There is a significant age difference in the musical duo The Black Strings, but their musical connection is undeniable.
The Black Strings is a partnership between 26-year-old Tyler Muir and 42-year-old James Buchholz and Muir, who is the primary songwriter for the act, said he is quite content to mine the ups and downs of his personal relationships for material.
“Songwriting for me is therapy,” he said. “Whenever I am going through any sort of emotional turmoil in my world that’s when all of my great material comes out. Usually a girl is involved. Trust me the ladies in my life know when I’m singing a song about them. Sometimes it’s not such a great thing.”
While being able to express his feelings on stage is important to Muir he also knows the importance of pleasing the audience.
“I’m more interested in performing my own original material,” he said. “But at the same time, it depends on the venue, but usually people want to hear something they know as well. I try and do covers but I put my own original twist on anything I am doing. They know the song but they also know I’m the one doing it.”
Muir lives in the hamlet of Cayley but has a day job as a massage therapist in Okotoks. The songwriter and his Black Strings band mate Buchholz have made some waves locally playing at Market Square in Olde Towne Okotoks during First Saturdays.
The act has a blues tinged roots sound with some pop influences.
“Generally I play acoustic guitar,” Muir explained. “I like to get that soulful feel from it and he (Buchholz) has some really great lead guitar that he backs me up with. He also does the harmonies as well and sings a few songs himself.”
Muir explained it was he who initiated the partnership, which has been going for the better part of two years. Buchholz is an Okotoks music instructor who operates ALB Music Studio. He is skilled at playing and teaching many instruments and in addition to his shows with Muir, he also performs locally as a member of The Mad Hatters and a duo known as Jim and Klym.
Plans are in place to move The Black Strings up from duo status to a trio with percussion to be added as a regular feature. Buchholz doesn’t see any reason why the band should stop growing at three.
The pair is currently in pre-production to record an album of Muir’s songs and if it goes well he envisioned future recordings with The Black Strings being comprised of four or more members.
The important thing he explained is he and Muir remain committed to the musical project.
“Most bands have about a two year span before members start leaving and bands start falling apart,” Buchholz said. “That’s what I have experienced in the bands I have played in. After a couple of years creative differences arise, people start going the separate ways. Taylor and I are coming up on about that amount of time but we still get along famously. We’re going to keep plowing ahead together as much as we can.”
Both current members of The Black Strings listen to a lot of the same music and share common ground as fathers of two. Being more than a decade and half apart in age is nothing new in the world of live music Buchholz explained.
“I can remember back when I was Tyler’s age playing with guys who were in their 40s too,” he said. “There are tons of bands out there where that is the case.”
Anyone interested in contacting The Black Strings about a possible performance can do so by emailing [email protected]
