Exclusive Interview with Tyler Hilton on Charity & Books

When I was in middle school, I knew this really cool kid, Tyler. He played the guitar and already knew how to use hair gel. But besides his many talents, Tyler was also a really nice kid. He befriended this self-admitted geek.

After middle school ended, I lost contact with Tyler. He moved far away. But years later I rediscovered Tyler as he was promoting his first major record label album, The Tracks of, on MTV. Tyler then went on to be a recurring character on the hit TV series One Tree Hill. He also played Elvis Presley in the Golden Globe Award-winning film Walk the Line. To the world, he is known as the singer-songwriter-actor Tyler Hilton.

It is great to see good things happen to good people. But what’s even better is that Tyler is using his good fortunes to help others. Tyler started a non-profit, T.H. Books for Kids, to raise money and donate children’s books to kids who may not otherwise have access to them.

Tyler was gracious enough to answer a few questions from his Blackberry about his charity and his love for books. Read the exclusive interview here:

Why did you decide to start T.H. Books for Kids?
Tyler Hilton: I started it because I could and the timing was right.  Lord knows I'm like everyone else who while walking or driving or cleaning comes up with a million inventions, movie scripts, song ideas, and ways to save the world but let's be honest... no one's writing them all down or actively pursuing all of them, including me.  This was an idea I had over and over and would find myself talking about it to people I thought would feel the same way.  The right people agreed and decided to really work to make it happen and get it out there.  I got to start this whole thing because I was lucky enough to know a few folks who knew what to do with an idea!

How does it work? How do people get involved?
People can get involved in different ways from donating money, books, or suggesting places we could be of service.  It all depends on what's going at that moment.  Thbooksforkids.org has all that info.

Since you help select some of the donated children’s books, tell me which book you personally prefer:
The Little Engine that Could or Corduroy?
Little Engine That Could, no question.

The Chronicles of Narnia or the Harry Potter series?
Give me Potter.

So what are some of your favorite books?
I love "On the Road" by Kerouac.  Huckleberry Finn is a bible.  And John Grisham's "King of Torts" for airplanes.

Have there been any books or characters that have influence or inspired any of your songs? If so, which ones?
I wrote a song in high school after finishing "The Catcher in the Rye".  For a lot of young guys, I'll speak up and say, that was the first time we identified with a story and character and weren't just entertained by them.

If you had to write your autobiography, what would the first sentence say?
Geeze, I mean I never thought about it, does anyone??!!  I guess it would be.... I was always good at thinking on my feet and coming up with things on the spot.  Ha!

Alright, do you have any final thoughts you’d like to share with your fans and the readers of PolicyWithPop.com?
When you're helping a charity or cause you really can't go wrong.  What I do is no more important than other causes…  If TH Books For Kids sounds like it's up your alley email myself or Dana, who runs the organization for me [at THBooksForKids@aol.com] and get involved at THBooksForKids.org

Thanks for your time, Tyler. You rock (literally and figuratively)!

As you ponder Tyler’s words of wisdom, here is the song “Stay” written and performed live by Tyler Hilton himself: