Ty, in terse summation: Learned to read
and write and dream and cuss in Tulsa;
learned to play and write songs and get
my spirit stomped in Nashville; learned
to say “beer” in Spanish in Austin.
Did some interesting stuff in between.
Now I got a record.
I was in Austin attending a recording
industry (NARAS) panel discussion,
“Indie In a Box” in which I and all
the other panelists explained that we
were committed to presenting music and
artists we could believe in, to records
we could be excited about and determined
to support and give the public a chance
to hear. To a man, we railed against
“corporate music” and pledged we
were incorruptible and would continue to
present artists who deserved a chance to
be heard and to entertain. After the
discussion John Peyton introduced
himself to me and said “I’d like to
send you someone very special, very
unique. I know you’ll be impressed.”
I’m always open to that kind of offer,
and John was true to his word. Ty Hager
is a gem. When I heard his self-produced
recordings, I reveled in his
individuality and originality. This
quiet, self-effacing artist has an acute
sense of humor and propriety. He’s the
Anti-Hero, the Wally Cox of songwriting.
He commiserates with the downtrodden,
and then shows us how they trod lower.
Corporate music? Corporate music could
never be this clever, or natural.
Here’s Ty Hager. A gem.
- Phil Kurnit, April 2003
Winthrop Records
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