Meet John Pyles | Artist & Entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with John Pyles and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi John, can you share the most important lesson you’ve learned over the course of your career?
True success is earned, not given. Anything worth having is going to require much time, sacrifice, and effort. There will always be challenges and obstacles; however, each of those challenges and obstacles can be overcome and you have everything you need to do so. Obstacles simply provide opportunities for growth and learning so don’t become discouraged and don’t give up. Learn from your failures, apply the new knowledge, and never be afraid to ask for help if you need it.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My musical journey has been a very unique one, one for the books to say the least! I’ve been playing the drums and singing all my life, so whether playing or singing, music was always somewhere in the picture. Being a Preacher’s Kid (PK), I lived in church. Literally every week, throughout the week, my entire childhood up until I went off to college, I was in church. When I got to college I wasn’t committed to anybody’s church. I can count on 2 hands how many times I went to church those 4 years. Big Shoutout to The University of Oklahoma Class of Dimes! BOOMER!!! But during this time I stopped singing and playing altogether. I guess you can say I went on a hiatus, but when I came back home from college in 2010, we got right back in the swing of things. I started playing in church again and two of my good friends, YngX & Hypeman Dalcoe, started inviting me to the studio with them whenever they would record. They introduced me to the booth and I started recording in closets, garages, anywhere we could set up a mic and some foam! Time went by and my pen game got stronger; I was pretty bad in the beginning. It would legit take me weeks to write a hook LOL! At this stage in my journey, I’m singing and writing and I’m an aspiring R&B Artist. I wanted to be the next Tank! In 2015, I linked up with my Producer, Madicin, and we started putting in work! In 2019, I released my first full R&B Project entitled “Pk Behavior.” This was a super dope body of work, all produced by Madicin, all written by me! My R&B chapter was really cool. A few of my records got placement on a few films and I also had the opportunity to open up for the Millennium Tour back in 2019. That was a super dope experience. I met a lot of cool people and had the opportunity to rock the big stage with mainstream artists from the 2000’s R&B Era. I always ran from singing in church. Like I said, I spent so much time in church all my life so I wasn’t trying to make a career out of it, but in 2020 God began to deal with me. In March of 2020, I was exposed to CoVid and God isolated me from the world, Literally the world. It was at this time that he made it crystal clear to me that he wanted me to use my musical gift to bring people to him. He told me I could keep my style, I didn’t have to change the swag at all, he just wanted me to change the message. 2020 was a really emotional year for me, I went through a lot. One day, while feeling super heavy and confused about a lot of things, I started writing the lyrics to my song “Save Us.” After I finished the lyrics, I hit up Madicin and got in the lab with him. After we completed this record I knew this was where I was supposed to be. The feeling, the passion, the message behind the record touched my soul and this was something I had never experienced before from my music. My R&B records are super dope, don’t get me wrong, but my inspirational records are unmatched. After “Save Us”, I released “John 3:19. This record was my record that set the tone for who J. Pyles was. “John 3:19” actually got a spin on Kirk Franklin’s Radio Station. That was a crazy day! My latest single “Just Listen” is going crazy right now! It’s been played all over Texas and is now being played outside of Texas. I had a radio interview not too long ago with WNZN Power 89.1 in Lorain, Ohio. So God has been doing some awesome things and opening some major doors in my life. I’ve been on my musical journey for about 7 years now, constantly learning, constantly growing. I feel like things are about to get crazy real soon and I’m super excited about what God has ahead!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
First we’d have to stop by Kouzan’s Creole Kitchen! This is my family’s food business. We’re located off the Beltway and Little York on the Northeast side of town! Kouzan’s is by far the best Creole spot in Houston! Look us up! There are other good eats out here I’d want my friend to try also! Esther’s Cajun Cafe would be on the list, really good soul food spot! We’d have to stop by The Rouxpour also, another really good Cajun & Creole Spot in the city. I couldn’t let the trip end without stopping by Steak 48. That place is divine. We’d have to hit 3rd Ward to do it for the culture one time. Maybe stop by 5015 and Turkey Leg Hut. Kiss is always a good time. The New Spot downtown is pretty cool too! I’d also want to check out the roof top cinema spot here in the city, I haven’t been yet but I hear it’s pretty cool.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My parents, John and Cheryl Pyles, Sr. My parents have always shown me what hard work and dedication looks like. I saw my mother work night shifts as a Registered Nurse to help support our family after my father retired from the Air Force. After the Air Force, my dad worked as a security guard while being a full time student in TWU’s Physical Therapy Program. They both made countless sacrifices to provide a good life for me and my siblings and I could never thank them enough. They also showed me what having a relationship with God and walking by faith looked like. My parents have always been big on church. Every Sunday we were at church, for multiple services! They had me in the youth choir. They had me on the drill team. My parents bought me my first drum set when I was a little boy and I started playing for my childhood church, St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, in the 3rd Grade. So church was LIFE! But I can honestly say, we’ve always been abundantly blessed and God has always met all of our needs! My parents are now the Senior Pastor and First Lady of The Tabernacle of Praise Family Worship Center in Houston, Tx. My father founded The T.O.P. in May of 1999 and the ministry has been growing and being a blessing to our community and the city of Houston as a whole for over two decades now. Not only have my parents always been hard working and God fearing, they’ve also been super supportive and always encouraging. They always instilled in me that I can do anything I put my mind to. There has never been a time when I needed them to help me through something and they weren’t there for me. I honestly don’t know where I would be if it weren’t for my parents. I’m beyond grateful to have them in my corner and they’re one of my biggest motivations in LIFE!

Website: www.discipyles.com

Instagram: @jpylesii

Twitter: @jpylesii

Facebook: John Pyles & J. Pyles

Youtube: Channel: J. Pyles

Image Credits
Taylor Calvert w/ Bean 76 Coffee captured the short sleeved shirt shots Markisha Henderson w/ M Photography captured the hoody/jogger set shots