It’s Tyler Childers’ time to shine as the Lawrence, KY native releases his highly-anticipated new album, Rustin’ In The Rain, available now.
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With the lead single, “In Your Love,” garnering more than 6.1 million video views and 30 million on-demand streams before the album’s September 8 release, there’s no denying Childers’ unique Appalachian sound is in high demand by fans far and wide.
Growing up in a double-wide trailer in rural Kentucky, the son of a coal industry worker and health department employee, Childers is no stranger to the sight of hard work and dedication. Never afraid to roll up his sleeves, Childers bootstrapped his way to success in Country music by building his loyal fan base one by one and never having his music on the radio or making a move to Nashville — the most common first step for many aspiring Country artists.
Tyler’s dedication to his roots is admirable and something he remains proud of to this day. Often admitting he feels like a “mule” amongst others in the industry, that’s something he fully embraces — just take a look at his Rustin’ In The Rain album cover.
Posing with a mule on the cover of his new album isn’t just for aesthetics, Childers shared with the New York Times, it represents him owning exactly who he is after a judgmental run-in while performing at an office Christmas party one year.
Feeling confident in his finest party attire, Childers was approached by a man who cracked a joke at his expense. “He told me, ‘You look like a mule looking over a picket fence.’” Childers continued, “I thought, ‘I’m a mule.’ I’m a poor working man’s animal, and I’m looking over the fence in somebody else’s yard. Do I even belong here?”
Fans have made sure Tyler hears the answer is a resounding yes.
Aside from his refreshing authenticity as he embraces his rural roots and humble upbringing, Childers isn’t afraid to stretch the boundaries as he promotes acceptance, love, and ally-ship in a harsh, highly judgmental world.
While many artists shy away from heated topics and issues dividing the nation, Childers steps right in the middle. Armed with his guitar, heartfelt lyrics, and genuine emotion, and backed by a desire to create unity and do what’s right, no matter the pushback.
Take, for example, his 2020 track, “Long Violent History,” which pleaded justice for fellow Kentucky native, Breonna Taylor, something Childers says he felt was his responsibility.
“I felt compelled,” he shared. “I started looking at the people listening to me, and I was listening to them. I wasn’t stretching out in some weird, forced way — I wrote that song in 10 minutes.” He continued, “There are a lot of artists out there trying to do the work. Every little effort to give someone a glimpse into that light helps put water on this fire before it boils over into white-hot rage.”
Childers is continuing to douse the fire on his new project as he fearlessly steps outside of the box once again. In the video for the lead single, “In Your Love,” Childers chose to feature a love story between two male coal miners. According to Tyler, the idea came from a real-life experience of being judged for having a gay best man at his wedding.
Often inspired by real-world events and his desire to include individuals who have never seen themselves in a Country storyline, Childers also finds inspiration from his most looked-up-to artists. For his newest album, it was Elvis Presley.
“This is a collection of songs I playfully pieced together as if I was pitching a group of songs to Elvis,” he said of the project. “Some covers, one co-write, and some I even wrote in my best (terrible) Elvis impersonation, as I worked around the farm and kicked around the house. I hope you enjoy listening to this album as much as I enjoyed creating it. Thank you. Thank you very much.”
Tyler and his longtime band, The Food Stamps, are scheduled to bring music from the new project and who knows, maybe some Elvis dance moves, to the road in 2024 with the Mule Pull ’24 Tour.
Joined by special guests Medium Build, Hayes Carll, Sylvan Esso, 49 Winchester, John R. Miller, and Allison Russell on select dates, the tour will visit some big-time venues including New York’s Madison Square Garden, Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena and Inglewood’s Kia Forum.
Tickets for most U.S. dates go on sale September 15 at 9AM local time. Find them here, and find a full list of tour dates below. Be sure to check out Childers’ brand new album, Rustin’ in the Rain, available now.
RUSTIN’ IN THE RAIN TRACK LIST
1. Rustin’ In the Rain
2. Phone Calls and E-mails
3. Luke 2:8-10
4. Help Me Make It Through the Night
5. Percheron Mules
6. In Your Love
7. Space and Time
TYLER CHILDERS CONFIRMED TOUR DATES
BOLD on-sale next Friday, September 15 at 9:00am local time
Sept 10—Philadelphia, PA—TD Pavilion at the Mann (SOLD OUT)
Sept 21-23—Lewisburg, WV—Healing Appalachia
Sept 27—Morrison, CO—Red Rocks Amphitheatre+ (SOLD OUT)
Sept 28—Morrison, CO—Red Rocks Amphitheatre^ (SOLD OUT)
Sept 30—Greenwood Village, CO—Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre§ (SOLD OUT)
Dec 30—Lexington, KY—Rupp Arena* (SOLD OUT)
Dec 31—Lexington, KY—Rupp Arena* (SOLD OUT)
Feb 15, 2024—Dublin, Ireland—3Olympia~
Feb 17, 2024—Glasgow, U.K.—Barrowland Ballroom~
Feb 19, 2024—Manchester, U.K.—Albert Hall~
Feb 22, 2024—London, U.K.—Eventim Apollo~
Feb 26, 2024—Hamburg, Germany—Docks~
Feb 27, 2024—Copenhagen, Denmark—VEGA~
March 2, 2024—Amsterdam, Netherlands—Paradiso~
March 3, 2024—Amsterdam, Netherlands—Paradiso~
March 5, 2024—Stockholm, Sweden—Münchenbryggeriet~
March 6, 2024—Oslo, Norway—Sentrum Scene~
April 5, 2024—San Diego, CA—Viejas Arena‡
April 6, 2024—Inglewood, CA—Kia Forum‡
April 9, 2024—Tulsa, OK—BOK Center†
April 10, 2024—Austin, TX—Moody Center†
April 13, 2024—Fort Worth, TX—Dickies Arena†
April 15, 2024—Birmingham, AL—Legacy Arena at The BJCC#
April 16, 2024—Knoxville, TN—Thompson Boling Arena# (on-sale 9/15 at 12:00pm local time)
April 18, 2024—Nashville, TN—Bridgestone Arena#
April 19, 2024—Nashville, TN—Bridgestone Arena#
May 27, 2024—Baltimore, MD—CFG Bank Arena++
May 29, 2024—New York, NY—Madison Square Garden**
+with special guests S.G. Goodman and Abby Hamilton
^with special guests S.G. Goodman and Wayne Graham
§with special guests Wynonna Judd and The Travelin’ McCourys
*with special guest Shovels & Rope
~with special guest John R. Miller
‡with special guest Medium Build
†with special guest Hayes Carll
#with special guest 49 Winchester
++with special guest Allison Russell
**with special guest Sylvan Esso