William Tyler

William Armistead Tyler was born on December 25, 1979, in Nashville, Tennessee. His parents, Daniel E. “Dan” Tyler and Adele B. Tyler, were both songwriters; his father notably wrote “The Light in Your Eyes” for LeAnn Rimes and co-wrote “Baby’s Got a New Baby” for S-K-O and “Modern Day Romance” for Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. His parents also co-wrote “Bobbie Sue” for The Oak Ridge Boys. William Tyler graduated from the University School of Nashville in 1998.

Tyler began his professional music career in 1998, joining the band Lambchop at the age of 19, initially to play organ, but transitioned to guitar. He was also a member of the band Silver Jews from 2001 to 2009. Prior to releasing music under his own name, he used The Paper Hats as a working title for his solo material. His debut solo studio album, “Behold the Spirit,” was released on November 22, 2010, produced by Adam Bednarik and Tyler, via Tompkins Square Records. This was followed by “Impossible Truth” in 2013 and “Modern Country” in 2016, the latter of which was named one of the “best country albums of 2016” by Rolling Stone magazine. In 2012, William and his sister Elise Tyler co-founded The Stone Fox, a music restaurant/café/bar in Nashville, which operated until 2016.

Tyler continued to release solo albums, including “Goes West” in 2019, “Music From First Cow” (a soundtrack) in 2020, and “Lost Futures” (with Marisa Anderson) in 2021. He also released EPs such as “New Vanitas” (2020) and “Understand” (with Luke Schneider) (2021). Beyond his work as a recording artist, Tyler has contributed as a producer, notably producing the debut album for Jake Xerxes Fussell in 2015. He was also a co-producer on the track “Survivor” from Mary J. Blige’s 2017 album “Strength of a Woman.”

In recent years, Tyler has addressed personal challenges including a mental health crisis and alcoholism, which led to a period of regression and self-reflection. His forthcoming album, “Time Indefinite,” reflects this period, featuring a more lo-fi and introspective sound developed during his time at his parents’ house during the COVID-19 pandemic. He has also announced a collaboration album with British electronic producer Four Tet, with whom he released the single “Darkness, Darkness” in 2023. Tyler transitioned from Merge Records to the artist-run label Psychic Hotline, indicating a shift in his career approach towards more cautious and deliberate artistic engagement.