Tyler Childers & Chris Stapleton Singing “Follow You To Virgie” Together Is Country Music Perfection

I could watch these Kentucky boys all day long.

I mean, is there anything better than Tyler Childers’ music? Arguably Chris Stapleton‘s music? How about Tyler Childers and Chris Stapleton TOGETHER?

Back in 2o22, Tyler Childers and Chris Stapleton joined forces on the stage during the Kentucky Rising event. After the Bluegrass state experienced terrible flooding, country music musicians banded together to raise money for the state. Naturally, many of the performers who hailed from the state performed that night. Stapleton, whose hometown is Staffordsville, Kentucky, and Tyler Childers, originally from Lawrence County, Kentucky, were two of the night’s performers.

Like a festival, when so many artists are in the same location, someone is bound to be brought on stage to surprise the crowd with an unexpected duet. While there were quite a few duets from that night, the most notable had to be Stapleton and Childers coming together to sing Childers’ “Follow You To Virgie.”

“Follow You To Virgie” is a song that many Tyler Childers’ fans know and love, and it could not have been a better choice to perform for the Rupp Arena crowd.

The spotlight shines on the two men with their acoustic guitars as they begin to strum the opening melody. Childers takes the first verse of the tender song, and Stapleton takes a backseat, focusing on the song’s instrumentation, jumping in to harmonize with Childers during the chorus.

Stapleton, who could have easily taken over a verse, lets the heartfelt lyrics Childers penned shine. He flawlessly complements his vocals on the chorus, taking the higher part of the harmony. Stapleton knew just exactly what words to use to drive home the lyrics. The combination of Stapleton and Childers’ vocals tickles your ears just right.

Tyler Childers and Chris Stapleton have the entire arena in the palm of their hand throughout the whole performance. Talk about country music perfection.

“Follow You To Virgie” is one of those songs from Childers’ catalog that fans know, love, and will belt out alongside him at concerts, but we’ve never gotten a formal studio cut of the tune.

Tyler Childers debuted “Follow You To Virgie” during his Live On Red Barn Radio performances in 2013 and 2014.

“I’ll do one here that I wrote for my buddy, Cody, and his grandma. I think the first time I got all the way through it was uh, here at Red Barn Radio last time I was here.”

Childers details that Cody’s grandmother inspired this song because, after school, they would all gather at their home to jam on their guitars and banjos. Cody’s grandmother would sit and listen to the boys and enjoy the music and company.

After Childers graduated from high school and they all went their separate ways, he moved to Lexington. While there, he got a call that Cody’s grandmother had passed away. After receiving that news, he penned the heartfelt song as a tribute to the important female figure in his friend’s life.

In the lyrics, Childers details the reckless kids they used to be and how Cody’s grandmother loved and cared for them like her own. Once she passed, Childers sings that he is there to support and love his friend as he lays his beloved grandmother to rest.

The song’s final verse always chokes me up, as Childers tells his friend that his grandmother is always watching over them.

“And I will follow you to Virgie
‘Cause that’s what us boys are for
To help you out when you get weary
And you can’t go no more

Even though this song is one of Childers’ more beloved songs in his catalog, the only versions we have is the Red Barn Radio version, which was re-released as one complete EP, Live On Red Barn Radio I & II, in 2018. His 2017 OurVinyl Session also features a live version, along with fellow fan favorites, “Whitehouse Road” and “Nose On The Grindstone.”

However, given the rawness of this song’s lyrics, I prefer to listen to the live cut over getting a studio version any day. You can hear Childers singing this one from the heart.

Fire it up before you go.

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