By Ruth Ann Ruiz
The Post Newspaper Features Editor
Jordan Tydings was not allowed to sing music growing up, but he was introduced to playing string instruments. “I started playing the violin when I was 8,” said Tydings. He’s been singing and writing songs for over a decade now.
His life’s journey falls outside of the box, maybe even outside of the triangle maybe even outside of the hexagon, his life falls outside of all boundaries’ defining geometric shapes.
After communism fell, Jordan’s mom and dad took him to be part of building new churches in the Czech Republic. He was six years old and spent six years growing up in a foreign country moving almost every six months.
His parents, as missionaries, were on a mission. As their kid he was carted along with them. At one time, he was fluent in Czech. Around the age of 12 his feet were back on US soil.
The state of his birth is Oklahoma. His childhood took him to Washington, and Idaho along with the Czech Republic. “The longest we ever stayed in one home was once for a year, we just kept moving,” said Tydings.
He recalls the years he and his sisters went to fetch the family water out of creeks behind their homes in the Czech Republic. He has two older sisters, one younger sister and three step brothers. (one step-brother has passed away)
Coming back to the US, his family didn’t get along so well. But that didn’t matter to him, he started a blues band. Though he had to move and leave his band behind, due to his mamma leaving the family. So, he ended up in Tulsa living with his dad, one sister and grandparents.
“My dad wanted me to be a football player, I exceled at it, had a scholarship lined up, but I broke my wrist” Music has been his profession since 2012 which is what he wants to do.
Right after high school graduation, Tydings left Tulsa and headed to the Gulf Coast, choosing Lake Jackson as his home. “Texas reverberates with all of my values. It’s nice to set roots down,” said Tydings.
Illegal drugs drew him in not as a user but as a dealer. He had options other than dealing drugs, he had a job at a petroleum plant and he is musically talented. It was his choice and he doesn’t dump the blame anywhere but on himself.
Then he was caught and went to prison.
“I never had any peace while selling drugs so one day I said God, if you’re real you need to take me out of this cause I like it too much,” Tydings shared. It was three days after his wheeling and dealing with God that he was arrested.
Leaving prison behind, he found a job selling valves for the petrochemical industry. He lost his sales job due a second arrest which was not related to drugs. That’s when he turned to music full-time.
“I started picking up acoustic jobs,” said Tydings. He joined up with other musicians and focused on raggae music, but then in 2015 he went out on his own venture going back to his roots building his repertoire of work as a Red Dirt Country musician.
Sampson, his dog joined him in his journey 10 years ago. He goes to all of Tydings gigs, if the venue owner will permit the dog.
Every Monday you can find Tydings and Sampson at Sharky’s Tavern in Galveston. Holly the owner of Sharky’s is very pleased to have the duo. “Have you heard him sing? he’s amazing. He’s a good dog daddy and he is dependable,” said Holly.
He has some regulars who keep coming back just to hear him sing. “We’ve been coming here for four months. There’s an intimacy to his performances. He’s so up close and personal, you can approach him,” said one of the guests.
Another couple down from Austin came in by chance and took to the floor dancing tango to Tydings’ original work.
Yes, Jordan Tydings performs cover music, but it’s his original work that brings the loudest applause from the guests gathered on a Monday evening at Sharky’s.
Sampson tried to relax but there was always some movement that kept him alert. Then there was the pizza being served, and Sampson he was looking mighty hard at the pizza. He did not go without, one of the staff shared some treats with Sampson.
Though he is playing red dirt country you can hear and feel the raggae in his performance. Perhaps he will be part of a new genre of music after all he doesn’t fit into a geometric shape.
For his future, he has faith that God will open doors that need to be opened for him. His faith in God doesn’t tie himself to the conventional teachings of how to experience and commune with God.
“I’m genuine in my love for the lord. I’m just a bit more rough cut then most Christians,” Tydings said. Again, he doesn’t fit the standard in other areas of his life, why would one expect his faith to fall into a particular form or shape?
