Discovering his musical voice in his late teens, Dan Dyer quickly rose to prominence in Austin during the late 90’s with the much-heralded band Breedlove. After touring with Breedlove, Dyer found his way into commercial songwriting, with songs placed in marketing campaigns for Budweiser, Chevrolet, Dr. Pepper, and Campbell’s Soup. In 2005, Lenny Kravitz produced Dan’s solo debut, Of What Lies Beneath, released on Reprise. After a year of touring behind the album, Dyer took a season to winter from performing - living in St. Louis, raising a family, and continuing to write commercial tunes.
In 2007, Dyer returned to Austin to record a new album. This self-titled release, named one of the top 10 local albums of 2008 by the Austin American-Statesman, has a strong cadence that ties the album together and entices one to discover its many intrinsic subtleties. From the baby-making sound of “Love Chain” to the gospel-tinged “I Walk On Guilded Splinters,” Dyer and producer David Boyle weave a diverse fabric that extends beyond conventional musical boundaries.
Dyer’s soul-revivalist live performance draws from a wealth of influences, including Dr. John, Donny Hathaway, and Bill Withers, and a lengthy catalog of songs, many recorded, but still unreleased. The audience is treated to a special brand of commotion as Dyer switches from piano to guitar, sometimes performing with a boyish grin, and other times with a perspiring concentration, which inevitably leads to groups of women swooning and swaying. Whether Dan is in a listening room entertaining an intimate audience or in front of thousands at a festival, Dan’s voice and performance intensity are raw and hot, yet soulful and sensitive, drawing in fans across the board.
