“Every once in a while one encounters an artist whose very nature seems to capture a portion of the glorious and heartbreaking complexities of the human predicament and who also possesses the gift to express that portion in a unique and compelling way. Chuck Pyle is one of those rare artists.”
~ CHARLES YOUNG
Nashville Songwriters Association Santa Fe, New Mexico
Written by Matt Kramer
Chuck Pyle sings with a smile that brightens up the room, delivering songs and stories cradled in wisdom so deep it could have been forged in the molten granite that gave birth to the Rockies a million centuries ago. Pyle’s guitar playing is equally solid, a rich, rhythmic, rolling fingerpicking style that has some people looking around for another guitarist –but it’s all Chuck Pyle, seamlessly blending lyric and melody with signature warmth and humor.
My audience inspires me; it’s time to quit if they don’t.
The uninitiated may think they’re listening to a cowboy, and they are. But somewhere in the concert, your sense of being shifts; you’re not just drinking in music and lyrics; a new element is blossoming within, unnamed, undefined but you feel a dimension opening and you’re seeing life with new eyes and ancient sagacity. Maybe that’s what inspired a reviewer, a long time ago, to adhere to the title, Zen Cowboy, to Pyle’s legacy.
Always ride the horse in the direction it is going.
Pyle will not take all the credit for this magic. “My audience inspires me; it’s time to quit if they don’t.” While he spoke about being a “word guy,” he does not make the mistake that dogs many writers who sacrifice the song for the sake of the message. Lush music and seasoned lyrics inform each other, like a marriage mingling love and respect, they entwine perfectly, enticing you into their journey.
Occasionally Colorado photographer John Fielder will join Pyle in performance; the two will share the stage with Pyle’s songs adding dimension to Fielder’s loving homages to the beauty of Colorado’s natural treasures. These traveling performances awaken those who may be taking their paradise for granted unaware of what they are losing to unsustainable development.
Some who hear Pyle for the first time wonder why they haven’t heard of him; why doesn’t he get airplay? The answer is fairly simple; his songs are not shallow enough for the commercial record and radio industry. To Pyle, commercial music generally isn’t very interesting; it tries to deliver an instant sell that seldom stands up to the test of time. Pyle’s music does play well the first time but some songs require a few listens before they begin to unfold, revealing layers of depth, perception, and nuance. He has many evergreens, such as his signature song, Colorado that never wears out.
A highlight of Pyle’s live performance is his song, “Keeping Time by the River” that delivers an ever-changing stream-of-consciousness commentary on observations of life gleaned from bumper stickers, quotes, and slogans he’s run into his travels around the country. On a recent night, the audience chuckled, roared and groaned to such sayings as, “remember a conclusion might just be where you got tired of thinking,” and “always ride the horse in the direction it is going.” Wise words from a Zen cowboy who knows how to ride that horse.
You can learn more about Chuck Pyle at www.chuckpyle.com
