Biography
Tammy Hyler’s career experienced several creative shifts before she established herself as a successful country songwriter in Nashville. Raised in Mesa, Arizona, Hyler moved to Los Angeles at 18 for an entry-level position at Creative Artists Agency, which would change her life. By day, she gained insight into the film and TV industry at one of the world’s top talent agencies, and by night, she performed original country songs with her band, Tammy Hyler and Full House. Starting at the front desk under Hollywood powerhouses Michael Ovitz and Ron Meyer, she soon became assistant to Jeffrey Katzenberg, head of Disney Studios/Touchstone Pictures and a DreamWorks co-founder.
“I spent thirteen years in L.A. working in the film industry by day and making music at night. Toward the end, my focus was all on music. Being a country artist in L.A. was challenging—there were only a few of us, like Jeffrey Steele and Boy Howdy. Then Garth Brooks exploded, and country music took off! My band and I played everywhere: The Palomino, The Central (now The Viper Room), Marix on Sunset, The Troubadour, even The Roxbury. On stage, I performed for celebrities like Sylvester Stallone, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, Demi Moore, and Sting.” Eventually, Nashville’s allure proved irresistible, and in 1993, Tammy relocated to Music City.
Soon after, Hyler’s songs were recorded by country music's top artists. Her first two singles were consecutive #1 hits: Collin Raye’s “I Can Still Feel You” and Martina McBride’s “I Love You,” both becoming the longest-lasting radio hits of their careers. “I Love You” was also featured in the Julia Roberts film Runaway Bride and included on its multi-platinum soundtrack. Over her Nashville tenure, Hyler’s catalog grew with hits recorded by George Strait, Shania Twain, Wynonna Judd, Jo Dee Messina, Sara Evans, Pam Tillis, Journey, Clay Walker, and more.
During more than twenty years in Nashville, Hyler was a staff writer with Sony ATV for nine years. In 2006, she signed a six-year deal with Godfather Rich Muzik (owned by country star John Rich) and Skyline Music (owned by producer Paul Worley). Her songs have appeared in hundreds of TV shows and major films including Runaway Bride, Desperate Housewives, Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, and New in Town starring Renée Zellweger and Harry Connick Jr.
In 2013, Hyler returned to her Hollywood roots by producing her first feature film, Like a Country Song, starring Billy Ray Cyrus, Joel Smallbone (lead singer of Grammy-winning Christian band For King & Country), Larry Gatlin, and Boo Boo Stewart (Twilight saga, X-Men: Days of Future Past). She co-wrote and co-produced nine songs for the soundtrack, including the title track performed by Cyrus, and led the creation of the soundtrack album. She also associate produced the Christmas film Evergreen, featuring Robert Loggia, Naomi Judd, and Greer Grammer. In 2015, Hyler associate produced, acted in, and served as 2nd AD on I’m Not Ashamed, the true story of Rachel Joy Scott, the first victim of the 1999 Columbine shootings, released by PureFlix.
In 2016, she co-produced and scored Lost in America, a documentary addressing teen homelessness in the U.S., which gained support from stars such as Jon Bon Jovi, Miley Cyrus, Russell Simmons, Jewel, Halle Berry, and Rosario Dawson. The film was slated for release in late 2018. In fall 2017, Hyler launched Smashville Entertainment, combining her film and television production with her songwriting and publishing under one company.
In 2020, Hyler created, wrote, and produced the critically acclaimed pilot for the scripted drama series Way Back In The Woods, starring Hallie Rose, Abby Glover, Alexis Ebert, and Maddi Thompson. Filmed entirely in Nashville, the pilot won 13 awards during the 2021 film festival season, including Best Episodic Pilot at the Franklin International Independent Film Festival.
Overall, Hyler’s films have achieved both critical and financial success, while her songs have generated over $13 million in earnings for herself, co-writers, and publishers. She has received numerous ASCAP and NSAI awards, film festival accolades, and a Dove Award nomination. “I’m so grateful to God that I get to tell stories for a living, blending my two worlds of music and filmmaking. I’ve always said I’m just a country girl with a Hollywood heart!”
