Sing Out, Kentucky

Southern Living, Mar 2008 by McKinney, Wanda

From Loretta Lynn to Dwight Yoakam, Kentucky's musicians know how to play. Come sit in on a performance, and hear for yourself. By Wanda McKinney

Charley Pride comes onstage and owns it, displaying great showmanship along with his well-honed baritone voice. The country music star feels at home in Nashville, Los Angeles, and all points abroad. But this night, he packs them in at Renfro Valley. The small southeastern Kentucky town just off I-75 about 50 miles south of Lexington really knows how to carry a tune.

A Big Barn for Big Talent A Kentucky institution for 69 years, the Renfro Valley Barn Dance doesn't show her age. This classic at the Renfro Valley Entertainment Center brought its network radio show, The Gatherin', to the masses back in the late fifties, teaching the rest of the country about the music of Appalachia. Local favorites from this part of the state, such as Red Foley, Homer and Jethro, and Merle Travis, went on to become nationally known country stars.

Now there's a new barn to accompany the original (and still-in-use) structure-both needed to shelter all the modern-day music fans who come to hear their favorites. Mickey Gilley, Ray Price, Ronnie Milsap, and George Jones arejust a few of the singers and musicians who bring droves of toe-tappers in weekly for the Headliner concert series. Tickets range from $20 to $60, depending on the act.

More To see in the Valley While you're in town, don't miss exploring the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame & Museum. You'll learn about the state's musical roots, beginning with churches and revivals in the 1800s. Check out the costumes donated by Dwight Yoakam, and walk the time line that notes the emergence of such Kentucky stars as Naomi Judd, Patty Loveless, Crystal Gayle, and the Everly Brothers, not to mention Loretta Lynn. You can record your own record, too, and also listen to the sounds of a mandolin, guitar, and violin.

Where the Stars First Shone There's still lots more to see regarding Kentucky's musical heritage. If you want to learn more, head farther north and east, and take a beautiful drive down U.S. 23, also known as the Country Music Highway. Ashland (the hometown of Wynonna and Naomi Judd) is a terrific place to start, because it contains the Art Deco-style Paramount Arts Center, which hosts live performances. Drive on south past Van Lear (hometown of sisters Loretta Lynn and Crystal Gayle), and you'll arrive at Prestonsburg, home of the Kentucky Opry at the Mountain Arts Center. Prestonsburg is where a young Dwight Yoakam first caught the attention of the public, and he's on the Kentucky Opry's Board of Directors.