Roy Tyler & New Directions

Biography

Roy was born and raised in Deli, Louisiana, where at an early age he began to sing in churches, and at church functions. Enthused with the sound of Gospel music, Roy joined his first group. The Soul Guiders. After high school, Roy attended Southern University in Louisiana. In 1967, Roy moved to Oakland, California and joined a new group called the Spiritual Eagles. After some shifting between gospel groups around the local scene, Roy hooked up with Joe Ardin Thomas Jr. to form a new version of The Gospel Hummingbirds. The original Gospel Hummingbirds wew founded in the early 60's by Joe Thomas, senior. The Hummingbirds released two vinyl singles in the mid-70's. The first in 1975, with a song titled Lord Don't Move the Mountain, as an A-side, and Trouble Don't Last Always, as the B-side. The second single was on Bartone Records. On the A-side was Better Home; on the B-side was Swing Low Sweet Chariot. there were two vinyl Album releases in the 80's on the independent W&E Records. They were, Root 66 to Heaven, and Signs of Revelation. Roy stayed with the Hummingbirds through most of the 90's, and the group garnered a Grammy Nomination for their first CD, Steppin' Out, released on Blind Pig Records in 1991. Their second, (and last) recording for Blind Pig was titledTaking Flight. Roy and Joe Thomas parted with The Hummingbirds in the late 90's, however, Thomas does make several appearances on this recording. Roy Tyler and New Directions recorded most of Three Way Calling with Jim Pugh (Robert Cray, Chris Isaac, Etta James) at Fantasy Studios. Roy had worked with Jim years before on a project that was never released. "We got close during that project, and I love to work with Jim when I can." Roy met Clarence Fountain years ago on gigs the Gospel Hummingbirds and the Blind Boys did together in California. Producer/musician Rafael Saadiq first played bass guitar with the Hummingbirds at the age of 13, was a founding member of the POP/R&B group Tony, Toni, Tone," and currently enjoys a successful solo career.