Q+A: Jeremy Pinnell Talks All Things ‘Goodbye L.A.’ And More. Catch Him At Laurel Cove On 8/7 With Arlo McKinley
There are some amazing artists here in Kentucky that never seem to get the attention they deserve. Jeremy Pinnell sits at the very top of that list for me. You will never find a more honest artist. Even if that honesty doesn’t show himself in the best light, he’s going to let the light shine. For me, that’s a truly rare gift, and one that has consistently drawn me to Jeremy Pinnell’s music. So when the opportunity arose to interview Jeremy, I had to make it happen. I hope you enjoy! (more…)
Getting To Know Louisville’s Next Attempt. They Are Bringing Punk Back In A Big Way!
I was shoveling my face with one of Frank’s Deli ‘s behemoth turkey sandwiches, trying to figure out how I was going to fill a two-hour gap between classes when I decided to send a message to an artist friend of mine, see what was going on in the local art scene. Between shows, she said she was working on album art for a local Pop Punk Group. My interest was piqued, so I inquired further.
The group was called Next Attempt and they have been logging the hours on the local scene, produced a quality EP and have something of a following in Louisville. I typed in their name on iTunes to sample their music and after listening to their EP, Just Between Us, and after merely killing time in a deli parking lot at three-thirty in the afternoon, I found the next band I wanted to interview for Capture Kentucky. There was youthful energy to their music, a coming of age vibe, as it were. The cover to the EP was of two students passing something in class while the teacher’s back was turned. (more…)
Black Stone Cherry’s Ben Wells Discusses ‘Black To Blues 2’, PBR And Kentucky
Kentucky is the home or birthplace of some of the best musicians to ever grace this planet. That’s not hyperbole. That’s fact.
Allow me to site some examples of some names you may recognize. Loretta Lynn, Chris Stapleton, Keith Whitley, Ricky Skaggs, The Judds, Sturgill Simpson, Dwight Yoakam, Tyler Childers, Cage The Elephant, My Morning Jacket, Roscoe Holcomb, The Kentucky Headhunters, Patty Loveless, Bryson Tiller, John Michael Montgomery, Dillon Carmichael, Knocked Loose, Emarosa, Nappy Roots, Carly Pearce, Montgomery Gentry, Exile, White Reaper, Days Of The New, Tantric, John Conlee…should I go on?
What you’ll notice about that list is it is a wide variety of music. There’s bluegrass, country, rock, metal, rap and about any other genre you could think of. (more…)
Grammy Winning Songwriter Kendell Marvel, Drops New Album And Hits The Road With Chris Stapleton
**Photo Credit: Alysse Gafkjen
Nashville, Tennessee is the undisputed center of the Country Music universe. There are a million reasons that Nashville is one of the fastest-growing cities in our Republic with more and more people seeking opportunities to chase their dreams than ever before.
Artists, musicians, songwriters, videographers, photographers, dancers, you name it, have packed up and placed their bets on Nashville.
One artist that made the move several years ago, is Kendell Marvel. Marvel moved South from his home state of Illinois. He then had some early success as a songwriter. He penned one of my favorite Gary Allan songs in “Right Where I Need To Be.”
With that success, Marvel has gone on to work with folks like George Strait, Jake Owen, and Jamey Johnson.
By now, you’re likely wondering why I’m writing about an Illinois songwriter that lives in Nashville. Why should you care? I’m glad you asked, and I’ll happily fill ya in. (more…)
Crack Open This Six-Pack With Kelsey Waldon
We’re cracking open this six pack with Monkeys Eyebrow, Kentucky’s own Kelsey Waldon. If you aren’t familiar with Kelsey, shame on you!! Just kidding, Kelsey has paid her dues touring relentlessly and honing her craft and her career is certainly on the rise.
Her craft of songwriting caught the ear of none other than John Prine. Mr. Prine signed Kelsey to his label, Oh Boy Records and on October 4th, she drops her new album ‘White Noise / White Lines.” Kelsey holds the distinction of being the first artist signing at Oh Boy Records in over 15 years.
If you want to hear a preview of her album, you can catch her set at the Railbird Festival this weekend. She’s playing The Burl Stage from 2:00-2:45 on Sunday. (more…)
Crack Open This Six Pack With No Deceit’s Allison Stafford
We’re starting a new series here at Capture Kentucky that will hopefully help introduce you to new artists, but to also allow you to get to know them a little better. It’s a series we’re gonna call Six Pack. Sure it’s an interview with six questions, but that’s not why we chose the name. Nope! We chose the name because of the Kenny Rogers classic movie by the same name.
Today we bring to you a band that calls Campbellsville, Kentucky home. The band is called No Deceit and we feel that you’re gonna enjoy these folks. Led by the powerful vocals of Allison Stafford, No Deceit is a country band, but that’s too simple of a description. No Deceit are a smorgasbord of talent and styles that ultimately ends up having the side effects of a damn good time while listening. So if you’ve got a fever, the only prescription is more No Deceit!!
CK: Kentuckians have a very low tolerance for bull crap. The name of your band is No Deceit. Give us some insight about the process and journey that landed on ‘No Deceit.’
Allison: Very true! Kentuckians appreciate authenticity and that’s what we try to bring to the stage. We don’t try to fit in a specific genre, we are who we are, and we aren’t sorry about that. I think “No Deceit” has grown to represent us as a band. We’re raw, authentic, and real. But the band name was actually born from the start of the band. We created the band as a one-time project form a hometown talent show, our guitar player at the time, came up with the name that came from a bible verse. He came across the phrase, thought it would be a cool band name and we went with it. Not knowing at the time that one day, it would come to define us as a band. And yes, we won the talent show! Hahaha (more…)
The Spark Of Hope. The Important Role Of The Mountain Arts Center in Prestonsburg
I approached the Mountain Arts Center in Prestonsburg back in 2017. They had no idea who I was and on a personal level, I had no idea who they were. Over time, I have worked closely with Joe Campbell. Joe is the Executive Director at the Mountain Arts Center, or the MAC, as it’s affectionately referred to. Joe and I bounced ideas off of each other, helping each other move forward. I asked if he’d like to partner up to create opportunities for Kentucky artists. He said yes and we began to discuss different ways to accomplish that goal.
I’ve been working on and thinking about this article for quite some time. I sat out to write an article that highlighted all the great musicians that are an alumnus of the Kentucky Opry, but the further I dug into that side of things, I decided that this article needed to be broader to convey what I was discovering. So, I want to take a step back and focus on what the Mountain Arts Center means to the folks in Eastern Kentucky. (more…)
Chico: A Documentary Short Film. Playing Good Country Music And Treating Everybody Right.
We have all heard tales of these larger than life characters. Most were from old neighborhoods or they were born out of a crime and even sometimes, they were within our own families. Here in Kentucky, you have stories that range from Daniel Boone to Bad Tom Smith to Floyd Collins. While most legends usually wind up being more fiction than fact, filmmakers Zach Curry and Joe Whalen sought to document a current legend living within our midst and they give you an insiders look at the evolution (more…)
A True Kentucky Gentleman. An Interview With J.T. Cure, Bassist With Chris Stapleton
One of the more fascinating things about Kentucky, is the fact that you know the sights or sounds of many fellow Kentuckians, but you often times don’t know their name or what they do. I bet I could name 25 musicians that are in popular acts and you would likely have no idea they were Kentuckians.
By now, you’ve heard the name Chris Stapleton. He is a fellow Kentuckian who has made his mark as a Kentucky, loud and proud. What you may not know, is that his bass player, J.T. Cure, is also a fellow Kentuckian. J.T. grew up in Elkhorn City and spent time as part of the Kentucky Opry at the Mountain Arts Center in Prestonsburg.
The Kentucky Opry also produced Rebecca Lynn Howard. She has had success as a solo artist and she is currently the bassist in the backing band for Steven Tyler, who you’ll know from Aerosmith fame.
While we’re on the subject, keep your eyes peeled for a young lady that’s currently a part of the Opry. Rachel Messer is from just across the river in West Virginia. She has a wonderful voice that reminds me of Dolly Parton.
J.T., Rebecca Lynn and Rachel are shining examples of how important the Kentucky Opry and the MAC are for all Kentuckians.