Entertainment
The Pursuit of Happiness
Some say there’s nothing new under the sun. We beg to differ. Sure, that’s a seemingly valid point when we break down our favorite popular songs to the same few chord progressions. But why should this understanding of basic repetition do anything but motivate us to create?
Dan Tillery shows us that when inspiration is drawn from as many sources as possible, the opportunity to create something original returns. His music makes us think “playlist of nostalgia, set in the future.” Each new tune has wildly diverse style from the others, but all have a unanimous comforting groove that reminds us of so many good vibes we’ve come across before.
Inspired by the living-room harmonies of his friend Paul’s family, Tillery began writing and singing songs with just a few chords, A & D. Everyone’s got to start somewhere, right? A few years later, Dan quit his job in pursuit of a full time music career. Bouncing from gig to gig, nightly; his daytime consisted of songwriting, making phone calls to book shows, and learning to use social media platforms to share his music and stay connected to his fans.
“I like to assume most of my fans are smoking while they have a listen. Accompanying the music with a joint or two. I know all my friends are.”
Despite the viral view count on one of his cover song performances (Meghan Trainor’s All About That Bass), Tillery’s talent shines ultra-bright in the music he writes himself and with his friends. “She Calls Me the Doctor” performed with Dave G. is an incredibly funky and smooth jam that you’ll likely have on repeat for days. With a vocal style so unique, its clear musical inspiration has been drawn from quite “literally, a little bit of everything (he’s) ever heard.” Depending on the song/performance you’re likely to hear hints of Sublime, Bob Marley, The Beatles, Jack Johnson, Led Zeppelin, Sam Cook, 2Pac . . . but seriously, so much more. One of the most exciting parts of listening to Tillery’s original music is personally identifying what/who may have inspired each layer. The original video of “Let me Love You,” is a must-see. He belts out this flirtatious song with such style—and nothing but a simple, original pre-recorded loop backing his vocals. Such good vibes!
Choosing to inspire others to sing about the sunshine in their lives, Tillery sings about love and happiness, often. His incredibly beautiful partner, Megan has been a driving force in his life for nearly 15 years. “She has always supported me. That has played a huge role in my success as a musician. She believes in me. She roots me on. She encourages me. It’s huge. I’m grateful for her love.”
Though Megan doesn’t sing, she’s made an adorable appearance on at least one of Tillery’s live Facebook sessions, often featuring his jam sessions with friends. With positive vibes like these you’re likely to wonder who else is medicating along with this music. Dan says, “I like to assume most of my fans are smoking while they have a listen. Accompanying the music with a joint or two. I know all my friends are.”
Tillery just released a full-length album, Dreamers and Drifters, a collaborative effort with guitarist Dave G., which is now available for your listening pleasure on Spotify. We surely had our favorites, but you really just have to give the whole album a listen from beginning to end and enjoy the ride—it’s quite an exciting rollercoaster.
