// ARTICLES
Tyler Hilton rides wave of WB show's success into BostonBy Rosemary Ford
Probably the strangest moment for Tyler Hilton during The "One Tree Hill" Concert Tour came when he was signing autographs in San Francisco.
A fan approached him for an autograph -- but instead of a photo, she wanted the singer-songwriter-actor to sign men's underwear that looked uncannily like his own.
Then he realized: They were his.
Grammy-winning pop singer Michelle Branch and her friend and fellow musician, Jessica Harp, had raided Hilton's luggage while he was on stage during his set on The "One Tree Hill" Concert Tour. Branch and Harp -- who form the duo The Wreckers -- had just completed their own set before tossing Hilton's tighty-whiteys to the adoring fan in question.
"It was so weird," said the California native, who is still adjusting to life as a pop star and teen idol since taking a recurring role on the WB teen drama, "One Tree Hill."
"Not only was it my favorite underwear, but I had to move laundry day up because of it," he said.
Hilton and his laundry make their way to the Hub tomorrow, when The "One Tree Hill" Concert Tour pulls into Boston. This leg of the tour features him, The Wreckers and "One Tree Hill" star Bethany Joy Lenz in a live musical concert featuring the acts and music of the teen soap opera.
While the concert bands are connected to the show, this tour is all about the music. Even Lenz will take to the stage for a song or two off her own upcoming album.
The tour is only the latest acting-singing synergy for Hilton, who released his debut album, "The Tracks of ..." last fall. The album release dovetailed with his debut on "One Tree Hill," in which he portrays Chris Keller, the record store manager who steals Haley's heart away from her husband, Nathan.
Hilton always wanted to be a musician and did some acting in the usual high school musicals, but never expected to find himself playing a character on a teen sudser at this point in his career.
"I didn't think it would be such an integral part of my music, and be such a big thing already," said Hilton, best known for his hit songs, "When It Comes" and "Glad."
But when an executive at his label, Maverick, got the script introducing Chris Keller on "One Tree Hill," and gave it to Hilton, the would-be teen idol knew it was a role he couldn't refuse. While Hilton wouldn't want Keller as a friend, he found the character and plot fascinating.
"He (Keller) is one of those guys -- anything you buy is uncool," Hilton said. "I hate those guys. He thinks he's really talented, digs music and falls for Haley and her music."
"One Tree Hill" wasn't Hilton's first acting gig. He plays Elvis, a small role in the upcoming Johnny Cash big-screen biography, "Walk the Line," starring Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon. The role was a dream-come-true for Hilton, a long-time Elvis fan who collected his music and posters while growing up.
"It was really intriguing, how much I learned about him as a young Memphis kid," Hilton said.
With this tour, Hilton's reality meets scripted television. On the show, Lenz's character, Haley, leaves Tree Hill and her husband, Nathan, to pursue her musical career with Keller, Branch and Gavin DeGraw, who appears on some legs of the tour but not in Boston.
"Being able to parallel the lives of the characters with this tour will be a great bonus for the fans, who have made 'One Tree Hill' the fastest-growing show on television this season," said Executive Producer Joe Davola in a statement.
"Music is such an integral part of this show that this is truly the best of both worlds. I'm glad we can bring Tree Hill to everybody's hometown this year."
All the artists in the tour have appeared on the show or its soundtrack, including DeGraw, whose hit "I Don't Want to Be" served as the show's theme song even before it was a No. 1 hit on his 2003 platinum album, "Chariot."
Hilton hopes the show will have a similar effect on his burgeoning music career, though he doesn't expect to have a platinum album just yet.
"It's gotten my CD more exposure," said Hilton, who has performed his own music on the show. "I am not expecting success that big or anything like that."
