Dylan Ault is a singer-songwriter from a small town in Toronto, Ohio, who’s been living in Texas for about four years. Dylan said, “Everyone says there’s nothing in Ohio, but I sure miss it.” Dylan first started playing music at an early age, saying, “I started learning and playing music in Elementary School. Learning to read, play, and write music on an actual staff. I don’t mean that condescendingly. Not a lot of people do that much. I sure don’t, but it’s very nostalgic to go back and look at some of that stuff. I was actually a percussionist my whole life from then on. I never intended for anything to really progress outside of being in the drumline at school and whatnot. When I got to Ohio University, where I was also on the drumline… before dropping out… I met a lot of different people and learned a lot about all the different styles of music out there that I may not have ever found otherwise. Eventually, when I was about 23, I started dabbling in songwriting and learning how to play guitar. I’d known the basics already, but I hadn’t yet sat down and actually looked at it in more detail. I then discovered a passion for it and now… here we are.”

When I asked him how he’d describe his sound, Dylan said, “I’m not really sure how to describe my sound as a whole. All I know is I love writing songs and playing music. I’m “categorized” as a country artist, but I wouldn’t necessarily claim that as a title or anything like that. I certainly have a country influence, as that’s what I grew up listening to and kinda how we lived, but the majority of my influence comes from folk music and rock n roll. I love the whole 60s rock era, but I really fell in love with the early punk era. Not that you’ll hear that in my music or that it’s important to this question, but god it’s good.” When I asked Dylan who or what inspired him to start making music, he said, “I’ve been inspired to make music since I was very, very young, but it took me quite a long time to realize I was able to turn it into a career. It seemed extremely far-fetched and probably was/is. Although that’s what I’d always wanted to do, I struggled to believe it could ever happen for me. Once I realized maybe I had a chance, I gave up everything to pursue it. Left my job, moved across the country, legitimately had nothing to my name for a good while, but I was breathing and able to write some of my “best” songs I’ve written: God, Taken For A Fool, really the whole Roots record. Being that I was so young when I fell in love with music, I can’t recall exactly what it was that triggered my brain to want to be a musician. Maybe Elvis when I was about 5? That’s my first memory of it all… I think. No tellin’. I’m just here now.”

When asked about artists who’ve influenced him, Dylan said, “If I’m thinking of artists who have influenced me, Tyler Childers is certainly at the top of the list. There are many others of many other genres, but Tyler is my immediate thought to answer that question. Fucking legend.”

What’s been Dylan’s favorite venue or show he’s played so far? He said, “I’d played this little speakeasy in Bryan, Texas, many times, mostly just as background noise… A lot of people know how that shit goes… but there was one show in particular that I’ll never forget. It was a three-hour set, as those kinds of gigs typically are, and I’d broken a string midway through my second hour. I explained this to the people there and stopped playing for about twenty minutes or so to try and figure out a solution, as I didn’t have any spare strings. Usually I’d just play on, but sometimes the guitar gets all outta whack when that happens. My tuning was god-awful this time. For some reason, me breaking a string grabbed everyone’s attention and made them want to listen to me play. There was probably about fifty people in the room that’d never heard of me before and you could hear a pin drop. That’s always cool, but nerve-racking. It was pretty emotional for me by the end, as most of the shows I’d played before then, the people had been so loud I couldn’t hear my own thoughts. I couldn’t have gotten away with anything, and no one would’ve batted an eye. No one would pay attention. Ever. Very rarely. Anyway, this was the very first time I’d ever felt heard. Many people came up to me after the set and had nothing but nice things to say and encouragement to offer. It gave me the extra push I needed in that time to keep on pursuing my music. I’ll never forget that show or those people, or just the way the room looked. I’d also only played one ticketed show ever, about a year and a half later in Virginia, and it more than sold out… That’s not to brag. I was completely shocked anyone showed up at all.” Now, what about his dream venue to play? Dylan said, “Red Rocks. Final answer.”

Have there been any turning points in Dyan’s career so far? Well, he said, “There haven’t been any major turning points in my career, outside of having a couple songs do well for me. I’m an album guy in a world of singles, it seems like. I guess I don’t really focus on that kinda stuff, though. I just wanna write songs and if people wanna listen to ’em, that’s ok by me, and it’s certainly appreciated.” What’s something about Dylan people might not expect? He said, “People probably don’t expect that I love riding dirt bikes and mountain biking. They probably do expect that I love being in nature, which I do, but this is my favorite way of being in it. I love a relaxing camping or hiking trip, but nothing compares to the adrenaline rush on a dirt bike, then stopping and still being able to take in the nature around you while you do it… and drinking a cold beer with your buddies in between trails. I ride a TX300 for anyone who cares. Whatever.”

What does Dylan hope people feel when they hear his music? He told me, “I’m not sure what people will feel when they listen to my music because I just write about things that I’ve gone through or people I know have gone through. They’ll never see it exactly from my perspective, and that’s what it’s all about. I want the songs guide them through their own story.” Success looks different for every artist, so what does it look like for Dylan? He said, “Success in music, for me, is just becoming one with your audience and growing that audience to its maximum capacity while still remaining the person you truly are. It’s nice if people like you, and you don’t try and make them like you, ya know?”

How does Dylan balance music with the rest of his life? He said, “I don’t really have an answer to this question, but it works itself in perfectly, it seems. I don’t think it’s ever even a balance for me. I mean, I guess it really doesn’t matter what I’m doing or where I’m at. The gears are constantly turning. That can explain the sleep deprivation.” What’s one piece of advice Dylan would give to someone just starting out in music? He said, “One thing I wish I did was stockpile a bunch of songs before ever releasing anything. I was just so eager to get shit out there, and it put a bit of pressure on me to get things out as fast as possible after the first release. Sometimes that effected to quality of the music and nobody wants that. I certainly don’t. There’s definitely some stuff I put out where I think “That’s an absolute shit song.”

Dylan dropped an album back in August last year called ‘The Thicket’. This is what he had to say about it, “It’s the first one since ‘Roots’, so it’s been quite a while. I guess I just wanted to really like the finished product, and I can never settle on whether something’s good or not. Maybe that doesn’t matter, but I battle it. This album is by far my favorite work I’ve done, and I’m proud to put it out there. I want people to enjoy it as much as I do.” When I asked him where people can find his music, Dylan said, “You can find me anywhere you follow anyone or listen to anything. There’s another guy out there that races in what seems to be some sort of a NASCAR simulation type deal, though. That ain’t me.”

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Thank you for reading todays artist spotlight! I hope you enjoyed getting to know who Dylan Ault is behind his music. Go check him out, and go catch him at a show. As always, be good to yourself, stay western, and stay tuned!

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