As of this morning, I’ll be taking a road trip toward Wyoming to find a much needed vacation. The plan is to go camping in the Western Mountains for four days with my dad and four brothers, then spend the 4th of July in Lander, WY with the rest of my family. This will be an extremely nestalgic trip for me and a chance to breathe in the scenery and experiences. Much of my writing reflects my childhood in Wyoming and my experiences in the West. I’m excited to revisit my roots and gather some more material. Until then, please enjoy these songs about Wyoming:

Popo Agie (a small river that runs through Lander)

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Babysitting the Cowboy (a song about a younger me in Lander, WY)

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Old Things (I remember living there… remember me?)

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Earlier this month another Lander fan was born… literally. Long time fans and friend Jeff and Hayla Sanford had their first baby Kellen in the early days of June and they’ve already started teaching the little guy right from wrong and the value in good choices. I screen printed a Lander onesie for the young couple as a gift so they recently sent me this picture of the newest Lander fan and his custom merchandise. If you recall, Lander performed at Jeff and Hayla’s wedding last summer so this new addition brings us full circle. Congrats Jeff and Hayla… glad Lander can be a part of your life.

The Portland Songwriters Association puts out a Quarterly Newsletter that highlights the latest and greatest in the PSA. This most recent update was a very warm surprise for me and a great way to start the weeks of June. The newsletter featured a wonderful report on the Top Ten Showcase and then published the results of the Quarterly Lyric Contest! I wanted to post the Top Ten article in full so click here or on the image above to read the article. I sincerely enjoyed reading Tom Arnolds’ and Dan McIlhenry recap on the PSA Winner’s Showcase and thank them both for his kind words.

Tyler Stenson closed the show with a wide array of his own material. He took us back to re-listen to the selections he played as part of the competition and filled out the rest of his set with some equally grabbing songs. Tyler takes advantage of the limelight when he performs, drawing audiences into his songs.

At times he’ll slow his phrasing down to a near standstill accompanied by a whisper and then dramatically bounce back powerfully working his voice and guitar through the next pass. It’s exciting to hear him share his poetic, image rich songs. PSA wishes [you] the best with your singing and songwriting!

Tom Arnold and Dan McIlhenry
-PSA Board Members

There were many great artists involved so I encourage you to read the article and check out some of the other writers when you get the chance! In the meantime, below are some links to the PSA Newsletter!

PSA Newsletter Cover
PSA Top Ten Article (cont’d)

PUBLISHED LYRIC CONTEST RESULTS

Thank you PSA for publishing such a nice article and hosting such a fun contest(s).

The results for the Portland Songwriters Association Quarterly Lyric Contest are in! I’m extremely proud to announce that my song Whistle Stop has been selected as the winning lyric submission. I am very proud of this song in particular and what it has to say; therefore, I’m honored for the recognition and what it has brought to me and Lander.

Click to read the lyrics to Whistle Stop

Whistle Stop by Tyler Stenson

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