Champlain Today

Sounding off: Two PR students make mark on music scene

Lyle King '02

Lyle and Kyle. They have similar names; they both study Public Relations & Media Communications; and they are both earning recognition on the Vermont music scene.

"I love songwriting, performing and recording," says Lyle King '03 of St. George, Vt., who describes his music as contemporary folk pop. The guitarplaying 22-year-old student plays gigs on Burlington's Church Street and in area towns. "Music will always be a part of my life."

King's talents were recognized last year as he won Burlington's sixth annual Acoustic Guitar Search Singer/ Songwriter Competition. "I couldn't believe that I won. It's always a great feeling when someone else tells you that they like your music."

King has been performing solo for about two years. "I've done the band thing, but solo is a lot less complicated," he said. He released a live cassette album last year and he just released his first CD in September.

"My music hasn't made me rich or anything," he said. "Whatever money I do make goes toward the many expenses involved with recording and releasing an album. That way the music is at least partially sustaining itself, and I like that."

King shares his music on a web site that he created himself: http://lyleking.com. The thorough site includes gig listings, photos, a press kit and MP3 files to download and enjoy. King expects to upgrade the site after he takes Champlain's Dreamweaver course this fall.

King's other major interest is video production. This pushed him to enroll in Champlain's Public Relations & Media Communications program. "It's right up my alley. What I've learned has helped me out in promoting my own music," he says. King also works as the audio-visual coordinator at an area high school to make ends meet. "I like working with the technology and I enjoy teaching and challenging the students to pursue their own creativity," he said. King has also supported the school's coffeehouse and instructed at student songwriting workshops and summer music camps.

King and a Champlain classmate named Kyle Thompson '02 share a love of music, but the similarities pretty well stop there; they have very different musical styles.

Kyle Thompson '02

Thompson (a.k.a. MC Fattie Bumballattie) is one of two rappers in the band Eye Oh You, who can be found grooving out every Thursday night at Red Square on Church Street. He also often performs with the Dave Grippo Funk Band, whose leader and saxophone player Dave Grippo recently toured with Trey Anastasio.

Thompson is a deep-voiced rapper who, in the 1990s, toured across the U.S. and abroad with his band Belizbeha. When they disbanded, he decided it was time to knuckle down and earn his bachelor's degree at Champlain. "I came back to school with a whole new attitude," he said. "I was motivated."

Lately he's been playing gigs in Burlington and shopping for grad schools. He'd like to specialize in public relations. "I've done so much promoting already -- it seems to make sense," he said.

Thompson's dedication to music doesn't stop once he's off the stage. In the last four years, he has single-handedly produced and distributed compilation CDs that feature Burlington-area teens and young adults. Called HOP, the CD series cover hip-hop, house, club, rap and R&B genres.

This Bristol, Vt., native saw a need in the local music scene, and decided to do something about it. "I remember being a 17-year-old kid making music in my room -- and trying to get to a new level," he said. "There's a lot of talent out there."

The HOP project is remarkable in more than one way. Not only does Thompson do the fundraising, production and marketing, but he also donates all profits from the CD sales to The Make-A-Wish Foundation. "This isn't about making money," he said. "Make- A-Wish tells me who the money is going to and, well, it's really personal to me."