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Let Your Soul Shine. Gov’t Mule At The Mountain Arts Center Prestonsburg, Kentucky
What’s a good way to spend a Monday evening in Eastern Kentucky? Glad you asked! You hop in your vehicle (a pickup truck in my case) and make the beautiful drive along Highway 80 to the MAC in Prestonsburg for a night with Gov’t Mule. It’s about an hour drive for me, but this time of year it’s an even more beautiful drive than normal, as the leaves are beginning to show what’s in store in the coming days. No opening act tonight, just straight into Gov’t Mule and you certainly didn’t hear one single complaint. Gov’t Mule is made up of Warren Haynes, Matt Abts, Danny Louis and Jorgen…
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Louder Than Life Returns To Louisville For It’s 4th Year Of Controlled Chaos
With the college basketball scandal that broke last week, Louisville needed a reason to smile and let go. Thankfully, for the 2nd week in a row, a Danny Wimmer Festival took over Champions Park. If only for a couple days, Louder Than Life allowed those who are proud of their city and University to focus on simply having a great time in absolutely beautiful weather. Despite his best efforts, not even Rick Pitino could dampen the spirit of Louisville.
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Louisville Goes Beyond Bourbon As The City Hosts Inaugural Bourbon And Beyond Festival
*Photo courtesy of Danny Wimmer Presents* Kentucky is synonymous with two things. Bourbon and horses. That’s why the Bourbon and Beyond Festival makes so much sense to be held in Louisville. The city is a stop on the Bourbon Trail and it hosts the biggest and best horse race in the world, the Kentucky Derby. Derby City has drawn a lot of interest of late for their thriving music scene. So it wasn’t really a surprise when Danny Wimmer created a second festival here. Mr. Wimmer is also the man behind Louder Than Life. What was a surprise, for me at least, was how well both festivals have sold being…
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2017 Pete Fest in Louisville, KY. Destigmatizing Mental Illness Through Music And Activism
In the wake of a tragedy like the one The Jones family faced a mere nine months ago, most would have shut down, tried not to think about it or drowned in an endless sea of questions, what ifs and the like. The Jones took a different approach to their son’s death, they decided they had to take their experience and educate others about the terrible disease that depression is and all its repercussions. Pete had struggled with depression since he was a teenager. He was a gifted student and loved by many, his death was a shock. He had struggled with a sadness he didn’t understand.
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Chris Stapleton Brings Anderson East and Lucie Silvas To Riverbend In Cincinnati, OH
Eastern Kentucky native and current country superstar Chris Stapleton brought his tour to Riverbend Music Center in Cincinnati recently. The show was scheduled for earlier this year, but had to be rescheduled due to an injury that Mr. Stapleton had that required surgery. The original bill included rising star Brent Cobb, Anderson East and of course, Chris Stapleton. Scheduling conflicts forced Brent Cobb off the rescheduled date, which allowed Lucie Silvas to open the show.
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Sundy Best Helps Out The Animal Alliance of East Kentucky At The MAC In Prestonsburg, KY
As I was traveling the 20 or so miles along Highway 80 between Hindman, KY and the Prestonsburg exit of Highway 23. I was thinking about Sundy Best and all the other country acts I’ve photographed this year, Travis Tritt (twice), Charlie Daniels, Chris Stapleton, Tyler Childers (twice) and Elizabeth Cook.
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Tyler Childers with NewTown at The Mountain Arts Center in Prestonsburg, KY
I’ll be honest, going into this summer I wasn’t a very big bluegrass fan. After spending a weekend at The Master Musicians Festival listening to The Wooks, The Local Honeys and now NewTown I’m beginning to have a change of heart. NewTown calls Lexington, Kentucky home but they play like they are from the hollow down the road! For those of you that don’t know where I live, I live in the Appalachian mountains of Kentucky. Saying they play like they are from a hollow down the road is definitely a compliment!! Kati Penn, JR Williams, Travis Anderson, Hayes Griffin and Mitchell Cannon entertained the MAC crowd with their blend…
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Last In Line with Sinful Lilly and Dula atThe Forum in Hazard, KY
Richmond, Kentucky’s Sinful Lilly started this night of rock and roll off with a high energy and entertaining set. Fredi Handshoe (guitar and vocals), Nikki Handshoe (bass and vocals) and Trey Bledsoe (drums), know how to fire up a crowd. Loud music, cool lights and great stage presence equal a great show! One of my personal favorites to photograph, they play to the camera as well as the play for the crowd! The set list included “Wait Your Turn” “Jack” a killer cover of Ace Frehley’s “Snowblind” closing out their set with “Truth or Consequence”
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Warrant with The Saints of Heartbreak and Ruthless Vendetta at The Forum in Hazard, Kentucky
Wow! What a night of rock and roll! Corbin Kentucky’s own Ruthless Vendetta kicked the night off. Boy did they ever! They tore through songs like “Honey Drippin” “Bad Trip” “M.A.P.” “Lost Dreams” “Beautiful Reverie” and finished up with “Perpetuity” Ruthless Vendetta was the perfect fit to get this night started. They are made up of James Stephens on vocals, Doug Gregory and Allen Warfield on guitar, Robby Hash on bass and Jon Taylor on drums.
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Day Two From The Master Musicians Festival in Somerset, KY
After a thunderstorm shook me out of bed overnight I was worried about the Festival field being a muddy mess, which is definitely no fun when you’re carrying expensive equipment. No worries needed, other than a spot here and there the field was in great shape for Saturday.
