Kentucky musicians are bringing the holidays home with special album, show
Despite COVID-19 crippling live music and entertainment this year, two local production companies are fighting back.
They are bringing holiday cheer to the masses with streamable content easy to watch, cozied up from home. Get the scoop on each below.
A Very Austin City Christmas EP
Austin City Productions, a partnership between Austin City Saloon’s Lexington and Corbin owners Austin Brashear and Josh Brock as well as Matt McQueen of Jellico, Tennessee-based Gem City Studios launched earlier this year, has teamed up with various Kentucky artists that have frequented the honky tonk bars’ stages for the collaborative “A Very Austin City Christmas” EP.
The project showcases four vocalists spanning three musical acts from the Corbin area including Sydney Adams (“Hard Candy Christmas”), Pistol Whip’s Chad Rogers (“Jingle Bell Rock”) and Eight Daze Sober’s Elijah Davis and Justin Riley (“Silent Night”), all performing tracks on their own along with two songs, “Oh Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel” (with Adams, Davis and Riley) and “Christmas In Dixie” (with everyone), being joint efforts.
“I was so happy to be a part of this project,” said Adams. “This year has been tough on everyone, including musicians. With shows being canceled, it was nice to get into the studio to do some work and just be a part of something that I enjoy. I personally think this is some of my best work, along with the other artists that are featured, so I’m ecstatic to share the project with everyone.”
Also featured throughout the project are a series of regular studio session musicians recruited by engineer/producer McQueen, most notably Smith Curry, a pedal steel player who has played on recordings with Merle Haggard, Dolly Parton, Kris Kristofferon, Willie Nelson, Taylor Swift and others in addition to touring with Bon Jovi, Martina McBride and Bill Monroe.
“A Very Austin City Christmas” is available to pre-save on Spotify for streaming. Physical copies are also available at the Austin City Saloon in Corbin.
Red Barn Radio Holiday Special
“An Appalachian Winter Solstice,” Red Barn Radio’s 13th annual holiday special, will return with an hour-long Christmas Day broadcast on ABC 36 at noon featuring three Eastern Kentucky families playing a mix of holiday songs and traditional tunes common in their households for generations. The program will also air on the radio on WEKU 88.9 FM on Dec. 19 at 7 p.m. and Dec. 20 at 8 p.m. and broadcast on KET on Dec. 25 at 10:30 p.m.
The Wells family is led by Jesse, a founding member of The Wooks who is current touring with Tyler Childers’ backing band The Food Stamps and an instructor/archivist at Morehead State University’s Kentucky Center for Traditional Music (KCTM). Wells is no stranger to playing on the program, having played it several times in the past, most notably on Childers’ revered “Live on Red Barn Radio I & II” recordings.
However, Wells isn’t the only professor that’ll be leading family in song during the show as both Will Parsons and Scott Miller teach at the KCTM as well. Parsons, a mandolin builder, homesteader and veteran bluegrass picker, will be playing under the name Whistle & Fish with his sons Matthew and Billy Parsons along with bassist Annuet Soehnlen (Matthew’s wife) and fiddler Megan Gregory. Parsons has previously recorded on the Charlie Sizemore Band’s bluegrass hit “That’s How I Got To Memphis” in 1995 along and won the Merlefest banjo competition in 2002. He’s also a current member of his alma mater Berea College Bluegrass Band and a former player with The Wooks.
Rounding out the program will be the Miller family led by L. Scott Miller, a veteran recording artist, writer, producer and entrepreneur who’s previously played on stages such as the Grand Ole Opry, Opryland USA and Silver Dollar City. Miller has toured with, recorded with and been mentored by individuals such as fiddle virtuoso Dan Kelly, Nashville studio owner and producer Jim Wood, master of Eastern Kentucky fiddle Roger Cooper and noted West Virginia banjo player Dwight Diller.
For Red Barn Radio founder and producer Ed Commons, this year’s focus on family for the show’s holiday special is one that not only hits home for the performers due to family oftentimes being the origin of their musical roots and influences but for listeners as well, many of whom who aren’t able to gather as they previously have with their loved ones at this time of the year due to COVID-19.
“I wanted to get back to a more laid-back show reflective of the Christmas and holiday season that we all would like to have if it weren’t for COVID-19, which is one spent gathered with our families,” said Commons.