As you know, I recently experienced a very special musical event at The Alberta Rose Theatre in Portland, OR — a warm venue, brimming with a warm crowd and resulting in the warmest memories. That said, the entire evening was captured on film and I am finally getting around to editing and posting the videos.

While the clips below are my first attempt at multi-angle video editing (and will never win an award for “Best Editor”) my hope is that they offer you a peak at the very special evening that was had. Thank you to all that attended and contributed to such a special moment. Cheers!

THIS TOO SHALL PASS

THE ARSONIST

OFTEN & MUCH

Track number one on my 2010 EP Long Before the Wheel is a song called Leave Oregon — it was the first song I wrote in Nashville and should be considered a direct letter to my loved ones in the West.

While the state of Oregon means the world to me, I knew it wouldn’t resonate with everyone, therefore, I elected to record an alternate version of the same song. In the end, they’re nearly identical but with only one single lyric adjusted within the chorus:

INSTEAD OF:
“Who was I to leave Oregon
When the rearview facing West held all I loved?”

IT IS NOW:
“Who was I to leave where I’m from
When the rearview facing West held all I loved?”

SAMPLE ‘LEAVE WHERE I’M FROM’

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

DOWNLOAD ‘LEAVE WHERE I’M FROM’ HERE

While I will always sing the true version of Leave Oregon, I thought my non-Oregonian friends and fans might appreciate the alternate lyric that can apply to Any Town USA. Enjoy the song and make it your own!

DOWNLOAD ‘LEAVE WHERE I’M FROM’ HERE

Two years ago, just before my stint in Nashville, I was invited to collaborate with Portland-based hip hop artist, Madgesdiq. He was writing a new album and, in addition to himself, he wanted to feature multiple artists … I’m lucky enough to have gotten the call to be the folky flare on Rastamerica.

While I don’t do a lot of co-writing in my career, I was truly honored to be a part of this project. Admittedly, I was a bit intimidated upon arrival but the unfounded tension soon eased and we were eventually left to do what we do best — write a song.

The resulting tune, World without Walls, is something truly special — it’s about a world without discrimination, judgement, genocide, prejudice, war and all of the other walls that drag us down as a human race — equality and harmony at its finest.

In the end, if ever you believe that this utopic world could never exist and that there will always be walls between men, just know that this song was a collaboration between a 6-foot-4 black hip hop artist with waste-long dreadlocks and a 5-foot-8 white dude with a crew-cut and a healthy twang — unalike on the surface but the same underneath.

Enjoy it. Live it.

WORLD without WALLS (feat. Tyler Stenson):
by Madgesdiq © 2012

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

DOWNLOAD WORLD WITHOUT WALLS ON iTUNES

DOWNLOAD WORLD WITHOUT WALLS ON iTUNES

In the 100+ songs that I’ve written, only a handful have been written in a single day. Yesterday was one of those special lightening-strikes of inspiration. Although this is an extremely rough recording of an early version that will surely evolve over time (as I get more comfortable with the nuances), I’d like to introduce my newest song, This Too Shall Pass.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

This Too Shall Pass
by tyler stenson © 2012

So, you’ve fallen behind
Oh no, not again
And you can see that you are
Hard-pressed against a wind
That hits just like a hammer
On a nail that’s bent
Oh no, not again.
Oh no, not again.

Oh, I know these days are hard
And I know it’s hard to last
But, believe you me,
Just sturdy up your heart
And this too shall pass.

So, there are wars being waged
But they’re not your voice
And good love has gone away
But it wasn’t by choice
If it’s out of your hands
But you just can’t let go
And there’s a whole lot on your mind
But a whole lotta no one to show

Oh, I know these days are hard
And I know it’s hard to last
But, believe you me,
Just sturdy up your heart
And this too shall pass.

So, you’ve fallen behind
Oh, no, not again
And you can see that you are
Hard-pressed against a wind
That hits just like a hammer
On a nail that’s bent
Oh no, not again.
Oh no, not again.

Oh, I know these days are hard
And I know it’s hard to last
But, believe you me,
Just sturdy up your heart
And this too shall pass.

I was recently invited to perform on Live from the Yellow Room — a new video series that’s hosted by Peter Rodocker of the Yellow Room Recording studio where I’ll be recording my next album. This is a great new series that features some of Portland’s finest indie artists, so I was glad to be part of it in performing my song Better Be Us All.

Song: “Better Be Us All”
Host: Peter Rodocker
Cameraman: Chris Duggan
Video Editor: Thom Lyons

DOWNLOAD “BETTER BE US ALL” NOW!!

I recently got the opportunity to perform on Live Wire! Radio Episode 163 — a stellar variety show that is recorded live in Portland, OR and broadcast on OPB radio for the masses.

In addition to being the featured musical guest, also on the show was acclaimed author, David Guterson, and actors Silas Weir Mitchell and Bitsie Tulloch from the new NBC television show GRIMM. In all, it was a fantastic evening of fine spirits and entertainment and it’s now posted as a podcast for your listening enjoyment.

NOTE: My performance of Great Man’s Funeral can be heard at minute-mark 7:30 and my performance of Better Be Us All can be heard at minute-mark 50:50. Spread the word!

LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE HERE

LISTEN TO THE FULL EPISODE HERE

DOWNLOAD GREAT MAN’S FUNERAL HERE: www.cdbaby.com/tylerstenson2
DOWNLOAD BETTER BE US ALL HERE: www.cdbaby.com/tylerstenson4

Welcome. This is the official EPK, video press kit and promotional reel for Tyler Stenson, the Portland-based singer/songwriter of “Elegant Folk” music. This 6-minute video has been over a decade in the making and a long-time coming — but timely all at once.

Thanks to the help of Taylor and Matt at Quarter 4 Sports and Beavers without Borders for your equipment, your talent, your dedication to quality and your vision. Without you, the story of my career, my passion and this epic journey, wouldn’t have been told in such a way.

PASS IT ON. SPREAD THE WORD. TELL SOMEBODY.

I was in the Kink.fm studios today and had a pleasant conversation with Inessa that will be featured on tonight’s Kink.fm Local Music Spotlight. Between opening for Chris Isaak in July, opening for Alpha Rev tomorrow at the Aladdin Theater and a new management agreement in the works, we had much to discuss — and discuss we did.

Here is the link to the full interview: http://bit.ly/n8PFNE

TO BE TRANSPARENT, THIS INTERVIEW WAS TO PROMOTE:
1) I’m opening for Alpha Rev at the Aladdin Theater on 9/14
2) I’m playing on the Kink.fm Early Escape Cruise on 9/16
3) I’m playing at the Alberta Rose Theater on 9/29

Tune in tonight to hear the discussion and my song Daffodils live on the air!!

Five months after having experienced one of the greatest moments of my musical life, I bring you documented proof. Below are a few select videos from the Alberta Rose Theater in Portland, OR. If you can’t see it on my face, I assure you, this was a very special evening. Enjoy.

OFTEN & MUCH

BEST LAID PLANS

CANNONBALL

Download the studio version of Cannonball

ROME TOMORROW

Download the studio version of Rome Tomorrow

RADIATE

Download the studio version of Radiate

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

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

CANNONBALL

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

BEST LAID PLANS

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

VIDEO IS COMING SOON!!