Kentucky’s Top Independent Talent Comes Together for Tornado Benefit
The tornadoes that ravaged large swaths of Western Kentucky on December 10th struck at the very heart of country music’s heartland, and what’s become the launching point for the current country music revolution led very much by artists from Kentucky and the surrounding region.
Now many of the artists whose names are synonymous with Kentucky and the authentic country music it gives birth to are coming together to help their fellow neighbors and communities in a benefit concert at The Burl in Lexington on New Years Day, which will also be streamed live thanks to John Prine’s record label, Oh Boy Records.
John Prine’s family is originally from Kentucky, and one of his signature songs called “Paradise” is about a now ghost town in Muhlenberg County. Muhlenberg County and the town of Bremen were especially hard hit in the tornado outbreak, with two twisters touching down, including one that was on the ground for 17 miles, and tore through Bremen, killing 11 of the town’s 350 residents.
If you want to know who some of the greatest independent and up-and-coming artists are from the region, just look at the lineup for this benefit concert. There may not be a better congregation point of the present and future of independent country music.
Kelsey Waldon is the Oh Boy Records-signed songbird of Western Kentucky, originally from the tiny community of Monkey’s Eyebrow. Cole Chaney’s debut album Mercy has been cited by many as their favorite discovery of 2021, while West Virginian John R. Miller’s Depreciated has been cited as the best album all year. Brit Taylor’s album Real Me put her on the country music radar in 2020, while Logan Halstead and Leah Blevins are two names commonly brought up as the future of music from Kentucky.
That’s not to mention former Saving Country Music Song of the Year winner Justin Wells, or Nicholas Jamerson of Sundy Best. For those in-the-know, they know how loaded this lineup is, and what a great opportunity this benefit will be to preview it all in one place. 100% of the proceeds will go to the Muhlenberg Country Disaster Relief Fund, and Team Western Kentucky.
Tickets can be purchased from The Burl, with livestream tickets available from Oh Boy Records.
Full lineup includes: Abby Hamilton, Brit Taylor, Brother Smith, Cole Chaney, Eric Bolander, Grayson Jenkins, John R Miller, Justin Wells, Kelsey Waldon, Leah Blevins, Logan Halstead, Magnolia Boulevard, Nicholas Jamerson, Scott T. Smith, Senora May, and Wayne Graham.
December 17, 2021 @ 10:48 am
Stellar lineup, but naturally I noticed some artists who weren’t listed as well. I’m sure they just weren’t asked or haven’t committed yet and hopefully they will be added later on. Anyway, that got me to wondering what’s going on with a few of my favorite Kentucky artists. Off topic, but, Trigger, do you happen to know anything about when we can expect new music from Ian Noe or the Local Honeys? I’m hoping they’ll both have new albums out in 2022.
December 17, 2021 @ 11:39 am
Local Honeys are actually playing the venue where that benefit is being hosted two days prior to. That’s likely why they aren’t on the bill.
I’m with you on Ian though. Dude has mostly been a ghost since COVID hit. Lots of shows cancelled and only a few covers surfacing. Hopefully all is well and he’s just holed up writing new music.
December 17, 2021 @ 11:44 am
Was just about to point that out about the Local Honeys. I think they’re still doing their thing. Ian Noe is the one who’s done the disappearing act, almost as strangely as he appeared. Hope he’s well, and when there’s something to report, I’m sure I’ll be reporting on it.
December 17, 2021 @ 12:30 pm
It really makes you think in terms of “timing is everything”. COVID hits, postpones his tour with Prine, Prine dies, schedules a run of shows with Morgan Wade, those get cancelled, gets booked for his Ryman debut with Lucero, cancels, Morgan Wade takes his place, then she blows up shortly after.
For awhile, the only thing he was on the bill for was a county festival… Made me wonder “wtf is his manager doing? You’ve got a dude that has a Dave Cobb album and John Prine backing, and he’s just sitting on the bench now?”
I don’t get it. I’m sure there’s a lot more to the story, but it’s a head scratcher from the outside looking in.
December 17, 2021 @ 12:01 pm
Would love something new from Ian Noe. I saw him on a Tuesday night in this tiny club in Boston, Great Scott. He was intense. Whole place was captivated. There are a bunch of real good quality vids of that show on Youtube. Amy Kariban I think posted them. She has some gems on her youtube channel. That album has become a classic for me.
December 17, 2021 @ 11:23 am
Thanks for spotlighting this, Trig! Picked up tickets yesterday.
Just to highlight a few of the other acts for the unfamiliar.
Abby Hamilton
EP “Afraid of the Dark” is out, and on YouTube. “Fast” and “Change Things” are awesome tracks. The songwriting in both will impress.
Wayne Graham
Leans a little more indie than Americana/Folk, but last year’s release “1% Juice” was one of the most underrated albums of the year, IMO. I still jam to “On My Throne” at least once a month – the bassline is absolutely sick.
Given the number of acts and the timeframe, I assume these will all be ~25 minute acoustic sets, but I’m very eager to be wrong on that.
December 17, 2021 @ 11:35 am
Sounds great and for a great cause. I may just pick up some tickets for this
December 17, 2021 @ 11:55 am
Never heard of Logan. Sounds promising. Might check this out as well.
December 17, 2021 @ 12:49 pm
Oh Boy records is selling tshirts as a findraiser, I got a new Prine tshirt to help out.
Its not much, but hopefully every bit helps.
December 17, 2021 @ 1:34 pm
Stopped just to say that Abby Hamilton is one of the most clever and inventive young songwriters I have ever heard. Her whole Red Barn live set on youtube is gold. Broke Girl regularly gets stuck in my head. I hope she’s got new stuff in the works
December 17, 2021 @ 5:59 pm
I used to go fishing last year all the time last year in Lake bashear when I lived in Owensboro. Dawson springs where that is located apparently is completely gone. Lots of my co workers in the Kentucky NRCS lost their homes and farmers that we service lost all their livestock and equipment. If you can help in anyway please do. The devastation is truly unimaginable.
December 17, 2021 @ 9:02 pm
Logan has been on WB’s old soul radio. Arlo has him doing guest spots and introduces him as “my nephew”.
December 17, 2021 @ 10:20 pm
2 of the 4 artists in the header photo are from WV… just sayin’
December 18, 2021 @ 1:37 am
There don’t seem to be many country songs that are about devastating storms, floods, or droughts. Some songs–like Jessi’s “Storms Never Last”–use storms as metaphor for events in relationships. The one storm song that comes to mind–about the aftermath of a hurricane, as experienced by a child–is Johnny Cash’s “Five Feet High and Rising.” There must be others that I can’t think of.
December 18, 2021 @ 7:07 am
Do you even listen to Turnpike bruh?
December 18, 2021 @ 9:10 am
@jake. I haven’t.
December 18, 2021 @ 7:41 am
Porter sang Big Wind A comin.
December 18, 2021 @ 8:08 am
The two that come to mind for me are “Wasn’t That A Mighty Storm” by whoever’s version you like best, Seldom Scene’s “Muddy Water,” and Evan Webb’s “Dry Up or Drown.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqM7kjGequE
December 18, 2021 @ 8:12 am
*3
December 18, 2021 @ 8:30 am
Cody Jinks: “Loud and Heavy”
Joseph Huber: “Can’t You See a Flood’s A-Comin'”
December 18, 2021 @ 1:45 pm
Lone Justice “After the Flood”
December 18, 2021 @ 10:07 pm
“The Bridge Washed Out” by Warner Mack.
“Crooked Old Earth” by Blake Berglund has many references to issues related to the environment, etc. And is also one of the top 10 songs of the past 15 or so years.
December 19, 2021 @ 5:47 am
Cole Chaney – The Flood
December 19, 2021 @ 1:33 pm
Sounded Like a Train
Drive by Truckers
December 18, 2021 @ 11:25 am
Only new singers invited? Shannon Lawson (Goodbye On A Bad Day in ’09) is from Taylorsville. Stellar voice of Muzik Mafia, still in Nashville, still rubs elbows with real country musicians, knows a guy and knows a guy who knows a guy… just asking.
January 3, 2022 @ 10:12 am
If anyone knows of another benefit show I would love to know. http://www.jamesreams.com