Taylor Austin Dye
Taylor Austin Dye
Pictures: Jim Brown Words: Justine Brown
A Q&A with Taylor Austin Dye
Halfway through her Damn Good Day Tour, Kentucky-born singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Taylor Austin Dye sat down with Music Fan Magazine to talk about bare-bones shows, songs that change lives, and why she still doesn’t have a love song yet.
MFM: How’s the tour been going so far?
Taylor Austin Dye: It’s going great. We had a great crowd last night, and tonight looks like it’s going to be pretty rowdy too. We’re building this tour around radio dates — I’ve got a song going to radio right now called “Man For That,” and we’re trying to get into some new markets. I’ve never played out here before, so it’s exciting. We’re about halfway through the Damn Good Day Tour. Tonight is actually going to be pretty bare bones — small stage, no time to set up the rig or the lights. No tracks, no nothing. Just stripped down. We haven’t done that in a while, and honestly, I’m kind of excited to get back to the basics.
MFM: We’ve been listening to your music and you write great lyrics. One question: why are you so angry?
Taylor Austin Dye: [Laughs] Female rage, dude. I’m here for it. Daddy issues — that’ll do it. But honestly, I don’t have any love songs yet. Maybe on the next album we’ll see some of those.
MFM: You’ve been touring full time for six years. What are you noticing about the crowds?
Taylor Austin Dye: Knock on wood, we’ve had nothing but great crowds and great people on this tour. I’m from Kentucky originally, and every time we go back, it’s just a sold-out, rocking, crazy show. And we’re starting to see that in new markets too. Seeing the numbers online actually translate into real fans showing up, putting names to faces — that’s really cool. I’ve always been about building an organic, grassroots following. I started my socials back in 2020, right when COVID hit and I lost all my jobs playing on Broadway. Watching that grow and grow, completely organically, has been incredible.
MFM: When you’re up on stage and you see all those women in the crowd connecting with your lyrics, what does that feel like?
Taylor Austin Dye: It’s moving, honestly. You asked me why I’m so angry all the time — well, take “Rest in Peace.” At its core, it’s a song about domestic abuse. I’ve had so many women come up to me and say, “You gave me the courage to get out of an abusive relationship,” or “This song helped me through the hardest time of my life.” Hearing that testimony from people all across the U.S. just makes me want to keep pushing, write deeper songs, and tackle subjects that other people might not want to talk about.
MFM: Playing guitar and singing at the same time — how do you make that look so easy?
Taylor Austin Dye: I’m an instrumentalist to the core. I started playing bluegrass when I was five years old — fiddle first, then mandolin, piano, guitar, and bass. I was in bluegrass bands all growing up. So to me, having the guitar in my hands is the most natural thing in the world. It’s always important to me to showcase that side of myself. That said, I put the guitar down for the last half of the set and just dance around. I think it shows both sides of who I am.
MFM: Are you more of a gear person or a lyrics person?
Taylor Austin Dye: I do love gear — I really do. But I’m a lyricist to my core. When we go in the studio, we’ll usually start with a lick or some kind of vibe, and then I’ll dig into my song bank. I always keep a notes app with a running list of song ideas. So if we’re picking around and something clicks, I’ll go, “Oh, that matches the vibe of this lyric I had in mind.” It’s always a marriage between the two.
MFM: What do you want someone to know about you the very first time they hear you?
Taylor Austin Dye: Authenticity. Just being a genuine person first — before being an artist, an instrumentalist, a musician. I think being an authentic human being is the first step to making a real connection with anyone. What you see is what you get, on and off the stage. And honestly, I’m a terrible actor, so if I were faking it, you’d know immediately. My face gives everything away.
MFM: What show are you most looking forward to for the rest of the tour?
Taylor Austin Dye: In a couple of days we head to Denver — we’re playing the Marquee out there, and then the Black Sheep in Colorado Springs. Really pumped about that. And I already made reservations at Casa Bonita. If you watch South Park, you know the episode where Cartman goes to Casa Bonita — that’s basically me right now. Beyond Colorado, we’ve got a bunch of friends up in Minnesota, and then we work our way back through Ohio where we’ve got a huge fan base. I’m looking forward to every single stop.
MFM: Tell us a little about your band.
Taylor Austin Dye: They’re great. Mossimo is our drummer and newest member — super experienced with running sound and just getting everything set up. Wyatt, our bass player, has an incredible stage presence. We’re always jumping around and kicking, and he holds it all down. And then there’s Colin on guitar — he can absolutely shred, he’s a lefty, and he has perfect pitch. They’re all amazing.
MFM: Anything else you want people to know?
Taylor Austin Dye: Come out to the show and see what it’s about. We’re running and gunning through the end of the year. I’m putting out new music in May and then releasing singles every eight weeks after that. They’ll be on Spotify and all the streaming services. And I always have merch at the table — CDs, vinyls, hats, all of it. Come say hi.
If you want to catch Taylor Austin Dye live, she'll be back in California on Friday, May 29, 2026, taking the stage at Frontwave Arena in Oceanside as part of KSON's Leading Ladies… LIVE! — a night of country music featuring Lauren Alaina, Ashley Cooke, Alexandra Kay, Jenna Paulette, and Lakelin Lemmings.
Music Fan Meters
Smoke Meter
At the 100 year old Folsom Hotel, the smoke show is shut down (only fire they want is on the stage). But I thought I saw Jail Preacher sneaking round the back?
Fight Meter
Just fighting the urge to boot scoot. Taylor Austin Dye kicks it hard, and those big red boots ain’t made for fighting…it was a chill show.
Sing along Meter
Well, the tenders were slinging lots of bourbon so the sing along to “Fake Ring” was a little messy but pretty good for a school night.
learn more about Taylor Austin Dye
And stream her new music! See her next show! This badass is coming to a town near you!