Fishin’ with a Musician, Kentucky horse farm-style, raises money for instruments
on a recent Friday, a pair of Kentucky musicians-turned-anglers cast out with two lucky fans, all in the name of putting instruments into the hands of children.
Frankfort-based musician Arthur Hancock was joined by Monkey’s Eyebrow native Kelsey Waldon for the Fishin’ With A Musician event benefitting Colorado-based nonprofit Can’d Aid at Stone Farm in Paris on May 9. Since the fall of 2022 the initiative has spawned musician-led fishing trips around the country with the likes of the Infamous Stringdusters Chris Pandolfi, Town Mountain’s Robert Greer and C.J. Cain — guitar player for Tyler Childers & The Food Stamps. During that time it’s raised a total of $82,900. The next round of bidding is expected after Labor Day and will last for approximately three weeks.
“We get artists from around the country who are willing to donate an afternoon and some music for fans to have the opportunity to bid on — almost like a dating auction — for the chance to join them,” explained Hancock. “I don’t think it’s something that’ll ever become over-saturated even if we expanded to include 50 artists because each of them have their own fan bases and go-to spots.”
The winning bidder for Friday’s session was Ethan Massa, a Sarasota, Florida, based property manager and member of the University of Tennessee’s 1998 National Championship football team. According to Massa, who was joined by his wife Heather, he first heard about the sweepstakes through an email newsletter from Oh Boy Records, the label founded by the late John Prine in 1981 that Waldon signed to in 2019.
“I remember getting the notification and thinking ‘that looks pretty darn cool,’ then we got to looking into Can’d Aid and it seemed like a really cool organization,” says Massa. “My mother asked me what I wanted for Christmas and I hate stuff — but experiences are excellent — and this was too good to pass up,” he said.
For Waldon, Friday marked the second straight year participating in the event, which also included a tour of the Hancock family farm that’s produced three Kentucky Derby winners, quality time with 2017 G1 winner Ascend, a fried chicken dinner and a mini concert outside a 1700’s era cabin.
The experience was one that’s quickly become a favorite in the calendar for the singer that grew up on Colvin Lake in Ballard County, where her father continues to own and operate a hunting lodge. She says getting to marry that love for fishing with Kentucky’s equine culture is something she couldn’t say no to.
“I love getting to do this at (Stone Farm),” admits Waldon. “It just adds to the bid getting to come out and see this historic farm in addition to fishing with me — although I don’t know why anyone would want to do that.”
Hancock has actually been involved with Can’d Aid since 2018. He’s participated in several creek clean-ups and fishing trips along with countless instrument donations to schools, such as the drop-off he and bandmate Chris Shouse did at Estill County Middle School in late March.
He says that the response to that combined with people’s universal love of fishing has only accelerated the positive impact the organization has had.
“At the end of the day, people just enjoy fishing. It’s not like we’re asking them to go get their teeth pulled or something,” jokes Hancock. “The fact that we’re helping to encourage the future generation of musicians in the process makes it all the better.”