The Kentucky native Tyler Booth attended Morehead State University on a music scholarship, and one of the university’s music instructors championed his extraordinary talent. During the year 2017, Booth released his debut EP featuring the hit song “Hank Crankin’ People.” In 2019, he released “Long Comes A Girl” and “Where the Livin’ Is” with Villa 40/Sony Music Nashville. After signing a major record deal with Sony Music Nashville in early 2020, Booth released the 6-track EP Grab The Reins on August 20th.
From its tempo, melody, to its moral-of-the-story celebration lyrics, the first song, “Drink It Up,” kicks things off on a high note. Booth’s overtly mature and traditional vocals blend beautifully with the refreshingly authentic country sound. The 24-year-old songwriter and singer sound as if he’s been singing country before he could speak. Using an intrinsically country metaphor, the song conveys the wise message that life is a party to be enjoyed.
“Drink it up. Try to sip it ‘cause it’s really good stuff and you’re gonna get a real good buzz off life and love and you only get one cup so pour yourself a good time, raise it up real high, taste it ‘fore it runs dry. Drink it up.”
“Ghost Town” has a distinctive sound eerily resembling Johnny Cash when he was a teenager, with vocals and lyrics that recall traditional country story-telling. A walk-about tale of love lost but never forgotten, this track blends the upbeats of this song with the low tones of Booth.
“Every corner that I turn, every sunset that I burn. Every dirt road I go down, down, down. I smell your perfume, see your face. Something whiskey can’t erase. Swear that I can feel you here right now and you’re always hangin’ ’round. It’s like I’m livin’ in a ghost town.”
With lyrics about the girl of his dreams grabbing his heart by the reins, Grab The Reins gets its name from the sixth and final track on the EP. ‘Palamino Princess’ is an epic song written by a cowboy for a country girl who not only can catch a cowboy’s heart but may even tame it.
“Saddle me up, I won’t buck on you, baby. Let’s take a chance and we can ride the night away. A palomino princess is all a cowboy needs to face a long, hard day. So won’t you climb on up and grab the reins.”
