Kentucky Folklife Program Roster Artists

Artists on the Tour of Kentucky Folk Music roster are listed according to the cultural region where they live and perform their traditional music. Organizations applying to sponsor the tour can customize concerts according to regions, genre (similar forms of music), and/or individual artists. For more information contact Bob Gates at (502) 564-1792 (extension 4481).

User Note: Musicians and groups listed in blue text have their own web sites.
Click on these names to visit their sites.

Performers marked by an asterick ( * ) are currently in the Kentucky Arts Council's Performing Arts Directory.

Ohio River/Northern Kentucky - This area features a blend of urban, rural, and ethnic music traditions that meet and interact along the Ohio River, the long northern boundary of Kentucky.

  10th Street Blues Revue - African American blues

*Gospelway Bluegrass Singers - Bluegrass Gospel

  Northern Kentucky Brotherhood - African-American - a cappella gospel quartet

*Rabbit Hash String Band - "Skillet-licker"-style string band

*River City Drum Corp - Traditional African drumming

*Roger Cooper - Master fiddler from Lewis County

Bluegrass/ Central Kentucky - Middle-sized towns like Winchester, Richmond, Nicholasville, and Mount Vernon dot the landscape and support a wide variety of string bluegrass, and religious music. Seated in the middle is Lexington, a city that has for years acted as the crossroads of culture. Renfro Valley's long musical history of presenting local music is also evident in the styles of many performers from this region.

  Eric and Ethan Eversole - Fiddle, banjo, guitar, and singing

*Cabin Creek - String band music, Bluegrass, and musical saw

*Jennifer Rose - Appalachian singer, songwriter, and storyteller

*Kentucky Wild Horse - Old-time / bluegrass / Kentucky fiddle music band

*No Tools Loaned - Bluegrass Music

  The Gospel Diamonds - African American gospel

  Shorty Van Winkle and the Pearly Gate Singers - Bluegrass gospel

Eastern Kentucky Coal Fields - This area demonstrates the influence of early ballad singing, string music, traditional bluegrass, coal mining, and religious music on the vibrant musical traditions found within mountain communities today.

*Cari Norris - Appalachian ballads and banjo

*Carla Gover - Appalachian singer, songwriter, and dancer

*Mitch Barrett - Appalachian singer, songwriter, and storyteller

  J.P. Fraley - Fiddle and string band music

*Lee Sexton Band- Banjo and fiddle- Bluegrass style

  Tri-City Messengers - African American gospel

Pennyrile - The area has a rich heritage of English and Scots-Irish as well as a strong African American presence. Adding the influences of the urban populations of Bowling Green, Hopkinsville, and the numerous rural communities throughout the area gives the Pennyrile region diversity in ethnic, string, and gospel music.

*Arthur Hatfield and Buck Creek - Bluegrass Gospel

  Bud Meredith Band - Fiddle and string band

  Dennis Holt and the Bluegrass Gamblers - Bluegrass music

*John Edmonds and the Gospel Truth - African American gospel

*The Hays Brothers - Bluegrass Music

*The Reynolds Family Band - Bluegrass gospel

Western Kentucky - The influence of the delta blues tradition can be felt in the river towns such as Paducah, where B.B. King and others played to black communities during the 40s and 50s. Up river, Rosine, the birthplace of Bluegrass style, is the home of several early bands. South of the river, Anglo-American gospel, country music, and a unique style of guitar thumbpicking flourish.

  Delmer Sexton and the Rone Mountain Bluegrass Boys- Bluegrass music

*Eddie Pennington - Thumbpicking style guitarist

*Steve Rector - Thumbpicking style guitarist