Purgatory Archives - chimesfreedom

Rock Salt & Nails

Chimesfreedom previously wrote about Tyler Childers’ wonderful voice on his excellent debut album Purgatory (2017). The Kentucky native is not only an outstanding songwriter, he is great at interpreting songs too. And his interpretation skills show in his take on “Rock Salt and Nails,” which was written by Utah Phillips.

As we noted in a previous post, the Phillips classic is a song about heartache and pain. Then, it adds a touch of anger with the reference to filling a shotgun with rock salt and nails.

“Rock Salt and Nails” has been covered by a number of artists, such as Joan Baez, Waylon Jennings, Bob Dylan, Steve Young, and Buddy and Julie Miller. The version by Tyler Childers is a worthy interpretation that stands with the best. And it is one of my new favorite covers. Check it out.

What is your favorite Tyler Childers song? Leave your two cents in the comments.

Tyler Childers: “Whitehouse Road”

Nina Simone: “To Love Somebody” (Cover of the Day)

Allison Russell: “The Returner” (Song of the Day)

Allison Russell’s “Nightflyer” (Song of the Day)

Connie Smith: “Once a Day” (Song of the Day)

Etta James: “Almost Persuaded” (Song of the Day)

(Some related Chimesfreedom posts.)

Buy from Amazon

If you are looking for some brand new quality country music to check out, look no further than Tyler Childers. The singer-songwriter released his first full album, Purgatory, on August 4, 2017.

On the new album, Childers has some help. Sturgill Simpson produced Purgatory, and David Ferguson, who was Johnny Cash’s engineer, helps out. But Childer’s songs and his voice speak for themselves on the autobiographical concept album that traces a young man’s growth into an adult.

Childers grew up in eastern Kentucky. And you may hear some of the Appalachian Mountains sound in his music. It’s great stuff, and he should be getting a lot more attention soon. Rolling Stone already has listed him as one of the 10 New Country Artists You Need to Know.

Because he is so good, he should get some help on the technology side so he can put up a website (his Twitter account currently has a link to a reverbnation page that isn’t there).

But it is the music that counts. One of the tracks on the album is “Whitehouse Road.” Check it out.