In 2025, MTTS Founder, Ty Brueilly Is Spending More Time Where It All Began; Boone, N.C.

With this being the twentieth year of Mightier Than The Sword Records, founder Ty Brueilly has been repeatedly finding himself back to the town where it all started, Boone, North Carolina.

“I left Boone in 2005, the same year I graduated from Appalachian State University, which also was the same year I started MTTS. I spent a lot of time there in the years that followed, and then there were large gaps of time, years and years that passed where I didn’t visit at all. That all changed earlier this year when I started working again with speed and performance painter, Laura Ashley Live Art at my second annual Mightier Than The Sword Awards at Sunset Film Festival. I’ve known her since 2017, and she was voted as award recipient for “Profound Painter” so I decided to see if she would be available to paint something for our guests of honor (Richard & Anastasia Elfman) and surprise her with her award while she was painting. When it came time to settle up with her fees for her services she asked if I was available and interested in trading off by filming some content of her painting at an Appalachian State basketball game, and of course it was an easy and quick yes, and since then I’ve been back up there a dozen times this year, as usual the universe and the forces that be have a really timely way of talking to me, and probably you too, if you just listen.” Brueilly said.

After his graduation ceremony, Brueilly, along with family members and some college friends and life long friends went to Macado’s on King Street, where he was a regular, and the conversation led to a commitment to create something that would later be an international powerhouse.

Brueilly talks about this 20 year milestone, “I’ve had a lot of clarity and reflection this year, focusing on all that MTTS has been and what it’s provided the world in arts and entertainment, and even business. I’ve made very conscious decisions to focus on our monthly events, our festival in May, reunion in December and also to remember where it all started from, and somehow, I’ve been pulled to Boone more times this year so far than the total number of times in the previous decade, and it’s been beautifully serendipitous. Starting with filming for Laura Ashley Live Art in February, I was then invited to speak at the 90^th anniversary of The Appalachian, which is the student newspaper I wrote for during my time as a student. That’s where I met with the Alumni Association and that’s really sparked that love and passion I always had for Boone, but just needed some purpose up there, and I feel I have found it.”

Seemingly his working relationship with Laura Ashley Live Art is the constant of Brueilly’s Boone movements in 2025, as he has documented and filmed content for her performances four times, at various sporting events, which has motivated him and Westtopher (also an App alum) to create a song for their football team, which was played during Appalachian’s Spring Football game.

“It’s been a long time coming for that, and I couldn’t in good conscious be in the same rooms with these incredible opportunities, to not seize it and create. The song still has to get some legs on it, but it’s potential is incredible.” Brueilly says, then continues, “I love working with Laura Ashley Live Art, and we motivate each other and cheerlead each other, I know I wouldn’t have really unlocked the level of workflow and creativity with her that I have now if it didn’t begin in Boone. It was special and it shows, it was out of the gates, running and we are going back up there this Friday, whereas a week ago I was with my family up there enjoying Tweetsie Railroad. It isn’t just for work that I’m pulled up there, and I am beyond content that I am spending so much time up there, super fitting for 20 years of MTTS.”