Tyler Hilton returns with new single, performance on ‘Pitch’

With new single “Next to You” released next week, Tyler Hilton has made his first appearance in American television drama Pitch. Tyler, who plays a Noah, a charming and quick-witted billionaire computer nerd, first appeared on the Fox TV show on December 1st. He will return for the season finale which airs at 9 pm ET on Thursday, December 8th when he will be will be performing “Next to You” live. Hilton plays the love interest of lead character Ginny Baker in the popular show which tells the fictional story of the first woman to play in Major League Baseball.

From his performance as Elvis in Walk The Line, Chris Keller in the hugely popular American drama One Tree Hill and Charlie in Steven Spielberg’s sci-fi TV drama Extant, Hilton has established himself as an incredibly talented and versatile actor and musician with a worldwide fanbase.

A chance encounter with Los Angeles radio personalities Mark and Brian from KLOS when Hilton was fifteen led to multiple appearances on their radio show, live concert dates with the duo, and national exposure. His first album soon followed, released independently, it led to major label interest with Hilton eventually signing to Maverick/Warner Records. His album The Tracks of Tyler Hilton produced two Billboard Top 40 charting singles, and a tour to promote the album led to Hilton being cast as his childhood hero Elvis Presley in the Johnny Cash biopic Walk the Line. The film’s soundtrack, which saw Hilton working with T-Bone Burnett on the soundtrack, earned him a gold record.

An opportunity to sing on TV’s One Tree Hill, a breeding ground for new musical talent, led to an extended run in the series, several appearances on MTV’s TRL with the cast and a national tour with Gavin DeGraw and Michelle Branch who also sang on the show. Taylor Swift declared she was a fan of Hilton’s music and invited him to star in her music video “Tear Drops on My Guitar” which became a huge crossover hit. The two appeared live together several times with Hilton also appearing via an interactive video on her stadium tour. A role in the independent comedy Charlie Bartlett followed, which saw Hilton working with Robert Downey Jr. and the late Anton Yelchin. It was on this set that Hilton met his wife, Canadian actress Megan Park.

Following a move to Nashville, Hilton’s new material explored his family’s country music roots. He teamed up with several highly regarded producers including Dan Huff, Nathan Chapman, Matt Serletic, and John Alagia, however Warner Brothers Records were plagued by roster upheavals, eventually leading to Hilton’s departure from the label. The tracks didn’t see the light of day although one of these unreleased songs made their way to Joe Cocker who recorded it on his final album.

Having made the decision to start his own label, Hooptie Tune Records, Hilton released Forget the Storm the following year. It became an international success leading to several European tours and a fervent new fan base. His follow up, the mellow folk-country album Indian Summer was recorded live in a studio accompanied by a bluegrass band which included his uncle, Tommy Hilton, on guitar. While recording, Hilton landed a role in Halle Berry’s Extant on CBS and continued to appear in the show over the course of its two season run, as well as touring and filming the holiday movie Christmas on the Bayou with Randy Travis, Ed Asner, and One Tree Hill alum, Hilarie Burton. The movie also provided a platform for Hilton’s single “One Foot in the Bayou.”

Hilton’s last album Indian Summer is the most mature release of his decade-long career so far. With its carefully crafted arrangements and considered song structures, the record is an intimate piece of Americana that sees Hilton starting a new chapter in his creative journey. A compelling blend of folk, country and pop, Hilton’s growth as an artist shines through in tracks like “California” and “Time’s A Wastin'”. The album, handpicked as a feature in the iTunes singer/songwriter category, is also available to stream on Hilton’s Soundcloud.

Currently based in Los Angeles, Tyler Hilton is writing music with Charles Kelley of Lady Antebellum as well as working on his own new album.

The Pitch season finale airs December 8th on Fox. Check local listings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PW7vR3iC_6U&feature=youtu.be

Buddy Iahn
Buddy Iahn

Buddy Iahn founded The Music Universe when he decided to juxtapose his love of web design and music. As a lifelong drummer, he decided to take a hiatus from playing music to report it. The website began as a fun project in 2013 to one of the top independent news sites. Email: info@themusicuniverse.com