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Robert Wayne Childers (November 20, 1946 – April 22, 2008) was an American
country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, state with limited recognition, constituent country, ...
-
folk Folk or Folks may refer to: Sociology *Nation *People * Folklore ** Folk art ** Folk dance ** Folk hero ** Folk horror ** Folk music *** Folk metal *** Folk punk *** Folk rock ** Folk religion * Folk taxonomy Arts, entertainment, and media * Fo ...
musician and singer-songwriter from the state of
Oklahoma Oklahoma ( ; Choctaw language, Choctaw: , ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Texas to the south and west, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northea ...
. Both before and after his death, he achieved widespread critical acclaim having been compared to songwriters such as
Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan; born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Described as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture over his nearly 70-year ...
and
Woody Guthrie Woodrow Wilson Guthrie (; July 14, 1912 – October 3, 1967) was an American singer, songwriter, and composer widely considered to be one of the most significant figures in American folk music. His work focused on themes of American Left, A ...
. Childers is often labeled the "father", "grandfather", or "godfather" of the regional Oklahoman music scene known as Red Dirt music.


Biography and works

Childers was born on November 20, 1946, in
West Union, West Virginia West Union, incorporated July 20, 1881, is a town and the county seat of Doddridge County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 669 at the 2020 census. The town is located along Middle Island Creek at the junction of U.S. ...
, to parents Howard and Rhea (Gaskins) Childers. At the age of seven, he and his family moved to Ponca City, Oklahoma.Mack, Joe
A final farewell to the rainbow rocker.
''The Current'', May 2008, p. 24.
He developed an interest in music and started playing guitar at age 16. After graduating from Ponca City High School, he moved even further west to study music in
Berkeley, California Berkeley ( ) is a city on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay in northern Alameda County, California, United States. It is named after the 18th-century Anglo-Irish bishop and philosopher George Berkeley. It borders the cities of Oakland, Cali ...
.Payne County Promotions website
Texas Troubadours Interview with Bob Childers.
Retrieved August 4, 2008.
After a stint in California, Childers returned to Oklahoma, this time to Stillwater, where he found "people interested in the natural and supernatural aspects of life and love, and folks not afraid to sing about it." Childers emerged in 1979 with his debut album titled ''I Ain't No Jukebox'' which he recorded with help from friend Jimmy LaFave. The album received many positive reviews and led Childers to begin touring nationwide. In March 1979, the Three Mile Island nuclear reactor disaster took place. Protestors of Three Mile Island, having heard Childers' song "Sunshine, Wind and Water," invited him to perform at a no-nukes rally in Washington, DC. Childers performed before
Arlo Guthrie Arlo Davy Guthrie (born July 10, 1947) is an American folk music, folk singer-songwriter. He is known for singing protest song, songs of protest against social injustice, and storytelling while performing songs, following the tradition of his fa ...
and
Pete Seeger Peter Seeger (May 3, 1919 – January 27, 2014) was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and social activist. He was a fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s and had a string of hit records in the early 1950s as a member of The Weav ...
in front of a crowd estimated to be 65,000 to 100,000 persons.Critter, Chris B
The 'green' beginnings of red dirt.
''The Current'', December 2008, p. 68-9. Retrieved January 13, 2009.
His second album, ''Singing Trees, Dancing Waters'', was recorded in 1982 and released on March 30, 1983. Afterwards, he relocated to
Nashville, Tennessee Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...
. In 1986, Childers released two albums: ''Four Horsemen'' and a collection of instrumental works entitled ''King David's Lament''. While many of his peers had success in Nashville, Childers chose to relocate to
Austin, Texas Austin ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Texas. It is the county seat and most populous city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and W ...
. He then released ''Circles Toward the Sun'' (1990). By 1991 Childers had relocated again, back to Oklahoma where he released ''Nothin' More Natural'' (1996), ''Hat Trick'' (1999) and a fan club collection of rarities ''La vita è bella – Outtakes, Demos and Jams 1980 – 1988'' (2000.) His return to Oklahoma facilitated collaboration with other Red Dirt music artists including ''Dirt & Spirit'' with The Great Divide (1999), ''Two Buffalos Walking – Live at the Blue Door'' with Terry "Buffalo" Ware (2003), ''Kindred Spirits'' with Randy Crouch (2004) and ''Ride for the Cimarron'' with Jason Boland and the Stragglers (2006.)Binky Records website
Bob Childers.
Retrieved August 4, 2008
In 2003, Jimmy LaFave produced a Woody Guthrie tribute show called Ribbon of Highway, Endless Skyway. The ensemble show toured around the country and included a rotating cast of singer-songwriters individually performing Guthrie's songs. Interspersed between songs were Guthrie's philosophical writings read by Childers, sometimes called the "Dylan of the dust", who served as the show's narrator.


Later years and death

By 2004, Childers' health was in decline. A long-time smoker, Childers suffered from numerous lung-related ailments including
pneumonia Pneumonia is an Inflammation, inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as Pulmonary alveolus, alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of Cough#Classification, productive or dry cough, ches ...
and
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a type of progressive lung disease characterized by chronic respiratory symptoms and airflow limitation. GOLD defines COPD as a heterogeneous lung condition characterized by chronic respiratory s ...
(often referred to as "lung disease"). To help Childers with his medical bills, Chris Maxwell of Binky Records spearheaded an effort to raise funds. The result was the 2004 triple-CD compilation album entitled ''Restless Spirits: A Tribute to the Songs of Bob Childers''. The collection features tracks from over fifty performers who donated versions of Childers' songs recorded at their own expense. Childers succumbed to his illnesses on April 22, 2008, in Stillwater, Oklahoma.


Tributes and legacy

Five years prior to his death, Childers was inducted into the Oklahoma Music Awards Red Dirt Hall of Fame along with Steve Ripley and Tom Skinner. In an interview with ''The Current'' in 2007, Childers said of his songwriting, "I just keep it honest and keep it simple. There really is no secret to writing a song." Even before the release of the tribute box-set ''Restless Spirits'', Childers influence on other songwriters was pervasive. The ''Tulsa World'' reported that Bob Childers songs have been recorded by more than 200 artists. Many musicians have stated that Childers served as a mentor. Bassist-guitarist Bob Wiles said of Childers, "He was the first older, respected musician to take us seriously, probably when we didn't deserve it. And he encouraged us to take ourselves seriously. He's done that with a lot of bands. Bob is that common thread through us all." When asked what it was like to be a mentor to so many aspiring singer-songwriters, Childers said, "I don't know if that's a good thing or not. It makes me try a little harder, knowing that people are being influenced. It makes me try to do right a little bit more." Childers was a regular at the
Woody Guthrie Folk Festival The Woody Guthrie Folk Festival is held annually in mid-July to commemorate the life and music of Woody Guthrie. The festival is held on the weekend closest to July 14 – the date of Guthrie's birth – in Guthrie's hometown of Okemah, Oklahoma ...
held every July in Guthrie's hometown of Okemah, Oklahoma. At the 10th annual festival in July 2007, seven "10-year artists" – artists who had participated every year since the festival's inception – performed at a benefit show titled "In the Spirit of Woody Guthrie". Artists included Jimmy LaFave, Don Conoscenti, Ellis Paul, Joel Rafael, Terry "Buffalo" Ware, the Red Dirt Rangers, and Childers. On July 8, 2008, a special pre-festival Childers tribute show was held at Cain's Ballroom in Tulsa on the evening before the official start of the festival. Performers included Jimmy LaFave, The Burns Sisters, the Red Dirt Rangers, Mike McClure, Joel Rafael, Stoney LaRue and Tom Skinner. In addition, the festival program booklet included a special Bob Childers Memorial Page, and quotes made by his songwriting friends were interspersed as tributes throughout.11th Annual Woody Guthrie Folk Festival. July 9–13, 2008. (Program booklet.) The ''Tulsa World'' announced that Childers would be inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame in October 2008 at a gala to be held in Muskogee, Oklahoma. The induction ceremony, held at the Muskogee Civic Center, took place on October 8, 2008. The Red Dirt Rangers and Tom Skinner accepted the award on behalf of Childers.Lang, George
Hall of Fame names Rejects ’08 rising stars.
''The Oklahoman'', October 9, 2008. Retrieved October 9, 2008.


References


Further reading

* Galleywinter discussion forum

April 22, 2008. * Wooley, John
Jimmy LaFave, Red Dirt's Austin Ambassador.
''Tulsa World'', January 4, 2002. Retrieved August 5, 2008.


External links


Bob Childers on Binky Records WebsiteBob Childers on Smith Music
{{DEFAULTSORT:Childers, Bob 1946 births American folk singers American country singer-songwriters 2008 deaths Country musicians from Oklahoma People from West Union, West Virginia Country musicians from West Virginia 20th-century American singer-songwriters Singer-songwriters from Oklahoma Singer-songwriters from West Virginia