On Top of Everything Else, Tyler Childers Plays Fiddle Too

Well damn. Tyler Childers is already regarded as one hell of a singer, songwriter, and country music performer, so much so that even without mainstream radio play, he’s getting nominated for Grammys, recently minted a gold record, and right now is on an arena tour with fellow Kentuckian and his studio producer Sturgill Simpson.

That’s not to mention the Tyler Childers intangibles such as sticking up for the roots of country music, so much so he’s the reigning Saving Country Music Artist of the Year. All Tyler has to do is open his mouth, and it’s patently obvious he’s full of heart and authenticity, while he brings an originality to country music that is highly cherished by his rapidly-swelling fan base.

But who the hell knew this boy could play fiddle too? Don’t be holding a place for him in the Del McCoury Band just yet, but he’s been impressing audiences out on tour lately by calling for the violin, and sawing out a jig. Pretty darn cool to be able to add multi-instrumentalist to the Tyler Childers resume.

Perhaps we shouldn’t be too surprised Childers has taken a shine to the fiddle, and not just because his Kentucky roots run so deep. One of the primary members of his backing band The Foodstamps is fiddle player and guitarist Jesse Wells. His nickname of “The Professor” is not just a happenstance. Wells is an instructor at the Kentucky Center for Traditional Music operated by Morehead State University, and has been since the institution opened in 2000. He’s also responsible for The Traditional Music Archives of the institution.

Whether Jesse Wells has been giving him pro bono instruction on the bus, or Childers has been spending his spare time with crash courses on YouTube, he’s getting pretty good at playing fiddle as can be seen in the video below. Perhaps on future records we’ll hear Childers himself showing off his bow skills.

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