Lee Tyler Post

In the letter that came with the CD Lee Tyler Post mailed to me he mentioned that this CD was recorded on a 16 track, 2 inch Analog machine with zero digital corrections-- you know, old school. The tone of his letter seemed to be that he was concerned that I might not wish to review a CD built on ancient technologies, but fact is: this is exactly what I’m looking for.

Lee has paid his dues in the record business, having crossed the country beginning in Austin, Texas, moving to Nashville, then California before returning to Nashville where he currently resides. A veteran of years spent touring the west, Midwest, and southwest; Lee has developed a clear voice capable of winning hearts and souls both young and old. His music is reminiscent of old school Southern Rock without the pain of electric guitar solos that pierce your ears and stay with you for days thereafter.

Lee Post is the solo singer/songwriter, the type of guy who finds his own way, blazes his own trail. Oh sure, you’ll hear many familiar influences in the music he plays and the songs he writes, but you’ll always know it’s his alone. The guys will sing along and the girls will melt. When he walks off the stage, hearts will be broken, destined to suffer until his return.

Rock and blues based, Lee’s music has been described as follows:

“...Throw the imagio of Johnny Cash, the vocal clarity of Edwin McCain, and Dylan-esque lyrics, and somewhere in the beat-- you’ll find Lee...” -Michael Shear, New York Overview

“...Lee Tyler Post: from the heart of Texas. Bluesy, rock oriented, folk inspired, soulful, unique, and just plain cool...” -Gary Hays, owner Hobo Joe’s, Nashville, Tennessee.

This is the type of music that talks to your soul. Acoustic guitar based, rock style ballads that tell the story of your own life as if Lee had spent his life writing your life. It’s songs about falling in love and the price you pay. As a matter of fact, The Price You Pay is the title of one of Lee’s songs, a bluesy, hard hitting ballad about losing someone you love.

Lee lists among his influences; John Hiatt, Tom Waits. Eric Clapton, Neil Young, Otis Redding, the Allman Brothers, and Don Henley. And you’ll hear them when you hear Lee Tyler Post. On his website, LeeTylerPost.com, Lee lists numerous upcoming tour dates including several in my home state of North Carolina as well as one in my hometown-- I think I’ll try and catch him live. You should too.
- By Billy Jones of IdleHandsMag.com

If there's one thing this era doesn't have a shortage of, it's singer-songwriters (and baaaaad white rappers). So much, in fact, that it's become ho-hum (as far as potential goes) when you hear yet another "singer-songwriter prodigy" on the air. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the evoked emotion is usually a rolling of eyes, a deep breath, and “ohhhhhh-kay.” Nowadays, instead of enjoying a set, it seems like you’re suffering through it. Hell, it’s said that everybody in LA has a script; well it seems that everybody here, has a song. So, that being said, it makes it kinda hard to promote what most may see as “just another singer/songwriter”, but damn…just check the man out.

Okay dig this, for once you’re not gonna hear that he’s “a refreshing blend of Ani and Nick Drake”, “a new face in the blues/folk/rock/country world”, or “the next big thing, here in good ol Syr.” Hell, he doesn’t need me to hype him up; his music’ll do that for him. Y’see he’s got what most s/s’s think they have…what most has been’s (and never was’) are pining away for…Lee Post has heart. Seriously. Seeing him play live (and rock the hell outta a…ahem…local book chain), was not only a wake up call to my view of local musicians; but seeing as he did so “at 60%” (his words), was all the more amazing. Going for nearly 2 and ½ hours without intermission (completely smashed with the flu), was leagues beyond most artists I’ve had the…ahem…pleasure of aiding. Sick enough to merit canceling, he still made the trip out, played an amazing 2.5-hour set, found time to talk with me, and concluded with a shorter set. But not once did he tell the crowd he was sick, and not a person in the house noticed. He simply anticipated, improvised, and played one helluva show. And the intermission wasn’t even an intermission…his cousin played a short, yet impressive, blues set. Damn. Then, he tells me he’s used to playing for 3 to 4 hours at a stretch…without pause. You find me one other person in NY who would do that, come on…I double dog dare ya.

In any case, yeah, his style has been done a million times before, but rarely with such conviction. So how would one describe his style? Throw the imagio of Johnny Cash, the guitar tones of Stevie Ray, the vocal clarity of Edwin McCain, and Dylan-esque lyrics, and somewhere in the beat is Lee. Having returned fresh from his small Cal. tour, he found some extra time to play a local FREE venue. But enough about the man, let’s focus on the music. His preliminary album, “If Hope had Reason” (MSM Prod. 1999), is much more mellow than 2000’s “Under the Strained Umbrella”; it’s an acoustical-blues thundercloud looming over the horizon. In fact, in “Salvation Manor”, Lee says “…Separation sometimes, like a cloud folding bellows in the night. Hanging around, waiting for the sun to die.” Powerful lyrics? Ahhh, well here’s where things get interesting. With tracks such as “Thankful of the Lord”, “God’s Got a Radio”, and “Lords of Grace”, many would be quick to discount the albums as Christian. Which, let’s be realistic, immediately stigmas the discs, which gives people a pre-disposed attitude about his music. I mean, damn…I cannot STAND Christian rock (nor fake-pagan rock to boot), however Lee has found a way to convey his words (and message) such that they’re neither preachy, nor down-your-throat. Quite simply, he manages to incorporate his faith into his music, without turning it into a subliminal sermon (a la Jars of Clay and gasp Creed). So go into it without any preconceptions…trust me, you will not be disappointed.




But I digress. In any case, MSM “If Hope Had Reason…” is stripped down, real music. I mean, when you look at cookie cutter rock (any of which clutter 93q and 107), yeah…this music doesn’t have a universal flavor; which is exactly it’s appeal. This is music for rainy nights, for solo driving' for "down" time. Not to sound hokey, but damn, you can tell he feels his words in his soul; that they're not sung because they rhyme. Yes, it does seem as if the album goes from somewhat hopeful, to outright sadness' but stick around, things get better. I think the strongest track (in an album of strong tracks) of "If Hope" is "Salvation Manor" (by far). "Under the grain hour glass are hidden strands of lives I have passed And though it's hard to understand I try not to breathe too hard or too fast So don't hurry again Just give it time for the hope to dig in" A far cry from "Oops I Did you Again"? I think so. Also impressive is "Highway 47":"Goin down Highway 47 runnin' from the lies I have made. Starin' out across the long horizon thinkin of the woman I left behind" Now don't get me wrong, this isn’t depressive “country meets Depeche Mode”; it’s good (daaaamn good) music.

Definitely the more upbeat (and "plugged") of the two, "Under the Strained Umbrella", is shorter and more energetic than the somber 'Hope'. This was also Post's first album recorded in his own studio ("Miracle Something"), which, of cours - Michael Shear of the New York Overview

I don't know Lee Tyler Post personally. I first met him in San Diego at the Acoustic Alliance XI where he performed with 11 other performers in a round robin rotation. Four players would go up on stage at once and each take turns singing three songs each. Each rotation of performers increased the experience and level of talent so when Lee went up with the last batch he was in good company. Sitting last, he sat quietly as the other three performers each did one song each. The crowd of 200 was all milling about between the music; the bar and the back of the room where the artists merchandise tables were set up. When Lee started his first of three songs, the whole room stopped, turned and listened. His voice was masked by his kind and quiet demeanor but only until he sang. And that is Lee Tyler Post. An amazing performer and king and gentle soul who is on a journey many of us wish we could experience.

So when Lee contacted me out of the blue saying he was passing through D.C. on is national tour and asked if I could help him with a gig (we were introduced that night by our mutual brother in music, Hot Rod Harris), I jumped at the chance to set something up. By the time he arrived in D.C. in July, I had the D.C. Acoustic Underground (DCAU) up and running so I took the opportunity to steal a performance with him and decided to open up his show myself. What happened next was really amazing and a true testimony to Lee's music. His wife, Jackie, was setting up his CDs for sale when he was starting his first song and by the time he finished his first song, she had sold three of them. Looking at her I knew she was used to it. That night, Lee sold 14 CDs to people who had never heard of him before that performance. One local singer/songwriter actually came up to him later that night and told him she cried during one of his songs. She told him she was changed and reinvigorated after hearing him. Another regular told me just recently she emailed him a thank you for recommending a movie and everyone wants to know when he's coming back. I am wondering too.

Lee's music is a powerful blend of soul and heart delivered in haunting melodies on an incredible voice. The lyrics hold your attention as you wait to see where he is taking you. Every song is different. Some have happy endings and some sad and you feel all of it. This is what the DCAU was made for; to bring this experience to D.C. Recently I got a short email from Lee asking how I was doing. Sitting here, typing this and listening to one of your six records, I can tell you Lee; I'm doing just fine. Thank you brother.

D.C. Acoustic Underground
- BY MICHAEL YUGO

Going down the long winding road of music, you live a double life. It's an angel and a devil. The guys out there that pull the long miles and play endless shows are few and far between in today's scene. But every so often you find a true road warrior who keeps pushing forward because it is what he is meant to do. Through the good times and the bad these events have forged the unsung heroes who still have soul. And with that, I give you Lee Tyler Post

HM - Would you ever sign with a major label at this stage in your career?
LTP - Maybe. They would have to give me complete control of the creative process (songs I pick for the album etc) and whom I choose to work with. And allow me to produce or pick who I want to co-produce with. Usually it does not work this way unless you're a proven breadwinner already. (Like Dave Matthews did) I guess if the right situation arose, I would. But getting signed does not mean what it use to. So yeah, I guess it's possible but highly unlikely.

HM - What's it like to keep up the rigorous touring schedule that keeps you on the road most all the time?
LTP - Just a feeling of self-pride. Exhausting at times but more rewarding than not. Something happens when you live on the road all the time. It becomes such a way of life, that when I stop and stay idle for a few months, I feel a sort of emptiness. To be honest, I miss a lot of the people I meet on tour. I can't wait to return and hang out, or have a good laugh (like the ones with you) and play the new tunes I got, and the old ones they like. It usually takes about 100 miles out of the gate each time to get that "ahhhhhhhh' feeling back. I just love the road. It's home to me. So it's very hard for me to stop and say, "Time for a break, to record, shut it down." I should add though the positive side of being in one place is the hometown fans. That really helps.

HM - What is the high point of your career and why does it mean so much to you?
LTP - I can't pinpoint one specific moment but I would have to say this past run of 24 months or so has been special. A lot has happened. Every night has been an adventure. Many of the people who have written me over the years and said what a huge impact my music's been to them, I have gotten to meet and play for. It's an awesome feeling hearing fans sing along, then afterwards telling you how much they enjoyed it live. That's probably the greatest feeling I get on the road. Makes the miles seem like walking across the street for a paper. I can't even explain what it feels like. That high point probably can't be matched. It's magic. Addicting.

HM - You've lived the life most musicians can only dream of. If you could change one thing, what would it be?
LTP - Lower gas prices … ha ha. They're killing me. Seriously, not much. I'm on course with exactly what I set out to do. Sponsorship is next, as well as a nice tour bus. But truly, if I wanted things to be easier, quicker, I could have made it happen. I've done just about everything I can to make sure I'm not famous (ha ha) taken every high road and hard way … I think it's working! LOL. To be able to fund a small band to back me up and add a little extra dimension live… that I would change I guess. But that will all happen eventually, along with the tour bus and sponsorship. It's the journey, not the destination that matters. I'm all about the quest.

HM - Giving back to the community seems to be a big thing with you. How is it that you feel the need to give back so much and expect nothing in return?
LTP - Music in general seems to have such a huge impact on people's lives and it's always a great and humbling experience when charities ask you to perform for a worthy cause. (Cancer Benefits, homeless benefits, mental health facilities, child abuse etc.) I think eventually everyone is affected by one of these tragic events, either personally, or through a family member or friend. So when you have a talent or gift that can help lift the spirits of others in need, whether musically, a hospice worker, social worker, or comic - I feel you have an obligation to help. Not to mention the incredible feeling of satisfaction and elation you get from the smiles of those you're helping. And since I make a living playing my music, that basically other people fund by buying my albums, I feel like I owe much more than I give. My wife Jackie and I want to do so many things for the less fortunate. More hands on. We just need to get the funding and make it happen - and we will. I just think it comes natural to help others. Feels so good. We all need help. You're helping me right now man… and I thank you brother - big time!!!

HM - I'm sure we haven't heard the highest point of LTP yet. What do we have to look forward to from you in the future?
LTP - Oh, I'll be out there wandering the highways until they cart me off. (Ha ha) Hopefully I can keep making music that people want to hear. And reach new heights as far as touching people's - Jeff Hightower of NashvilleRock.Net

The Gypsy Troubadour By James Smith
Encore Magazine / Cape Fear Coast
North Carolina, July 2006

It seems nowadays the music industry is full of manufactured artists with dollar signs in their eyes, feeding their huge egos. Whatever happened to the home-grown, humble artist who created music just for the love of it? During this day and age, it’s extremely difficult to find someone who measures up to those attributes, especially when considering how cut-throat the industry is. Fortunately not all is lost. One unique soul that freely expresses his love for the art form is singer-songwriter Lee Tyler Post.

With this in mind, Post hasn’t been an overnight success. He’s been strumming on his acoustic guitar while crooning to open ears since the mid-‘90s. Starting out as a San Diego-based artist during that time, he opened for bands such as Missing Persons and Blink 182. These talents would later lead him to appear on the KUSI and KNSD morning shows. All the while, Lee has been spreading what some would call “blue collar music” (or rock ‘n’ soul as he calls it) to everyone within earshot.

This “blue collar music” is what separates Lee from most other artists. His songs are mostly about working-class concerns, which is why Lee considers himself a working-class musician. He has performed in over half the states in America, while driving all the miles to and from the venues without having a record label, a manager or a booking agent. This explains where his “blue collar” attitude comes from.

“I like to connect with others through music, maybe share a moment while I’m onstage,” he says. “In a way, I envy the days of Woody Guthrie, traveling by boxcars, playing for food.”

That, my friends, is what you call down-to-earth. Don’t think that the self-proclaimed “Gypsy Troubadour” stops there. He has also spent his time and talents for charitable causes. He has performed for benefits such as M.A.D.D., the M.S. Society and The Ramona Cancer Resource Center. His most recent visit was The Heartland Psychosocial Rehabilitation Center in San Diego—he is a very busy man.

From the mid-‘90s through today, Lee has released six albums. His latest release, Emancipate, takes you on a journey through his emotions and his thoughts on love. He is one artist that is not afraid to show his humility to others. With an impressive combination of a husky voice and earthy lyrics, it becomes surprisingly easy to relate to what he has to say. Even in the midst of its gloomy mood, Emancipate always offers something enlightening. “Vacant” is an example—a depressing song about lost love. The calm rumbling of the guitars and the husky crooning straps you in for an emotional rollercoaster ride, but proves more memorable than fearful. While “Revisited” (a slow ballad that sounds like it could have been a hit during the ‘50s) may lift your spirits about being in love, things take another twist on “When It’s Over.”

Judging by his music, it’s understandable why some have tagged his live performances (some of which last two to three hours without a pause) “intense and straight from the heart.” The music speaks for itself.

Having recorded this album on a 16 track, two-inch analog machine, with zero digital corrections, Post obviously has grass roots at the heart of everything. His old school vibe and process of making music makes his sound authentic—not deceiving by modern technologies. An artist of such talent and love for music comes one in a million. Be at his show at the Juggling Gypsy on Thursday, August 3rd at 8 pm. - By James Smith

Inside of the first 30 seconds of listening, Emancipate is already one of my favorite records! Here are ten beautiful gems in the form of expertly rendered songs sung by a guy with one of those voices that burns so sweetly from the spirit within — that place where God and sex share the same space.

Post’s big, big urgent voice is parked somewhere between the rough growls of Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam) and the soulful pleas of Eddie Kendricks (Temptations) whom we all know, knew, and came to love. With a raw but disciplined voice, he takes manly charge of every note he encounters, spinning his way through this masterful CD.

The components are simple. A voice. A coupla guitars. Some bass and a little percussion. There’s no high-tech wizardry here. There are no existentially long solos. It’s not too long. Most impressively, there are no reservations in its delivery. It is quite simply, honest. Even in its quietest moments the music speaks loudly in its own confidence and condition without begging for attention for attention’s sake.

Post has deployed the instincts of Simeon Flick (guitars, bass, percussion) and Andy Machin (production and percussion) at Big Fish Studios. Flick and Machin’s contributions are equally impressive in that they offer smart changes and subtle embellishments while clearing the way for this lion to roar. Often times rockers start jamming away until the mix is drunk with cacophony, since that’s what they know or think their supposed to do. And while that scenario usually strives to add personality, or “popability,” it most often dilutes it. This is not that kind of record, but rather it is a creation resulting from smart, innate, and heartfelt choices that seem to concern themselves with how strongly the material is written. I’d also like to say that these songs bear that magical quality where the music sounds like the words being sung, and vice versa. Further, Lee Tyler Post sings with ease. His triumph isn’t so much that he finally sang it right, so much as that he’s so willing and so capable to sing so nakedly honest.

Believe for yourself at www.leetylerpost.com - by Frederick Leonard of The San Diego Troubadour

"...Post's sound is as much "the Boss" (Springsteen) and Van Morrison as it is Otis Redding and Al Green: blue-collar heartland grit mixed with Motor City soul..." The San Diego Troubadour

"...It's a hard road that's seldom taken these days. But I, for one, sleep better at night knowing there are still people like Lee Tyler Post in the world, traveling from town to town like a wandering gypsy troubadour and sending us musical dispatches from along the way to remind us what it's like out there..." - Jerry Jodice of The Great American Music Hour (WRIR-FM 97.3 Richmond, VA)

"...Music that is soulful and bluesy with home grown inspiration, with lyrics that resonate of someone who is grounded in family and faith..." - Balentine Productions, Florida

"...Lee Tyler Post; From the heart of Texas. Bluesy, rock oriented, folk inspired, soulful, unique, and just plain cool..." - Nashville Club Owner - Hobo Joe's

"...This is the type of music that talks to your soul. Acoustic guitar based, rock style ballads, that tell the story of your own life, as if Lee had spent his life - writing yours!..." Billy Jones of IdleHandsMag.com in North Carolina

"...Post has a voice that can jump from refined polish to raw emotion and back without breaking a sweat the way Phoebe Snow skips from octave to octave..." - MusicAustin.com

"... think of a wittier and more inventive Bob Seger ..." - Weekly Planet, Tampa FL

"...Here is a big, big urgent voice parked somewhere between the dark growls of Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam) and soulful pleas of Eddie Kendricks (Temptations)..." Frederick Leonard of The San Diego Troubadour

"...Throw the imagio of Johnny Cash, the vocal clarity of Edwin McCain, and Dylan-esque lyrics, and somewhere in the beat is Lee..." - Michael Shear of the New York Overview

"Lee Tyler Post has the kind of a voice -- like, say, Roy Orbison -- that picks you up by the scruff of your neck and doesn't let you go. Add to that a prolific knack for writing memorable melodies and song lyrics, and it makes for a potent combination. He is definitely a singer songwriter who is going places." Jerry Jodice of The Great American Music Hour (WRIR-FM 97.3 Richmond, VA)

"...Lee is more then just music - he is the essence of soul. Equipped with a voice that is sultry and powerful, emotional and stimulating, Lee easily impresses and captivates audiences from first listen..." - Nubzilla's Cafe - Tampa, Fl

"...a remarkably talented and versatile musician..." First Night Escondido, CA

"...Having honed his craft in Nashville, Lee Tyler Post comes to us with honest, heartfelt and soulful music that is rich in sound and full in melody. Playing all originals, there is no comparison, just music you can sink your teeth in to..." - Borders Books & Music in San Diego

"...organic, rustic & soulful..." Andy Machin Owner of Big Rock Studios in San Diego, California

"...If passion had a voice..." Mikey's Coffee in San Diego (Describing Lee's music)

"...Soulful singer-songwriter ala classic rock. Lee's voice; the edge of Springsteen, the smoothness of Steve Perry, and the soul of Greg Allman. The music itself; driving acoustic rhythms with Intricate electric work and a solid rhythm section ! ..." - San Diego Rock Critic

"...He plays with incredible heart, cutting across meaningless divides like 'radio station classifications' and 'sub-genres'. What you're left with at the end are thoughts bordering solely on the music..." Siddharth Dasgupta of Gods Of Music.com

"...Post sings with a deep feeling of soul that I haven't heard in a long time..." Ren Zenner - The Coast News (Oceanside, CA)

"...Lee's fairly new in Nashville still, but he's a great example of how quickly people get to know you if you really bring talent to town. His very strong rock voice will remind you of the great classic rock singers, but it's hard to place which one. It's like the best sounds from all your favorites were blended into one very strong sound. As country moves more in the direction of rock and soul, Lee's songs and style go ahead and just kick that door open. His 5 CD's have a classic sound, and you'll want to be ready to take one or more home with you..." 2nd Wednesdays by Don Mcnatt Nashville,TN - Rock N Soul Productions

The music industry isn't what it once was: comely-yet-statuesque "heritage" artists like Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, and Van Morrison - who were allowed to be themselves and who were actively encouraged to develop long-term careers - have given way to mass-marketable, disposable faces like Ryan Cabrera, John Mayer, and Ashlee Simpson. The resulting music has likewise gone from warts-and-all soulful to shiny and Ritalin-shallow, and most major label artists now seem as disposable as a toy's batteries. Pop culture's priorities - and our increasingly attention-deficient culture's needs - have undoubtedly changed. It would seem now as though contemporary artists who embody those former standards of artistic authenticity and depth so abundant in the sixties and seventies would be hard-pressed to find a place in the modern scheme of things. Lee Tyler Post, however, is proof positive that one can still emulate the old school in one's own postmodern way, that it can be built upon for the future, and that it can be conducive to positive change.

The youngest of four children, Post grew up as a shy, laconic boy in a blue-colllar household in Poway. He listened to soulful music that struck an internal chord and that became an oasis during his difficult formative years. Led Zeppelin, Bob Marley, Van Morrison, The Doors, Bruce Springsteen, Prince, Otis Redding, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Patti LaBelle, and Janis Joplin were just a few of the artists that became his spiritual guides through a rough but honest blue collar life. It wasn't until his early twenties, however, that he would be motivated to learn how to make this kind of music by and for himself.

"I was on my way to work one day and Bob Dylan's 'Knocking on Heaven's Door' came on the radio," he recalls. "That moment literally changed my life. I went out the very next day and bought a 12-string acoustic guitar and began teaching myself how to play and sing. To this day I've never taken a lesson and I've never played a single cover tune."

The music this Poway's son makes is channeled from that austere spirit of the aforementioned "golden age" of music. It's rooted in the formative hardships of poverty and shaped by the way society tends to selectively reward or punish its loners. Post's sound is as much "the Boss" (Springsteen) and Van Morrison as it is Otis Redding and Al Green: blue-collar heartland grit mixed with Motor City soul.

Over time, and through unfulfilling seminal experiences singing his own words over other people's music, Post has slowly coalesced into his current, self-sufficient form.

"It didn't take long to figure out that I liked being solo as much as or more than fronting a band, so I decided to do both." Since that time he has progressively focused more energy on solo performing, booking and playing his own shows, and using the sheer power of his voice to deliver the stories and messages of his own songs. Although he disparages his guitar playing, the clever harmonic choices he makes on his jumbo acoustic guitar are a crucial ingredient of the soulful whole.

Post had spent most of his life here in San Diego until about two years ago. After ten relatively invisible years on the San Diego scene he began to wonder whether he really had been born in the wrong place and time, since his old-school musical style - and even he as a person - seemed incongruous with the general proclivities of his fellow San Diego denizens. And so it happened that in the autumn of 2003 he put his life into storage, packed up the van, rounded up his long-suffering and supportive wife Jackie, and moved to Austin, Texas.

After less than a year in Austin he returned to Nashville, where he'd spent a previous year during the late nineties, in an attempt to hone his craft and learn what he could about himself and the music industry.

"During my first stint in Nashville I found out pretty quickly that there's a lot more to singing and playing than just singing and playing," says Post. "I met and played alongside people who lived the life of a songwriter - the kind of folks who came straight from work with pipe glue still on their jeans and lyrics written on crumpled-up paper. I was also shocked at how many really good songwriters there were who had come from all across the country for the exact same reason: to find out where they stand."

"It was during my time there that I decided my approach would not be to seek fame or accolades, but that the craft or art of it would be the reward. Finally, after roughly five years of live performing, I felt like I belonged. Playing late in smoke-filled rooms, with soul sufferers at every table awaiting their chance to tell their tale, really formed a true, supportive blue-collar atmosphere for me."

Through his travels Post has learned that times are tough everywhere for solo artists who reflect the erstwhile paradigm that he lives, that the potential fans who are looking to connect with - San Diego Troubadour

Part of my motivation for hosting The Great American Music Hour is the opportunity to turn people on to music (and musicians) that I think are worthy of our collective time and attention. For every band or musician that "makes it," there are hundreds or even thousands who don't. That doesn't mean they're not just as good, or even better. It might mean they didn't get the right break, or hire the right manager, or sport the right haircut. Or it might mean their focus is or was simply on something other than conventional success. In any case, they're out there, and they deserve acknowledgement.

One such performer that I want to tell you about is Lee Tyler Post. Lee came to my attention via Serena Matthews, another fabulous songwriter I discovered quite by accident a few years ago on MP3.com. She said I would love Lee's music, too, and she was right. There's almost not a show that goes by that I don't play one of Lee's songs. They're all so good, it seems almost unfair to single out any one of them for special attention. But I'll take a risk and do so anyway.

A song like "Thunderclap," for example, from his uniformly excellent self-released CD Emancipate, is typical of Lee's style. It starts out unassuming enough, and then, before you know it, takes off somewhere quite unexpected. His voice is husky in the lower registers, but then becomes almost operatic when he hits the higher notes, reminiscent of the late Roy Orbison. The effect is exquisite enough to break your heart, not because it sets out with that specific intent, but because it's just naturally that beautiful and true and real. Like all the best artists, Lee Tyler Post communicates not so much through what he has to say but in how he says it. And that, folks, is a rare thing in any era and in any style of music.

What Lee writes and sings mostly about is working-class concerns, so it's no surprise that he considers himself a working-class musician, traveling along life's backroads like Hank Williams or, more recently, Townes Van Zandt, accepting and appreciating the small pleasures and rewards that such a life offers. Over the past five years he has lived and performed in Austin, Nashville, San Diego, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. During this span he performed in over half the states in America, playing about 600 shows. He drove all the miles to and from the venues himself, despite never having been signed to a record label (his choice, though he has been asked) and never using a manager or booking agent or ever entering a songwriting contest.

"For me the quest or journey has always been the reward," he says. "I love to see new cities, small towns along the way that most people don't even know exist. I like to connect with others through the music, maybe share a moment while I'm on stage. Something to remember we were there together. In a way, I envy the days of Woody Guthrie, traveling by boxcars, playing for food."

It's a hard road that's seldom taken these days. But I, for one, sleep better at night knowing there are still people like Lee Tyler Post in the world, traveling from town to town like a wandering gypsy troubadour and sending us musical dispatches from along the way to remind us what it's like out there where — to quote Joseph Campbell — the "terrible wind of God blows directly on the questing, undefended soul."

So click the link below, visit Lee Tyler Post's website, and check out the man and his music. You won't be disappointed. - Jerry Jodice

A Helluva Hooky Way to Work Things Out

Lee Tyler Post is working a lot of things out on this record...but you won't notice the pathos while you're first being drawn in by the engrossing music and the utterly memorable monster hooks. This is ideal music for a quiet night, or for a road trip, with your soul as the subtext destination. This record may not grab you right away, but after a few listens the songs will reach in and take hold, which is symptomatic of a classic recording. What's also symptomatic is when the songs transcend their instrumentation; much more seems to be conveyed by these bare-bones guitar and vocal arrangements than would seem possible.

It's always the small things, and on 'Life Without Fences' they're the skillfully layered nuances; a little harmonica here, second guitar and/or vocal there...all of the layering perfectly serves the well-written songs. There's a lot of soul in these tracks, which seem to channel several genres into one new and different one, about as close to one's own sound as one can get and still be listenable. There's a lot of heartland grit and motor city soul, and one could use or refrain from using the term "country," since it seems to apply in some respects, but is ultimately too limiting to this music.

Post's huge voice cuts to the quick on every track. He runs circles around Springsteen on the epic opener, 'Vagabond', and goes bigger than Tom Waits on the we're-not-in-Kansas-anymore sojourn of 'Contemplation'. The stand-out cut is 'Sara', which was perormed live in the studio and gets even more intimate than the other songs, if you can believe that. This song is akin to someone like Otis Redding or Al Green singing on a front porch in Tennessee, and his words are cut-to-the-quick introspective: "I know it's hard when you're living all alone/Sometimes this world's so cruel/But the world's only cruel when you're living like a fool/And baby, that's exactly what you do" 'Life Without Fences' is classic stuff, and until you own it you'll be less alive. - Simeon Flick of The San Diego Troubadour