Reed and O’Brien will offer unique mix at Tuesday band shell show

SCOTTVILLE – This week’s Tuesday night Scottville Clown Band Shell Concert Series will feature Tyler John Reed of the Whiskey Rebels and he will be joined by friend and musician, Shayla Janae O’Brien. Both native Ludington residents, Reed and O’Brien have been playing music around the area and are excited to team up for this special performance at 7 p.m., Tuesday, June 10. MCP Correspondent Kate Krieger met up with Reed and O’Brien, to discuss their musical journeys thus far and where they hope to go in the future, both together and separately.

Q: How did the band/group get its start?

Reed: “This will be our first time playing an acoustic show together. We decided to do it after jamming together on multiple random occasions.”

O’Brien: “We became good friends last summer. It started out by just jamming occasionally and recently sparked the idea of doing some acoustic acts together. We play for fun and to incorporate new ideas into our own personal styles.”

Q: What style of music do you consider yourself? Any musical influences that are present in your music or if you do covers, reasons you chose the songs you chose?

Reed: “You will hear us do country, classic rock, pop and alternative acoustic covers.”

O’Brien: “We try to blend our two styles. Tyler plays a lot of country/rock, while I’d probably consider myself having a more singer/songwriter and pop style. I enjoy country covers as well, so we work well together. Each person has their own musical stamp and it takes some learning to understand how to fully play with another musician.”

Q: How often do you play out and where can people check you out at besides this Tuesday’s show at the Scottville Clown Band Shell?

Reed: “Shayla plays a lot at PM Steamers. I play a lot of acoustic gigs. I have upcoming appearances at Jamesport Brewery, which have yet to be announced. On Aug. 10, I will be at the Blu Moon. My band, The Whiskey Rebels can be found playing multiple venues throughout the summer including at Buds, the Sandbar, Crystal Lake Campground and Suds on the Shore. Last year we headlined Suds. We also just booked our first gig at The Intersection in Grand Rapids on July 26.”

O’Brien: “We have no other scheduled gigs yet, but you’ll definitely be seeing us performing around the Ludington Area more this summer. Just keep up to date with Ludington Live Local Musician’s Facebook page. Cathy is great at keeping the town updated on weekly acts.”

Q: How did the Scottville gig come to you and what should people look forward to when they come out to hear you play?

Reed: “The Scottville gig approached Shayla through Jeremy Verstraete. He has heard her play and loves her style. Last year, The Whiskey Rebels played the stage out there on a Tuesday night. This year however, there was a conflict for the band, so Shayla and I put this together.”

O’Brien: “I mentioned that Tyler and I wanted to start doing some acoustic duet gigs together, Jeremy loved the idea and here we are. People should expect some good, well known songs as well as some that may be new to people. We’ll play some songs together, and then each of us will be playing some songs by ourselves, so the crowd should get a little taste of everything.”

Q: In your spare time, when not playing music, what are the members of the group doing? 

Reed: “In my spare time I love fishing, hunting, writing music and enjoying all the great things we are privileged with here in Ludington.”

O’Brien: “I am currently on summer break from school at Ferris State University so I’m working during my time in Ludington. I enjoy spending most of my time outside, doing anything from hiking the State Park to kayaking down the PM River.”

Both Reed and O’Brien can be found online. Reed’s band, The Whiskey Rebels can be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/whiskeyrebelsmusic and O’Brien can be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/shaylajanaemusic.

The band shell is owned and operated as a joint venture between the Scottville Optimist Club and Scottville Clown Band. The committee operates as a separate entity and includes representatives from both organizations and from the community. Tax deductible donations may be sent to Scottville Clown Band, PO Box 278, Scottville, MI 49454.