FRANKFORT, Ky. – Blooms and tunes are in store for visitors to nine counties in along the Route 23 corridor in Eastern Kentucky this weekend, April 28-29. The Great Country Music Highway Hop features concerts, arts, crafts and refreshments at a wide variety of venues along the way to promote the recently released More Than Music tour book and entice travelers to view the beautiful redbud trees during official Redbud Month in Southern and Eastern Kentucky. http://www.tourseky.com/redbuds.lasso
Great Country Music Highway Hop events showcase artists and participants at various locations that are featured in the recently released More Than Music tour book and audio driving tour with a four-CD compilation produced by the Kentucky Arts Council. More Than Music guides visitors along the cultural landscape of Route 23 and directs listeners to side trips exploring communities like Sandy Hook, David and Butcher Holler. Many of those whose voices recorded the story of Route 23 on the CD tour will be gathering at Great Country Music Highway Hop venues to celebrate the CD's release and to welcome visitors to their towns and hollows, now bursting with redbud trees in bloom.
The Great Country Music Highway Hop begins Friday night, April 28th at the Paramount Arts Center in Ashland with the Paramount Joe's Rising Star Café. Highway Hop events will continue on Saturday, April 29th in 8 counties along or near the Country Music Highway. Appalshop in Whitesburg will also promote the More than Music tour book during Old Time Fiddle Day on May 6, with a Lee Sexton concert at 7:00 p.m.
More than Music can be purchased for $24.99 at various venues along the Country Music Highway Route 23 or online at the Kentucky Historical Society 1792 Store Web site at http://store.kentucky.gov/kyhs/.
For more information contact: Sarah Milligan at sarah.milligan@ky.gov 1-877-444-7868 ext 4434.
NOTE TO EDITORS: High resolution print quality photo of More Than Music book cover available upon request to Ed.Lawrence@ky.gov.
Details for each Great Country Music Highway Hop event are listed below.
April 28
Boyd County
Paramount in Ashland
1300 Winchester Ave
Ashland, KY 41101
(606) 324-3175
7:00 p.m.
Joe’s Rising Star Café — See and hear some of the area’s best up-and-comers in the historic lobby of the Historic Paramount Theater beginning at 7:00 p.m. with fiddler Roger Cooper. Hosted by Gary Neuman and Sonya Crites of WTCR’s Homegrown Show. $5.00 admission
Johnson County
Country Music Highway Museum, Paintsville
120 Staves Branch Rd
Paintsville, KY 41240
(606) 297-1469
6:00 p.m. -8:00 p.m.
Country Music Talent Review features the brand new talent of Highway 23.
Paintsville Spring Fling
Downtown Paintsville
5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Artists from the region will showcase their work.
April 29
Greenup County
Flatwoods Public Library
1705 Argillite Rd.
Flatwoods, KY 41139
(606) 836-3771
Start the highway hop at the beginning of the More than Music tour in Greenup County. Experience the new traveling exhibit based on the research for More than Music with a reception and a viewing of the exhibit from 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. This will include music and stories from some of the local artists featured on the driving tour book and CD.
Lawrence County
Art and Music at Paveillon
Highway 23 outside of Louisa
11:00 a.m. to dusk: music, food and crafts demonstrations, featuring favorite area bands such as The Ransom Band and The Mule Band. Special motorcycle show begins at 3:00 p.m. when riders arrive at the Paveillon to display their custom bikes.
Elliott County
Laurel Gorge Cultural Heritage Center
Three miles north of Sandy Hook- Off Route 7 on Old Route 7
Open 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
(606) 738-5543
Music by Don Rigsby from 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and interactive demonstrations by well-known Elliott County folk artists
Johnson County
Oil Springs Cultural Arts Recreation Center (OSCAR)
7846 Hwy 40W
Oil Springs, KY 41238
12:00 noon - 5:00 p.m.
Ten interactive arts activities and a group of Highway 23 Roster Artists
Floyd County
David Appalachian Craft/David Reunion
Hwy 404
David, KY 41616
(606) 886-2377
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Music and Craft Demonstration, refreshments
Pike County
Bob’s Barbecue
1028 South Mayo Trail
Pikeville, KY
8:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Art exhibit featuring local artists and music provided by local musicians.
Harlan County
L&N Depot
Highway 160
Lynch, KY
(606) 848-1530
From 4:00 p.m. into the evening, The Lee Sexton Band with Ray Slone will provide square dance music. Listen to talk stages and stories with local miners and musicians. Specials guests, The Ravizee Family gospel group will share high-spirited music. Favorite local food will be available and guest will receive free redbud trees.
May 5-6
Letcher County
Appalshop
Old Time Jam/ Old Time Fiddle Day
91 Madison
Whitesburg, KY
(606) 633-0108
May 5
4:00 p.m.
Old Time Fiddle Day begins with workshops through the evening.
May 6
Old Time Jam throughout the day
10:00 a.m.
Fiddle workshops begin and continue throughout the day
1:00 p.m.
From the Roots Live: Fiddle Day Concert
7:00 pm
Master workshop and evening concert with Lee Sexton, who is featured in the More Than Music tour book.
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The Kentucky Arts Council joins the National Endowment for the Arts in celebrating 40 years of public support for the arts. The Kentucky Arts Council is a state agency in the Commerce Cabinet that invests in programs that develop vibrant communities, provide lifelong education in the arts and support arts participation. Every $1 in grant funds awarded by the Kentucky Arts Council helps grantees secure $15 in earned income and matching funds from individuals, philanthropic sources and other levels of government. Kentucky Arts Council funding is provided by the Kentucky State Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency, which believes that a great nation deserves great art.