Tyler Childers Donating to Support Music Education in Kentucky

By Lilly Adkins

BSN Associate Editor

REGIONAL —Hickman Holler Appalachian Relief Fund founded in 2020 by Tyler Childers and Senora May and Newport Festivals Foundation are partnering to support music education in Kentucky.

In lieu of receiving payment for his performance at Septemberfest in Louisa, Childers directed funds toward music education to the two high schools he attended in Paintsville and Louisa.

Newport Festivals Foundation, which produces the Newport Folk & Jazz Festivals and supports music education and artist relief programs across the country, has matched Childers donation.

The funds will be used to enhance the music education programs at the schools, providing new equipment for the next generation of Kentucky musicians, a release issued by Childers said.

“In February, Newport Festivals Foundation and Tyler Childers made surprise visits to the high schools he attended as a teenager,” Newport Festivals Foundation said in a post on Facebook. “Together, we donated over $30,000 worth of instruments and gear to support their music education programs. A huge thank you to Tyler and Senora May for understanding the importance of music education and for helping us build the next generation of musicians.”

Childers said during his visit to Lawrence County High School that he was in science class, but Jane Lowe who was the Choral Director and Teacher would come and get him out of science class for like the first 15 minutes and take him to Choir class where he would practice singing.

Childers said he just kept practicing and no gig was too big or too small.

“If you don’t take the small ones, you can’t expect the big ones,” Childers said.

Childers tour dates are listed on his website and show him traveling on tour all across the country through September promoting his new album ‘Can I Take My Hounds to Heaven?’