Music has always been important to Arizona native, Marcus Tinsley, 31. As a teen in Glendale, Tinsley played at a local coffee shop singing covers for family, friends, and “whoever happened to be getting coffee.” From there, Tinsley started a band and released an album. But as a young husband and father, the road to rock stardom wasn't as harmonious as he'd hoped. Internal differences caused him to leave the band and put his musical aspirations aside. Years later, a sweet moment caught on camera with his daughter reignited his passion for music and even took him to American Idol in 2021!
We sat down with Tinsley to learn more about his melodic journey.
How did your interest in music begin?
Like most artists, my musical journey started alone with just me and my guitar. I was 15 years old, and I would spend hours locked in my room watching YouTube videos of other artists, trying to mimic what they were playing.
After you left the band, what brought you back to music?
One night my daughter, Taylee, and I started singing together in our kitchen. My wife, Jacey, got a video of it and posted it online. A year later, we got a call from a few TV shows, including “The Ellen Show,” because the video went viral. After that, we started posting more duets of Disney songs, which in the end, rekindled my love for music. However, there was still an unsettling feeling in our stomachs about returning to the music business again due to our past experience. There is a common mindset that puts being rich and famous above everything else because that’s what happens when you “make it big.” That mindset can tear relationships apart. Being able to see this from the outside, we decided that we would pursue music, but as a family.
Where can people see you perform?
We play everywhere, from bars and restaurants to weddings and private events. My wife keeps my website updated with all upcoming events.
Where can we find your music?
My music is available on almost all music platforms, like Apple Music and Spotify.
For more information, visit MarcusTinsleyMusic.com.