Iola will get a taste of the city this weekend when Tyler Gregory’s one-man band brings busking indoors.
Friday night at 10, the Lawrence native — a street performer at heart — will take the stage at Scooter’s, bringing with him his guitars, a banjo and a stomp box as he plays his own brand of folk music. Gregory describes his music as “old-timey.”
“It’s storytelling, it’s rootsy, and it sounds like it’s from the ’30s,” the 23 year old said with a voice bearing no resemblance to his deep, raspy singing voice.
That sound isn’t that of someone in their college years, a reality that he says helps him express the bluesy feel he aims for. The weathered sound is the product of a life in love with music and the experiences that go with it for Gregory.
“My sound is due to a lot of playing on the streets. I’ve been busking since I was 16. If I don’t have a gig, I’ll play on the streets. I just want to play.
“Whiskey and cigarettes don’t help either,” Gregory said with a chuckle. “All those factors play into it.”
If Gregory’s first love is street performing, he might be heart sick of late. Since 2008, the one-man band has gone all in, taking his show on the road, playing about 230 shows each year, releasing four albums and creating his own merchandise.
“I quit my job and now all I do is play music,” he said. “I treat it as my own business. I package all my CDs and I do it all myself.”
Taking the cues and lifestyle from WWII-era blues bellowers, Gregory said his home grown, do-it-himself attitude fuels and inspires the final product, letting him experiment and take risks.
“It’s fun to be able to be creative and this allows me to do that,” he said. “It’s a good life.”
Gregory said he performs for crowds of all sizes – from tiny clubs in Lawrence to festivals at baseball stadiums – but he finds playing in smaller communities like Iola can sometimes be the most interesting.
“Sometimes the small towns are the funnest gigs,” he said. “I like playing small towns to keep it on a bit more of a personal level.”
The smaller crowds provide an opportunity to make a connection with a captive audience, Gregory said.
People listening at Scooter’s Friday night will hear more than just songs, he said. They’ll get a glimpse of who he is and where he comes from, Gregory said.
“Each song has its own meaning. It’s always something I’ve been through or something I’ve seen, rather than just singing a song about love,” he said.
Gregory uses narratives in between songs to guide audience involvement and help make listeners aware of the music’s meaning.
“If you tell a story before the song it kind of paints a picture and we can go through it together,” he said.
To get a preview of Gregory’s music before Friday’s 10 p.m. show at Scooter’s in Iola, go to TylerGregoryMusic.com.
Singer-songwriter gets personal Friday
