On Sunday morning, my buddy Aaron and I headed east for an extended road trip. Since he was on his way to Cincinnati, OH and I was bound for Nashville, we thought it best that we caravan to Ohio and I’d do the final leg to Tennessee alone. The pictures below are a few images from the road to my new home.

TS behind the wheel

No road trip is complete without some sort of car trouble. Somewhere on I-90 in Crow County Montana, Aaron blew a tire and slowed our 80 mile an hour pace. The next service town was 60 miles away in Wyoming and it was slow moving on a doughnut spare.

Aaron's blown tire

The goal was to get to Mt Rushmore on day two but because of the tire delay, plans changed and we realized it wasn’t going to happen. With that in mind, we took in more Wyoming scenery and detoured to the Devil’s Tower. Though it wasn’t on the original itinerary, I was stoked things worked out the way they did.

The Devil's Tower

We eventually made our way to Mt Rushmore on the morning of day three. It was smaller than I imagined but had more of an impact then I expected. As we rounded the bend and I caught my first glimpse of Washington, I’ll admit I got goose bumps. America F Yeah!

President Stenson at Mt Rushmore

I’m currently safe and sound in Waupaca, WI and staying with Aaron’s family for a couple days before the home stretch. There is plenty more road ahead of us and therefore plenty of pictures to come.

An epic night at a proper venue with my favorite people on this planet, is the most a man can ask for. The farewell show at the Aladdin Theater was a true inspiration and a moment that will drive me forward with confidence. In the loudest scream I can muster, thank you! Sincerely, it was a warm room and I was honored to be sent off to Nashville with such love.

Aladdin Theater - Sept 11, 2009 - photo by Brittney Myers

A special thanks to the talented musicians that played with me (left to right); Anna Tivel, Jimmy Prescott, Josh Stewart, Birger Olsen and Jake Oken-Berg. All were amazing additions and vibes.

Lastly, I recently finished a song about my west coast tour that I did in May – it will be included on the new album. It was a month filled with extreme highs and lows and lessons learned. As close as I’ll get to a tour journal, this is my account of the experience.

FIGHT ‘TIL DYING DAY
tyler stenson 2009

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As you know, I got the go-ahead to start recording my new album and hit the ground running on August 31st. I’ve been working with Rob Stroup at 8 Ball Studio and the pace has been furious – in a matter of hours we’ve tracked all instruments and mixed a handful of tunes to final.

That said, I left the studio today with my first set of 3 final songs: Wyoming, As the Crow Flies and You Already Know. Though they are not mastered, they are ready to spin.

I’m delighted and pleased and stoked and proud to give you, Wyoming…

WYOMING
by tyler stenson

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The world started to run
With the turning of the sun.
Cities rose from towns
And quiet turned to sound.
That place stayed the same;
That’s Wyoming

So, the legends say
That explorers tried to explain-
But the beauty that they found
Was too much to write down.
So, in fiction,
They believed to be Wyoming.

Clearest sunny days
Quickly turn to rain
But in the end, the sweetest smell remains.

I know Adam’s never seen such a scene
(In neither Eden or his dream).
Even Eve would stop to stare
At God’s most perfect square.
That’s one thing I believe;
He made Wyoming.

Clearest sunny days
Quickly turn to rain
But in the end, the sweetest smell remains.

All the years hang on the wind
Above this last good plot of land.
I hear it echo in the trees.
I hear it’s whisper on my knees.
Even Dust can be a king
In Wyoming.

I awoke today to find that the Willamette Week has written an article about my upcoming move to Nashville, TN. I interviewed for the piece last week with writer Mark Stock and was pleasantly surprised to see it published – kind words and all. Thank you Mark and the Willamette Week for noticing my musical efforts in Portland and illuminating my road as I exit. Read the full article here or by clicking on the image below.

Tyler Stenson in the Willamette Week 09-09-09

As mentioned in the article, my farewell show is THIS FRIDAY at the Aladdin Theater. It would mean the world to me to have you there and joining in my final show in Portland for some time. Thank you one and all for your endless support across the years.

TYLER STENSON @ THE ALADDIN THEATER
Friday September 11th w/ Redwood Son, Physical Hearts and NIAYH

- All ages welcome!
- $10 adv, $15 day of show
- Get tickets and Info HERE
- Tell the world!!!

The world lost an enormous musical soul yesterday – Scotland Barr passed after a year-long battle with pancreatic cancer on the morning of September 1st, 2009. He was an amazing lyricist and songwriter that I knew briefly but respected endlessly… he will be missed.

Scotland Barr

Known for his gruff vocals and clever lyrics, Scotland was front-man for his Portland based rootsy Americana band Scotland Barr and the Slow Drags – he was also the creator and brainchild behind the cult classic Secret Aardvark Hot Sauce.

I met Scotland in early 2006 at a Tuesday night open mic at the Green Room and we shared a beer in the late hours. After trading niceties, we exchanged albums and I became the proud owner of his 2005 LP “Legionnaires’ Disease.” The disc is filled with songs that inspire and crush me all in one breath – it’s intelligent, sincere and real.

Considering my respect for his writing, I was beyond honored when I received an email from Scotland a week later telling me that he thought I was the “best songwriter in Portland” – nobody had told me that before and it felt electric coming from someone that I thought to be the same. From one Edgar Allan Poe fan to another, thank you Scotland… I’ll be listening to “5 Years in Nashville” as I cross the state line.

Scotland Barr

As a tribute to Scotland and another fallen Portland musician Kipp Crawford, I wrote this song called Daffodils … I hate to admit it, but I got the first line wrong … it should be “Who was September…” It will be included on my upcoming EP with the corrected lyrics. Enjoy.

MY FAVORITE SCOTLAND BARR LYRICS:

Time is a butcher for dreamers and cattle – both get sold off by the pound.

Wonder where I am. I’ve been living in Amsterdam above a smoke Cafe, smoke hash and dream all day – went their to write my masterpiece.

Quaking aspen stand outside like anorexic girls – their fingers sprawled as their dresses fall to warm their winter world.

Don’t tell me to get over it, it was a five photobook relationship and God-damn she’s still holding the soundtrack to my heart.

Let the angels steer, these are our sun years.

We pulled in here to suffer for the arts and we’ll live fine on love and wine.

Indigo and Calico; cocktails on the stairs that look like crows that want to go where Edgar never dared. I cannot be one of them – I’ve got nowhere to grieve and the ghosts that they admire most are out to murder me.

If I never had a bad time or no sad time, hell, I’d never have a song.

A drink won’t hurt a bit and if I could afford it, I’d probably spend my lifetime drowning sorrow – watching my life pass from the bottom of a glass so I don’t have to think about tomorrow.

It’s one of the reasons I so loved you – you’re a little bit insane. But I say that with compassion ’cause we’re a lot the same. But it’s not the fun kind of crazy; it’s something violent, cold and gray – there are a thousand roads to summer, I hope you find your way.

Maybe I’ll go to Hawaii – the place where Charles Lindbergh lies or maybe I will find salvation underneath another sky.

The heart is filled with secrets – some secrets it’s best nobody knows. But they come out in the darkness when the good times and the boxed wine start to flow.

Every man’s got his pride but I’ve got none left inside, if you could feel my heart you’d know it’s hollow.

Learn more about Scotland Barr and the Slow Drags at: http://www.scotlandbarr.com/