Tyler Childers Breaks a Barrier By Headlining Gulf Coast Jam
The Gulf Coast Jam in Panama City Beach, Florida has been one of the biggest events in mainstream country for years, and the unofficial kick off for country music’s summer. When they announce their headliners, it’s always a big moment, and is a good barometer for who is rising in the world of popular country. Like so many other institutions in mainstream country such as corporate radio and awards shows, more independent-minded artists are often locked out. That won’t be the case in 2025.
Like many other mainstream festivals, in 2024 the Gulf Coast Jam started looking beyond the major label/Music Row rosters for talent as independent performers are surging in popularity. Both Shane Smith and the Saints and Flatland Cavalry made it on to the roster that included headliners Morgan Wallen, Jelly Roll, Cody Johnson, and Parker McCollum. Johnson and McCollum making it to Gulf Coast headliner status also speaks to how far Texas performers, and ones who started independent have come.
But 2025’s Saturday night headliner will not be Morgan Wallen, or HARDY, or Kane Brown, or Miranda Lambert, who were 2023’s headliners of the Gulf Coast Jam. It will be Tyler Childers—and on arguably the fest’s biggest night. Sam Hunt has been announced at the festival’s Thursday night headliner, and Lainey Wilson will be headlining Friday. Sunday’s headliner has yet to be announced.
Though many Tyler Childers fans outside of the gulf coast region are unlikely to attend a festival like this, it’s nonetheless a massive opportunity for his fans in the area, and for Tyler himself. Looking through the comments of social media posts announcing the Tyler Childers headlining spot, the reception is mixed. Some are super excited for it, with local attendees specifically citing how they’re finally getting a quality artist. But others are saying they’ve never heard of Childers, or can’t name you any of his songs.
One comment you’re seeing that is patently incorrect is that Childers is not a headliner for this level of event. One the contrary, Tyler Childers is a bigger concert draw at the moment than Sam Hunt, and certainly Lainey Wilson, despite her being the reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year. The issue is that you just won’t hear Tyler Childers on mainstream country radio. Though his recent single “In Your Love” got to #7 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, the best it could do on country radio was #43. This speaks to the wide discrepancy in the bifurcated world of independent/mainstream country music.
“In Your Love” is certified Platinum. Tyler’s song “All Your’n” is certified Triple Platinum, and “Feathered Indians” is Double Platinum. Tyler Childers has been one of the most popular artists in all of country music ever since the release of his 2017 album Purgatory. It’s just that popular country radio and award shows won’t let him in, and if that’s where you go for country music, you’ve probably never heard of him.
But live events are letting artists like Tyler Childers, Zach Bryan, Billy Strings, The Red Clay Stray, and others like them on to these festival lineups because they’re massive draws, and sometimes a value buy. The question is if this will cause a clashing of cultures. Who the Gulf Coast Jam pairs Tyler Childers with on Saturday will be key. Will it be other surging independent artists, and maybe a few more mainstream names? Or will it be Bailey Zimmerman and Warren Zeiders who the mainstream considers their “grassroots” stars?
The 2025 Gulf Coast Jam will happen May 29th to June 1st in 2025. But before then, Childers is headlining the 2024 installment of the Healing Appalachia benefit this upcoming weekend, September 19th to 21st in West Virginia.
Meanwhile, you can expect to see more and more of these independent artists make it onto mainstream festival rosters as the independent becomes the mainstream. As much as some mainstream fans want to complain they’ve never heard of these performers, they happen to have millions of fans and outdraw many mainstream country performers. That is why promoters are going with them.
Things are changing, and it’s guys like Tyler Childers leading the way.
September 14, 2024 @ 8:24 am
This is all a testament to you, Trigger, this website, and the droves of fans that have stood up and said we weren’t going to settle for all the bullshit that the mainstream Nashville machine tries to shove down our throat. There’s better out there, and we’ve all known it, and now the rest are starting to see it, hear it, and support it.
September 14, 2024 @ 8:42 am
JB speaks the truth from his lawn chair on the roof of the double-wide. The artists this site has been championing for years are killing it. Downside – we’re all paying a lot more for a ticket to see ‘em….
September 14, 2024 @ 8:43 am
Love this for him! I will never be someone who doesn’t root for my favorites to be as successful as possible.
I am surprised Sam hunt is still a headliner though. I thought even the mainstream had moved on from him.
September 14, 2024 @ 12:03 pm
Tyler is headlining another mostly mainstream artist festival in Ocean City, Maryland – Oceans Country Calling – next month. Eric Church is the other headliner. Lainey Wilson and Jelly Roll also scheduled.
September 15, 2024 @ 6:50 am
Country music is in a good place. I am not sure radio air play is that important anymore and most people now probably stream. Does anyone listen to the radio anymore? There is a lot of great country music being released.
September 15, 2024 @ 6:54 am
The folks who claim they’ve “never heard of Childers, and don’t know any of his songs” are in for a real treat then I’d say. Tyler is an amazing story-teller, an incredible musician, and his live performances are something that should be on your bucket list.
If you can’t find a song in the Childers library that speaks to you on a special level then I doubt you’re really human. One of those artists that can bring a grown man to tears.
September 15, 2024 @ 4:04 pm
We are mainstream now. Country radio is second fiddle and it’s not close. The battle is not over but we are winning and I love it.
September 16, 2024 @ 4:17 am
You seriously think Childers is a bigger concert draw than Lainey Wilson right now? What planet are you living on?
September 16, 2024 @ 5:50 am
The planet where companies like Pollstar and Box Score track such things and aggregate them in data sets that empirically prove such statements beyond a shadow of a doubt. Lainey might sell more tickets in 2024 than Childers since she is touring more, I don’t know. But many of his dates were immediate sellouts. Lainey is doing very well too, but is just now on her first headlining tour here in 2024.
September 16, 2024 @ 8:03 am
So is more traditional, independent artists getting booked in clubs other Robert’s Western the last mountain to climb? Is there a day coming when you can walk down South Broadway and hear a band playing acoustic with a fiddle or banjo solo?
September 16, 2024 @ 8:14 am
There are actually a few places on Lower Broadway with good music. Alan Jackson’s place, Layla’s, ACME Feed & Seed. Sure, they’re the exceptions, not the rules. But if you know where to go, you can find some great music down there.
September 16, 2024 @ 2:58 pm
i moved outta nashville in 2015 and never looked back. the first time i was there i went to robert’s and got to hear some guys from johnny cashs’ band playing. stunning. it was winter, so most of the quality cats were in town playing on broad. and on monday i went to the stage and heard the blue heelers (at the time they had every monday there). as a musician thinking of moving there (this was around 2000 or so, if i’m not mistaken), i was scared shitless. pat macdonald ( charlie daniels) was drumming for the heelers. i sat right in front of the band- there was no one else there. crazy shit.
the last time i went down broad (with my ear plugs!), it was awful. every band was trying to be louder than the band next door. no one could play worth a shit (it was summer, and all the players were out on the road).
i have many friends who still tough it out down there, and some of them dig it. i’m a keyboard player, and unless things have changed, there were no house rigs. i’m too old to schlep that crap around, up the stairs and whatnot.
the magic is gone. same thing happened to bourbon street in the 80’s.
everyone’s too loud, no one can play and it makes me sad all the time.
September 16, 2024 @ 2:36 pm
What I love about Tyler is how he merges his “real music” with a popular band’s stage production. His hiring of the same team Odesza uses was a great move. This is the best stage setup I have ever seen. It took his show, sensory-wise, to the next level. I have witnessed Tools stage production and this was even better.
He is a special artist and deserves all of this. Yes it means, we won’t have those intimate shows as often, but getting the masses into his music is good for the world, IMO.