Joe Rogan Continues His Tyler Childers Man Crush
This story has been updated.
Joe Rogan and his mammoth podcast reach more people than most cable shows these days, and his ringing endorsement of music artists over the years has directly resulted in the rise of important careers, most notably Sturgill Simpson, whose appearance on the podcast right after releasing his magnum opus Metamodern Sounds in Country Music is given credit for his ascent.
Recently Rogan has been singing the praises of Tyler Childers, who had his last two records produced by Simpson, including his most recent Country Squire. Since Sturgill has appeared on Joe Rogan three times, many wondered if Tyler might stop by at some point. Whether he does or not, Joe Rogan is a fan.
In an Instagram post in August, Joe Rogan said, “This Tyler Childers album is fucking great. I’ve had it on a loop for the last few hours,” with a picture of Tyler’s 2017 album Purgatory as the image. Then this weekend, Rogan posted a picture of Tyler’s track “Honky Tonk Flame,” saying, “My song for the day.” It’s a little curious why Rogan continues to give so much love to Tyler’s last record as opposed to his new one, but something tells me Tyler doesn’t care.
So the next question fans of both Tyler Childers and Joe Rogan have is if or when Rogan will have Childers on for one of his mammoth, 2-hour-plus podcast sessions. So far there’s no word on that front (Rogan likes to be a little secretive about who he might have on next), but don’t be surprised if it pops up in your podcast/YouTube feed at some point. If Rogan is giving props to Childers on social media, it’s for sure he’s a fan.
Tyler Childers is touring in Southern California in mid October where the Joe Rogan podcast emanates from, playing San Diego on October 15th, and at The Wiltern in Los Angeles on October 17th. Hopefully the stars will align and Rogan will have him on.
Tyler Childers’ Country Squire went #1 in country, and #1 in all of music in physical sales upon its release on early August. He continues to sell out shows left and right (including those upcoming shows in Southern California).
September 23, 2019 @ 11:48 am
I can’t speak for Joe, but personally, if an album grabs me, it’s gonna be my album for a while, regardless if it’s the artist/band’s newest or not… I’m sure Joe will get around to Country Squire, or hell, maybe he likes Purgatory a lot more? I know I do..
September 23, 2019 @ 12:43 pm
If nothing else, it proves that Rogan is sharing his love for Tyler Childers sincerely and irrespective of some label or manager telling him to do so. Otherwise he’d be more on message.
September 23, 2019 @ 12:47 pm
I love Tyler and no offense to Rogan, but I feel like Tyler/Sturgill/Stapleton are the trifecta for people trying to show they are TRUE country fans these days. I’m not discrediting his fandom but it would be great if he would also give a boost to someone like Whitey Morgan.
September 23, 2019 @ 1:34 pm
Everybody has to start somewhere, and it’s easy to understand why country music novices start with this particular trifecta of artists. They get the most mainstream press (Tyler seems to have taken Isbell’s place, btw).
As a total country music novice years back, the first country artist I really fell in love with was Sturgill (totally by word of mouth from a friend of a friend, hadn’t heard of him otherwise). Since then I’ve seen Whitey Morgan live several times, and Tyler, and Stapleton, and Willie Nelson, and Brothers Osborne, and Jamey Johnson, and Cody Jinks, and Ward Davis, and Colter Wall, and Mike & The Moonpies, and Charles Wesley Godwin and so on and on. . .
Getting into an entire new genre of music, with one single artist you’re totally geeking out over, is a lot of fun – and increasingly rare these days. When I first got into Sturgill, I felt like he was the only musician that mattered and I had no concept of what else was good in the genre (I literally thought he was the only one, like it was a black and white binary between Sturgill and FGL, or something). Years later, I’m happily following dozens of other country artists who, in a lot of ways, I enjoy even more than Sturgill.
September 23, 2019 @ 2:48 pm
Right on Tex! Everybody who frequents this site, or is tuned into this genre of music, whatever you want to call it, probably has a similar experience. For me, it was The Avett Brothers in college (2009-10ish), then Stapleton, followed by Sturgill, then Isbell. Now my tastes range from those guys, to more traditional country stuff, to bluegrass, southern rock, and “jam bands”.
September 23, 2019 @ 3:10 pm
Good taste there Crum! I believe eclectic is the word.
September 23, 2019 @ 3:21 pm
That’s all well and good, but this has nothing to do with the artists themselves. Those three are the country hipster’s go-to validation that they are actual country fans, something along with “man good to see not all country sucks these days!” Or “yeah Sturgill and Stapleton showing these new guys how it’s done.” And if anything, while I like Rogan, he has oft been accused of being a bit of a hipster himself. My comment has nothing to do with the artists
September 23, 2019 @ 4:25 pm
I think a true hipster is someone who tries to be ahead of the curve, and rejects things that are currently popular. Calling Rogan, and people who pull the Sturgill/Childers/Stapleton card hipsters isn’t quite accurate in 2019. Hence the stereotypical hipster comment, “I liked …….. before they went mainstream.” 4-5 years ago you’d be right on, but I think the secret is out on those guys.
September 23, 2019 @ 4:43 pm
Hipsters by their very definition follow trends and what is “hip”. Right now, traditional, revivalist country is very much a large movement, and we all know how much hipsters love being behind a good movement. Tyler isn’t mainstream, not yet. he has one tenth the instagram followers that FGL has, and that’s the only data line I have readily available at my finger tips, but walk up to any 30 year old woman with a few kids in a stroller and I bet she knows and prefers FGL. Then go to a Starbucks and ask the 25 year old guy with suspenders and a curled up mustache which one he prefers
September 24, 2019 @ 7:31 am
I haven’t worried about “posers” (I think that’s basically what you mean by “hipster” in this context) since high school back in the grunge era. If somebody is going to name check this trifecta of country artists for validation, at least they’re name checking good contemporary ones. If you think they’re just posing, offer them other suggestions. Like, “Oh, you like Tyler? You should check out Whitey Morgan.” It doesn’t have to be some virtue signal or power struggle.
I remember when people would strictly name check one single country artist as being the pinnacle of the genre – usually Johnny Cash or Hank Williams, sometimes Willie Nelson or Waylon Jennings if they wanted to look “really” cool. They’d say something like “New country music sucks, but I like good ‘old’ stuff’ like Hank Williams”. Ok, you bought one greatest hits album or one vintage LP at the vinyl shop to frame on your wall, and you think you’re set. I’m partially guilty in that regard. I bought one Johnny Cash greatest hits album back in 2005 (when the movie came out) and thought I was set with country for life. Not so.
Back to the “hipster” moniker, I’m with Crum’s definition. “Hipsters” want to be ahead of the curve, and they do everything they can to vocalize their distaste for popular things. As soon as the plebeians jump onto something, they move onto something else. A lot of times hipsters are really into old, anachronistic, or ridiculously outdated or obscure things.
Here’s a personal anecdote – years back I had a coworker who I knew was into old time and banjo/fiddle music. She dressed like she lived out on the prairie, frilly sun dresses, vintage cowboy boots, the whole bit (mind you, this is in a major east coast city). I tried to small talk with her one day, trying to be nice. I said I was going to see Sturgill Simpson live soon (Metamodern was growing in popularity at the time). I asked her if she liked Sturgill and, no joke, she made a face and said “No, he’s not real, too. . . .mainstream.” Translation, “Ew, he’s too popular! I only like obscure fiddle music from the 20’s.” THAT is a hipster. Somebody who trashes something popular, despite it being good. She was so “cool” she was already trashing Sturgill back in 2014!
September 24, 2019 @ 7:59 am
This is such a weird thread of comments & hyper-analysis, stemming from the fact that Rogan digs a certain artist.
I think you’re reading way too much into this and trying to frame everything in your view (Hipsters, etc)
Once you hit a certain age, i believe most stop caring about the meta discussion and just enjoy what they enjoy.
September 24, 2019 @ 8:43 am
@Kevin
I was responding to Travis, who seems to be really concerned about Joe Rogan’s intentions and “hipsters” in general. I agree with you though, I’m too old to care or judge peoples’ intentions or second guess them when they name check music they like. I just think, cool, you like it. I like it too. Let’s chat about it. Maybe you can turn me on to other cool stuff I haven’t heard about before, or I can do the same for you.
That’s why I read about and discuss country music on SCM daily, honestly.
October 1, 2019 @ 7:55 pm
Steve Earle was my guy.
September 23, 2019 @ 2:12 pm
Your answer is in the distribution – Stapleton, Sturgill, and Childers have signed distribution deals with major labels while maintaining creative control of the albums. Those deals include all marketing of their releases.
If Whitey Morgan ever gets the opportunity to sign a distribution deal with a major, he’ll get the same exposure.
Or maybe Whitey is just happy where he is and doesn’t mind being under the radar.
September 23, 2019 @ 3:26 pm
It’s not about the distribution, it’s about Joe wanting to be a country purist while only stepping one toe into the water, as he does with most subjects. Remember, Rogan was a huge supporter of Wheeler Walker Jr who is in the same circles with Tyler, Sturgill, and Stapleton. While this is no doubt a nice boost for a very deserving Childers, Rogan is networking with these posts far more than he is sharing them benevolently.
September 24, 2019 @ 6:56 pm
Does Rogan want to be a country purist though?
It’s possible to only like a few artists in a genre. And he did have Shooter Jennings on the podcast last august
September 24, 2019 @ 7:06 am
Actually, you’re probably going to find the mom with the stroller at Starbucks. If you’re looking for a hipster, you’ll find them at the local roaster.
September 24, 2019 @ 6:25 am
I don’t think Rogan is particularly interested in proving his country fandom bona fides. I think he just likes what he likes.
September 23, 2019 @ 12:53 pm
Hee, hee, I suspect Tyler likes being referred to as Sturgill’s understudy about as much as he likes being labeled Americana.
September 23, 2019 @ 3:25 pm
The only reason I referred to him that was is because clearly Sturgill is the connection between Tyler and Joe Rogan. Obviously, Tyler is his own man. But I’m not sure Rogan is shouting him out without Sturgill.
September 23, 2019 @ 5:10 pm
Without question
The parallels of Metamodern as the “Nirvana” moment of this movement have been made many times before but it’s actually quite fair. Most of the musicians benefiting from such right now will be the first to tell you Sturgill opened some major doors for independent country. Some people just can’t handle that. Doesn’t mean there wasn’t a lot of badass country music before then.
September 23, 2019 @ 2:25 pm
I hope Mr. Childers starts playing bigger venues soon. He’s got a show here and I can’t afford a ticket.
September 23, 2019 @ 3:27 pm
Get em early
September 24, 2019 @ 10:27 am
It’s somewhat a problem of demand outstripping supply, but (most importantly) it’s a scalper problem. He needs to figure out a way to not use ticketmaster and other similar providers, and find one who can figure out a way to stop resale sites…and he’s not the only one. I know this isn’t as easy as it sounds, as the venue / promoter gets a big say in who they use. Simply requiring one to show ID and / or original credit card used to purchase the tickets would go a long way.
September 23, 2019 @ 3:58 pm
i’ve connected with so many awesome people because of Tyler’s music in the last few years. when you meet a fan it’s almost like you are friends immediately. that’s what good music does to people. i met some fans at a Wheeler Walker Jr. show of all things and we still talk! it would be rad to see Tyler on a Rogan podcast. i would love to see that man’s brain get picked for a few hours straight!
September 23, 2019 @ 4:25 pm
Midway through the podcast with rob zombie the other day he was also raving about the song born again. He’s definitely a fan.
September 23, 2019 @ 6:20 pm
Yep it’s not like Rogan just makes these posts and that’s it, he has a history of randomly bringing up Tyler, Sturgill, whoever else he likes just randomly in podcasts. I’m all for it.
September 23, 2019 @ 5:29 pm
Childers might be too chill for Rogan, unless there are DMT experiences to report.
September 24, 2019 @ 12:43 am
I suggest you check out the All Your’n video. It looks like DMT on screen.
September 23, 2019 @ 5:47 pm
Tyler Childers is NOT SIMPSON’S UNDERSTUDY. FFS. STOP CALLING HIM THAT.
September 23, 2019 @ 6:10 pm
OKAY I DELETED IT BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE FREAKING OUT ABOUT IT UNNECESSARILY.
September 24, 2019 @ 7:12 am
I agree! His tunes are still great but have gotten worse since he began his working relationship with Sturgie.