When you first meet Tyler Adair, you might not immediately guess that this soft-spoken musician has spent evenings wrestling 12-foot alligators out of lagoons in Sea Pines. Yet that unlikely pairing – wildlife control officer by day, soulful singer-songwriter by night – is exactly what makes Adair’s story worth telling.
“It’s kind of a double life,” he said with a laugh. “One minute I’m handling an alligator, and the next I’m at the Quarterdeck playing a John Mayer cover. It’s been a lot of fun, though. It keeps life interesting.”
Tyler Adair is photographed in the Sea Pines Forest Preserve
Adair’s path to the Lowcountry has been anything but straight. Raised outside Philadelphia, he earned a degree in audio engineering from Full Sail University and landed what he calls his “dream job” at a legendary recording studio back home. It was a place where music history lived – The Jackson 5’s “ABC” and the Village People’s “Y.M.C.A.” were recorded there.
“I was on top of the world,” Adair said. “I had the keys to the building, I was climbing the ladder, and it felt like everything was falling into place.”
But the industry shifted. With home recording technology making major studios less essential, even a historic powerhouse couldn’t stay afloat. “They called me one night and said, ‘Don’t bother coming in tomorrow. We’re selling to the bank,’” Adair said.
Balancing two careers isn’t easy, but Adair has found that each feeds the other. The discipline, unpredictability, and presence required in wildlife control sharpen his instincts onstage.
Suddenly, he was back at square one. From guitar center jobs, brief stints in Nashville, and gigs that didn’t pay the bills, it was a string of near misses and restarts. Life took another sharp turn when he became a father, and stability became his priority. That pursuit of purpose eventually led him to Hilton Head Island, where his parents – who still work hard every day – made a home.
“A big part of my motivation is to help them retire,” Adair said. “I know they would if they could, and I’d love to be able to give that back to them.”
What began as a job in Sea Pines Security quickly grew into something more. Adair was asked to fill in on wildlife duty, and before long, he was offered the position permanently. He didn’t hesitate.
“I grew up coming to Sea Pines on vacation, so the place was already special to me,” he said. “When I started working with wildlife, it just clicked. It wasn’t about money. I don’t even get paid extra for it. I just enjoy doing it.”
His first alligator was a whopping 12 feet. “I learned on the go,” he said. “It was definitely a strange way to break into the job.”
The role, surprisingly, has given him a sense of fulfillment similar to what he hoped to find in the military before an accident sidelined that dream. “It makes me feel like I’m helping people, like I’m doing something that matters,” he said.
Oddly enough, Adair sees a similarity between wrangling wildlife and performing music. “You never know what you’re going to get into,” he said. “With an alligator, you know what you need to do, but you can’t control what the animal will do. Same thing with a show. You know your music, but you don’t know how the crowd will respond, or whether a string will break in the middle of the song.”
While Adair’s career in wildlife control might have been unexpected, music has always been central to his identity. For years, though, it simmered quietly in the background as he raised his daughter.
“It wasn’t that I was afraid of music,” he said. “I went to school for audio engineering, worked in recording studios, and that was always the plan – working in music was the goal. What worried me was playing music for a living. I knew how competitive it was, and stepping into the spotlight felt less stable than being behind the scenes. But nothing in life is guaranteed, and I think the universe just pushed me where I was supposed to go. Now I’m here, and honestly, I’m having a blast.”
In 2023, he started gigging regularly at Hilton Head hotspots like the Quarterdeck, and his confidence grew quickly. “At first, I was out of practice. I had to get my reps in and figure out how to fit the vibe here,” Adair said. “Up north, you might have five bands in one night and people are there specifically for the music. Here, you’re part of the dining experience. People aren’t necessarily there to see you, but you can make their evening better.”
That mindset shift paid off. Within a year, he had not only found his rhythm but also signed with an entertainment agency to help him expand.
A Sound of His Own
Adair’s style is as layered as his life experiences. Though he grew up in punk and metal bands – and can still unleash a death-metal growl – his live shows on Hilton Head are shaped by acoustic covers and singer-songwriter energy.
“I can’t play punk rock at the Quarterdeck,” he said. “But I’ve found a middle ground. I lean into the ’90s and early 2000s songs that people forgot they loved – Third Eye Blind, Green Day, Semisonic. Those are my bread and butter. But I also take modern pop and hip-hop songs, strip them down, and rebuild them with a guitar and a looper pedal.”
His looping style, which layers percussion, guitar, and vocals live onstage, gives his performances a unique edge. “I’ll bang on my guitar for a beat, loop it, then play chords over it and sing. It keeps things fresh, for me and for the crowd.”
When pressed about influences, Adair points to artists like Ed Sheeran, John Mayer, and Justin Bieber – but always with a personal twist. “I love taking something unexpected and making it my own,” he said. “That’s where I have the most fun.”
Balancing two careers isn’t easy, but Adair has found that each feeds the other. The discipline, unpredictability, and presence required in wildlife control sharpen his instincts onstage. Likewise, the creativity and emotional expression of music give him resilience in his day job.
And through it all, his daughter remains his anchor. “At the end of the day, it’s all for her,” Adair said. “If I can take care of her by doing the two things I love – helping people and making music – that’s success for me.”
Looking Ahead
The past year has brought more momentum than the previous 15, Adair said, and he is determined to ride that wave. With new representation, growing demand for his shows, and a summer packed with performances, he’s proving that persistence pays off.
“I was waiting for a light at the end of the tunnel, and for years it just wasn’t there,” he said. “But when I finally went all in on music, things started happening fast. It’s scary, sure, but it’s a good kind of scary.”
For Adair, the goal is simple: “I just want people to enjoy listening to my music,” he said. “If they have a good time, then I’ve done my job. And if I can keep doing that while showing my daughter that it’s possible to chase what you love – then that’s everything.”
From wrangling gators in the marshes to strumming nostalgic anthems on a summer night, Tyler Adair embodies resilience, passion, and heart. His story reminds us that sometimes the path to purpose isn’t straight – it’s winding, unpredictable, and, if you’re lucky, set to music.
This month, find Adair live at Quarterdeck from 4 to 7 p.m. October 2, 4, 9, 11, 16, and 18. He’s also at Agave on October 17 from 6 to 9 p.m. To connect on social media and to get the most up-to-date live schedule, find him on Instagram and TikTok @TylerAdair.Music.
