Kasey Tyndall Tells a Familiar Familial Tale on New Song “Middle Man”

Kasey Tyndall’s new song “Middle Man” was not supposed to be her next single. But while testing it out at writer’s rounds around town, she was surprised when that one kept yielding standing ovations. As fans and audience members expressed their gratitude for the track, Tyndall realized that what seemed like a deeply personal experience at the time was a critical connection point for many.

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Penned on the back porch with her dear friend and fellow country artist, Lainey Wilson, the touching tune captures the nuances of her upbringing that defined who she is today.

“I was telling her it wasn’t bad—it was actually a positive thing and what I was used to growing up. My parents were amazing co-parents, and I have the best stepfamily ever, so I was blessed” says Tyndall. “But talking to Lainey, this was all matter-of-fact. I explained that because I was the oldest, I was the middle man. And as soon as I said that, she said ‘grab a guitar.’

It was past 10:00 pm, but the two songwriters knew better than to let a title go when it’s delivered that way. She recalls, “As I walked back out with my guitar I said, ‘Dang, I hope Mama never hears this. And Lainey was like, ‘Keep talkin’. And so I did.”

Her opening lines unfold as the conversation between two friends did that night: I hope my mamma never hears this song / And I’d hate to make daddy feel guilty / I don’t know why they called it a broken home / It was split in two and damn it built me.

“It was just an amazing co-write, we feel like God handed it right to us on a silver platter,” says Tyndall. “And it was even better getting to write with my best friend who knows my experience and knows how to help me say what I want to say.”

The implications of a split family have long found a lyrical home in country music. Tammy Wynette came right out with the tabooed topic in 1968’s “D-I-V-O-R-C-E.” The Chicks poured “You Were Mine” into broken hearts in 1998, wielding young children as an especially poignant guilt tactic in the line, He’s two and she’s four, and you know they adore you / So how can I tell them you’ve changed your mind?

In 2008, Zac Brown Band took it a step further on “Highway 20 Ride.” Rather than a direct jab at an ex-partner, this song is penned as a letter, an attempt to explain the adult concept to his young son. It reflects the parent experience of that same drive Tyndall took every other Sunday. But, the 25-year-old artist takes this heavily relatable topic and turns the lens to finally share the perspective of the product of the brokenness—the young girl forced to become the “Middle Man.”

“For me, I was blessed to have such a great situation with my divorced parents,” she says. “But I didn’t realize how many people didn’t have a good experience. So being able to write something that helps others just put their experience to a song means a lot to me. I’m excited for people with divorced parents to hear it.”

Produced by Jacob Rice, “Middle Man” is a step back from her edgier rock stylings with previous singles like “Double Edged Sword” (2020) and “Bar That’s Open” (2017)—also penned with Wilson and Ashley McBryde.

“Middle Man shows my more vulnerable side,” she explains. “And I’m looking forward to getting even further into who I am. I’m never gonna leave that rockin’ party atmosphere, that’s just me to a tee. But diving into all the different sides of me, and painting a full picture is my goal with future music.”

As an integral part of the Nashville songwriting community for the last six years, the North Carolina native feels she has found an authentic voice over the last year.

“I’ve grown so much being off the road, and having to sit with my stories and my life,” says Tyndall, who has shared stages with Kane Brown, Kelsea Ballerini, Parmalee, and others. “This song is a reflection of the room I’ve had for growth, and I’m so excited for what’s next from here.”

Listen to Kasey Tyndall‘s new song, “Middle Man,” here.

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