Most musicians tells stories in their music. The one's I'm interested in learning from all of you are your favorite artists who frequently paint a picture of their city, region, people, wildlife, or unique lay-o-the-landwith in several songs. If you can, list several of their songs which taken together give you a good feel for where they're from?
My favorite from over the past 5 years or so has been Tyler Childers. He writes and sings about his Appalachian roots in Virginia /W. Virginia & coal country with such clarity. He conveys broad drives and notions of the people where he grew up that I feel I known the place somewhere in my past. I'm able to relate his people to people I've known. His music knocks on several genres, but alt-country-grass-rock might be his center.
Songs with stories of his raisin':
- Country Squire
- Whitehouse Road
- Follow You to Virgie
- Bottles & Bibles
- Feathered Indians
- Charleston Girl
- Coal
- If Whiskey Could Talk
- Hard Times
- The Gospel
- The Harvest
- Can I Take My Hounds to Heaven
- Purgatory (widely differing versions)
- Old County Church (also many versions)
I highly recommend you give Tyler's recordings a listen. If you have a similar story-teller artist who strikes you with emotions and understanding of somewhere they're from, please feel free to share here with me and everyone's else to discover.
Chan McQueen
