The
Music of Kentucky is heavily centered on Appalachian folk music and its descendants, especially in eastern
KentuckyThe Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. Kentucky is a Southern state situated in the Upland South, although the state is infrequently placed, geographically and culturally, in the Midwest. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a...
.
Bluegrass musicBluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and is a sub-genre of country music. It has roots in Irish, West African, Scottish, Welsh and English traditional music. Bluegrass was inspired by the music of immigrants from the United Kingdom and Ireland , and African-Americans, particularly...
is of particular regional importance;
Bill MonroeWilliam Smith Monroe was an American musician who helped develop the style of music known as bluegrass, which takes its name from his band, the "Blue Grass Boys," named for Monroe's home state of Kentucky. Monroe's performing career spanned 60 years as a singer, instrumentalist, composer and...
, "the father of bluegrass music", was born in the
Ohio CountyOhio County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 22,916. Its county seat is Hartford. The county is named for the Ohio River, which originally formed its northern boundary. It is a prohibition or dry county....
community of
RosineRosine is an unincorporated town in Ohio County, Kentucky, United States. Bill Monroe, The Father of Bluegrass, is not only buried in the town but also memorialized with a bronze cast disk affixed to the barn where his music remains alive. The community was named for the pen name of Jenny Taylor...
, and he named his band, the Blue Grass Boys, after the bluegrass state, i.e., Kentucky.
Merle TravisMerle Robert Travis was an American country and western singer, songwriter, and musician born in Rosewood, Kentucky. His lyrics often discussed the exploitation of coal miners. Among his many well-known songs are "Sixteen Tons" and "Dark as a Dungeon"...
, originator of the influential guitar style known as Travis picking, was born and raised in Muhlenburg County, Kentucky. Kentucky is home to the Country Music Highway (Highway 23), which extends from
Portsmouth, OhioPortsmouth is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Scioto County. The municipality is located on the northern banks of the Ohio River and east of the Scioto River in Southern Ohio. The population was 20,909 at the 2000 census.-Foundation:...
to the Virginia border in
Pike CountyPike County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 68,736. Its county seat is Pikeville. Pike is Kentucky's largest county in terms of land area. Pike County is the 11th largest county in Kentucky in terms of population preceded by Bullitt County and...
.
Other musicians from Kentucky include:
- Audio Adrenaline
Audio Adrenaline was a Grammy Award-winning Christian rock band that formed in the late 1980s at Kentucky Christian University in Grayson, Kentucky. During the band's 17-year existence, they were awarded two Grammy awards, multiple Dove Awards and they released 17 number one singles...
, a Christian rock band formed at Kentucky Christian UniversityKentucky Christian University is a comprehensive baccalaureate level Christian university located in Grayson, Kentucky. It was founded on December 1, 1919, as Christian Normal Institute, by J. W. Lusby and J. O. Snodgrass. As a "normal school" its programs included a high school, a junior...
in GraysonGrayson is a city in Carter County, Kentucky, United States, along the Little Sandy River. The population was 3,877 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Carter County. Since Interstate 64 and the AA Highway both converge in Grayson, the northern part of town has an abundance of truck stops...
- Kenny Bishop
Kenny Bishop traveled with his father Kenneth Bishop Sr. and his older brother Mark Bishop from 1984 to 2001 as a part of the Southern Gospel trio The Bishops. The group earned several industry and fan awards including the Gospel Music Association's Dove Award. They had several number one and top...
, born and raised in RichmondRichmond is a city in and the county seat of Madison County, Kentucky, United States. It is named after Richmond, Virginia, and is the home of Eastern Kentucky University. The population of Richmond, Kentucky was 32,895 in 2008 and is expected to be 35,000 by 2010...
- Steven Curtis Chapman
Steven Curtis Chapman is a Contemporary Christian musician.After starting his career in the late 80s as a songwriter, Chapman has turned into one of the most prolific singers in the genre, releasing more than 20 albums to this date...
, born and raised in PaducahPaducah is the largest city in Kentucky's Jackson Purchase Region and the county seat of McCracken County, Kentucky, United States. It is located at the confluence of the Tennessee River and the Ohio River. The population was 26,307 at the 2000 census...
- Rosemary Clooney
Rosemary Clooney was an American singer and actress. She came to prominence in the early 1950s with the novelty hit "Come On-a My House", which was followed by other pop numbers "Botch-a-Me " , "Mambo Italiano", and "This Ole House", songs which...
, born and raised in MaysvilleMaysville is a city in and the county seat of Mason County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 8,993 at the 2000 census, making it the fiftieth largest city in Kentucky by population. Maysville is on the Ohio River, 66 miles northeast of Lexington, Kentucky. It is the principal city of...
- John Conlee
John Conlee is an American country music singer. Between 1978 and 2004, Conlee charted a total of thirty-two singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts and recorded eleven studio albums...
, born in VersaillesVersailles is a city in Woodford County, Kentucky, United States and is located near Lexington. It is also part of the Lexington-Fayette Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 7,511 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Woodford County...
and raised in rural Woodford CountyWoodford County is a county located in the heart of the Bluegrass region of the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 23,208. Its county seat is Versailles. The county is named for General William Woodford, who was with General George Washington at Valley Forge...
- J. D. Crowe
James Dee Crowe is an American banjo player and bluegrass band leader. He first became known during his four year stint with Jimmy Martin in the 1950s.-Biography:...
, born in LexingtonLexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 65th largest in the United States. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
- Billy Ray Cyrus
Billy Ray Cyrus is a Grammy Award-nominated American country music singer, songwriter and actor, best known for his #1 single "Achy Breaky Heart." Cyrus, a multi-platinum selling recording artist, has scored a total of eight top-ten singles on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart...
, now better known as an actor, born in FlatwoodsFlatwoods is a city in Greenup County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 7,605 at the 2000 census. Steve Blaine is the city's mayor . Flatwoods is a part of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Metropolitan Statistical Area...
- Jackie DeShannon
Jackie DeShannon , is an American singer-songwriter with a string of hit song credits from the 1960s onwards. She was one of the first female singer-songwriters of the rock 'n' roll period....
, born in HazelHazel is a city in Calloway County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 440 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Hazel is located at ....
in Calloway CountyCalloway County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1823. As of 2000, the population was 35,421. Its county seat is Murray, Kentucky. The county is named for Colonel Richard Callaway, one of the founders of Boonesborough...
- The Everly Brothers
The Everly Brothers are brothers and country-influenced rock and roll performers, known for steel-string guitar playing and close harmony singing. The Everlys are the most successful U.S...
, with family roots in Muhlenberg CountyMuhlenberg County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 31,839. The county is named for Peter Muhlenberg. Its county seat is Greenville....
(older brother Don was born there)
- Exile (American band)
Exile, originally known as The Exiles, is an American band. They originally began as a pop rock group, hitting the peak of their success in 1978 with the rock pop ballad hit "Kiss You All Over". After a couple minor pop hits, they re-established in 1983 as a country music group...
, with the band roots and formation in Richmond, KentuckyRichmond is a city in and the county seat of Madison County, Kentucky, United States. It is named after Richmond, Virginia, and is the home of Eastern Kentucky University. The population of Richmond, Kentucky was 32,895 in 2008 and is expected to be 35,000 by 2010...
- Tom T. Hall
Tom T. Hall is an American country balladeer, songwriter, and country singer. He has written 11 #1 hit songs, with 26 more that reached the Top 10, including the pop crossover hit "I Love", which reached #12 on the Billboard Hot 100.As a teenager, Hall organized a band called the Kentucky...
, born and raised in Olive HillOlive Hill is a city in Carter County, Kentucky, United States, along Tygarts Creek. The population was 1,813 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Olive Hill is located at ....
- Lionel Hampton
Lionel Leo Hampton , was an American jazz vibraphonist, pianist, percussionist, bandleader and actor. Like Red Norvo, he was one of the first jazz vibraphone players. Hampton ranks among the great names in jazz history, having worked with a who's who of jazz musicians, from Benny Goodman and Buddy...
, born in LouisvilleLouisville is Kentucky's largest city and county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's estimated population as of 2008 was 713,877 , with a population of 1,244,696 in the Louisville...
- Richard Hell
Richard Hell is a singer, songwriter, bass guitarist, and writer.Hell is probably best known as frontman for the early punk rock band Richard Hell & The Voidoids. Their 1977 album, Blank Generation, influenced many other punk bands...
, born in LexingtonLexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 65th largest in the United States. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
- Roscoe Holcomb
Roscoe Holcomb, was an American singer, banjo player, and guitarist from Daisy, Kentucky. A prominent figure in Appalachian folk music, Holcomb was the inspiration for the term "high, lonesome sound," coined by folklorist and friend John Cohen...
, from Daisy, old-time banjo, guitar and harmonica player and singer, who inspired the phrase "high, lonesome sound" for mountain music
- The Judds
The Judds were a Grammy Award-winning American country music duo composed of Naomi Judd and her daughter, Wynonna. The Judds signed with RCA Records in 1983 and were one of the most popular country music duos of the decade, recording more than ten studio albums and charting many hit singles on the...
, from AshlandAshland is a city in Boyd County, Kentucky, United States, nestled along the banks of the Ohio River. The population was 21,981 at the 2000 census. Ashland is a part of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of the 2000 census, the MSA had a population of 288,649....
- The Kentucky Headhunters
The Kentucky Headhunters is a Grammy Award-winning American country rock band. It was founded in 1968 as Itchy Brother, which comprised brothers Richard Young and Fred Young along with Greg Martin and Anthony Kenney...
, formed in Metcalfe CountyMetcalfe County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 10,037. Its county seat is Edmonton. The county is named for Thomas Metcalfe, Governor of Kentucky in 1828-32. It is a prohibition or dry county....
, where most of the original members grew up
- Lily May Ledford
Lily May Ledford was an American clawhammer banjo and fiddle player. After gaining regional radio fame in the 1940s and 1950s as head of the Coon Creek Girls— one of the first all-female string bands to appear on radio— Ledford went on to gain national renown as a solo artist during...
, early country musician from Powell CountyPowell County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population is 13,237. Its county seat is Stanton. The county was formed January 7, 1852, by Kentucky Governor Lazarus W. Powell...
- Brian Littrell
Brian Thomas Littrell is an American singer-songwriter, best known as a member of the Backstreet Boys. In the late 1990s and early 2000s his participation in the Backstreet Boys catapulted him into super-stardom as the band sold over 100 million albums...
of the Backstreet BoysThe Backstreet Boys are a Grammy-nominated American vocal group. They were launched by boy band producer Lou Pearlman, and have been together since April 20, 1993...
, born and raised in Lexington
- Loretta Lynn
Loretta Lynn is an American country music singer-songwriter; she was one of the leading country vocalists and songwriters during the 1960s and is revered as a country music cultural icon....
and her younger sister Crystal GayleCrystal Gayle is an American country singer best known for a series of country-pop crossover hits in the late 1970s and early 1980s, including "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue." She accumulated 18 No. 1 country hits during the 1970s and 1980s...
, both from Van LearVan Lear is an unincorporated community in Johnson County, Kentucky, United States.-History:Incorporated in 1912, the town was named for a director of Consolidation Coal Company , Van Lear Black. It owes its existence to the viable efforts of John Caldwell Calhoun Mayo...
in Johnson CountyJohnson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1843. As of 2000, the population was 23,445. Its county seat is Paintsville...
- John Michael Montgomery
John Michael Montgomery is an American country music artist. He has produced more than thirty singles on the Billboard country charts, including two of Billboard’s Number One country singles of the year: "I Swear" and "Sold "...
, born and raised in DanvilleDanville is a city in and the county seat of Boyle County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 15,477 at the 2000 census.Danville is the principal city of the Danville Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Boyle and Lincoln counties....
- Montgomery Gentry
Montgomery Gentry is an American country music duo composed of vocalists Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry. Both brothers and Gentry were originally members of a country band which had local success in clubs throughout the state of Kentucky...
, consisting of John Michael Montgomery's older brother Eddie Montgomery and Lexington native Troy Gentry
- Kevin Richardson
Kevin Scott Richardson is an American singer and former member of the Backstreet Boys, model, actor, and composer. He was the oldest member of the band during his tenure.- Career :...
of the Backstreet Boys, born in Lexington and raised near IrvineIrvine is a city in and county seat of Estill County, Kentucky, United States. Its population was 2,843 at the 2000 census. It is located on the Kentucky River at the junction of Kentucky Route 52 and Kentucky Route 89....
in Estill CountyEstill County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1808. As of 2000, the population was 15,307. Its county seat is Irvine, Kentucky. Formed in 1808, the county is named after Captain James Estill, a Kentucky militia officer killed in the Battle of Little Mountain...
- Ricky Skaggs
For the punk rock musician, see Ricky Scaggs.Richard Lee "Ricky" Skaggs is a country and bluegrass singer, musician, producer, and composer. He primarily plays mandolin; however, he also plays fiddle, guitar, and banjo.-Early career:Ricky Skaggs started playing music after he was given a mandolin...
, born and raised in Lawrence CountyLawrence County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 15,569. Its county seat is Louisa. The county is named for James Lawrence. It is the home of country music star Ricky Skaggs. It is the birthplace of the late Chief Justice of the United States...
- Slint
Slint was a rock band consisting of Brian McMahan , David Pajo , Britt Walford , Todd Brashear and Ethan Buckler . They formed in Louisville, Kentucky, United States in 1986 from the remains of Squirrel Bait...
, a rock band formed in Louisville
- Dwight Yoakam
Dwight David Yoakam is an American singer-songwriter and actor, most famous for his country music. Active since the early 1980s, he has recorded more than twenty albums and compilations, and has charted more than thirty singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts.-Early life:Yoakam was born...
, born in PikevillePikeville is a city in Pike County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 6,295 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Pike County.-History:...
- GünwaЯ, young rock band from Southgate, Kentucky
Southgate is a city in Campbell County, Kentucky, United States, a part of metropolitan Cincinnati, Ohio. The population was 3,472 at the 2000 census.-History:...
- Patty Loveless
Patty Loveless is an American country music singer....
, born in Elkhorn City, KentuckyElkhorn City is a city in Pike County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 1,060 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Elkhorn City is located at ....
and raised in Louisville
- Keith Whitley
Jackie Keith Whitley , known professionally as Keith Whitley, was an American country music singer. Whitley's brief career in mainstream country music lasted from 1984 till his death in 1989, but he continues to influence an entire generation of singers and songwriters...
, born and raised in Sandy Hook, KentuckySandy Hook is a city in Elliott County, Kentucky, United States, along the Little Sandy River. The population was 678 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Elliott County.-Geography:Sandy Hook is located at ....
- Black Stone Cherry
Black Stone Cherry is a southern rock band formed on June 4, 2001 in Edmonton, Kentucky, USA. They are signed to Roadrunner Records. The band is composed of Chris Robertson , "The Looks of the Band", Ben Wells , John Lawhon , and John Fred Young , son of The Kentucky Headhunters'...
, formed in Edmonton, KentuckyEdmonton is a city in and the county seat of Metcalfe County, Kentucky, United States. The area was first surveyed by Revolutionary War veteran and Virginian Edmund P. Rogers in 1800. The city was established by the Kentucky legislature as a trading post in 1836 and was named the county seat in 1860...
- Nappy Roots
Nappy Roots is an American alternative Southern rap quintet that originated in Bowling Green, Kentucky in 1995 and is best known for its hit 2002 single "Po' Folks"....
, formed in Bowling Green, KentuckyBowling Green is the fourth-most populous city in the U.S. state of Kentucky after Louisville, Lexington, and Owensboro. The population was 55,097 in 2008. It is the county seat of Warren County and the principal city of the Bowling Green, Kentucky Metropolitan Statistical Area with an estimated...
- Will Oldham
Will Oldham, a.k.a. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy , is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. From 1993 to 1997 he performed and recorded under variations of the Palace name, including the Palace Brothers, Palace Songs, and Palace Music.-Music:Will Oldham is known for his "do-it-yourself punk aesthetic...
, folk & indie musician, born in Louisville
- Halfway to Hazard
Halfway to Hazard is an American country music duo composed of singer-songwriters David Tolliver and Chad Warrix. Though Tolliver and Warrix grew up in different towns in southeastern Kentucky, their band's origins are in Hazard, Kentucky, which was halfway between their hometowns.Their debut...
, Country outfit out of Hazard, KentuckyHazard is a city in Perry County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 5,264 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Perry County.- History :...
- The Infected
The Infected is one of the longest standing punk bands from Lexington, Kentucky, formed in 1993 and having released eleven albums and EPs...
, Punk rock group formed in Lexington. Founders of Eugene Records punk label.
- The Muckrakers Rock band from Louisville
- My Morning Jacket
My Morning Jacket is a Grammy-nominated American rock band.The band comprises Jim James , Tom "Two-Tone Tommy" Blankenship , Patrick Hallahan , Carl Broemel , and Bo Koster .-History:My Morning Jacket formed in 1998 in Louisville, Kentucky,...
Louisville based band with an extremely unique sound
- Villebillies formed in Louisville
- Steve Gorman
Steve Gorman is a musician best known as the drummer of the American hard rock band The Black Crowes. He also spent some time as the drummer for British rock band Stereophonics.- Early career :...
drummer for The Black CrowesThe Black Crowes are an American, blues-oriented hard rock jam band that has sold over 20 million albums. They were hailed by Melody Maker as "The Most Rock 'n' Roll Rock 'n' Roll Band in the World". In 1990, the readers of Rolling Stone named it the 'Best New American Band'...
born and raised in Hopkinsville
- Emarosa
Emarosa is a six-member post-hardcore band from Lexington, Kentucky, formed in 2006. The band has released one EP titled This Is Your Way Out, and one album, Relativity, which features their newest vocalist Jonny Craig....
formed in Lexington in 2006
Music venues and institutions
Renfro Valley, KentuckyRenfro Valley is a neighborhood located just off Interstate 75 in Mount Vernon, a city in Rockcastle County, Kentucky, United States. The community of Renfro Valley includes the Since being founded by local area native John Lair and others in 1939, Renfro Valley Entertainment Center has hosted...
is home to Renfro Valley Entertainment Center and the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame and is known as "Kentucky's Country Music Capital", a designation given it by the Kentucky State Legislature in the late 1980s. The Renfro Valley Barn Dance was where Renfro Valley's musical heritage began, in 1939, and influential country music luminaries like Red Foley, Homer & Jethro, Lily May Ledford & the Original Coon Creek Girls, Martha Carson, and many others have performed as regular members of the shows there over the years. The
Renfro Valley Gatherin'Renfro Valley Gatherin' is a United States radio program based in Renfro Valley, Kentucky...
is today America's second oldest continually broadcast radio program of any kind. It is broadcast on local radio station
WRVKWRVK is a radio station broadcasting primarily a Classic Country format. Licensed to Mount Vernon, Kentucky, USA, it serves the South Central Kentucky area.-History:...
and a syndicated network of nearly 200 other stations across the United States and Canada every week.
Major music venues in Kentucky include the
Paramount Arts CenterThe Paramount Arts Center is a historic theater located in Ashland, Kentucky, in the United States. Listed as the Paramount Theatre on the National Register of Historic Places, this landmark theater is an important part of theater in Kentucky.-History:...
in
AshlandAshland is a city in Boyd County, Kentucky, United States, nestled along the banks of the Ohio River. The population was 21,981 at the 2000 census. Ashland is a part of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of the 2000 census, the MSA had a population of 288,649....
. There is also Sturgill's Music Center in Tom T. Hall's hometown of Olive Hill. Just south of Olive Hill is
Sandy HookSandy Hook is a city in Elliott County, Kentucky, United States, along the Little Sandy River. The population was 678 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Elliott County.-Geography:Sandy Hook is located at ....
, the boyhood home of
Keith WhitleyJackie Keith Whitley , known professionally as Keith Whitley, was an American country music singer. Whitley's brief career in mainstream country music lasted from 1984 till his death in 1989, but he continues to influence an entire generation of singers and songwriters...
, whose house is now a museum, exhibited in conjunction with the annual Tobacco Festival. The Kentucky Opry in
PrestonsburgPrestonsburg is a city in and the county seat of Floyd County, Kentucky, United States. It lies in the eastern part of the state, along the banks of the Levisa Fork of the Big Sandy River. It was founded in 1797 by Col. John Preston—for whom it was named—along with Solomon Stratton, Matthias...
is a major institution, using the Mountain Arts Center.
LouisvilleLouisville is Kentucky's largest city and county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's estimated population as of 2008 was 713,877 , with a population of 1,244,696 in the Louisville...
is home to the West Point Country Opry, while the city of
OwensboroOwensboro is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky and the county seat of Daviess County. It is located on U.S. Route 60 about 32 miles southeast of Evansville, Indiana and is the principal city of the Owensboro, Kentucky Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 55,512 at...
is a major bluegrass center, and is home to the
International Bluegrass Music AssociationThe International Bluegrass Music Association, or IBMA, is a trade association to promote bluegrass music.Formed in 1985, IBMA established its first headquarters in Owensboro, Kentucky. In 1988 they announced plans to create the International Bluegrass Music Museum as a joint venture with...
.
Festivals
Singers gather annually at
BentonBenton is a city in Marshall County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 4,197 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Marshall County....
on the fourth Sunday in May to sing from a
shape noteShape notes are a music notation designed to facilitate congregational singing. Shape notes of various kinds have been used for over two centuries in a variety of sacred music traditions practiced primarily in the Southern region of the United States....
hymn and tune book called
The Southern Harmony, and Musical CompanionThe Southern Harmony is a shape note hymn and tune book compiled by William Walker. The book was released in 1835 under the full title of The Southern Harmony, and Musical Companion. It is part of the larger tradition of shape note singing....
. This event, first organized in 1884 and called
The Big Singing or
Big Singing Day, is considered by many to be the oldest indigenous musical tradition in the United States. It was organized by James Roberts Lemon, a newspaper owner and publisher in western Kentucky.
Ashland is also home to the Summer Motion festival and Poage Landing Days, while Olive Hill also hosts the International Strange Music Weekend and the Shriner's Bluegrass Festival. The
Renfro Valley Barn DanceRenfro Valley Barn Dance was an American country music stage and radio show originally carried by WLW-AM in Cincinnati, Ohio on Saturday nights. It debuted on October 9, 1937 from the Cincinnati Music Hall and moved to the Memorial Auditorium in Dayton, Ohio. It was hosted by John Lair, Red Foley,...
has been held in
Renfro ValleyRenfro Valley is a neighborhood located just off Interstate 75 in Mount Vernon, a city in Rockcastle County, Kentucky, United States. The community of Renfro Valley includes the Since being founded by local area native John Lair and others in 1939, Renfro Valley Entertainment Center has hosted...
since 1939. Owensboro has
ROMP (River Of Music Party) the last part of June every year. Other festivals include the Forkland Heritage Festival and Revue in Gravel Switch .
Lexington is host to the oldest
bluegrass musicBluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and is a sub-genre of country music. It has roots in Irish, West African, Scottish, Welsh and English traditional music. Bluegrass was inspired by the music of immigrants from the United Kingdom and Ireland , and African-Americans, particularly...
festival in the state. The
Festival of the BluegrassThe Festival of the Bluegrass, located in Lexington, Kentucky, is the oldest bluegrass music festival in the bluegrass region of Kentucky. The festival takes place the first full weekend of June each year...
is held every June at the
Kentucky Horse ParkThe Kentucky Horse Park is a working horse farm and an educational theme park opened in 1978 in Lexington, Kentucky. It is located off KY 1973 and Interstate 75 in northern Fayette County in the United States...
and considered one of the premier
traditional bluegrassTraditional bluegrass, as the name implies, emphasizes the traditional elements of bluegrass music, and stands in opposition to progressive bluegrass...
festivals in the country.
Wilmore is home to the
Ichthus Music FestivalThe Ichthus Music Festival is an annual Christian music festival in Wilmore, Kentucky, featuring acts like David Crowder Band, Third Day, Switchfoot, tobyMac, Phil Keaggy, Esterlyn, Chris Tomlin, Newsboys, and Relient K....
. Ichthus is a christian music festival held each year on the Ichthus Farm. Notable bands such as
SwitchfootSwitchfoot is an alternative rock band from San Diego, California. The band's members are Jon Foreman , Tim Foreman , Chad Butler , Jerome Fontamillas , and Drew Shirley .They are known for their energetic live shows , the three guitarists in the line-up often operate...
,
Relient KRelient K is an American rock band formed in Canton, Ohio in 1998 by Matt Thiessen on vocals, guitar and piano, Brian Pittman on bass, and Matt Hoopes on guitar between the band's junior year in high school and their time at Malone College in Canton...
,
PillarPillar is a Grammy-nominated Christian rock band currently located in Tulsa, Oklahoma.- Formation and independent albums :Pillar started in Hays, Kansas in 1998, when Fort Hays State University roommates Brad Noone and Rob Beckley got together with friends Travis Jenkins, Dustin Adams, and Michael...
, and
P.O.D.P.O.D. is an American rock band formed in 1992. The band's line-up consists of vocalist Sonny Sandoval, drummer Wuv Bernardo, guitarist Marcos Curiel, and bassist Traa Daniels. They have released seven studio albums and have sold over ten million records worldwide...
have all played at past Ichthus festivals.
Mount Sterling is home to the Gateway Music Festival.
History
In the 1830s, a
Great AwakeningThe Second Great Awakening was a period of great religious revival that extended into the antebellum period of the United States, with widespread Christian evangelism and conversions. It was named for the Great Awakening, a similar period which had transpired about half a century beforehand...
of fervent Christianity began, leading to popular
spiritualSpirituals are religious songs which were created by enslaved African people in America.-Terminology and origin:...
song traditions. During this period, the country was undergoing a religious revival that was centered on itinerant preachers called circuit riders, and outdoor worship gatherings (
camp meetingThe camp meeting as a Christian gathering originated in the United States of America. The English founders of Primitive Methodism took inspiration from this for a way of holding an extended prayer meeting.-Camp meetings in America:...
s) where
hymnA hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word hymn derives from Greek , "a song of praise"...
s (camp songs) were sung. Earlier in the century, the first camp meeting was held in July 1800 in
Logan CountyLogan County is a county located in the southwest area of the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 26,573. Its county seat is Russellville. The county is named for Benjamin Logan, a Revolutionary War militia colonel and local leader....
. In 1801, a meeting in
Cane RidgeCane Ridge, Kentucky, USA was the site, in 1801, of a large camp meeting that drew thousands of people and had a lasting influence as one of the landmark events of the Second Great Awakening. Methodists, Baptists and Presbyterians all participated, and many of the "spiritual exercises", such as...
in
Bourbon CountyBourbon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed as a county within Virginia in 1786. In 1792, it transferred to the newly formed State of Kentucky. As of 2007, the population was 19,839. Its county seat is Paris, Kentucky...
lasted for six days and attracted ten to twenty thousand people .
In 1916,
Loraine WymanLoraine Wyman was an American folksinger, dulcimer player, and music collector. She co-edited with Howard Brockway two collections of folk music.*Lonesome Tunes: Folk Songs from the Kentucky Mountains...
and Howard Brockway collected Kentucky folk music which they published in two folios:
- Lonesome Tunes: Folk Songs from the Kentucky Mountains (1917, New York)
- Twenty Kentucky Mountain Songs (1920, Boston).
External links