THIS THURSDAY: I will be playing at the Alberta Rose Theater this Thursday night with Sam Wegman and Safire — it promises to be something special. Please grab a crew and come join me for my early, all ages, opening set.

Tyler Stenson w/ Sam Wegman & Safire
Thursday Sep 29th @ 7:30 PM
$10 General Admission

All Ages Show
Doors open at 6:30

GET YOUR TICKETS HERE: http://albertarosetheatre.com/

Of course, this will not be my first time playing at the Alberta Rose Theater. Although I will be playing a solo set for this upcoming event, take a look at these videos from my last full-band performance at this fine venue!!

OFTEN & MUCH

BEST LAID PLANS

CANNONBALL

GET YOUR TICKETS HERE: http://albertarosetheatre.com/

March 11th of 2011 was one of the most special moments of my musical life.

Having just turned 30, it dawned on me that I had been playing music for a full decade — 10 years of writing, recording and grinding. It hasn’t been easy, but it has certainly been worth it.

To celebrate this milestone marker, I hosted a self-indulgent “Greatest Hits” concert at the Alberta Rose Theater in Portland that showcased my absolute favorite songs, and fan favorites, from across the decade (2001 to 2011). In all, roughly 300 fans and friends crowded into the rows of the Alberta Rose Theater and showed their beaming support for my 10-year journey.

After many months of waiting patiently, I finally got my hands on these three recordings from that special Spring evening. Enjoy Tyler Stenson and the Elegant Folk live from the Alberta Rose Theater!!

OFTEN & MUCH

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CANNONBALL

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BEST LAID PLANS

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VIDEO IS COMING SOON!!

When I say I come from a long line of the Music Makers and of Soldiers for the Muse, I mean it. As long as I can remember, both my immediate and extended families have been singing even the most mundane birthday songs in four-part harmony and, as far as I know, this can be traced back for generations.

My family sings, that’s what they do.

As an example, I just received a beautiful song called Homeward Bound that my cousins recorded to mark the one year anniversary of their father’s death (my uncle). What blows my mind is that this isn’t a professional singing group — these are my cousins — a small group of brothers and sisters, doing what they do best.

Of course, they learned it from their father, who learned it from his father, and they will certainly pass it along to their children and, with any luck, the singing will continue until the world ends.

Dedicated to Rex Kocherhans. May you rest in peace.

HOMEWARD BOUND
Sung by the Kocherhans family

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In the quiet misty morning,
When the moon has gone to bed,
When the sparrows stop their singing
And the sky is clear and red,

When the summer’s ceased its gleaning,
When the corn is past its prime,
When adventure’s lost its meaning-
I’ll be homeward bound in time.

Bind me not to the pasture.
Chain me not to the plow.
Set me free to find my calling
And I’ll return to you somehow.

If you find it’s me you’re missing,
If you’re hoping I’ll return,
To your thoughts I’ll soon be listing,
In the road I’ll stop and turn.

Then the wind will set me racing
As my journey nears its end
And the path I’ll be retracing-
When I’m homeward bound again

Bind me not to the pasture.
Chain me not to the plow.
Set me free to find my calling
And I’ll return to you somehow.

In the quiet misty morning
When the moon has gone to bed.
When the sparrows stop there singing,
I’ll be homeward bound again.

In 2003, my brothers and I were all independently going through our share of difficulties in this life; trying to climb an endless hill with seemingly no end in sight. With this heavy burden in my mind and in my heart, I quietly wrote a song that was never intended to be heard by anybody but them — a motivational tune in the hopes that it would spark not just one of us, but it Better Be Us All.

Below is a video discussion of the behind-the-scenes background of Better Be Us All, track #3 on my new album Another Gleam — a revealing look at the inspirations, the meanings behind the song, the songwriting process, the recording experience and much more. Enjoy.

BUY ANOTHER GLEAM!!

BETTER BE US ALL
by tyler stenson © 2007

An interesting man I know
Has the Music in his bones.
He writes the songs
But he can’t stand rock n’ roll.
His name is On His Right Hand
As he hides behind a wall
-Somebody’s gonna make it but you know it better be us all.

Older brother,
He’s the dreamer of some dreams-
He stretched out the gray and made it green.
I can see myself in him
(I’m just a little bit too small).
Somebody’s gonna make it but you know it better be us all.

Little brother,
You are not the only one-
Just don’t get burned in the Oklahoma sun.
You’re trying to get to heaven and
I’m just trying not to fall.
Somebody’s gonna make it but you know it better be us all.

I’m a music maker
Trying to make a dream
But getting there is as endless as it seems.
So, I’m gone to California
(Even if I have to crawl)
Because somebody’s gonna make it but you know it better be us all.

So, when I get to California,
I’ll be giving you a call
Because somebody’s gonna make it,
But you know it better be us all.

BUY ANOTHER GLEAM!!

My cousin Grant teaches 2nd grade and across the years he has creatively used my music within his classrooms to lighten the mood, maintain order, inspire minds and ultimately teach lasting lessons in an interactive format — this lesson tops them all.

If you recall, I visited his class back in 2008, where we co-wrote a new version of my song The Bus. It was a really fun experience to show them a previously written line and then ask them to recreate it, in their own words, using the same structures and syllables, but totally unique to them.

This time, years later, his 2010-2011 class has been studying my song We Grow from my album Long Before the Wheel and learning about metaphors in the process … to my everlasting joy, they’ve written and recorded their own version of We Grow.

Check out Mr. Bushman’s 2010-2011 2nd Grade Class from Heritage Elementary School in Nibley, Utah singing their own version of my song We Grow.

WE GROW — BY TYLER STENSON & 2nd GRADERS

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WE GROW
Lyrics by Tyler Stenson and Mr. Bushman’s 2nd grade class
NOTE: The italicized words are theirs.

I heard you say that you wish I stayed
An older version of me — long before my change.
If we’re not growing we are staying the same,
So I will welcome the change and stretch myself day to day…

We’re entitled to change, we grow
Like baby to man
Like ideas of Mr. Bushman
Like the airbag inside of a van
Like things from a recycled can
The change is going to happen real slow
But not a day goes by we don’t grow.

If a seed can grow into a tree
And if that tree can grow leaves,
How is that different than me?
We both breathe and we come from the dirt
And that’s where we will return
When both of our seasons fade…

We’re entitled to change, we grow
Like dust on a mat
Like the wings of a small baby bat
Like a kitten growing into a cat
Like the whiskers from a beautiful rat
The change is going to happen real slow
But not a day goes by we don’t grow.

If we’re not growing,
We are staying the same,
So, I will welcome the change
And stretch myself day to day
We’re entitled to change…

We’re entitled to change, we grow
Like egg into bird
Like the little baby cows in a herd
Like adding suffixes to a word
Like a 2nd Grader moving to third
The change is going to happen real slow
But not a day goes by we don’t grow.

THE ORIGINAL WE GROW:

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You can buy “We Grow” on CD Baby and iTunes!!

If you know anything about me, you need to know that I was once an intimate piece of a wallet company known as db clay. Although it was my brother’s baby, I was a co-founder of the business and for a couple grueling years, we spilled blood and tears alongside one another as we grew into men.

What started as handmade Duct Tape Wallets (together, we handmade and sold over 30,000 wallets), eventually grew into a fashion-forward wallet brand that was sold in over 500 retail shops around the world.

Everything seemed to be going swimmingly until October 15, 2008 — due to the catastrophic economic downturn and other forces outside of our control, we were forced to prematurely shut the doors to the dream.

That disheartening event spring-boarded me into a full-time career in music, so I view it as a blessing in disguise; however, my brother never lost sight of the end goal. He pressed fearlessly forward, took his lumps and has recently risen to fight another round.

That said, he has just initiated a fundraiser via Kickstarter.com to re-launch the company — not a fundraiser but a pre-order campaign — you pay for wallets now, he gets the ball rolling, you get wallets sooner than later.

Please watch the video below, read the info and get yourself a wallet or 17. Every bit helps.

NOTE: My brother and db clay have made me the man I am today so this is personal. Your support is much much much appreciated. Thank you.

PRE-ORDER YOUR WALLET HERE

A NOTE FROM MY BROTHER…

HELLO EVERYONE!
My name is Garett and I’m a Wallet maker. Thanks for visiting my Kickstarter page and hearing my story. With your contribution I hope to relaunch my company db clay with a new collection of designer Wallets I’ve titled LINE 0.0 (zero point zero). I have the ideas, the relationships, the next product line designed and the business infrastructure in place — I simply need help financing production for my next batch of inventory! See below to preview the new product assortment and click on the links to PREORDER your very own unique Wallet from LINE 0.0. Thanks in advance for supporting my project – I love db clay sooooo much.

ABOUT DB CLAY
db clay is a universal product design co that I founded in Portland, OR. My primary focus over the years has been making and selling Wallets and my approach has always been to improve my processes and innovate with each new iteration of product. My latest batch is the most minimal to date and although I have been in the Wallet business for more than a decade, LINE 0.0 represents a fresh start for db clay and me. The intent is to create a collection that is uniquely designed, timeless and made of high quality materials (no more Duct Tape!). Wallets have been around seemingly forever, but a db clay Wallet is different than the rest, as they often spark human interaction each time you pull ‘em out. “Hey, where did you get that Wallet?” db clay has been starting conversations like this since 1998.

WHAT IS LINE 0.0?
LINE 0.0 is a light, compact, slim and new Wallet body style produced by db clay. I designed this 4-pocket beauty to be as little as possible while still functioning as a Wallet should by carrying your daily essentials: ID, a few cards, cold hard cash and some misc items such as a public transit pass or a cute picture of your puppy. Overall, I was aiming to minimize back-pocket bulk but I also made it small enough to fit in a grab and go clutch or a fancy handbag too. I invented these Wallets for YOU to enjoy, but keep in mind, they also make great gifts for all the great folks in your life. Friends, family, coworkers, significant others, clients, etc.

To begin, LINE 0.0 will come in (5) different exterior designs for you to pick from if you choose to back this project — see designs previewed below. Once you have made your contribution of at least $35, you’ll be able to select your favorite individual piece of Pocket Art… or scoop up the whole set for $175 while you’re at it! Disclaimer: to be able to begin production we need to sell at least 500 units of each design in order to meet our manufacturer’s minimum requirements… so please help spread the word!

HOW TO HELP/PREORDER
I’m excited to get LINE 0.0 produced and db clay up and running again. So here is where I humbly ask for your help!! I have personally handmade about 30,000 Wallets in my life and creating stuff is in my blood. I am dedicated to this project and to you, the community that supports it. I aim to Kickstart db clay in 2011 with the introduction of LINE 0.0. Following this campaign I plan to keep things simple early on, and then over time, I have plans to incrementally regrow db clay into a much broader line of products, accessories and mobile applications (yes, even software!). With your favor and backing of this project, I’d like nothing more than to continue on this journey. By pledging a minimum of $35 you can join in on the fun along the way!

Again, thanks to all in advance for your contributions and support!

Each season my parents house transforms drastically at the hands of my mother. She is one of the craftiest women I know with a contagious passion for decoration, arranging and cheer. This Christmas season was no different.

That said, I took my camera around my parent’s home and captured a fraction of the Christmas decorations that are on display. Every nook and cranny has some sort of eye candy celebrating the season and below is a gallery of my findings — a picture reel that should give you a small glimpse at my Mother’s Christmas Spirit and hopefully ignite yours.

THE UPSTAIRS TREE

THE DOWNSTAIRS TREE

THE ENTRY WAY

HAND-MADE GINGERBREAD HOUSE

WHERE IT ALL BEGINS

NATIVITY SCENE

NOEL

LIGHTS ON STAIRS

SNOW GLOBE PLUS

RUDOLPH

FROSTY THE WINDOW SNOWMAN

STOCKINGS and MORE

CANDY CANE CANDLES

MORE STOCKINGS

ME in the TREE

CHRISTMAS TOWELS

SINK SANTA

SHADOW BOX STUFF

CORNER CAROLERS

CHRISTMAS TREE CLOSE-UP

STUFFED SNOWMEN

CORNER DWELLERS

CHRISTMAS MONTAGE

JOY

CHRISTMAS CAROLERS

TABLE CENTER PIECE

PLATES PLUS

Merry Christmas!!

Exactly one year ago to the date, I stood on stage at one of Portland’s finest venues and bid farewell to my friends, fans and family. Yes, under the lights at the Aladdin Theater, I performed my final few songs in my hometown in the northwest before moving to Nashville, TN — the night was electric.

To celebrate one year in the musical trenches, I’ve posted a few of my favorite clips from that evening below and am planning an anniversary show and album release in Portland on October 2nd, 2010 at the Secret Society Ballroom.

Tyler Stenson Album Release & One Year Anniversary
Saturday October 2nd @ The Secret Society Ballroom
Portland, OR — 8pm

Please spread the word and join me for the special evening.

WELCOME THE CHANGE

CELLOPHANE

WYOMING

GREAT MAN’S FUNERAL

BETTER BE US ALL

Nashville had enjoyed a month of 80 degree blue skies until that Thursday when I received the phone call saying my nephew was not expected to make it through the night. I’m not making this up in the least — at that very moment it began to rain.

The rest of the weekend was clouded with epic thunderstorms that seemed all too fitting for the stormy events happening a few states away. It was an eerie weekend; my first Southern thunderstorm bloomed in time with my first intimate bout with death.

On the day I heard those words, I penned a few lines about the weather coinciding with the news on the telephone. I wrote a bit about it being a chalkboard gray kind of day that he was too good for anyway. On Saturday, when it was final, I laid in bed for a good part of the day and noted that the thunder sounded like what must have been my sister’s heart. There was a sadness in the roll. It was all very fitting and surreal and too perfect of a storm.

When I returned from the funeral in Utah, I was greeted in Tennessee by the continuing rain and watched Nashville flood in front of my eyes. It was the talk of the town and noted nationally but I couldn’t bring myself to care — not about this flood.

There is room for little space in our hearts and in our heads and even though my city was sinking, selfishly, I had a different storm to suffer.

I’ve been asked if I have plans to write a “flood song” for the devastation that struck that week and my answer is, in a way, I already have. My variation of history. This is my song about the flooding in the days surrounding The Day.

PS. The attached recording is a quick scratch track … I swear I’ll do it some justice someday.

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LITTLE LIFE
The rain spotted the pavement
On the day you went away
And fell in time with the news on the telephone.
It reminded me of my childhood
On an April shower day
And smelled like the kind you’ll never know.

So long Little Life;
It’s raining outside-
It’s a chalkboard gray kind of day.
So long Little Life;
Since you’re use to shining bright,
It’s the kind of day you’d want to miss anyway.

The thunder bloomed all afternoon
In the air around my bed
And I could hear a sadness in the roll.
It sounded like the tolling bells
Of a breaking Mother’s heart
Holding on to a Little Life letting go.

So long Little Life;
It’s raining outside-
It’s a chalkboard gray kind of day.
So long Little Life;
Since you’re use to shining bright,
It’s the kind of day you’d want to miss anyway.

I’ve heard the lives that leave the earth
Become Heaven’s gain
And wait to be joined on another day.

So long Little Life;
It’s raining outside-
It’s a chalkboard gray kind of day.
So long Little Life;
Since you’re use to shining bright,
It’s the kind of day you’d want to miss anyway.

Little Life I’ll see you another day.