Ty Corbett

Ty Corbett-A phenomenal composer with social justice in mind.

Interview by The Heat Seekers

After listening to several songs composed by Mr. Corbett, I smiled. I was happy to see someone bringing back music that stressed the need for social justice in the 21 century. It brought me back to the Donny Hathaway days when individuals talked about the problems around us instead of hiding them behind closed doors. With several recordings under his belt, Mr. Corbett is making waves in the industry with his music that will eventually spread across the nation.

Teresa, I really appreciate your thoughtful introduction and you definitely hit the nail on the head in terms of bringing back the days when the message was equal to, if not even more important than just another nice song. Mind you, nice songs are fine and as I always say, “I’m not against short money”, but the importance of shining a light on matters of social justice is massively important…particularly at this time!

The Heat Seekers: You wear a plethora of hats in the music industry. Tell us how you got started?

Ty Corbett: I started as a singer, but now wear more hats than I can count. This has happened over time not particularly as a particular want, but as a need, particularly as I’ve never been one to shy away from hard work. That is a value I was taught as a young child. Some of the hats that I wear are that of singer, songwriter, producer, vocal arranger, recording mixing and mastering engineer. In recent years I’ve added videographer, director and video editor to my assortment of hats.. BTW, “The Bell Tolls For You” recently won a 2022 Hermes Gold Award for Video Creativity/Videography. I’m most proud of this as this is the very first release of my shooting with an actual camera. Prior, I was using my cellular phone.

THS: Is music a full time job for you?

TC: Yes, music is my full-time job currently, but life has a tendency to provide pivots though, so I’m always prepared for any and everything!

THS: You have some extraordinary talents. Please tell us your experience pertaining to other areas of entertainment and the arts.

TC: I’ve had the great fortune working across genres, as well as the technical spectrum of the entertainment industry. As a singer, I’ve toured nationally and internationally touring with and providing background vocals for some of the industries most elite smooth jazz artists like Will Downing, Gerald Albright, Norman Brown and Lalah Hathaway, but there have been festival dates and tours with many artists of whom I’ve had a great love for like Al Jarreau and George Benson. Touring on the road itself can provide many contacts and be great for making contacts. In terms of those different hats I wear, one thing that I am really proud of is having worked on a Billboard #1 Jazz Record as an engineer and providing background vocals for a Grammy winning Folk Album as a background singer. That’s diversity and genres and skill sets.

THS: How long does it normally take to write, record, and distribute a song?

TC: This can vary significantly, I’ve written songs over days, weeks and months. I’ve learned to work the writing muscle, so if a project demands a quick turn-around, I can do it. Outside of that, if I have the opportunity, I prefer to sit with the lyrics and think of ways can tell a story other than what’s already been said before. I’ve heard many in the industry and even artists say that it is not possible to write creatively as it’s all been done before, but I completely disagree. Btw, I find nothing wrong with writing lyrics which are simply lite and fun and that can be a super-fast write, but even then, I like to challenge myself. In regards to writing, recording, then releasing the song, that is dependent upon the set goals, but you can do it soup to nuts depending on the parameters. Here is an example I can provide that is not the norm for me, but is a good example of a start to end project. “The Bell Tolls For You”, contrary to what many people assume, was actually written in 2018. I recorded the demo and then started shopping the song. I had a number of bites. I was even told it was an incredible song, but for a number of different reasons, I had not placed it yet. I then decided to release the song independently, but first had to find an artist. Ultimately, I found J.D Wesley, a phenomenal singer! We took a couple of weeks recording the song. This mind you not because of any rough patches, but because I wanted to really dig into the song with J.D and make it special for and with him. After the recording sessions, I had to mix the record and then we shot the video a few months later. This was due to scheduling issues. Editing the video took a few weeks. The project was then released late Dec. 2021. So, from start to finish, “The Bell Tolls For You” took about 3 months to complete and again, that’s with a music video included.

THS: You have a long list of recordings and individuals you have worked with. What are you most proud of achieving?

TC: That’s such a great, but difficult question to answer as there have been so many wonderful moments over the course of my career. The industry achievements of having worked on a Billboard #1 and a Grammy Record checks off a couple of significant boxes. Having been invited to have a business meeting with legendary songwriter, Carole Bayer Sager and super producer, David Foster is certainly a highlight. Carole then introduced me to Babyface and Daryl Simmons. The list goes on and on and I have found each experience to be compelling. It is always gratifying when you meet those in the industry to admire and respect. Recently, I also had a song recorded by an impressively large artist, but those are things of which we do not speak…lol! At the end of the day, I am a fan at heart though, so each moment is encapsulated.

THS: What keeps you going?

TC: That’s easy…my family! I work hard so that I might have a rich legacy for my children and I don’t mean just rich monetarily speaking. Creatively speaking, I continue to grow artistically and even with all the evolution in the entertainment industry, I’ve been able to stay competitive. Lastly, I simply love the creative process!

THS: You have been deemed as the writer of the social justice anthem. Tell us about your campaign for social justice?

TC: “The Bell Tolls For You” has been called the new social justice and voting rights anthem. These are not my words, but those who have heard the song. I do think it speaks to the climate and issues we have been facing over the last number of years. While it is an artistic creation that I am proud of, I think it’s equally important from the messaging perspective. I am also the child of a civil rights activist, so for me it is the extension of the work of my father. While it is great to enjoy music, I also think it’s important to not forget that music has always BEEN USED AS A MEAN OF galvanizing….particularly in the area of social justice.

THS: Who inspired you in Music?

TC: I have many hero’s in music, but the person who most inspired me to choose a career in music and the entertainment industry is my uncle Butch. While he is no longer with us, he is the reason I started this journey. He was a doowop singer and had an incredible voice and vibe.

THS: What is your greatest hope for the music industry today?

TC: The entertainment industry has let me down more than, or twice in regards to what is and has been happening. It is often so very disconcerting that one can miss the great musical voices that are out there. Though not always mainstream, I am impressed and inspired with what’s being created by some young people.

THS: If you could give any advice to a young music artist, what would it be?

TC: Do your homework. Learn the industry and not just the areas that interests you. You never know when that pivot will come and typically it will. I promise. I also tell aspiring artists to learn about more than just the genre they are interested in. Music is not a monolith and growth comes particularly when one challenges themselves as opposed to doing what is often considered easy and most comfortable. My parents supported my pursuits in the entertainment industry, but also encouraged me to get a good education which continued to pay dividends.

THS: What are your future goals pertaining to music?

TC: I’m excited as I have several songs and music videos coming out. The next release is on American Idol Finalist, Michael Lynche. That song is called, “End of the Line” and true to my ethos it’s an altogether different thing than “The Bell Tolls For You”. It is a Rock/R&B monster!

THE: Name what’s most important to you in the music industry at this time?

TC: My goal is to continue to put out good quality music and maybe, just maybe wear a few less hat’s, but I’m never afraid of getting my hands dirty and doing the work.

THS: If you could give any advice to a young music artist, what would it be?

TC: Do your homework. Learn the industry and not just the areas that interests you. You never know when that pivot will come and typically it will. I promise. I also tell aspiring artists to learn about more than just the genre they are interested in. Music is not a monolith and growth comes particularly when one challenges themselves as opposed to doing what is often considered easy and most comfortable. My parents supported my pursuits in the entertainment industry, but also encouraged me to get a good education which continued to pay dividends.

THS: What are your future goals pertaining to music?

TC: I’m excited as I have several songs and music videos coming out. The next release is on American Idol Finalist, Michael Lynche. That song is called, “End of the Line” and true to my ethos it’s an altogether different thing than “The Bell Tolls For You”. It is a Rock/R&B monster!

THE: Name what’s most important to you in the music industry at this time?

TC: My goal is to continue to put out good quality music and maybe, just maybe wear a few less hat’s, but I’m never afraid of getting my hands dirty and doing the work.