Rod Elkins - Tyler Childers & The Food Stamps Interview
Tell me about growing up in Huntington, WV? What was your childhood like growing up? When did you first begin to fall in love with music, more specifically the drums? Was music relevant around your household growing up? Do you have any siblings?
Growing up in Huntington, WV was special in a lot of ways. It was big and small to me all at the same time. It had a lot of music resounding throughout different crevices and establishments and I remember wanting to be a part of every bit of it. It’s beautiful here while also susceptible to what some other cities in Appalachia fall victim to. Music was very apparent in my household, I grew up watching my dad and uncle’s band perform country music. I’ve been interested ever since I could remember. I thought it was the coolest thing anyone could do while also thinking everyone did it! It wasn’t until I started school that I realized this was unique and very special. The drums were a tractor beam of intense curiosity. How do you play music without notes? I wanted to know how to express myself that way… That primitive language that I learned later pre-dates us all. I eventually became good enough to be their drummer at 12yrs old. I learned alot about what to do and what not to do. How to remain simple and play the song, if I deviated and started to display “happy sticks” as I was reprimanded for at points in adolescence, I would be reminded to KISS, Keep It Simple Stupid.
What would you and your friends do for fun growing up? Who were some of our earliest influences in your more formative years? When and where did you see your very first concert and when did you realize you wanted to spend your life making music? I understand you're a huge Waylon fan! Tell me about studying at Marshall University.
Well, growing up I played drums in my dad’s band, so I hung out with men in their 50’s the whole time. Inhaling cigarette smoke and wondering why some of their drinks smelled funny. Learning lessons that as a kid I didn't think anything of but as an adult I’m glad I learned some essential life rules. When I did start hanging with people my age we also played music. Waylon was my early influence and still is. He still is one of the coolest people that’s graced this world. He gave us nothing but gifts in music and helped pave a way for groovin’ country music. I’ve always wanted to play music for a living, but I’d have to say I didn't know in what capacity for some years. I studied Jazz at Marshall University and learned a lot. My general absorption of information is what to use and what not to use. I gathered what was helpful and not at Marshall. Met some incredible people and played some great music for the amount of time we all had together and all circumstances involved. Looking back I feel like I came in with a unique set of skills from playing gigs since I was 12 and then in college, I had to learn the formality of music. Why it do what it do? I struggled with that. Especially not playing a melodic instrument, I majored in drums… I barely had time to do much else let alone practice another instrument to aid in the theoretical approach. I could read it and see it, but I never applied it in real time and implementing that in my spare time wasn’t something I could do fast enough. 2014 I saw Marty Stuart at Buckle-Up Music Fest in Cincinnati with my best friends, TC and the rest of The Foodstamps, and that’s when I first recall saying to myself, “I will play country music for the rest of life and for a living.” It was a very emotional performance in the rain and he, along with The Fabulous Superlatives, will always hold a special place in my heart for that night.
Did you participate in any groups, or projects prior to TC and The FS? How did you initially meet Tyler Childers and your bandmates and what was the initial chemistry like between you guys in the very beginning? I understand you've known him for a number of years now. How did the Food Stamps initially form?
Prior to the incarnation of TC and The FS the three of us James, Craig, and myself were a trio rock unit known as Deadbeats & Barkers. Tyler opened for us at a local bar’s 1 year anniversary show. We were drinking buddies first, then we heard him sing and play and we were all awestruck. He already had written Feathered Indians and Shake The Frost and it was apparent that this was how songs are supposed to sound. They were poignant, sophisticated in all the right ways while coming from a sense of heartache. His songs were/are perfect songs to me. Our chemistry has always been great. Our good friend Jack Browning ran the aforementioned establishment and suggested one night we all jam together and call ourselves the Foodstamnps. So we did a few times playing covers of songs we liked. I eventually submitted us to play at the country music fest where we saw Marty Stuart for the first time, Buckle-Up in Cincinnati… We learned Tyler’s songs for it instead of playing covers, lol. Sturgill Simpson and Alabama were also there. So technically we opened for Alabama… About a half mile away on a much smaller stage much earlier in the day…
What were those early days like before everything got kind of crazy? When and where did you guys make your live performance debut and what was that experience like for you? What have been your experiences and times touring with TC and the guys been like? What have been some career/personal highs for you?
The Buckle-Up show was our first time playing Tyler’s songs and that experience is engrained forever in my mind. From arriving at the river on a gray morning, to setting up on a house DW kit, to playing for the 50-65 attendees at that stage at that particular 1pm hour. Afterward I thought “we’ve made it!” I think I was just too excited at the time of my naivety that it didn't register just yet. I did know that I only wanted to do music with these particular individuals forever and have all the experiences together. That led to more gigs and eventually getting a van and traveling further and further away from our region. We grinded hard for years. Still do in a different way. For me, I think the best part is traveling with my homies and getting to see beautiful spaces and cities and then also meeting heroes and getting to play with them. Eventually Marty Stuart played with us at The Ryman along with Ricky Skaggs and countless others. Building a community of like minded people who are just monster players and songwriters has also been a huge thrill. I’ve met some of the best people at shows while traveling around.
Tell me about writing and recording your 2023 debut “Unincorporated” by El Dorodo. Putting this band together with longtime friends and bandmates, what was the overall approach to this record? Would you mind giving some backstory to songs such as “Bed Of Roses”, “Life Of Sin”, “Don’t Break My Heart” and “Tell Me Why”? What were some of your favorites moments on this record?
El Dorodo was my high-school band. That was my first time “stepping out” from behind the drumkit to sing and play guitar. Guitar was my first instrument which I learned from my dad. Craig, foodstamp bass master, and I were in Applied Mathematics together sophomore year of high school and I heard he played bass. He was into heavier music than I was at the time, I listened to predominantly The Ventures at this point. Once I convinced him that country can be cool somehow, he was in. We’ve literally played together ever since, lol. We brought back El Dorodo about 2015-16 with James, who we also went to HS with, just as a fun side project to play covers and drink more. Nothing serious about it really, just something to fill the void between TC gigs and tours. The pandemic found us pretty bored and we decided to record some of my dad’s originals that he gifted me along with Doug’s songs and Craig’s Bed Of Roses that he wrote and we did it over at Jame’s studio. I cant speak to the backstory of their songs but Rose of San Antone was a poem written by my Aunt who my dad later put music to, we eventually rearranged it for El D. I wrote I Get Around w/Doug on my back porch. I wanted a Waylon-esque song that sounded like Waymore’s Blues and that’s what we came up with. My favorite moment was probably the feeling of getting back in the studio with my brothers and making music without restriction. Just uninterrupted flow of thought and the best representation of how we were all feeling at the time.
What have you been up to here recently? With a new TC album out, I imagine you guys have a pacted summer! Is there anything else you would like to further share with the readers?
Recently Ive been keeping the road hot with TC and the boys with some El D gigs peppered in there. Resting in between runs while doing house chores and renovations. I would also like to share with readers that it’s imperative that you go to shows. Support your favorite artists, little and big. I know it’s a difficult time with prices and what-not but do what you can. Buy records most importantly, keep that tradition alive! Support the local artists because every band started as a local band no matter what their following is now. It’s crucial to lend positivity to every artist and just to humans everywhere.
