Local Musician’s Hoops-Themed Song Appears in National March Madness Ad
TeawhYB and Jack Greenwood collaborated last year to create ‘Backyard Basketball.’ It was music to Capital One’s ears.
Chippewa Valley-based hip-hop artist Tyler Baumgart (aka TeawhYB) and Jack Greenwood – an Austin, Texas, resident with ties to Eau Claire – released their single “Backyard Basketball” together last year, and now the song is being heard all over the country.
The song is used in Capital One’s NCAA March Madness social media ads on sites such as Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat. The commercial features a short clip of their song behind dialogue from former NBA star and current TNT network basketball analyst, Charles Barkley.
Baumgart said having his music reach the ears of many more listeners, even in a brief way, is music to his ears. “It feels like the hard work is starting to pay off and be acknowledged,” he said. “As artists, we’re constantly seeking gratification and recognition for our work, which can be hard to come by. I’m not expecting the ad to translate to more streams or purchases, but I think it does establish our credibility as musicians, and we get to represent our city and state on the national level.”
Greenwood said the song came from wanting to express himself during COVID-19 quarantine. He said the success spurring from artistic isolation is entirely fulfilling.
“It’s a really good feeling to see your work out in the world,” Greenwood said. “Obviously when I started the song in my bedroom, I had no thought or intention of it getting picked up. I was just creating during quarantine and writing about my experience with everything at the time.”
The pair of musicians began collaborating over a year ago due to mutual interest in each other’s work. Initially Greenwood crafted the backbeat of the song and then sent it to Baumgart, who arranged his portion of the track, which later led to the final form of “Backyard Basketball.”
“It's almost a time-capsule of the pandemic summer we all experienced,” Baumgart said. “Many of us were out of work, waiting on unemployment checks, kind of like an adult summer break that we never asked for.”
Baumgart and Greenwood plan to continue collaborating in 2021 with more songs set for release later in the year. You can hear “Backyard Basketball,” now on SoundCloud, Spotify, Apple Music, and most major streaming platforms.
