There seems to be a couple different versions of country music going around these days, the distinct western-inspired rootsy stuff with pedal steel guitar and fiddle; and the pop country of artists like Taylor Swift and Kenny Chesney, which is drawing more and more support from country radio and record labels.  Skyler is a singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist with a definite lean towards the pop side of country.  However, the instrumentation provided by Skyler and his band, Band of Thieves, provides an undercurrent of country to keep most of Skyler's songs well within the genre.  In particular, the fiddle tracks of John Mullett in songs such as "Stephanie" give an almost Appalachian lilt to the overall sound.  

     There are some country fans who worry that the genre will eventually cease to exist as some artists take on more and more influences from pop and rock, but this gloomy outlook is unfounded.  There is absolutely no reason that different kinds of country music can't coexist alongside each other.  After all, there are literally hundreds of different sub-genres of rock that often have little in common, so why not country?  This is why we would strongly recommend you check out Skyler.  
     He not only writes some catchy songs, he sounds great on his recordings, and judging by his videos, he does just fine live.  He also seems to be doing everything right in terms of promotion.  Ranging from attending what is arguably the best contemporary music school in the world, (Berklee College of Music - think Gillian Welch) to promoting his music with a full-time tour, this artist is making the right moves in an ever changing music industry.  It's impossible to make any real predictions about his long term success, but keep an eye him and his band, since we're pretty sure we will hear much more about him in the future.  

     Check out his latest EP, "Take You Away" at skylertunes.com, or listen to his music below.