Musician Tyler Hilton breaks free of creative restraints for first album in 8 years

Musician and actor Tyler Hilton, well-known for his role on the television series One Tree Hill, has released his first album in eight years, Forget the Storm.

The record, released in April, unleashes a new side of the artist by combining multiple genres of music from folk rock, to heavy rock and roll.

Forget the Storm is the musician’s first release from Hilton’s own record label, Hooptie Tune Records, which he created after growing tired of the limitations of working with a record label.

“The way the business is going i felt like it was just starting to be such a permission based thing. I had to keep asking permission if i could record this song; I can’t really write within confines, you know, it feels like having parents again,” said Hilton on The  Morning Show on Thursday.

“I always wanted to start my own label, so i just started it so I could do whatever I wanted and be my own boss.”

Hilton released his first album in 2004, titled The Tracks of Tyler Hilton. Early in his career Hilton was compared to artists such as Howie Day and Elton John; however, Hilton says his biggest musical inspiration is Elvis.

Hilton had the opportunity to play his hero in the Academy Award winning movie Walk the Line, released in 2005. “Probably the coolest thing I will ever do; for me,” said Hilton.

Forget the Storm was recorded in Los Angeles with producer David Hodges who has worked with artists Christina Perry and Kelly Clarkson.

According to Hilton, the title references an unreleased album which he spent five years working on with Warner Bros. Records, but was not released after Hilton left the label.