Grace Tyler Reveals The Real-Life Texas Love Story Behind Her New Song, ‘Texas Hold ‘Em’

Rising star Grace Tyler is putting her real-life Texas love story on display in her highly-anticipated new song, “Texas Hold ‘Em.”

Tyler Opens Up About Her Journey To Finding Love

The clever track was penned in October of 2023 by Tyler alongside fellow songwriters Tori Tullier and Kyle Schlienger. During that songwriting session, she reflected on her relationship with her boyfriend, Ryan, which began on back in 2020. Tyler tells Country Now that she had returned home to Texas and was swiping on a dating app when she came across a fellow native of the Lonestar State who lived one town over. The two ended up building such a strong connection that once the singer/songwriter made the move to Nashville in pursuit of her music career, she decided to bring Ryan along for the journey as well.

“Little did I know that would lead to an actual date, much less him moving to Tennessee after he graduated from Texas A&M,” Tyler shared. “He still is very much a Texas guy and honestly, I’m still a Texas girl too but something about Nashville feels like home for both of us.”

What Is The Song Really About?

This true story is what sparked the inspiration for “Texas Hold ‘Em,” which finds Tyler illustrating a sweet sentiment that also features a sultry undertone. There was a bit of confusion among listeners when they first got a taste of the tune through snippets shared via TikTok, as they believed Tyler was revealing herself to be a homewrecker. However, at the end of the gritty chorus, it becomes clear that the “she” Tyler is referring to is actually the state of Texas. 

“She’s got blue skies, but I’ve got blue eyes/ And I’ll take him wherever the wind will blow/ She’s got a band with a fiddle, but darling I dabble a little/ And he sings right along with the songs I wrote/ Red River tears are flowing/ She’s got her arms wide open/ Can’t reach him where he’s going/ I’m the reason Texas can’t hold him,” Tyler sings. 

Paying Tribute To Her Texas Pride

Confidence radiates through Grace Tyler’s vocals, which are guided by the sounds of hard-hitting guitar riffs and captivating drumbeats. In addition to telling her passionate love story, the country anthem also pays tribute to her southern roots and the country music greats who began influencing her sound at a young age. 

“There’s something super special about growing up in Texas. There’s so much pride around being a Texan and calling yourself a Texan and the music. I remember as a kid sitting in the back of my dad‘s truck listening to the radio. The stations we listen to pretty much only played Texas artists, so from a young age I fell in love with artists like Pat Green, Randy Rogers Band, Cross Canadian Ragweed, George Strait, etc. My music is very much influenced by Texas culture as well as the music I grew up listening to.”

She added, “As much as this song is about stealing a man from Texas, it’s things that I love about Texas as well.”

@gracetylermusic Love song but make it aggressive #countrymusic #texas #reddirtmusic #texasmusic #lovesong #independentartist ♬ Texas Hold Em Demo – Grace Tyler

Grace Tyler’s “Texas Hold ‘Em” is not to be confused with Beyonce’s new song of the same name that dropped last month. Tyler had already been teasing her original tune on social media by the time the Queen Bey coincidentally announced she was releasing a song of the same name during the 2024 Super Bowl. Then on March 2, which also happens to be Texas Independence Day, Tyler announced that she would be dropping her “Texas Hold ‘Em” on March 29. 

“I was over at a friends house watching the Super Bowl when I saw the Beyoncé commercial. All I could think to myself was ‘what are the odds,’” Tyler said, reflecting on the timely coincidence. “I’m honestly a huge fan of Beyoncé’s song and was glad I had been using the #Texasholdem on TikTok for the past two weeks promoting my song.”

Listeners will have the chance to “Texas Hold ‘Em” live in Grace Tyler’s upcoming performances in Gainesville, GA on April 4 and Green Cove Springs, FL on April 5. Click HERE for a full list of her upcoming shows.