The Founder

Tyler Ward

Digital music pioneer. Artist developer. The person behind Song House.

Tyler Ward founder of Song House Nashville independent singer songwriter
His Story

From a basement in Colorado to Nashville.

Tyler Ward was born March 12, 1984 in Aurora, Colorado. He enrolled at the United States Air Force Academy Preparatory School, departed after his first semester, and transferred to the University of Northern Colorado on a football scholarship. Then he walked away from athletics entirely to pursue music.

Starting in 2008, Tyler built a global fanbase entirely through social media, recording acoustic covers and originals in a makeshift studio in his parents' basement. No record label. No manager. No industry connections. Just a camera, a guitar, and the truth.

By 2011, he was the only unsigned artist in the Top 15 of Billboard's Social 50, where he charted for 38 consecutive weeks. He signed with Sony Music, then walked away to maintain creative autonomy. He has always chosen truth over the easy path.

The Career

20+ years of doing it differently.

Tyler has collaborated with Jason Derulo, The Beach Boys, Jason Mraz, Earth Wind and Fire, Lindsey Stirling, Switchfoot, Aloe Blacc, and the Jonas Brothers. He completed five worldwide headlining tours and accumulated over 2 billion combined streams and views. At his peak, he had over 2 million YouTube subscribers.

He performed on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, was named Artist of the Month on the NBC Today Show for his song "Yellow Boxes," secured a duet with The Band Perry at the Academy of Country Music Awards, and delivered a TEDx Talk in Nashville.

Tyler is married to Emmy Russell, a singer and songwriter. Their daughter Taylor Ray Ward was born January 31, 2025.

By the Numbers

The impact.

2B+
Combined Streams and Views
5M+
Social Media Followers
300+
Artists Mentored
60+
American Idol Finalists Mentored
5
Worldwide Headlining Tours
38
Weeks on Billboard Social 50
Watch

The TEDx Talk

Tyler took the TEDx Nashville stage to share his vision for music, community, and what happens when artists tell the truth.

The Philosophy

Why he built Song House.

The story matters. The way it is told matters. If the song is truthful, it matters more than a hit song or changing your career. Song House is more about being honest to the human experience and who you are than about writing bangers.

In a world of AI, you cannot compete with the production and output of machines. Song House is a place where you know what you are getting is a real, truthful, honest story from a person who is very similar to you. Truth wins.

Leading from a place of truth and honesty without leading people astray. Direct but kind. The approach is to break down walls and make sure people are being honest with their careers, their thoughts, and with each other.

Song House encourages people to be fully who they are. If you are not being yourself, the team recognizes it might not be the right time and there is still work to do. The space feels like a family. People who come to Song House usually end up being friends for the entirety of their time in Nashville.

Looking Forward

The vision.

Song House is a safe space away from AI where you can trust that it is human beings telling the stories. When you are searching on social media, Song House is the hub where people can trust what they are getting is real.

It is the place where independent artists want to come from all over to learn, get healed, tell their stories, be human, explore, and be inspired. Artists realize if music is something they actually want to do. Maybe they find their gift as a writer or a support behind the scenes or maybe they just needed to get it out of their system.

This is a safe space to try, do, learn, grow, and make your own decision if you really are an artist and want to continue. Song House has this status and trust where people say, "The people who come out of there are great."

As Seen On

The Kelly Clarkson Show

Tyler and Song House were featured on national television.

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Song House is the fuel. You are the fire.

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