Tyler Childers was born and raised in Lawrence County, Kentucky. His father worked in the coal industry and his mother is a nurse. He learned singing in church where he sang in the church choir. He started to play guitar and write songs when he was around 13. He moved from Lawrence County to Paintsville, Kentucky, where he attended Paintsville High School and graduated in 2009. Fellow country musicians Chris Stapleton and Loretta Lynn (Van Lear, KY) also hail from Paintsville. He studied for a semester at Western Kentucky University, and enrolled at Bluegrass Community and Technical College for a few semesters. He dropped out of college and did odd jobs for some time while pursuing a music career.
Childers began performing in Lexington, Kentucky and Huntington, West Virginia. In 2011, when he was 19, Childers released his first album, Bottles And Bibles. He has also released two EPs recorded in 2013 at Red Barn Radio, a radio show from Lexington. The two EPs were later released as one after the success of his album Purgatory, and reached No. 5 on Heatseekers Albums.
He had his first success with Purgatory, a breakthrough album released on August 4, 2017. The album was produced by Sturgill Simpson and David Ferguson and recorded at The Butcher Shoppe in Nashville. Simpson also played guitar and sang backing vocals on the album, with Miles Miller on drums, Stuart Duncan on fiddle and Russ Paul on other instruments. It debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Heatseekers Albums chart, No. 17 on the Country albums chart and No. 4 on the Americana/Folk albums chart. In September 2018, Childers won Emerging Artist of the Year at the 2018 Americana Music Honors & Awards, where he gave an acceptance speech noted for its criticism of the Americana genre label, saying that "as a man who identifies as a country music singer, I feel Americana ain't no part of nothing and is a distraction from the issues that we're facing on a bigger level as country music singers. It kind of feels like purgatory."
Country Squire, a second album under the Hickman Holler label, and Childers' third overall, was released on August 2, 2019, after being announced in May 2019. This album was again produced by Simpson and Ferguson. The video of the lead single from the album "House Fire" was also released on May 16, 2019.
Childers' music is influenced by his home state of Kentucky and its connection to country music and bluegrass. He often writes about coal mining, which was his father's occupation, and its effects. Rebecca Bengal, writing for The Guardian, described Childers' songs as a "counternarrative to the outsiders who seek to perpetuate stereotypes of backwardness and poverty." Childers emphasizes lyrical content in songs, comparing the songwriting process to telling short stories.
Detroit
Tyler Childers Lyrics
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It's hard to believe we made it this far
So come on boys and grab your coats, Detroit's awaitin, get in the car
Well the wind that blows cold,
But the girls are on fire,
They say that they're the prettiest things you have seen
And I ain't a gambler,
But I'd bet the farm that Detroit's a gold mine waitin for me.
Town, I feel like a dam that's about to cut loose
And the girls they say they'll treat you
Fine, beg for your silver til you can't refuse
And I'd love to go back to the hills where I's
Born, instead of workin on cars that I can't afford
My pockets are empty, my patience is torn, oh look what's become of me
Mama I'm writin to tell ya im fine,
I workin real hard and I pray every night
So don't you worry,
I'm happy and free, Detroit's been like a blessing to me
Tyler Childers's song Detroit is a testament to the industrious nature of the city and its hardworking people. The lyrics begin with a reflection on the journey to Detroit and the unlikely accomplishment of making it that far. The song speaks to the wind that blows cold throughout the area, but also to the heat of the women in the city. Tyler Childers sings about these women as if they are as vital to the survival of Detroit as the factories and industry. He marvels at their beauty and their seduction, declaring that they are the prettiest things he has seen. Tyler declares that he's not a gambler, but he'd bet the farm that Detroit is a goldmine waiting for him.
The second verse of Detroit continues the theme of industry and work. Tyler describes the sidewalks of Detroit as always jammed with people, and himself as feeling like a dam that's about to cut loose. The girls, he says, will treat you fine and beg for your silver until you can't refuse. Despite the allure of the women and the city, Tyler expresses a desire to return home to the hills where he was born. He feels discontent with working on cars that he can't afford and laments his empty pockets and worn patience. The song concludes with Tyler writing to his mother to tell her that he is fine and happy in Detroit. He speaks of the city as if it has been a blessing to him, and that it has been a place where he has found happiness and freedom.
Line by Line Meaning
Readin and writin on route 23,
Traveling on the road with books, learning and writing while moving forward
It's hard to believe we made it this far
It's unbelievable how far they've come
So come on boys and grab your coats, Detroit's awaitin, get in the car
Let's get ready and head towards Detroit
Well the wind that blows cold,
The cold wind is blowing here in Detroit
But the girls are on fire,
The girls in Detroit are very attractive and charming
They say that they're the prettiest things you have seen
The girls in Detroit claim to be the loveliest you'll ever find
And I ain't a gambler,
I'm not a risk-taker
But I'd bet the farm that Detroit's a gold mine waitin for me.
I'm convinced that I'll find great opportunities in Detroit
The sidewalks are always jammed in this Town, I feel like a dam that's about to cut loose
The city is always crowded, and I feel like a barrier about to break loose
And the girls they say they'll treat you Fine, beg for your silver til you can't refuse
The ladies are so charming that you can't say no to them when they're asking for favors
And I'd love to go back to the hills where I's Born, instead of workin on cars that I can't afford
I miss my hometown and would prefer not struggling to afford fixing cars
My pockets are empty, my patience is torn, oh look what's become of me
I'm broke and frustrated with my current situation
Mama I'm writin to tell ya im fine, I workin real hard and I pray every night
I'm working hard and keeping the faith, Mom
So don't you worry, I'm happy and free, Detroit's been like a blessing to me
Detroit has been a positive change in my life, and I'm happy and free because of it
Writer(s): Timothy Tyler Childers
Contributed by Christian W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jeremy
on Honky Tonk Flame
Burning my barn in this honky tonk flame. What does this mean?
Catherine
on Deadman's Curve
Love this song. So raw.
Mike oxlong
on Good Thing Windin' Down
Gotta love it
Douglas Luedeman
on Charleston Girl
He left his money with a thrash grass band.