Perfection. As time passes, it’s become abundantly clear that Tyler Childers has become one of the latest living legends in the genre. Undoubtedly a key piece of the independent and Appalachian movement that has swept country music over the past decade, seemingly everything he touches turns to gold. And despite the controversy surrounding his latest release, Snipe Hunter, back in July, Childers has proven time and again that he isn’t afraid to get a little weird with both his studio and live performances while simultaneously delivering some of the most boundary-pushing, captivating music in the genre. This has been shown a countless number of times throughout his career. Of course, you have his monster, traditional hits such as “Feathered Indians,” “Lady May” and “All Your’n.” With that being said, however, Childers has never been one to shy away from going for it whether it be on eclectic tracks like Snipe Hunter’s “Poachers” and “Dirty Ought Trill” or the entirety of 2022’s Can I Take My Hounds to Heaven?, which features three separate versions of the record’s eight tracks. Another thing that has become clear over the years with the “Country Squire” singer over the years is his ability to cover nearly any song imaginable to absolute perfection. On his studio albums alone, he’s covered the likes of Kris Kristofferson’s “Help Me Make It Through The Night” and S.G. Goodman’s “Space and Time.” In concert, however, he’s thrown a plethora of different legendary covers throughout the years ranging from Pink Floyd’s “Time” to Charlie Daniels Band’s severely underrated track, “Trudy.” For my money, however, his best cover is none other than his 2022 performance of Merle Haggard’s legendary 1968 single, “Mama Tried,” with the Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir. Taking place during the 50th anniversary of Ace at Radio City Music Hall back in April 2022, Childers joined Weir and his band the Wolf Bros for a very Grateful Dead-esque jam session that consisted of both “Mama Tried,” as well as “Turn On Your Love Light,” “Lady With A Fan” and “Terrapin Station” throughout the epic, 34-minute performance. As for “Mama Tried” itself, it’s nothing short of perfection from Childers. There’s so much to be said about him as an artist, from the aforementioned songwriting ability to his important role in the indie movement. With that being said, one aspect of Childers as a musician that has continually flown under the radar is his vocals. Sure, they might not wow you the way someone like Chris Stapleton can on his patented vocal runs. However, Childers has the unique ability to adapt to any song from any era. Much like his contemporary, Charley Crockett, the Kentucky native has one of those voices that truly feel timeless, and it’s displayed perfectly on this iconic Haggard track. And, of course, Weir and the Wolf Bros are nothing short of fantastic, effortlessly transitioning from song to song with ease throughout the performance. If you’re a fan of Childers and Weir, this is a must-watch. Watch the entire 34-minute performance, beginning with “Mama Tried,” here: Tyler Childers Tour Dates November 15 – London, UK – The O2 March 3 – Dublin, Ireland – 3 Arena March 6 – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro March 8 – Manchester, UK – AO Arena March 10 – Brussels, Belgium – Ancienne Belgique March 13 – Paris, France – Salle Pleyel March 15 – Berlin, Germany – Uber Eats Music Hall March 17 – Copenhagen, Denmark – K.B. Hallen March 21 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – AFAS Live June 7 – Lexington, Kentucky – Railbird Music Festival June 13 – Columbus, Ohio – Buckeye Country SuperfestThe post Throwback To Tyler Childers & The Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir Covering The Hell Out Of Merle Haggard’s “Mama Tried” Back In 2022 first appeared on Whiskey Riff.