The Union was a warm and comforting place to be on Friday, Oct. 2, as Nashville indie-pop husband and wife duo, Jenny and Tyler, took the stage. Tea candles adorned the tables softly lighting the room while North Central College students and other fans drank hot beverages out of handpainted mugs. It was a cozy environment as everyone present listened and sang along to the relatable yet catchy tunes that make up Jenny and Tyler’s music.
“Hopeful. Sincere. Intimate.” These are three words Jenny uses to describe the music that she and Tyler create.
Throughout the night, the duo played many songs off of their new album titled “Of This I’m Sure,” which will be available for purchase on Oct,16. The 12 song-set was produced by Gabe Scott, who has played on various albums by such artists as The Civil Wars, Ingrid Michaelson and Matt Kearney, with the exception of one track.
“It’s an album of love songs,” says Jenny.
Each song is a telling of the duo’s own story since many of the songs are inspired by their actual relationships. However, the album is not filled with songs about typical romances. They describe the love between friends, family and the unique love between a child and a parent.
The songwriting process is a collaborative effort in for Jenny and Tyler. They usually write separately and then bring their ideas together while constantly bouncing thoughts off of one another. Jenny typically writes the melody and lyrics of a song while Tyler works on a completely different set of melodies and lyrics for a song unrelated to what Jenny is working on.
The duo has just signed a record deal with Residence Music and has had near complete creative control over “Of This I’m Sure.” The producers only wanted to add one song to the album, “Song for You,” which the duo has approved.
Jenny and Tyler first met 11 years ago in 2004 at the University of Delaware. Both had been playing music separately, but bonded over their shared passion. After a while, they began dating, and in 2006 Jenny and Tyler started to work on an album. The reason why Jenny and Tyler became a musical duo is simple.
“We sounded better together than alone,” says Jenny.
However, it wasn’t until the duo graduated from the University of Delaware that the realization of pursuing a career in music formed. Neither one of them wanted to enter the traditional workforce because there wouldn’t be time to make music.
Music has and always will be an important part of the duo’s lives. Both grew up in musical families. Tyler’s father, a classical composer and a jazz piano player, and his mother, a singer, exposed him to numerous music performers and styles. Jenny’s family, while not as musically talented as Tyler’s, incorporated music in their household by having family music nights. She grew up immersed in bluegrass and gospel, which has shaped the duo’s creative process ever since.
According to Jenny, being surrounded by music from an early age gave them an appreciation that they may not have developed otherwise. Speaking of family, the largest challenge for the duo is being musicians while simultaneously raising their children.
“It’s hard; being a mom and doing this,” says Jenny.
She describes feeling a constant pull between writing more and spending time with her two young daughters. Despite all the challenges, Jenny and Tyler have made both raising a family and making music a success.
For more information on upcoming events featuring Jenny and Tyler visit their website at www.jennyandtyler.com.
