In July, when I went to the Opry to see another artist, Tyce Delk made his Opry debut. I was so blown away by his performance of his original song, “Adaline,” that I hunted down his PR team and pestered them until I got an interview.
Tyce Delk is a fourth-generation farmer, rancher, and musician from Eastern New Mexico. People in that area know the legacy of The Delk Band, which Tyce’s great-grandfather started when he was 17. Over the course of the band’s 92-year history, they have become a staple of the Southwest and Texas.
He said of his childhood, “In this part of the world, a lot of get-togethers involve western bands and swing dancing.” While his family band worked ranching and other jobs to make a living, the Delk Band was a favorite at dance halls.
Delk recalled, “About two weekends a month from the time I was three until I graduated high school, my family and everybody would go play somewhere in New Mexico or Arizona. I was always around it, and it made me want to make good quality music as well.”
He said, “Growing up, we listened to a lot of Moe Bandy, Merle Haggard, and Willie Nelson—the old-school country my dad and the band played. I heard it so often that it influenced me in many ways.”
Delk was given his first guitar when he was ten, but he really wasn’t into it. He was busy showing livestock and playing basketball. But at 18, he began playing, singing, and writing songs. After several years of playing college basketball, he dove headfirst into performing acoustic sets wherever they would have him.
His viral moment happened in 2024 when he performed “Adaline” on TikTok and Instagram. “Everybody gravitated towards it because of the first big note that I sang. It put me on the map. And so it was at that moment that I traded my pickup for a van, and we just decided to go for broke right there.”
The soulful, heartfelt sound Tyce Delk developed isn't the western swing he grew up with. He stated, “When I was playing acoustic gigs, I never used to sing that soulful stuff. But when I started honing in on my writing, that [sound] is what fit my voice best. I thought, ‘Crap, I probably need to start singing like this more often.’”
In 2025, Delk released his first EP, Enough Ain’t Enough, which, besides “Adaline,” spun the hits “I Can’t, I Won’t, I Don’t” and the title track, “Enough Ain’t Enough,” proving that the singer/songwriter was much more than a one-hit wonder.
In June of 2026, the EP Everything But Gone was released by River House Artists with the singles “Woulda Been It” and “I Hit a Wall” becoming fan favorites. The title track “Everything But Gone” is a tribute to his wife: you can’t get rid of me; you get me, everything but gone.
The song, “Up There Down Here,” has taken on a life of its own. Delk’s best friend passed away in an accident while processing cattle earlier this year. He was the one pal who packed up his life and moved to Lubbock with Delk as they were beginning their music careers. His buddy played piano and harmonica while Delk sang and played guitar.
In the acoustic piano version, you really feel that pain as Delk croons, I know you're still by my side/ Could you just give me a sign/ Maybe God'll let you whisper in my ear/ And He could send some up there down here. The song was originally written more for himself than others, but so many have reached out to him on social media saying the song helped them that he knows it has a divine purpose.
The Delk Family Band joined Tyce at his Opry Debut. Besides “Adaline,” Delk also sang “Up There Down Here,” then joined Music Spotlight artist Ashland Craft for a duet with “Doesn’t Have to Be That Way.” “It was a surreal moment getting to be on a song with an artist who sings as good as she does,” he shared.
While Delk is a consummate songwriter, I noticed that many of his songs are melancholy, sad songs which perfectly fit the timbre of his heartbreaking, bluesy vocals. He confirmed, “They’re easy for me to sing. Sad songs make me happy, just like the old Keith Whitley ballads, and songs like Vince Gill’s ‘When I Call Your Name.’”
Tyce Delk has found his niche, and now others outside of the Southwest are discovering his unique sound. He is currently on his Up There Down Here headlining tour and has supported Hudson Westbrook on select dates in 2026.
Other notable stops include C2C, Troubadour Festival, Two Step Inn, Railbird Festival, Cotton Fest, Headwaters Country Jam, and more. In 2027, Delk will perform in Australia at CMC Rocks, then back in the United States for Stagecoach and WE Fest.
He stated, “Stagecoach has always been a milestone and a bucket list for me, so getting to check that off will be neat. And then my band and I are big fans of the Australian Football League, and so we're excited to go over there and play some music, and then we're going to try to catch a game.”
While Delk calls Melrose, New Mexico, home, he spends much of his time on his tour bus, sitting shotgun, writing hooks and melodies, and getting ready for whatever comes next. Tyce Delk is a name you will want to remember. With his prolific songwriting and wailing vocals, he'll be around for years to come.
Follow Tyce Delk on his website, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and all streaming platforms.
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Bethany Bowman is a freelance entertainment writer. Follow her blog, Instagram, and X.