Didn’t realize he was an alcoholic. What I’m finding out is most of my favorite artists are recovering alcoholics or drug addicts.
It does make me wonder if a proper release is somewhat on the horizon. If you look at his track record (since he’s become a label artist), he’s done: 2017- Purgatory 2018- Red Barn Radio EPs 2019- Country Squire 2020- Long Violent History If the pattern stays the same, you’d think 2021 would mean a new record, but then this may have changed things.
I’ve heard a lot of musicians/comedians/artists say they were afraid to get sober because they didn’t know if they’d still be able to create. This and albums like Southeastern give a solid counter-argument. I love Benjamin Tod’s work as well, but I don’t know if he claims to be sober or just between episodes at this point. In that Childers video with Town Mountain singing Down Low I remember thinking, “he wrote a hit and can’t remember...that’s not good for the long term if he’s being serious.”
I know Tod looks really good in his most recent stuff. Now if Evan Felker could ever keep his shit together.
Right before the pandemic hit he canceled a show with half the fans already lined up outside. The two rumors floated were he relapsed OR he got pissed they let people watch him warm up which is a pet peeve of his listed in his contract. But his new vids definitely have him looking like he’s put on some good weight and is enjoying life.
I've heard conflicting things from him, honestly. Heard him say he's sober but then maybe other times not so much. Maybe substance specific?
I wasn't super aware Childers ever had a problem, though he references pills and powder in his songs enough I probably should have surmised. Not sure what it says about me that my 4 favorite songwriters in the world (Felker, Isbell, Childers, Sturgill) either are or were addicts/alcoholics.
Think the only guys I really like with no known substance abuse problems are John Moreland and Colter Wall.
Childers smoked a ton of pot. He was selling his own one hitter. There were stories of him being trashed at shows too
Most of his stories of him being on the road and being fucked up. it happens to most artist when you're traveling from town to town playing shows and I'm sure he brought it home being in quarantine with nothing to do. Glad he got ahead of it though
I thought Matt Heckler but based on a post I saw last night he’s in recovery as well. His new Magnolia Sessions Live recording is something else.
Been watching his music videos on YouTube tonight. He has some pretty cool ones really enjoyed house fire and country squire
Watching a live performance from 2017 where he’s like on the front porch of what appears to be a cabin at a summer camp. He’s incredible. Just made a joke about being broken up with in true Ohio fashion at bob evans (northern guys will get this). Would have paid big money to be at this performance
No. It's far from big. It's very small overall. Plus seeing Tyler at that barn solo probably would have only been a few hundred people maybe.
Can’t remember if I have posted this, but it is from the first time I saw him in December of 2017 at Basement East in Nashville. Maybe paid $20 per ticket. His stage presence has done a 180 since then.
I’ve only recently started listening to Childers since he posted that lib video. Really love his music. Also, shameless plug for my hometown Avett Brothers as another lib folk/bluegrass/whatever group. Their last album, 3rd Gleam, is really good and one of my favorites of their more record label type stuff.
Yeah it was pretty bad. An hour and a half late starting his set, no emotion, just jumped from song to song with little to no crowd interaction. Songs were awesome though, as you would expect.
I first became of fan of them around 05 when they played in Tuscaloosa. I have a signed poster from that show in all my stuff somewhere. Once they got joined up with Rick Rubin I can’t listen to their studio stuff. I have never liked a band more after he got involved with them. Live...they are still killer. They did a fund raising raffle for one of Scotts banjos in 08 when I lived in northeast Tennessee. Some 16 year old kid won it and I offered him more money than I should have for it and he said no, never. Lots of respect to that kid because he knew what he had. Unrelated, I’ve been on a big Matt Heckler and Lost Dog kick lately and Gems on VHS continues to put out great content.
Agree completely. We’ve probably seen the Avetts close to 20 times since 2010, where we first saw them at the Ryman. I liked I and Love and You, some parts of the Carpenter, and one or two songs on Magpie, but I cannot listen to any of their newer albums. The third Gleam is pretty good, but I hate how much I can’t tolerate their newer stuff. Completely agree with your point about them still being awesome live.
Id join both opinions. The studio stuff is meh other than 2-3 songs but then you hear them live and it’s perfect.
Somewhat agree; I just hate most of the newer songs, either live or studio. And I hate that they always close the encore now with True Sadness. Sorry for going off topic, everyone.
On the topic of TTC, I really wish there was a good version of Face of a Stranger that doesn’t miss part of the song or potato quality.
This is really the correct answer. It's the first song I heard of his. Get me higher than the grocery bill
I saw him open for Margo Price at the Ryman. His first big show. Whole band was in Carhartt overalls and long hair. He walked straight to the mic, began singing, and after his first song everyone jumped out of their seats and he took a step back and looked truly shocked. Guy was clearly uncomfortable with having that big of a crowd. He’s turned it around big time over the last couple of years. It’s been great to see