Formula Indie Sessions Brian Tunstall
Brian Tunstall, an artist from Knoxville, Tennessee, was forced to take piano lessons as a child, but never practiced, and was never prepared for lessons. Brian did however enjoy playing creatively by ear and wrote his first song when he was 12 years old on a toy keyboard pushing buttons with one finger on his left hand to play chords, and then adding simple right hand melodies. In his teen years, Brian completely forgot about piano when his parents bought him his first guitar. As an adult, Brian was compelled to pick piano back up again after a near death experience. It was during the next 12 months that 43 piano compositions almost involuntarily poured out of him. Through many late nights, Brian made one-take home recordings on the internal memory of his keyboard, eventually transferring them to a CD burner using a guitar cable. These crude home recordings were kept private in a box collecting dust in the bottom of his closet for almost 20 years until his wife convinced him they were worth sharing. These are the same recordings you are now hearing. Brian’s career has never been in music. He currently works as a social worker and previously a part time police officer. Brian plays keys for his church worship team. 50% of all income made from Brian’s music goes directly to supporting mission work in Nicaragua through adesiretoserve.com We hope you can feel the emotion embedded in his music and enjoy the “stories” his songs tell.
What is your earliest memory connected to music?
In early middle school, I got a miniature Casio keyboard for Christmas. Sitting with it in my lap on the couch, I played “chords” by pushing orange buttons with my left hand, and playing one finger melodies with my right hand. That Christmas, I wrote my first melodic phrasing which later became the song “Beginnings” (for Dad)
How did your passion for creating music begin?
My mother played the piano and my father played the trumpet, and I think watching them play made me curious and wanted to try it myself.
What’s the story behind your current music project?
All 44 of my songs were written within a 1 year period after a near death experience in 2001. At night, I would sit down at the keyboard, and these songs would almost involuntarily pour out of me, sometimes writing multiple songs per night. I recorded these songs in my home, on the internal memory of my keyboard. I then hooked my keyboard up to a CD burner with a guitar cable and make some CD’s which I initially shared with just friends and family. The music was never meant to be heard publicly. These CD’s sat in a shoebox in the bottom of my closet collecting dust for 20 years, until one day my wife convinced me they were worthy to be heard, and encouraged me to share them.
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?
My piano sound is unmixed and raw, not of the best tone and quality, but the feeling is melancholy, nostalgic and peaceful.
What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music? I learned that where words fail, music speaks, and it’s not about the theory of right notes,
or perfect timing. All that matters is what music means to the creator, and how it makes you feel.
What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process? Yamaha Clavinova
Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?
I like artists who’s compositions trigger my emotions and move me. Top of that list is “Algonquin” by Beautiful Life, “Make a Wish” by Ara Piano, “Thankful” by Jonas Elvander.
How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision? I think the highs and low, the pains and joys of my life show through in my music.
What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work? Melancholy, nostalgia, and peace.
What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?
The best music flows from the heart, and is a connection to the unseen. Music can be a prayer. Music can be worship.
What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?
I really don’t have any ambition or desire to play publicly.
If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why? My first piano inspiration was Jim Brickman and his album “By Heart”
Where can our listeners follow and support your music? (Website,Spotify, IG, links) https://linktr.ee/briantunstall
Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?
I have not written any songs in over 20 years, but in 2025 I became a grandfather and that might inspire me to write a lullaby for my grandson Judah.
What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way? There is really nothing interesting about me to discover, but I hope my music allows other to
reflect, reminisce, or find a moment of peace.
