Watch a Young Tyler Childers Perform the Unreleased Song “Pray Over the Moonshine Still” on His Friend’s Couch

At 33 years old, Tyler Childers is one of the biggest names in country music. As an independent artist, the Kentucky native is able to travel the world, selling out arenas wherever he goes. However, a little more than a decade ago, he was a young man with a boatload of talent and a dream. The video below gives fans a look at the earliest days of his career.

In a clip that has been likened to the viral video of Billy Strings playing “Dust in a Baggie” on his friend’s couch, Childers performs an unreleased song surrounded by rowdy friends. The clip, uploaded months before he released his debut album Bottles and Bibles in 2011, shows a 20-year-old Childers performing the unreleased song “Pray Over the Moonshine Still.”

[RELATED: 3 Great Old-School Tyler Childers Songs That Never Made It on a Studio Album]

The Video Foreshadows Tyler Childers’ Future

Lyrically, the song has plenty in common with songs that Tyler Childers would release in the future. The lyrics paint a picture of the underbelly of Appalachia—a combination of religion, alcohol, poverty, and doing what it takes to get by. “Pray Over the Moonshine Still” would sit nicely alongside album cuts such as “Banded Clovis” and “Whitehouse Road.” Musically, the song gives fans a look into the early stages of Childers’ guitar style, a combination of country and blues with bluegrass flourishes.

At the same time, this video clearly shows Childers’ focus and passion for his music. Several times during the clip, someone in the room tries to distract him. The possibly inebriated friend licks his strumming arm and playfully swipes at his head before moving out of frame. A slight smile is the only indication Childers gives that he even notices the intrusion. He likely didn’t know it at the time but that level of focus would come in handy in the future when he was standing in front of tens of thousands of screaming fans.

This video does more than showcase the budding talent of one of the biggest independent artists in country music history. It also teaches a lesson. Support your talented friends who have a dream. You never know when you’ll be able to say, “I knew them back when…”

Featured Image by Christopher Victorio/Shutterstock