Dallas Guitarist Justin Lyons knows that home is where the heat is turned up

Justin Lyons has been all over the world. But as the age-old adage holds, all roads lead back to Texas. 

The touring instrumentalist — also known as Guitar Slayer — is currently working with MGK as his backing guitarist. Lyons’ summer kicked off with a bang last month, as MGK and Wiz Khalifa’s Lost Americana Tour kicked off its second North American leg. Though Lyons, 40, has become a household name among MGK’s core fans, as well as anyone tapped into the Dallas music scene, his resume proves quite impressive across a multitude of genres.

In his 25 years in the industry, Lyons has collaborated with the likes of Lil Wayne, Blink-182, Tank and Blackpink. Laying the foundation for incredible sounds, Lyons’ skills on the axe are unmatched. But while he’s often on the road, Lyons imagines a more fruitful Dallas music scene — one that cultivates creativity among its artists and provides the resources they need to thrive.

We recently caught up with Lyons over the phone a day after the Dallas stop of the Lost Americana Tour, and while he’s received love from fans internationally, he says nothing beats the thrill of performing a sold-out show in his hometown.

Back in 2017, the Observer did a profile on you, noting that you had been a go-to for K-Pop artists. Now, you’ve done rock, hip-hop, R&B and pop. What would you say has been the key to leveling up?

Evolving with the times, and also spending time with yourself to allow yourself the growth to happen. Staying connected, studying the greats and just evolving as a human being. By default, we’re created to evolve anyway. I’m just so blessed and lucky to be evolving with these amazing artists and allowing my artistry to evolve with the times.

How has the MGK and Wiz Khalifa tour been so far?

We’ve been touring like every year, but this one just feels a little different. Because we’re older, we’re growing up, and families are being developed now. Being away from home feels different now, and being on the road feels different. It feels more intentional, but it’s been good. It’s exciting to know that we still have so many shows ahead, but it feels good. Wiz Khalifa and his team joining us, it’s been a great combo. Wiz himself, just being a very focused individual, very conscious with health, his body and all of that stuff, and chaos as well — it’s just a real cool synergy that’s happening right now. People are loving the live shows.

Where did your passion for music begin?

Years of being in church, watching my dad play, my aunts play, my mom sing, my grandmother singing. My whole family, we’re like the Jacksons, or something. I always say I’m a product of my environment, and the environment that I was heavily engulfed by was the church, and that definitely charged my battery in terms of loving music.

In the era we’re in right now, there’s a lot of discussion about algorithms, streaming numbers, social media and live shows. What would you say is the most important avenue for music discovery today? 

I would say a combo between live performances and social media. Everybody always has their phones, but getting back to the concerts and just having a room full of like-minded individuals is the way to lead to streaming. I think they all have to work together, but social media and concerts would eventually lead you to being able to tap into the streaming platforms.  Last night, there were 15,000 people there, and out of those 15,000, it was probably like 4,000 to 5,000 of those people that were brought out there just by friends that had never been to our show. And now, they’re fans of the music or individual bandmates. I think they all have to work together, but they just have to be done in a really cool order and attach a vision to it. Make the vision as creative and as special as possible, and your community will come.

We all know you swear by the PRS Guitar in live performance. But when it comes to the studio, what would you say are your go-to software?

I’m a Logic head. I love Logic. I’ve been on Logic for many, many years. I recently got into Fruity Loops [now known as FL Studio] again. I started with Fruity Loops in sixth grade, but getting back to it now, in 2026, just to open up a different can of worms in my brain has been really fun. Buying MPC samples has been my fun toy. I do have a couple of PRS guitars that I do pull out and play, and I also pull out my Reverend Guitar. I got a bunch of toys when it comes to the studio, but my go-tos gotta be Logic, FL, my MPC and whatever guitar I can get my hands on.

What would you say are some common misconceptions about songwriting and production?

That it has to be perfect. Songwriting is really just your personal expression. It’s supposed to be what your heart feels; it’s supposed to be like what God downloaded to you as an individual. Nobody hears it like you hear it. Sometimes as artists, we start experiencing writer’s block because we feel like it has to be perfect. I think that ends up bringing more judgment than anything.

What are your fondest memories of growing up in Dallas?

Being 16 and 17, and going to a club, watching this band called Hypnotic, and we had the late great AJ [Al James], who was one of the lead guitarists, but he had played with everyone from Stevie Ray Vaughn, B.B. King, Miles Davis — all of the bigwigs. But he was one of the greats, and being 16 and 17 years old, sneaking into this club and watching them play is something that I carry to this day. Man, he’s been gone for maybe 15 years now. When he walked up to me, he heard me play, and he started crying and said, “Nephew, you are next in line. The world is in your fingertips.” I keep that special memory in my heart.

Dallas is currently on the come-up, especially with artists like BigXThaPlug. Do you think Dallas has the potential to become a big music city, like LA, Nashville or Atlanta?

Man, we’re bigger than them; we just don’t have the infrastructure. I say this all the time, and that’s one of the reasons why I haven’t moved out of Dallas. I don’t want to move out of Dallas because I see all of the beautiful potential, all of the amazing artists, even some of the artists I’m currently developing. Dallas has always been the spot for talented artists; we just don’t have the infrastructure of New York, Chicago, Atlanta and Los Angeles. But I feel like we are on the rise to getting there. I want to be one of the pioneers at the front of that, making some things happen here. I’ve traveled all over the world, and nobody is touching the talent level of Dallas, Texas.

Where are some of your favorite places to perform in the city?

I’m a newfound fan of Dickies [Arena]. I feel like it’s grown or changed slightly since the last time I played that. The last time I was there was when I played with Lil Wayne and Blink 182, and that was in 2019. I like Toyota Music Factory. Everybody knows American Airlines is a staple place to play. Trees is amazing. I used to be a super fan of Prophet Bar. Rest in peace, Prophet Bar. The Door was such a big staple piece for my friends and my collective of musicians. That was somewhere we had a chance to go jam at and be amongst other great musicians, and we don’t have anything like that around anymore. I’m on the road so much, I don’t even know what’s currently new around the city of Dallas. There are some things going on in Deep Ellum that need to be addressed so that we can get back to being an exciting art city again.

What would you say is the biggest issue musicians are facing right now?

Support and means. I can’t wait to connect with that one investor who understands that I’m a visionary, and if I get with the right investors, then I can quickly start to build these communities to help the music scene. I just feel like there’s not enough direction. It’s a lot of people that have a lot of musicians with a lot of skill and a lot of talent, but no one is stewarding them, no one is mentoring them, no one is guiding them. And because they lack those three things, it’s causing depression. 

Everybody wants to get to the big stage; everybody wants to know how to perform, but there aren’t enough facilities here to help foster that. And I really want to build a facility. I want to buy a facility, and I want to make it so special to the artists, so when they walk into that room, and as soon as they walk through those doors, they just feel the creative energy pointed toward them. They can lock in and make beautiful art — not jaded art, not hurt art, not frustrated art — just pure art from a loving place. And once we get back to that love in our music, I think the world can start healing from that point.