The daimon of creativity has ruthlessly had its way with me. The ordinary undertakings I planned usually had the worst of it . . . Many things worked out as I planned them to, but that did not always prove of benefit to me. But almost everything developed naturally and by destiny. --C. G. Jung

Carl Jung's words, taken from his autobiography, Memories, Dreams and Reflections, describe a man who has accomplished a lot in spite of his best intentions. This anti-modus operandi also fits the career of Dan Tyler, a producer and singer-songwriter whose great successes often come when he least expects them.

Throughout his career, Dan has depended on his creative vision for guidance, never following musical trends or bowing to pressure from the notoriously political music business. Paradoxically, mainstream success has often come while he was making other plans-usually when he was preoccupied with the career of a talented but left-of-center artist. While championing the causes of such independent acts as pure country singer Billy Ray Reynolds and "The Last of the Full Grown Men," Webb Wilder, Dan has scored number one hits for LeAnn Rimes ["The Light In Your Eyes"], The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band ["Modern Day Romance"], Kenny Rogers ["Twenty Years Ago"] and The Oak Ridge Boys ["Bobbie Sue"].

Dan's first solo CD, I Hope, is this same kind of fortunate surprise.

The thought of making a solo recording had been the furthest thing from Dan's mind-after all, his writing and production work already gave him plenty to think about. One evening, however, while attending a Journey Into Wholeness conference on the Swiss Psychiatrist Jung, he was invited to get up and sing a few of his original songs. The crowd response was overwhelmingly positive, and in that moment Dan realized that there was an audience for his solo material-a seasoned, intelligent group of music fans who were starved for heartfelt performance and thoughtful songwriting.

Jung, of course, is perhaps best known for his concept of synchronicity--loosely defined as meaningful coincidence--and the serendipitous implications of that evening are not lost on Dan. "It's the things that aren't forced that are important," he says, "if you can let go and let the universe come to you, you'll do your best work. I decided to make a record, keeping in mind that audience and how much faith they had in me."

Upon returning to Nashville, Dan contacted songwriter and producer Joe Pisapia, with whom he'd worked on several projects, and asked him to record the material that would become I Hope. As a producer, Pisapia, who founded power-pop sensation Joe, Marc's Brother and currently performs with indie folk-rockers Guster, is well known for his atmospheric, genuine sound. His approach proved perfect for I Hope, which mixes acoustic guitar-driven arrangements with strings and sturdy yet sensitive percussion.

Dan, who gave up a career as an attorney and moved to Nashville from his native Mississippi in 1976, has had a wealth of experiences both in and outside the music business, and I Hope is infused with these grown-up themes. "Costa Rica," the CD's opener, tells of two old friends on a spontaneous, hazy trip to that laid-back country, "Where the people smile/ And the pace is slow." The uncertainty of life and the hope of faith, friendship and honesty are the subjects of the record's title track. " . . . I have tried to seek the truth/ And speak the truth I have found," Dan sings, "I just hope that's what they say/ When they lay me in the ground." Strains of Eastern philosophy can be heard in "When Will I?" which echoes the spontaneous nature of the record's beginnings: "All my worry is a waste of time. . . Letting go brings peace of mind."

Jung holds that the creative person has little control over his or her destiny; the harder an artist strives for success, the more true artistic success will elude them. For Dan Tyler, hit records have come, but they were not necessarily the goal. Rather, as he puts it, "I've used my success to go deeper." I Hope goes deeper. And for listeners who feel disconnected from today's cookie-cutter, "American Idol"-style entertainment and who are looking for meaningful songwriting and sincere expression, I Hope is a godsend.