Let me start out by saying that I'm a superfan. Just a disclaimer before I change your life.
Okay, so, the ginger king is the header pic of this article.
Tyler is joined by The Food Stamps, his band.
Tyler is from Eastern Kentucky and grew up in a coal mining town. His songs reflect his experiences in Lawrence County, Kentucky. "Lady May" is a poignant but enchanting love song about his wife, Senora May. His first album, Bottles and Bibles, is definitely underrated. It hasn't been as popular as his other albums, but it's the type of music that you want to drink to. The songs are a little slower in tempo and full of soul.
Purgatory, his breakthrough album, has a faster tempo and is full of music that I sing to in the car constantly. It's the type of music that makes me want to just let everything out, which is why I like sing it while I'm driving! This album is what put Tyler on the charts and contained his most popular song, "Feathered Indians."
For the people who have already heard that song, I urge you to delve into his other music with the same gusto. "Feathered Indians" will always be a favorite because it's what introduced me to TTC, but it's not my all-time favorite song by him.
I saw TTC at the Ryman in Nashville, TN, and it was life-changing. It was his Purgatory tour. When he performed "I Swear (To God)", the crowd went wild in a way that I will never forget. It was like we were all in sync and just touched by the power of his music. The atmosphere of that concert at the Ryman changed me.
His most recent album, Country Squire, stands out to me because I feel like it's the album that Tyler 100% wanted to create. He produced it with his own record label, Hickman Holler Records. From "All Your'n", a fan favorite love song, to "Ever Loving Hand", another love song about being alone on the road without his wife and, well... Anyway, this album really picked up steam. It debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Top Country Albums.
I've grown with Tyler Childers. Since I've been a part of it, the Tyler Childers Fan Club (I told you that I'm a superfan) has grown from a few thousand to almost 25.5 THOUSAND members. That's insane!
Tyler Childers fans aren't a "type", except that we enjoy real, raw music. So many types of people love Tyler Childers because, I mean, how can you not?
Will Tyler Childers ever become "mainstream"? I don't know. Pop country is all of the rage these days. I know that I, personally, am not a fan of songs that all sound the same and are about girls and trucks. Tyler Childers sings about what it's really like to grow up in a small, Southern town. Tyler didn't come from money and has gone through real struggles. His songs are like looking into a piece of his past and heart and soul.
So, I urge you to go listen to TTC. If you don't like country and bluegrass, it might be because you don't like pop country. Give him a try - you won't regret it.
