Bill Clinton makes surprise stop at Thursday Night Live in Lexington

Former President Bill Clinton stopped by Thursday Night Live in downtown Lexington while on a campaign swing through the state for his wife.

The former president shook hands and took selfies with those in the crowd at the weekly music-and-food gathering at the Fifth Third Bank Pavilion in Cheapside Park. Kentucky’s Democratic primary is next week, with Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders both having visited the state this month.

Bill Clinton spent about 30 minutes with the enthusiastic crowd after giving a speech in Frankfort. He was then headed to a campaign stop in Prestonsburg.

Fans of Clinton at the event included the Lauren Mink Band, who serenaded him with the Fleetwood Mac song “Don’t Stop,” which Clinton used in his presidential campaigns.

As he made his way through the crowd with Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes, people massed around him for handshakes and selfies.

Among them was Rabbi Shlomo Litvin of the Chabad of the Bluegrass.

“He was the first president I knew growing up,” Litvin said, “and his policies focused on Israel.”

Matt Jones, founder of Kentucky Sports Radio, also came to see Clinton.

“He was the first president I remember,” Jones said.

Still, Jones said, he wouldn’t be surprised if Bernie Sanders wins Kentucky next week.

“Hillary’s comments on coal have hurt her,” he said.

In March, Hillary Clinton said she would be putting coal companies out of business because of a turn toward alternative energy sources. She later apologized and said her comments were taken out of context.

“It was a misstatement because what I was saying is the way things are going now, they will continue to lose jobs,” she said last week in West Virginia. “It didn’t mean that we were going to do it.”

This story was originally published May 12, 2016 at 5:36 PM with the headline "Bill Clinton makes surprise stop at Thursday Night Live in Lexington."