Tyler Mullins has been all about bluegrass music pert near his whole life. At age 11, he started in on the banjo on an instrument his grandmother gave him for Christmas, and has never looked back.
Growing up in Kentucky, Tyler’s high school had a bluegrass group, which he joined. That band ended up getting to travel to Japan and perform as part of a cultural change program. In 2004 he helped co-found a youth bluegrass band called Kentucky Sassafras, and when they disbanded, Mullins started the best education any banjo player could hope for. He auditioned and got the job playing with Larry Sparks as a Lonesome Rambler.
At the same time he was touring with Sparks, Tyler was studying in college at Morehead State University, and graduated in 2014 with a double major in Traditional Music Performance and Multimedia Production. While there, under the tutelage of Raymond McLain, he was able to also perform in China with the school bluegrass band.
After another year, he left Sparks and started his own group, Tyler Mullins & Friends.
This Friday, his banjo EP, Plum Peachy, will be released, which had originally served as his Capstone Project during his senior year at Morehead. We are happy to share the first single, and the only vocal number on this record, Tyler’s version of Night Train to Memphis. He is supported by Raymond McLain on guitar and Ruth McLain Smith on bass, along with Scott Napier on mandolin, and Jesse Wells on fiddle.
Have a listen…
Night Train to Memphis is available now as a single from popular download and streaming services, and to radio programmers via AirPlay Direct.
Tyler Mullins’ Plum Peachy EP will be available on Friday, August 5.