Tyler Reeve: The Barbecue Boy of the Country Throwdown Tour

Tyler Reeve — the independent country singer from Mobile, Alabama who delivers over 200 shows a year — joined the Country Throwdown Tour and brought his barbecue pit along for the ride. Premier Guide Miami sat down to find out what that means — and what comes next.

From the barbecue grill to live stage performances and songwriting, Tyler Reeve's personality is bubbly and infectious — like the music he produces. Joining the Country Throwdown Tour has earned the Mobile, Alabama native exposure to a new group of fans. Tyler is not signed to any major record company, but has gained the hearts of fans through his candid performances at various venues, delivering over 200 shows a year.

PGM: Tyler, why do they call you the "Barbecue Boy"?

Tyler Reeve: They don't really call me the Barbecue Boy. We are really a touring band — independent, not signed to any major label. We jumped on the tour to play music and they kind of threw around, "Hey guys, want to pull around a barbecue pit and cook some late-night food for everyone?" There is nothing we like more than barbecue, music, and drinking beer with our friends, so we were absolutely down to do it. We hooked up the PBR grill to the back of the bus and we drag it along with us and cook it up late night.

PGM: How do you manage this with your family?

Tyler Reeve: There are good things and bad things to every job. It is tough being on the road — you miss your family and the ones you love. At the same time, we may go out for five or six weeks and then get to be home for three or four weeks. It's worth it, and everyone is supportive, so it's cool.

PGM: How do you promote yourself and get your music to your fans?

Tyler Reeve: We are independent; we have been pushing it by grassroots movements. Getting out on the road, playing over 200 shows a year. It's really the live venues that have gotten us fans so far. We haven't had any major promotions behind any certain song. Right now we want to keep building a grassroots base, and once that fan base gets where it needs to be, at some point we may need a label to help take it further. For now we are happy doing what we are doing.

PGM: What do you expect to achieve from the exposure on this tour?

Tyler Reeve: We just want to be out here, meet a lot of people, spread our music across the country, and gain more fans. We are fans of a lot of these guys we are on tour with, and now we are luckily getting to meet them and hang out with them. Just have a good time — that's really what it is about for us.

PGM: When you go out on stage, what drives you?

Tyler Reeve: I draw all my energy off the fans. There could be a day when I am dog tired, driving through the night, and we show up not feeling too well — and people are there, with receptive faces, cheering you on. It gives you the energy and you keep going. These are the people you are writing songs for. It's not something you write for yourself — you write for the fans to see them come back day after day.

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