the old stuff — vintage tones, timeless songwriting, analog production — is on full display with Dream River, an album that turns classic ingredients into something contemporary. Hailed by Rolling Stone as a "deft chicken-pickin' guitarist" with a "head-turner" live show, Tyler-James Kelly sees Dream River as more than just an introduction to his solo career. He views the album as a part of something much bigger. It's a celebration of the music that's inspired generations of songwriters, pickers, and fans, performed by a songwriter who's happy to wear his influences on his sleeve.