2026 Musicians
Hannah Dasher
Whether she's whipping up a viral recipe or a hit song, Music Row predicted she’ll be the Next Big Thing. She's a Fender Next artist, a CMT Next Women of Country and a regular on the Grand Ole Opry. But Whiskey Riff believes Hannah Dasher is still “one of Nashville’s best kept secrets, much like Chris Stapleton used to be.” They claim she’s one of the best live acts they’ve seen in a long time. A true entertainer, she’s amassed over 1.5M followers on TikTok and has become a viral sensation on other platforms.
Walk into her “Honkytonk Graceland” home and find that this artist is no character.
She lives like she looks. Preserving the best of nostalgic Country music and building upon it with a fresh, new sound, Hannah Dasher feels like the big piece of the puzzle we’ve been missing for a while. Stephen Hubbard -ABC Country
This year she released the long awaited, Stand By Your Pan, which has already been named one of Amazon’s favorite books of the year and is in the top 10 worldwide for Southern Cuisine, Food & Wine.
HEADLINER ✸ FRI 10/16The Local Honeys
The Local Honeys blend traditional Kentucky music with modern soundscapes and original songwriting.
Fuzzed out guitar and a vibey rhythm section set the sonic bedrock to showcase the entwinement of old-time banjo and fiddle styles at the forefront of their sound.
The Honeys understand the complexities of contemporary Appalachian life and their music is reflective of such through raw and emotive songs.
The narratives and perspective they weave into song, the deep understanding and endearment they share for hillbilly music, and their undeniable charm make it clear the duo is poised to become defining voices of a new Appalachia.
HEADLINER ✸ SAT 10/17Bek & The Starlight Revue
Hailing from the mountains of east Kentucky, Bek and the Starlight Revue features a unique blend of rock and roll and down home roots. The band comes together to form a sound best described as Appalachian Rock and Roll.
Coaltown Dixie
Coaltown Dixie is a celebrated all-female bluegrass band from the Appalachian hills of East Kentucky, known for their dynamic fusion of traditional roots and modern vibrancy. They have released three CDs and a live performance DVD.
The gals of Coaltown Dixie have been performing together for 17 years. Notable appearances include KET’s “Jubilee” and “Tim Farmer’s Homemade Jam,” “The WoodSongs Old Time Radio Hour,” WDVX Knoxville’s “Blue Plate Special,” Red Barn Radio, and Dollywood’s Barbeque and Bluegrass Festival.
With their unique sound, passion, and commitment to community engagement, Coaltown Dixie embodies the spirit and soul of their Appalachian roots.
Luna and the Mountain Jets
“A Pepsi Girl in a Coca Cola town” is the best way to describe Luna of Luna and the Mountain Jets. She wasn’t like her 8 siblings, much to her mother’s chagrin. Raised in the small town of Martha Kentucky, her dad made a meager living in the oil industry and her mother was a homemaker. There wasn’t money to go places and do things, however Luna was transported by the music on AM radio and television shows like Friday Night Special and Band Stand. Long bus rides to school allowed her and her friends to sing songs to pass the time. This passion for singing stayed with her into adulthood. After years of playing in clubs and fairs, Luna was invited by country artist Tyler Childers to sing her song, “That Thing You Said” with him on stage at the Ryman Auditorium in February of 2020. She was also picked to open for Childers at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado on September 2022. From time to time you may also see her in the orchestra during live Tyler Childers’ concerts. Luna’s music is rooted in stories from her life and experiences. She calls it “Appalachian Rock” as it is a mix of folk stories backed by rock and roll drums and guitars.
Emily Jamerson
Emily Jamerson is a singer-songwriter from Prestonsburg, Kentucky, whose music beautifully blends Appalachian tradition with a fresh, heartfelt voice. Influenced by country and folk and artists like Loretta Lynn and John Prine, her songs tell deeply personal stories wrapped in warmth and honesty. Whether performing originals like “Run, Run Baby” or “Love Song,” Jamerson captures audiences with her soulful vocals and intimate stage presence. She’s appeared at standout venues and festivals such as Laurel Cove Music Festival, Manchester Music Festival, Master Musicians Festival, The Burl, Manchester Music Hall and Duke’s Indy, steadily growing a dedicated fanbase. She was named one of two ambassadors of the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame for 2026. With a style rooted in the mountains but reaching far beyond, Emily Jamerson delivers performances that feel both timeless and deeply personal.
Sarah Kate Morgan & Leo Shannon
Mountain dulcimer player Sarah Kate Morgan & fiddler Leo Shannon are traditional musicians living and teaching in Eastern Kentucky. Leo learned to play fiddle as a boy from older musicians around him and friends his own age growing up in Seattle. Leo plays now with The Onlies, John Haywood, Rhys Jones, and others. Sarah Kate’s first dulcimer was built by her grandfather has been playing dulcimer since she was 7 years old and her songwriting honors life in southern Appalachia and reflects her experience growing up on a farm in East Tennessee. Back home in eastern Kentucky, Leo and Sarah Kate collaborate to organize the Pick & Bow program, a free music program that provides free lessons in traditional Appalachian music to over 80 students in the community.
Chelsea Nolan
Raised in the hills of Appalachia and surrounded by self-taught musicians, Chelsea Nolan writes songs that are candid, gritty, and deeply rooted in lived experience. Her storytelling captures heartbreak, resilience, and the beauty found in everyday life, earning devoted fans who quickly began singing her lyrics back to her at shows.
After connecting with producer Tom Vrem, Chelsea recorded her debut EP, chelsea., at Nashville's renowned Blackbird Studios with an all-star lineup of regional musicians. In less than a year, she has gone from intimate songwriter stages to major festival performances, establishing herself as one of Appalachia's most compelling emerging voices. As W.B. Walker of the Old Soul Radio Show put it, "Chelsea Nolan is hands down one of the most requested artists I have ever played here... A true Appalachian gem if there ever was one.
Zoe Howard & Yellow Line
Zoe Howard is an Appalachian Rock artist from Salyersville, KY, located in the beautiful hills of Eastern Kentucky. She has taken the stage at the Mountain Arts Center several times as well as other venues. She writes original songs about her life, the people around her, and the beautiful state of Kentucky! Check out all her songs on all digital media and on hard copy CD’s as well.
Jen Tackett
Jen Tackett, a singer-songwriter from Georgetown, KY, grew up on a farm that shaped her love for music and agriculture.
With an infectious smile and a heart of gold, everyone knew that Jen was born to be an entertainer. She fondly remembers her first paying gig saying, "I was paid a quarter to stand on our kitchen table and sing 'Hey Good Lookin’ when I was four years old. From that moment on, I knew music would be a large part of my life". She wrote her first song in third grade and sang on tobacco wagons at family reunions and any stage she could find.
Jen says her music lies “somewhere between Debbie (Harry) and Dolly.” This is actually a title of a song she wrote. Her songs explore shared experiences that highlight the trials and triumphs with every song she writes. Jen's approach to songwriting runs deep and when asked about her process, she said, "For me, songwriting is not something I want to do, it is something I have to do.”
Kam Bugger
Kam Bugger is an independent singer-songwriter from the Midwest blending country, folk, and Americana influences into a sound that feels both timeless and personal. A finalist in several nationally recognized songwriting competitions, she has gained attention for her honest lyricism, vivid storytelling, and stripped-down acoustic performances rooted in real life experiences.
Adalyn Ramey
Award-winning singer/songwriter Adalyn Ramey had quickly emerged as one of the most recognizable young voices in Appalachian-inspired music today. Hailing from the mountains of eastern Kentucky, Adalyn has earned a reputation as “The Young Appalachian Storyteller,” captivating audiences with songs that beautifully reflect the heart, heritage, and spirit of Appalachia.
Blending powerful vocals with heartfelt songwriting, Adalyn’s original music has received airplay on radio stations across the US and internationally, while consistently appearing on Top 20 Bluegrass and Gospel radio charts. Since 2023, she has garnered more than 30 award nominations and honors, with recognition reaching from Jacksonville to Nashville, the legendary Grand Ole Opry House, and even Hollywood, California.
Violet and the Newsroom
Violet and the Newsroom’s Kentucky roots are planted deep in their craft. The three-piece stringband, all alumni of Morehead State University, blend country and indie covers with old-time standards. Violet Updike leads with melody on fiddle; Anabel Peterman and Clay Wallace keep rhythm on upright bass and mountain dulcimer. All three are singers and multi-instrumentalists, laying down three-part harmony wherever they can.
Jewelweed
Kentucky-based string band Jewelweed was forged at a bonfire jam near Berea. Their captivating, feel-good shows weave together traditions of old-time music with original songwriting. Jewelweed blends a love of Appalachian folk music with a contemporary, hard-driving sound to bring old-time into the new-time.
Janean Freeman
A musician, composer, and music educator based in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky, Janean Freeman specializes in Old-Time classics, pop standards, and art music. As a vocalist, pianist, and autoharp player, she has performed regionally, nationally, and internationally.
Named the 2024 Music Educator of the Year by the Appalachian Arts and Entertainment Awards, she has taught in universities and public schools throughout Eastern Kentucky since 2001. Students from her studio have performed internationally, excelled in competitive auditions, and earned awards at the local, regional, state, and national levels.
Amber Nicole
Currently a junior at Shelby Valley High School, she has had a passion for music ever since she was a little girl. She dedicates her music to her Papaw Mike, who passed away in 2022 and originally gave her a love for music. Believing that all music tells a story, she spends her free time either writing original songs or capturing moments through photography.
Meg Allen
Meg Allen is a Nashville-based singer-songwriter whose indie-folk sound blends honest storytelling with Appalachian influences. Her songwriting is rooted in vivid lyrics, personal experiences, and a love for connecting with audiences through music.Currently recording her debut EP as a senior project at Lipscomb University, Meg performs original music and select covers at venues, festivals, songwriter rounds, wineries, and private events throughout Kentucky and Tennessee.Recent performances include Levitt AMP Whitesburg, opening for Nicholas Jamerson, as well as Harpeth Hotel, Harkness Vineyards, Kokomo Trading Company, and songwriter rounds throughout Nashville.
Mountain Man Jam ft. The Big Badness
With a power vocal and screaming guitars reminiscent of the sounds of the 70’s, Kentucky blues rock band, The Big Badness, are unapologetically rock and roll. Pulling from their influences of the great rock and blues acts of the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and 90’s, their music is saturated with an almost swampy feeling of the south and a unique blend of soul, blues, and rock.