Real recognizes real.
It’s hard to even put into words just how important both Turnpike Troubadours and Tyler Childers are to the flourishing independent/alt. country scene are today. Influencing the likes of Zach Bryan, Wyatt Flores, Flatland Cavalry, Colby Acuff, Waylon Wyatt, Shane Smith & the Saints and pretty much every other key name in the subgenre today, the pair have cemented themselves as a cornerstone of the genre in a time where the historically underappreciated alt. country scene has finally risen to national prominence.
Though Childers has gotten a bit more national attention, thanks in part to the virality of hits such as “Feathered Indians” and the controversial “In Your Love,” there’s absolutely no denying that the pair have had incredibly similar career paths in terms of the proximity of their debuts, the quality of their discography, overall influence and the simple yet incredibly rare ability to never release a bad song.
Simply put, both Turnpike and Childers have reached God-like status in the alt. country scene, and that’s what makes any time they either perform together or cover each other’s songs all the more special.
If you recall, back in 2023, the pair shared the stage at Newport Folk Festival and delivered an all-time performance of both John Prine’s “Paradise” and Turnpike’s fan-favorite, “The Birdhunters.” To many, this was one of those match-made-in-Heaven pairings that truly felt like a once-in-a-lifetime moment from the two giants.
Last night in Pikeville, Kentucky, Turnpike’s frontman Evan Felker decided to pull out his first-ever cover of Childers’ legendary 2017 hit, “Nose On The Grindstone,” which was recently re-released for the first time in the studio on the Kentucky native’s album, Snipe Hunter.
Despite being so closely associated with Childers and even sharing the stage with him, Felker commented that the track actually slipped by him over the years. With that being said, however, he recently fell in love with “Nose On The Grindstone,” even saying it gave him chills upon listening to it for the first time.
“It slipped through the cracks on me through the years. I heard it the other day, and it kind of gave me chills. And it got me to thinking about some of the folks that I grew up with and the place I grew up in, so I’m going to try to do it some justice.”
What results is nothing short of an all-time cover from Felker. At this point, we all know how expertly crafted and haunting “Nose On The Grindstone” truly is, depicting the harsh realities of growing up in the coal mines of Appalachia. With that being said, the Oklahoma native delivered an incredibly raw, acoustic version that truly rivals Childers’ original arrangement. Of course, this truly isn’t a competition, thanks in part to just how transformative both Felker and Childers’ impact on the genre has been over the past decade. Simply put, if you’re a fan of both Childers and Turnpike (which seems like a given these days), you’re going to absolutely love Felker’s take on the track.
And for that Eastern Kentucky crowd, it was a fitting tribute to honor one of their own… hear them roar:
@ravenadams05 @Turnpike Troubadours @Tyler Childers #NoseToTheGrindstone #pikecounty #kentucky #pikeville #turnpiketroubadours ♬ original sound – Raven
“Nose On The Grindstone”
Turnpike Troubadours Tour Dates
October 10 – Columbia, South Carolina – Township Auditorium
October 18 – Corpus Christi, Texas – Concrete Street Amphitheater
October 19 – Austin, Texas – Formula 1 United States Grand Prix
October 24 – Salem, Virginia – Salem Civic Center
October 25 – Asheville, North Carolina – Harrah’s Cherokee Center
October 27 – San Antonio, Texas – Cowboys Dancehall
November 6 – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – Petersen Events Center
November 7 – Washington, D.C. – The Anthem
November 8 – Cleveland, Ohio – Wolstein Center
December 11 – Stateline, Nevada – Tahoe Blue Event
December 12 – Las Vegas, Nevada – Brooklyn Bowl
December 13 – Mesa, Arizona – Mesa Amphitheater
