Music has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. My mom used to sing to me when I was little. I’d sit in our living room messing around with her big Yamaha keyboard, fascinated by how her fingers made these beautiful chords while mine just… didn’t. I wanted to learn.
I was in elementary school when she started teaching me chords, and before long, I was playing and singing in church.
That spark grew into something bigger as I got older. In seventh grade, I joined the high school marching band and picked the flute as my instrument. At the time, it was the cheapest instrument, and I knew it wouldn’t be heavy to carry around. I didn’t want to join at first, but my mom insisted. She used to joke that she knew where I was on the weekends throughout high school, because I would either be at competitions or playing pep band at a football game.
By senior year, I’d worked my way up to the role of field commander, and our band won first place in our class at state finals. Yes, STATE finals. You heard that correctly. It was a huge victory, marking the first time in Laurel County’s history.
Music continued to follow me into adulthood. I started taking flute lessons in college and competed in my school’s, the University of the Cumberlands’, singing competition. I competed three years in a row, obtaining second place and $800 the second year I competed. I loved putting a performance together and sharing it with others. After I graduated from college, my mom messaged me a post about a singing competition in London. I was nervous, but I went ahead and signed up.
That competition was the Old Town Grill (OTG) Singing competition. Although I didn’t win, that experience changed everything for me. Everyone was older than me and seemed more experienced. I had never realized just how much local talent existed. Out of nowhere, there was a talented singer or musician in every corner of town.
This competition introduced me to so many people that I continue to talk to. First, it introduced me to Alyssa Emmett, the emcee and host for three years, who is now a close friend of mine. She has powerhouse vocals. The first time I heard her sing, my mouth dropped in awe. I learned that she was in a band called Midnight Drive, the band she co-founded with Jimmy Deaton and Mak Roberts. They’re a jammy mix of rock, country, blues, and pop, and they plan to make original music and videos soon. They have performed in local areas, such as Club 75 and Pour Boyz. They performed at the welcome event at Berea College and have appeared in several open mics in the local area.
Through the OTG competition, I met my now-best friend, Nick Sturms. I became his friend without knowing his musical experience in Tennessee. I had no idea he’d opened for Keith Urban, Lady A, and Trace Adkins, and written songs for artists like Jelly Roll, Craig Morgan, and Wynonna Judd. I didn’t know there was a Rolling Stone article that featured him. To me, he just had a fantastic voice with just the right amount of vibrato. He had songwriting skills that would bring tears to your eyes. These days, he’s building up the local music scene by running karaoke nights, mentoring artists like me, and competing in singing competitions. It’s always so cool to compete with someone who has so much experience. It allows me to grow as a performer. Karaoke nights with Nick have become a favorite part of my week.
There’s also Brooks Kidd, who I was friends with in marching band in high school. He was incredibly talented at playing the piano and shocked me with his vocals. He eventually went on to compete on American Idol. He performs locally often and will be playing at the upcoming Old Fashioned Trading Days on Sept. 5 at 5:00 p.m. at Stage 2 on Main Street.
Another friend I’ve made with local talent is Dustin Ryan, who has been competing in singing competitions since 2013 and splits his time between Kentucky and Las Vegas. His voice is like butter. He performs a mix of genres, all of which feature a cowboy hat.
There’s also Dalton Dailey, who’s making moves in the local area. Just the other day, I watched him perform original music at the Farmers Market event on Aug. 26. He’s young, but already has a voice that will make you feel something.
I have met so many more local artists in the area who have blown me away, but this would be a much longer story.
Seeing these artists thrive is proof of how alive southeastern Kentucky’s music scene really is.
If you haven’t been out to support your local musicians yet, here is your sign.
From the Old Fashioned Trading Days, Sept. 4-6, packed with incredible music, to the upcoming Mud and Music Festival on Oct. 16-18, this place is overflowing with talent and passion. You don’t want to miss it.
