From stage riffs to scent notes, Tyrone Carreker crafts a life steeped in style, soul, and substance.
Whether he’s commanding the stage as lead guitarist for country superstar Sam Hunt or crafting luxury scents with his fragrance brand 27.9, Tyrone Carreker moves through the world with deliberate intention and undeniable cool. His career blends the improvisational spirit of gospel and R&B with the polished edge of high fashion and boutique entrepreneurship—an artist equally at home under stadium lights or in the quiet solitude of a candle-lit studio.
SWAGGER caught up with Carreker to talk about genre-blending, guitar tone, luxury fragrance, and the art of leaving behind a legacy rooted in quality, care, and creative identity.
SWAGGER: You’re the lead guitarist for Sam Hunt, whose sound fuses country with pop and R&B. How do you approach that genre-blending from a guitar perspective?
Tyrone: That’s an interesting question, and one that I’ve thought about over the years. I think everyone is musically unique. My background is R&B, blues, and gospel—that came naturally. But I really had to dive into what country music is and study its history. I knew I could never nail it 100% because I didn’t grow up in that tradition, but I trusted that my interpretation would be authentic once it came through me.
Fun fact, Sam and I were actually roommates before we ever started playing music together. He made me my second country music mixtape. The first was a CD a friend made for me in college when she found out I was moving to Nashville—just something to help me get familiar with the sound. I fell in love with it almost instantly. Living together made a big difference, too. I heard him singing and writing every day for three years, and he heard me practicing out back in the shed. So when it came time to perform on stage together, finding that musical chemistry came pretty naturally.
SWAGGER: PRS guitars are known for their tone and craftsmanship. What drew you to become a PRS artist, and what’s your go-to model?
Tyrone: I was introduced to PRS by our old sound engineer. I only knew them through Carlos Santana at the time, and I didn’t think their sound matched my style. But Beverly, their artist rep, sent over a few guitars, and I was completely wrong. PRS has such a diverse range. Even within one guitar, the tonal palette is massive. My go-to model is the DGT. It fits my hands perfectly and has a warm, soulful tone, which is what I naturally gravitate toward coming from an R&B and gospel background.
SWAGGER: Can you walk us through your pre-show ritual before hitting the stage?
Tyrone: Haha, I wouldn’t call it a ritual per se, but there’s definitely a routine. About an hour and a half before the show, I shower and get dressed. I always do vocal warmups. Then, I intentionally listen to music—usually something upbeat to get in the zone. Sometimes it’s pop; sometimes it’s high-energy gospel. One summer, we went full gospel mode before every show. It was a vibe.
SWAGGER: Are there any guitarists, past or present, who shaped your playing style or stage presence?
Tyrone: Like most millennials, John Mayer was a big one. But Jimi Hendrix really influenced me with how free he was—wrong note or right note, it always felt like him. That kind of authenticity is rare. B.B. King, too. He never wasted a note. Every note was intentional and relatable. He didn’t try to overwhelm you. That kind of restraint is powerful.
SWAGGER: What inspired the launch of 27.9 Fragrance?
Tyrone: There’s a bit of a story behind this one. When we first started touring, we played a lot of smaller, grungier venues—fun shows, but the green rooms? Not exactly fragrant. I started bringing candles on the road just to make the spaces more livable. Over time, I went from cheap candles to mid-tier to high-end. Eventually, I thought, “How hard could it be to make one myself?”
One day, our production assistant brought in a candle her dad made—and it was incredible. I told my brother, and that Christmas, he got me a DIY candle kit. My first attempt was terrible, but I’m competitive, so I kept going. Eventually, I got good at making them, and friends started asking for candles. That’s when the idea for 27.9 Fragrance was born.
What matters most to me is originality. There’s an ongoing joke among my friends that “Tyrone always has his nose in something”—and it’s true. I smell every candle or cologne I come across. If it’s sitting out, I’m smelling it. What makes 27.9 different is that I’m obsessive about creating scents that don’t smell like anything else. When you buy a 27.9 fragrance candle or cologne, you’re getting something truly unique.
SWAGGER: How do you translate personal identity or creativity into a fragrance?
Tyrone: Saphir Blanc is that effortlessly chic person shopping in a Milan boutique. Nuance is for someone romantic and detail-oriented—someone who loves art, architecture, and wine. I’ve got one coming soon called Velvet Reserve, which is an ode to 1960s jazz club lovers and vinyl collectors. It features spiced cognac, cardamom, black rose, and vanilla. It’s moody, sultry, and sophisticated.
SWAGGER: Is there a connection between music and scent for you?
Tyrone: Yes and no. I usually relate fragrance to personalities and colors, but once I get that profile, I start hearing the music that fits. Like with Velvet Reserve—to me that smells like a dark maroon, and that instantly pulls up Ella Fitzgerald or Etta James in my mind. That’s the vibe.
SWAGGER: What have been some unexpected challenges or wins since starting your brand?
Tyrone: Just like when I was buying candles for green rooms, I went through a similar process with my brand. I realized I wasn’t cool with offering anything mid-level. I’ve always been drawn to high-end stuff because quality says a lot about who you are or want to be. It’s not about materialism, but about surrounding yourself with things that make life better.
Selling luxury means you have to work a bit harder upfront to show people what you’re about and build that culture. Honestly, I find that part fun. A big win for me has been getting the trust of places like The Joseph, Aurora Anguilla Resort, and Hotel Ivy Minneapolis. That kind of support means a lot.
SWAGGER: You’ve got an effortlessly cool style that stands out in any crowd. How do you describe your fashion philosophy?
Tyrone: Well first of all, thank you! For me, it’s about caring. I don’t go overboard, but I make sure my clothes are clean, ironed, and tailored. A $10 shirt from Target can look like $100 if it fits right. Early on, I’d thrift and then get pieces altered. That one step completely changed how I presented myself. Fit over flash—that’s the move.
SWAGGER: How do you balance being a touring musician and a CEO?
Tyrone: It’s not easy, but touring gives you a lot of downtime between soundcheck and the show—three hours of actual work; the rest is up to you. The hard part is coming home and shifting out of road mode. Suddenly you’ve got to work all day instead of performing at night. But I’m learning to manage both.
SWAGGER: What does legacy mean to you—as both an artist and entrepreneur?
Tyrone: Legacy, to me, is about how people perceive you in the present. When your name comes up, what do they think? What do they say? As an artist and entrepreneur, I want to be associated with quality, craftsmanship, and intention. I spend a great deal of time on my work because it’s a direct reflection of who I am. When someone experiences one of my products, I want them to feel that—no shortcuts, no compromises—just a richness of experience that clearly came from a place of care and purpose.
One analogy that comes to mind is the way our parents used to keep fine China locked away in a cabinet. Those pieces were so meticulously crafted that they were reserved for special occasions—too meaningful to risk on an ordinary morning. That sense of reverence, of understanding the value in something well-made, is what I hope to build my legacy on.
SWAGGER: What advice would you give to creatives looking to expand into entrepreneurship?
Tyrone: Do it. And I don’t just mean jump out there and take a chance—immerse yourself. Spend a moment every day improving yourself as an entrepreneur. You’ll be surprised how far you get with consistency. There’s space for everyone.
Tyrone Carreker doesn’t just play music—he interprets identity, style, and space through every note, every scent, every stitch. Whether on stage or in the lab, his commitment to craft leaves a mark. One that smells as good as it sounds.
For more follow Tyrone Carreker on social media or shop his brand 279 Fragrance.
This interview has been edited.
