The path from teenage drummer to multi-album solo artist rarely follows a straight line. For Pennsylvania musician JJ Tyson, it’s been a journey marked by viral success, band breakups, and an unexpected pivot toward spiritual music — all while maintaining the raw intensity that first drew him to rock.
“I got started around the age of 15 when I got my first real drum kit,” Tyson recalls. “Self-taught, then I hooked up with a couple high school friends and jammed. Always loved rock music from an early age.”
That early passion behind the kit eventually led Tyson from drumming for popular local bands to songwriting. After taking two years away from performing, he reconnected with a former bandmate to write original material. Their song “Walk Away” exploded online, racking up over a million views and birthing the band Black Water Greed.
The viral moment brought magazine covers and interviews, but success couldn’t prevent internal tensions. When the band dissolved due to what Tyson describes as “bad blood,” he found himself at a crossroads. Working with producer David Mobley, he channeled that uncertainty into The Tyson-Mobley Project, an album that performed well enough to convince him to go solo.
Four solo albums later — Back from the Ashes, Digital Mine Crime, The Other Side of Me, and the recently released Cellar Dweller — Tyson has proven his staying power. His latest effort, which dropped August 1st, doesn’t pull punches. The 18-track, hour-plus record confronts trauma and transformation head-on, with songs like “Unleash the Rage” and “Haunted Hallways” exploring isolation and survival through thunderous guitar work and unflinching lyrics.
“I write meaningful lyrics that have touched a lot of hearts,” Tyson explains. “Hopefully my message can help them cope with issues they may have.”
The impact goes beyond intention. Fans have reached out with personal stories — one told him he’d “written her life in five minutes,” while another credited “Walk Away” with helping her leave a toxic relationship.
What’s striking about Tyson’s current trajectory is its breadth. While Cellar Dweller leans into hard rock territory he compares to Evanescence and Halestorm, he’s simultaneously working on Army of Faith, his second Christian album due in September, plus a Christmas album featuring 12 to 14 original holiday songs slated for November.
“I love my hard rock roots, but I love the messages I put in my Christian songs, to spread the word of God to the world,” he says. “As you know, this world is falling apart and we need to pull together and love one another.”
The versatility isn’t just genre-hopping — it reflects a deeper philosophy about meeting audiences where they are. Asked about his approach, Tyson keeps it simple: “Just do your own thing and what makes you happy — it reflects on your fans, and they are the ones that make you or break you. Stay focused and loyal.”
With potential touring plans for mid-2026 and another collaboration with Mobley in the works, Tyson’s building something beyond a typical rock career. He’s creating music that spans from cathartic rage to spiritual comfort, unified by one goal: helping people heal.
Fans can follow Tyson’s journey on YouTube, stream his music on Spotify, Apple Music, and Pandora, or connect on Facebook.
