As he launched into an improvised mid-show guitar solo throughout a current sold-out efficiency on the Georgia Theatre in Athens, GA, Ty Myers confidently exclaimed, “Let me play this guitar!”

It was harking back to Prince’s iconic declaration from his legendary 2007 Tremendous Bowl efficiency. Later, Ty will admit it was not an intentional homage, “however perhaps it ought to have been,” he beams.

And that is why the younger upstart from Dripping Springs, Texas is such an fascinating and thrilling younger artist. On the one hand he’s a quickly rising younger songwriter with almost 5 million listeners month-to-month on Spotify and really almost 17 million likes on TikTok. However he’s additionally a guitar obsessive who holds up Stevie Ray Vaughan and John Mayer as his north stars – a lot in order that the Strat-toting teen even wears a jade necklace as a nod to SRV.

And in an period the place social media typically supplants the old style enterprise of studying your craft in a reside surroundings, Myers can also be refreshingly dedicated to the grind. By yr’s finish, he could have performed simply over 100 exhibits in help of his debut album The Choose, with the majority of his 2026 already mapped out.

It’s fairly some dedication for a child who solely turned 18 in July – however he’s no rookie. This author first encountered Myers opening for nation heavyweight Dylan Gossett when he was simply 16 years outdated. And it ought to be no shock he understands what it takes to make it within the enterprise – his father Michael is a widely known musician in his native Texas, whereas his uncle Dean Sams is a member of the platinum-selling nation outlet Lonestar, and his nice uncle Ronnie Huckaby an integral member of George Strait’s ensemble.

“There’s a way of tradition, of significance, in regards to the guitar participant. I simply care quite a bit about it.”

The Odyssey

It was solely pure then, that Myers would discover his method into the household enterprise, however his guitar odyssey truly began out courtesy of one other Texan guitar nice. The hearth that also burns brilliant for Stevie Ray started when an elementary-aged Myers encountered the legendary movie Dwell on the El Mocambo.

“I can visualize it,” he says. “It was a smoky, small bar. Stevie’s sitting on a stool, smoking a cigarette, carrying a hat that’s casting a shadow half over his face, and begins enjoying probably the most complicated, lovely, melodic factor on the guitar. I used to be like, ‘That is it!’ It’s like he was hovering… sucking the facility from the nicotine of that cigarette, and it got here out in his fingers.”

It was solely pure then that Myers selected a pair of Strats as his go-to electrics, plus a Gibson SJ-200 and a Gallagher Ragtime Particular to deal with acoustic stuff. His favorite Strat is a Customized Store relic constructed by revered Grasp Builder Dennis Galuszka. It was a guitar that Myers first encountered at Nashville’s famend Carter Classic retailer – and he knew immediately it needed to be his.

“I seemed down this lengthy aisle, and on this little stage, there’s a guitar sitting on a stand, and it was like doves flew out of it,” Myers remembers with a glimmer in his eye. “I didn’t even play it, I simply knew I used to be going to get it.”

The Guitar Sceptic

Ty is selective in regards to the guitars he performs, however even as soon as an instrument earns his affection, he nonetheless finds himself continually critiquing whether or not it’s doing the job for him.

“The primary uptake will hit you or it received’t,” he explains. “As soon as I discover the one I would like, I’ll play it for some time and attempt to discover imperfections. I’m form of a sceptic. When you can criticise the guitar sufficient and nonetheless prefer it, it’s an excellent guitar.”

That doesn’t imply he’s a gear snob, nonetheless – regardless of proudly owning a wide range of high-end guitars, one other of his favourites is a humble Squier that was handed down from a member of the family that he saved tinkering with till he managed to unlock the guitar’s magic.

“When somebody compliments my guitar enjoying, I’ll by no means be happier.”

“It’s a Squier, it’s from a storage unit!” he exclaims with as a lot exasperated judgement as he can muster. “I picked it up six months in the past… and I debated bringing it out on the highway to beat it up somewhat. I nearly tried to ‘relic’ it myself, however I didn’t.”

This strategy to self-critique is equally utilized to his personal enjoying and performances – it’s one thing that’s helped Myers flourish and thrive at such a younger age.

“That’s a rut numerous guitar gamers get into,” he continues. “I critique my enjoying the identical method I critique a guitar. It has prompted me to get higher. It’s as a result of there’s a way of tradition, of significance, in regards to the guitar participant. I simply care quite a bit about it. When somebody compliments my guitar enjoying, I’ll by no means be happier.”

Simple Expertise

After all, Myers’ guitar abilities are solely a part of the equation – he’s additionally a compelling and interesting singer and performer. It’s the form of uncommon mixture that has prompted among the older heads within the scene to take discover. Simply final month, he collaborated with Marcus King on a rendition of Little Feat’s Two Practices. And to nation crooner and fellow Texan William Beckmann, who’s now mates with Myers, it was instantly obvious what a expertise he’s.

“The primary time I noticed him play, I used to be instantly impressed by him,” Beckmann tells us. “His skill to play guitar and weave distinctive melodies into his songs is uncommon for an artist at his age. Some individuals are simply born with plain expertise, and he’s considered one of them.”

These distinctive guitar melodies make their method into Myers’ recordings, although are extraordinarily prevalent in his reside set. He extends intros and outros at will, performs behind his head, and sometimes lets his piercing notes linger within the air as he stares out into the gang in a brooding, calculated trend.

“A live performance is meant to be an expertise,” Myers affirms. “It’s simply as a lot a present as if you happen to go to a Broadway play. I really like to start a track with a special musical factor. That’s my favourite a part of the present, trigger I can escape my very own thoughts. Typically I simply maintain going. It’s nearly autopilot. I am enthusiastic about what I’m enjoying… however I’m not sitting there pondering, ‘Okay, main third… use the dimensions.’ My fingers are simply livin’ their very own life.”

“A live performance is meant to be an expertise… That’s my favourite a part of the present, trigger I can escape my very own thoughts.”

Teen Idol

Maybe the elephant within the room is that if Myers’ youthful crowd are thinking about, or in a position to establish with, the musicality occurring in entrance of them. There’s no escaping the truth that he has the appears and charisma of a pop star, in any case.

“Individuals remark, ‘Individuals are going to neglect about his music trigger he’s such a…’” he begins, failing to provide you with a definitive description. “Individuals can assume what they need, however I hope they don’t consider me as just a few playboy. My musicianship isn’t going away.”

He does, nonetheless, perceive his viewers’s mentality. It was exhausting to flee it amid that Athens crowd, because the viewers swayed with collective desperation throughout Myers’ efficiency By way of A Display screen – a prescient ballad about navigating romance through on-line communication. However Myers is eager to remind us that his viewers’s youth and enthusiasm doesn’t make them any much less genuine.

“Let’s say my viewers is from age 15 to 25,” he explains. “The youngsters are on this angsty and emotional stage. It doesn’t make the sentiments any much less actual as a result of they’re younger. Particularly on a track like By way of A Display screen. That was a real story from my life that everybody my age has had.”

Enterprise Mind

The stage is ready for Myers to construct on his present success even additional – with new materials seemingly in 2026, and an enormous alternative opening for Luke Combs on his upcoming stadium tour.

“My mind works quicker than the music enterprise,” he chuckles on the prospect of his subsequent album, earlier than revealing that he writes a minimum of a track per week, however has “an issue” ending those he doesn’t like.

“That’s superb till you’re method forward, however we’re releasing stuff from method again when. We completed recording the second album, and now I’m writing for one other album that I undoubtedly can’t say a lot about. I haven’t been this enthusiastic about writing new stuff in a very long time.”

All of the whereas, Myers seeks to pave his personal lane. Not as, merely, a rustic artist, however past.

“We categorise issues as a result of it’s simple to grasp,” he displays when requested if he’s cautious of being pigeonholed by style. “It’s nice for the viewers, however not so nice for the artist. The viewers can discover a particular connection… when they are often like, ‘He’s my favorite nation artist.’ As an artist, whenever you say, ‘I’m actually captivated with this,’ then you definately go and check out it and other people say, ‘That’s not what you have been enjoying earlier than!’ It’s like… that is music!

“It’s exhausting to check a rock track from 1950 with a brand new pop track by Olivia Dean. How do I decide which is best? I would like individuals to think about me as a musician. That’s what I’m right here for. I might care much less about the rest than that the music I’m making is appreciated, and that individuals know that it’s my objective.”

Phrases: Noah Wade
Pictures: Chris Buck
Styling/Hair & Make-up: Kelly Henderson
Location: Phone