See how local musicians band together to provide relief for Kentucky flood victims

By Matt Wickstrom Contributing writer

March 9, 2021 10:20 AM

After witnessing many of their own livelihoods crippled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many Central and Eastern Kentucky musicians are coming together to support victims of the record flooding that decimated much of the state last week.

Several have been working at a Lexington live music venue collecting donations and taking needed supplies to the hardest hit areas. Virtual benefit concerts are planned this week and popular musicians like Sturgill Simpson and Tyler Childers, who have roots to areas affected by the floods, have pledged monetary support.

In Lexington, old-time duo The Local Honeys have partnered with non-profit Appalachians for Appalachia and the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky to gather donations and supplies to distribute to flood victims at music club The Burl. The efforts began late on March 3 when the Honeys’ Linda Jean Stokley reached out to local drummer and Burl employee Zachary Martin about using the location as a centralized drop-off spot for supplies. Burl leadership jumped at the chance to lend a helping hand to an area of the state that’s like family to them.

“We understand that we’re all in this together,” said Martin. “It wasn’t a matter of if we were going to help but when because Eastern Kentucky has always been incredibly supportive of The Burl along with being the home to many of our favorite artists that have performed on the stage here.”

Local musicians have been gathering donations at The Burl to help with relief for people affected by the flooding in Eastern Kentucky. They are still accepting donations through Saturday. Silas Walker Lexington Herald-Leader

Donations needed at The Burl

Cleaning supplies in urgent need include sponges, bleach and five-gallon buckets. Pillows, blankets, adult and toddler diapers, toilet paper, paper towels, single pack toothbrushes, feminine hygiene products and pet food are also in demand.

To donate, drop off items at The Burl from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. at least March 13.

The team delivered their first supplies to Estill, Powell and Lee counties — the later one of the region’s hardest hit counties as well as being the stomping grounds of the Beattyville-born Hobbs — on March 5 with another trailer full of supplies loaded up and ready to deliver once again.

Five-gallon buckets are among the cleaning supplies volunteers have been gathering at Lexington live music club The Burl. They are still accepting donations through Saturday. Silas Walker Lexington Herald-Leader

“While tragic, these floods are yet another example of how resilient Kentuckians, and particularly Appalachians, are,” said Stokley. “People can say what they want about Eastern Kentucky but the people here have been through so much. They’re battle-tested and banding together now more than ever to help out their neighbors. Seeing the community rally in such a way makes me feel very proud to be a Kentuckian.”

We are working w/ The Local Honeys to help collect supplies urgently needed for flood victims in SEKY. Items can be...
Posted by The Burl on Thursday, March 4, 2021

Estill Co. flooding impact

Supplies and donations in Estill County were dropped off at River City Music And Arts, a music venue in downtown Irvine, where owners L.G. and Jen Richardson are providing the space as a shelter for those in the community with nowhere else to turn. They’ve started a GoFundMe to provide direct relief to those impacted within the county as well.

The family of Byron Roberts, organizers of music festival Kickin It On The Creek, has been assisting in cleanup efforts in Irvine in addition to launching a GoFundMe raising money for Estill, Lee and Owsley counties. It’s not the first time the Roberts family has stepped up following tragedy. In 2017 after wind gusts of 90-100 miles per hour wiped out 20 Estill County homes and damaged countless others they organized a day-long benefit concert that raised over $30,000 for storm victims.

Fortunately for Roberts, who owns land stretching from Estill into Lee County, his home received no damage during the floods. However, he and his family were left stranded in their holler for three days after the gravel road leading back to them became submerged under several feet of water for over a mile.

“It’s a lot worse than we thought. Hopefully the government will come in to help at some point, but the people of our region need the help now,” said Roberts. “A lot of my friends and immediate family have lost everything they had. It’s going to take a long time to recover and rebuild for the countless families that have been displaced.”

Tyler Childers, Sturgill Simpson flooding support

Other assistance has come from the Hickman Holler Appalachian Relief Fund founded by Estill County natives Tyler Childers and Senora May in 2020. On March 4 it announced a donation of $20,000 to support flood relief victims via the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky’s Southeast Kentucky Flood Relief Fund with an additional pledge to match 100 percent of contributions made to its own Fund through the end of March.

The Hickman Holler Appalachian Relief Fund is donating $20,000 to support recent flood relief victims via the Southeast...
Posted by Hickman Holler Appalachian Relief Fund on Thursday, March 4, 2021

Grammy Award-winning artist Sturgill Simpson has also chipped in, announcing on March 8 plans to reopen the merchandise store for his irreverent “Dick Daddy Survival School,” with 100 percent of all net proceeds going to Aspire Appalachia in his hometown of Jackson.

“My hometown of Jackson seemingly suffered the worst of it, especially the immediate areas around Panbowl Lake and Lakeside where I lived as a child,” said Simpson in a press release. “Over 25 percent of Breathitt County was affected and in Jackson, a city with a population of roughly just over 2,000, over 1,000 people were displaced or completely lost everything. Some of those who lost everything did not have very much to lose to begin with and are now literally living in tent cities. It goes without saying this is something weighing extremely heavy on my heart.”

“We understand that we’re all in this together,” said Burl employee Zachary Martin, who has been at the music club taking donations for flooding victims. Silas Walker Lexington Herald-Leader

Eastern Kentucky flooding virtual concerts

In addition to helping with cleanup, gathering donations and raising funds for flood victims, many of the same artists also plan to band together later this week for a duo of livestreaming benefit shows featuring a bevy of performers native to Appalachia and around the world.

The first livestream will be “Love Thy Neighbor: An Appalachians For Appalachia Flood Relief Drive,” which will be on The Local Honeys’, Appalachians For Appalachia and the Foundation For Appalachian Kentucky’s Facebook pages for 24 hours beginning on Wednesday, March 10, at 7 p.m. The day-long event will feature over 40 artists performing a handful of songs each. Performers include The Local Honeys, Senora May, SG Goodman, Silas House, Robert Gipe, The Wooks and others. Donations received will be distributed through the Foundation’s Southeast Kentucky Flood Relief Fund.

Just as that livestream winds down the other will begin. The Roberts family and WhizzbangBAM artist management are teaming up for a benefit beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 11 on Kickin’ It On The Creek’s Facebook page. The first night of the multi-day “KIOTC Kentucky River Flood Benefit Livestream” will include roughly three hours of music from the likes of Arlo McKinley, Town Mountain, The Wooks, Joslyn & The Sweet Compression, John R. Miller, Luna & The Mountain Jets, Laid Back Country Picker, Justin Wells and other performers. Donations raised will go toward the GoFundMe setup last week by the Roberts family. Details on a second and third night of the livestream are still being finalized.

“I’m honored that the music community is standing up and speaking out for the people of these mountains,” said Roberts. “The situation overall has been devastating, but the silver lining has been seeing everyone in the community coming together to help with cleaning up, gathering donations and making sure everyone displaced is warm and fed.”