Rough Trade Records is thrilled to announce their newest signing, LA via Rhode Island crooner Tyler Ballgame. Renowned for his live shows, Tyler’s music is built on strong melodic hooks and draws subtle inspiration from the 60s and 70s, blending nostalgia and undeniable songcraft. His voice truly sets him apart – Rough Trade Records’ co-managing directors Geoff Travis and Jeannette Lee say “Hearing Tyler Ballgame sing just reminds us of the tenderness that can exist within the most powerful framework of a human voice. Like Elvis, Roy Orbison or Harry Nilsson.”
Tyler says of signing to Rough Trade, “Very pleased to start a working relationship with Rough Trade. Their passion and belief in the music has been evident since day one, and I’m ready to sing my heart out and bring the band’s act of radical presence to stages around the world.”
Fresh off a tour with Shakey Graves, Tyler has been announced to play Newport Folk Festival this summer in July, End of the Road Festival in August, and will tour the West Coast with The Head and The Heart this fall. All tour dates are below and on-sale now.
To celebrate the signing, Rough Trade is highlighting Tyler’s previously released song ‘Help Me Out”. An undeniable hit, it feels both effortless and timeless, anchored by his singular voice. “‘Help Me Out’ is emblematic of my arrival to LA in a state of personal and creative desperation,” Tyler explains of the song. “I see this release as a full-circle moment of dream actualization and the tongue-in-cheek birth of the Ballgame.”
Listen to ‘Help Me Out’ + Watch Live Video
Tour Dates
May 15 – Brighton, UK @ Great Escape Festival
May 16 – Brighton, UK @ Great Escape Festival
May 17 – Brussels, BE @ Les Nuits Botaniques
May 20 – London, UK @ The Social
July 26 – Newport, RI @ Newport Folk Festival
Aug 30 – Larmer Tree Gardens, UK @ End of the Road Festival
Sep 24 – Berkeley, CA @ the Greek^
Sep 25 – Sacramento, CA @ Channel 24^
Sep 26 – Paso Robles, CA @ Vina Robles Ampitheater^
Sep 28 – Los Angeles, CA @ the Greek in LA^
Sep 29 – San Diego, CA @ Gallagher Square^
Sep 30 – Phoenix, AZ @ Arizona Financial Theater^
Oct 2 – Albuquerque, NM @ Revel Entertainment Center^
Oct 5 – Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits
^ = w/ The Head and The Heart