WB rock tour hypes innovative TV show

It was only a matter of time.

Prime-time teen soaps, especially those on the youth-oriented WB, have become such an important outlet for new music that a rock tour inspired by them was bound to come along eventually. "The WB One Tree Hill Tour," a 23-city jaunt that starts tomorrow in Vancouver and plays Tuesday at the Moore, features acts heard on the show, as well as cast members. It's brilliant cross-publicity, hyping both at the same time.

"One Tree Hill" is among the most innovative shows when it comes to music. Not only is every episode named after a song, each is also crammed with smartly-selected music from a variety of artists. Characters from the series perform on the soundtrack, and musicians heard on the series sometimes appear on the show.

"OTH" has been ahead of the curve, utilizing music from Modest Mouse, Scissor Sisters and Maroon5, among others, before they became popular. The show doesn't just look to young artists. Sheryl Crow is a favorite, and obscure bands whose music is hard to find — like Seattle's Blackouts — have been heard on the show.

Gavin DeGraw's theme for it, the R&B-influenced rock song "I Don't Want to Be," which he sings in a bluesy, gravelly, Jonny Lang style, became a No. 1 hit single on Top 40 radio. That led DeGraw's label, J Records, to re-release his debut album, "Chariot," with a bonus live disc, "Chariot Stripped." It then went on to sell more than a million copies.

DeGraw, who headlines the concert, is featured on "One Tree Hill: Music from The WB Television Series," a new, 14-cut CD that also includes two other artists on the Moore bill: The Wreckers, a duo made up of Michelle Branch and Jessica Harp, who contribute a sweet love ballad, "The Good Kind"; and Tyler Hilton, a young hottie who has a recurring role as musician Chris Keller on the show, who sings "Glad" and is accompanied by cast member Bethany Joy Lenz (who will also be at the Moore) on "When the Stars Go Blue."

Hilton is a major find. He's more than just another good-looking, photogenic kid. His music is more mature and edgier than his boyish looks, and he's a talented songwriter. He's got a good voice, can play guitar and has a variety of well-crafted songs on his debut disc, "The Tracks of Tyler Hilton."

Patrick MacDonald: 206-464-2312