Crownover: On Tulsa Time
We’ve all been to shows where it seems the early crowd’s sole purpose is to chug down as many inebriating beverages as they can before the headliner takes the stage, get increasingly obnoxious with each swig and then proceed to scream the most personal details of their lives to the person standing no more than a foot away; talking right through the opening artist’s set, ignoring the music being played and only relenting when it’s time to order another drink. Hell, I’ll reluctantly admit to having partaken in this behavior at least once. The early crowd at the V Club, where I was first introduced to Crownover’s music, was no exception: the group of first-comers were exactly in this state of mind, progressing fast and loud before the show even started. Even I (remember I just told you I have at least once been an asshole of these proportions?) was screaming over the club music to chat with a social media friend I had never met until that night and was so focused on our conversation that I didn’t realize Kyle Crownover, the show’s first opening act, had taken the stage. Most of us were there to catch Arlo McKinley and The Lonesome Sound, and I would say a good majority of us weren’t aware of Mr. Crownover’s talent.
Yet, almost as soon as Crownover’s voice belted from the stage, my newly found friend and I, along with nearly everyone in attendance, couldn’t help but focus all our attention on him. The chattering continued for just a bit, but with every lyric he sang, the crowd’s mutterings subsided, and before long, we were all captivated. I have never experienced anything of the sort; with the exception of a few folks in the back corner of the concert hall (who were already well into becoming assholes for the entire evening), everyone was focused on the music. The music, good heavens, the music! Crownover was all by his lonesome on stage that evening with nothing but his guitar to keep him company, yet the lack of accompaniment only served to showcase his talent! His charming, emotive voice provided an impeccable partnership in response to the guitar’s melodic presence, and within minutes, we all were hooked.
Photo Courtesy of Melissa Payne
Crownover has almost always known that music and all the things that come along with it were going to be his entirety someday. He, like so many other great musicians, started performing and singing in church at a young age; those experiences helped foster his love of music, made him recognize that music is the tie that binds us all and understand the potential that creating music carries within. Resolute in his aspirations to play a part in affecting people’s lives through music, he set out to further his devotion by studying music and song-writing in college. He kept busy performing and working at the local churches close to his alma matter, Middle Tennessee State University, but sometime late in his college years, he started to question his faith and the judgements he says too often come along with it. He told me he continued to trust that his calling to a career in music was the path he should follow, but had lost dedication to the edifice of a belief system that had him question the everyday life and actions of many of his closest friends. And then, just like the stories of countless musicians go, Kyle made the move to Nashville!
Besides writing and hoarding all the songs he could during this time, he also moonlighted as a shoe store clerk, chef of fantastic grilled cheeses, and host of a karaoke bar. Not sure yet what to do with his songs and hankering to travel the country, he decided to volunteer his merchandise retailing services to his roommate’s band, so, off to Colorado they went. He did weekend stints traveling with the band whenever he could and concluded he really enjoyed life on the road. It wasn’t long after that he was hired to manage Parker Milsap’s tour. Without much experience as a tour manager at the time, he says it was a great initiation into the music industry and helped him create long-lasting close friendships with so many folks along the way. Crownover recalls meeting Tyler Childers while on the road with Milsap and mentioning to Childers’ manager that if ever needed and available, he would jump at the opportunity to be Tyler’s tour manager. Fast-forward two years, Kyle says holding the position of Mr. Childers’ tour manager has been “an incredible ride!”
Photo Courtesy of Melissa Payne
And that brings us to present day. Crownover and I met just outside Tulsa’s legendary Cain’s Ballroom, where he and the crew were preparing for Tyler’s sold-out show that evening. Despite duties necessitating his presence as tour manager that day, he rushed to get done what he needed and set aside a bit of time to stroll around downtown Tulsa and chat with me for a bit. Just as friendly and approachable as he had been when we first spoke at the V Club, he talked with me about his progression from singing songs of faith, to writing songs for others to perform, to now singing them himself. He says that after years of trying to navigate the tangles of Nashville aiming to convince other artists they should sing his songs, he decided he would sing them himself! In his early 20s, Kyle says he’s still working on figuring out who he is and what he wants to be, and the five songs he released in early 2019 are some of his favorite sentiments on that journey. He says he’s appreciative of the opportunities he’s been afforded, grateful to have traveled to places he never dreamed he’d see, and happy to be able to do so many of the things he loves. After a leisurely walk around Tulsa’s Arts District, we make our way to The Guitar House of Tulsa and stop in for a quick peek at the variety of vintage guitars they have in stock. Crownover browses the goods for a minute, sets his sight on a particular guitar, picks it up, gives it a quick tuning and belts out an absolutely beautiful rendition of John Moreland’s “I Need You To Tell Me Who I Am.” Not finished yet, he treats everyone in the store to a full acoustic performance of his song, “Sweet Jeanette,” and it’s officially cemented in my mind that this young man is blessed with an amazing talent and is an artist I truly hope continues to trust his calling.
As several of the Childers crew stop in to also check out guitars, we all chat for a few minutes more, and after a couple of quick photos are snapped, we make our way back towards Cain’s so Crownover can get back to his duties for the day. During that last bit of conversation, it becomes readily apparent that Kyle’s fervor for all things music has instilled in him a dogged determination to use his talents in whatever platform the industry places him in. He is completely comfortable both in his behind-the-scenes role and being front and center on his own. He mentions that he has been given both the talent and the opportunities not a lot of folks have and he’d feel guilty if he squandered those on anything less than nurturing a career in what is conceivably one of the few professions that still possesses the ability to speak to all people and bring us all together.
You can find Kyle’s music on all streaming platforms (and on his website crownovermusic.com). The songs on his EP are definitely some for the broken-hearted to sing along to and touchstones of Crownover’s splendid song-writing talent. Even though about hard times and heart-break, all of the songs are up tempo and not necessarily songs to cry to. One of Crownover’s favorites from this collection is “Almost Right,” written with Parker Milsap. Kyle says all the songs have at least some portion of his life stories written into them, but most are a compilation of his life and stories he’s been told by friends and family. Kyle is still waiting to discover what career path the music industry will take him in. So, in the meantime, keep an eye out for some new releases in 2020, and the next time Crownover plays a show near you, do not hesitate to buy the tickets; I promise they are well worth the dollars!
Kyle Crownover:
https://www.crownovermusic.com
https://www.instagram.com/kylecrownover/
https://www.facebook.com/Crownovermusic/
Photos By Melissa Payne: