Tyler Farr at The Paramount
Garden City, MO's Tyler Farr is a singer-songwriter who is a classically trained opera singer. The son of a farmer, he participated as a tenor in Missouri's All-State Choir in his senior year of high school. Urban legend has it that he stumbled upon and became enamored with country music when his mother married George Jones' touring guitarist. An accomplished songwriter, Farr co-wrote "Hey Y'all" for Cole Swindell and "She's Just Like That" for Joe Nichols. While he was paying his dues and had to pay the rent, Farr took on a number of jobs including parking cars, short order cooking, landscaping, singing demos, recreational therapist, construction work and working in a halfway house for kids. His debut album Redneck Crazy (Sony/Legacy) came out in 2013 and contained his first Top 10 hit in "Redneck Crazy" and three other singles. His unusual voice caught the attention of fans and critics alike. His prolific touring schedule has included opening for Brad Paisley, Florida Georgia Line, Luke Bryan, Lee Brice and Jason Aldean as well as performing at festivals and dive bars and everything in between. He's come a long way. His 2015 Sony/Legacy release Suffer In Peace featured the number one country hit in "A Guy Walks Into a Bar."
It was a brisk night on Long Island in early March when Farr’s tour set down at The Paramount in Huntington. Fans filled in the seats on the upper level and crowded the stage in the general admission pit to get as close to Farr and his band as possible. The anticipation was high and the energy palpable as the stage lights dimmed and he appeared on stage. Farr's voice is a remarkable instrument. He can croon about heartbreak. He can get a rise from the crowd with his words. He is also quite funny, cracking jokes and making numerous quips during his performance.
Farr is a renaissance man of Country music and he kept the enthusiasm of the crowd up with his polished versions of "(A Shot of) Whiskey In My Water," "Better in Boots" and "C.O.U.N.T.R.Y." and the tour de force, "A Guy Walks Into a Bar." After having a vocal polyp removed after a severe bout of bronchitis at the end of 2015 which was followed by total vocal rest, it's nice to hear Farr sounding strong.
Photo Credit: Christine Connallon