But this 15-year-old teenager from Osakis isn’t just listening to music. He writes music, he plays instruments and he sings. And not the style of music one would think for a typical teenager. Logan finds solace in Christian music — all genres of Christian music, whether on the rock side, soft side or even a little on the country side.
“I want to glorify God,” said Logan of why he loves Christian music. “When I hear a certain message at church or read a passage in the Bible, I will start writing some words down and then I go to the piano and guitar and it (the music) just comes.”
Logan uses the name Logan Tyler on his YouTube channel and website, Logan Tyler Music. He has been spending time in a local recording studio — Northern Heart Media, owned and operated by Keith Martinson of Alexandria. Accompanying him at times have been his mom and dad, Molly and Jeffrey, and his two sisters, Madison, 13, and Paige, 11.
He has recorded one album so far and is currently working on singles. His next two songs, “Jesus, I Love You” and “What Can I Do?” are expected to be released soon — one later this month and the other in October.
Music is a large part of the Lipke family as they have all played together in a band at church.
And although the family would say Logan is probably the most talented, his sisters like music and playing instruments as well. In fact, Madison got a bass guitar for her 10th birthday.
“I don’t have the talent that Logan has,” Madison said. “But it is always fun to play with him.”
Molly said Madison has an eye for photography and she takes photos and shoots video for Logan’s music videos that are uploaded to his website and YouTube channel. And Paige has actually starred in some of the videos and is considered a crew member as she helps with the equipment.
As much as Madison loves the music aspect, she enjoys shooting and editing the videos just as much, if not more.
“It’s cool to see it all come together and seeing the final product,” said Madison, a 9th-grader.
Logan said it really is a collaboration when it comes to his music. As for his website and YouTube channel, he supervises it and his mom and Madison take care of everything.
According to Molly, her son can not only read and write music, he can hear something and then learn to play it. He plays a wide variety of instruments including piano, organ, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass guitar, mandolin, ukulele, alto and tenor saxophone, drums, harmonica and trombone. Although he said he is just learning to play the trombone.
His favorite instrument is the electric guitar because he loves rock and roll, Christian rock and roll, that is.
“Music just soothes my soul,” said Logan, who is in 10th grade.
Molly remembers when Logan was a young child and how she would hand him crayons to color something, but he had no interest in it. He would just sing instead.
“He would sing all the time,” said Molly. “When he was 6 or 7, Logan started a youth band in church.”
The music and lyrics Logan writes are mostly all original, but there are a couple that are adapted from hymns. He said his music is a blend of all types of praise and worship music — it’s all Christian, but it’s all different.
Molly noted that currently, people can listen to her son’s music for free on his website, YouTube, Spotify, as well as several other online/streaming providers. She said if people want to, they can also download his music via a link on his website that leads people to either Amazon, iTunes or CDBaby. His physical CDs will soon be sent to the CDBaby warehouse, Molly said, so they will be available for purchase on Amazon or CDBaby.
