Tyler Dow Bryant[1] (born February 24, 1991) is a two-time Grammy Award-winning producer,[2] songwriter, and musician from Honey Grove, Texas.[3] He is best known as the lead guitarist and vocalist of the rock band Tyler Bryant & the Shakedown.
Early and personal life
Bryant got his first guitar at the age of 6.[4] When he was 11, he sold the dirtbike his parents had given to him for Christmas and bought his first electric guitar, a red Epiphone Les Paul from Holly Bond's Music Store in Paris, Texas. While still in elementary school, he met Roosevelt Twitty, a blues musician who became Bryant's guitar mentor.[5] Together Bryant and Twitty formed the Blues Buddies, playing shows around Texas. This was the age that Bryant started writing songs.
At 15, Bryant put together his first band, which performed local shows in and around his hometown. In 2006, he was presented with the Robert Johnson Gibson New Generation Award for aspiring young guitar players.[4][6] In 2007, Bryant won Ernie Ball's first "Play Crossroads Competition", which got him a spot performing at the Crossroads Guitar Festival in Chicago.[5][7][8][9]
Bryant has recorded with record producers Kevin Shirley, Jed Leiber, Andy Johns, Joe Hamilton, Vance Powell, and Roger Alan Nichols.[4] In March 2011, Bryant released his first EP, called My Radio, which was later followed by another EP, From the Sandcastle. Tyler Bryant & the Shakedown released their debut album Wild Child on January 22, 2013. Their song "Loaded Dice & Buried Money" was available for streaming on October 13, 2015, and an EP titled The Wayside was announced with a release date of November 13, 2015.[16] The present members of the group include Bryant (lead vocals, guitar), Graham Whitford (guitar, backing vocals) and Caleb Crosby (drums).
He released Truth and Lies, his third album, in 2019.[17] his third album.[18] Later works include Pressure (2020),[19] Shake The Roots (2022),[20] Live From ‘79 (2023),[21] and Electrified (2024).[22]
Bryant is known for using a pink Fender Stratocaster nicknamed "Pinky One", which was stolen and therefore replaced with a similar "Pinky 2". The stolen guitar was found and returned after five and a half years.[24] Bryant's limited edition Fender Custom Shop signature model is based on Pinky 2.[25][26]
He also has a signature amp from Supro.
