Jonathan Tyler and Northern Lights set sail for rock 'n' roll adventure

“Believe me, when you're out for 200 days a year or even more than that, it's like going out on the ocean in a boat or ship and just being away from everybody that you love and being with a small group of people, and you're out by yourself,” said the frontman for Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights in a phone interview from, yes, the road.

“It isn't for the faint of heart. A lot of bands think that they can go out and it would be their picture-perfect situation, and we thought that, too. And it's not that I don't still think that, it's just that there's also a lot of things that come along with it that test a person's will and their personality. And I think that as a band, we're tied together, but every person has to go through that alone.”

“At the same time,” he added, “it's awesome. It's an adventure, and that's what's cool about it.”

So far, Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights, including Oklahoma-grown drummer Jordan Cain and bassist Nick Jay, have successfully navigated the often exhilarating, sometimes choppy waters on the journey from regional rockers to national names.

Still, the lead singer/songwriter for the Dallas-based rock band is pleased to have four Oklahoma tour dates on their itinerary this week: Wednesday at The Conservatory in Oklahoma City, Thursday at Two Frogs Grill in Ardmore, Friday at Cain's Ballroom in Tulsa and Saturday at Eskimo Joes' BBQ & Blues Street Festival in Stillwater.

“It's definitely a second home,” Tyler said. “It's been a good year. People all over the country are starting to be turned on to us, so we're traveling a lot more all over the map. You know, it's been a lot of work ... a lot of playing, a lot of shows. It's been busy.”

In April 2010, the band released its major-label debut album “Pardon Me,” a collection of genuine throwback, blues-based rock 'n' roll reminiscent of Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin and Lenny Kravitz.