Tyler Hilton balances music and acting
NEW YORK — Tyler Hilton is an actor who is also a musician and he knows what you’re probably thinking: Do we really need another actor who is also a musician?
“If it wasn’t me and I heard someone’s like, ‘Oh you should check out this record, this guy’s an actor,’ I’d be like, ‘Doesn’t sound that cool,’” Hilton said. “I don’t necessarily want to hear music from a guy who’s an actor. Actors don’t seem that interesting to me as a musician. And yet that’s just the deal.”
Hilton has managed to straddle the gap between professions since he burst onto the scene in 2005 at 19 playing Elvis in “Walk the Line” opposite Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon. He later combined music and acting by joining the “One Tree Hill” cast for several seasons, starting in season two.
Both sides of Hilton’s talents are available this winter. The music part is his new album “City on Fire” out in January and the acting part will be when he reconnects with some “One Tree Hill” stars for the Lifetime TV movie “The Christmas Contract,” which comes out Thursday, his 35th birthday.
The TV movie won’t be a terrible stretch — he’ll play a character named Tyler Hilton who shows up to play a few songs, including “Don’t Feel Like Christmas.” The film is an original story that features series regulars Hilarie Burton, Robert Buckley, Danneel Ackles and Antwon Tanner.
“‘One Tree Hill’ ended up being the biggest thing that I’ve done,” he said. “It’s affected people in such a crazy way. And even though some of the other movies I’ve been in have won awards and been more prestigious, there’s something about that show that really got into the pop culture psyche.”
He’s also excited for fans to hear his new music, a more authentic sonic representation of what interests him, namely everything from bluegrass to flamenco. He spent a frustrating 10 years with Warner Bros. Records before charting his own course.
“I think they saw a tall guy with blue eyes and they kept trying to hammer me into like a pop direction. And I wanted to make everyone stoked,” he said.
“I listen to this record now and I’m so happy. So many records I’ve done the past I listened to and I go, ‘I mean if that’s what we’re all agreeing on, let’s do it.’ And this one? I would give this record as a Christmas gift.”
His music may have led to acting or his acting fuels his music, but Hilton isn’t ready to abandon either: “Truth is, I love both and I’ve just decided to pursue both because it’s like something I really love doing so I’ve kept at it.”