I have been dealing with some serious mental issues from my sobriety and I am currently dealing with my teeth being all coming out as another result. I should be able to fully rock in 2026, as I am beginning to formulate a plan to do this when I retire soon. I wish to spend my life supporting all of the bands I feature on this website.
The ranch itself usually changes a little each year when I visit but overall they usually have this event during a clear and crisp autumn weekend and I am usually enjoying the weather and the environment as well as the company too. I really have fun here because it is so tucked away and intimate. You can cook your own food at a camp you set up and be close enough to hear the music and even see it!
There have been many wonderful events that have resulted from that event like this one here that happens up in Tennessee but hell I cannot tell you where, I just remember how to get there. I just wanted to get out and enjoy the day with folks I haven’t seen in ages.
I met some new ones too, like Seth Williams from my home state of Wisconsin. Even though I love my Kentucky home and have for 26 years now, I am indeed from Wisconsin. There are some more pics of all of these folks on my own Facebook. He played some songs he wrote called “Into the Dark”, and another called “Crawling Skin”.
There were more songs included in his set called “Change” and another called “The Ballad for the Lonely People”, and after telling some stories behind many of them he played “Upon the Shore” and lastly, “Juno”.
This next gal I wanted to talk about was an old buddy girl of mine Kitty Dearing who played solo today (well she had friends join her) and her band is called the Dagnabbits. Folks she is a damn OG and you aren’t going to change my mind on that, because if you aren’t a Rumpke Mountain Boys fan, why are you wrong? She has been one of my Muddy Buddies for years just like the rest of these folks like Martin and Stacey Peterson whom I met very early on at Muddy Roots. These people mean a lot to me because they accepted a nerd like me into their fold back in 2010 out there in that Muddy field.
She is a damn road dog just like many of the other female artists whom in my opinion often outshine the men in Country Music, like my next job is about Emily Nenni, go check her out. See just like Kitty Dearing, that is the sound I like. THAT IS how a gal sings Country Music. Every word she sings better make me feel like I been kicked in the privates, songs like “Self Centered Boys”. If you venture off into other articles on this website, you will find other GOOD female artists that play COUNTRY!
She also played a cover of “Fox On The Run” and two other originals from her album she released last year which were “The Devil” and “Ain’t Getting Laid”. So basically I am going to put a bunch of my favorite pictures from the day 2 of the event, I did not go to day 1. I am sadly getting to an age where weather plays a huge factor in if my own body can function right.
Here she is with another old friend of mine Tim Vee, man I haven’t seen him in years and it sure was a blessing to see him play again, he played later on in the day at 9pm and I am not mistaken there is a pic of him performing somewhere on here. It was very nice to remember Duane Mark, I miss him stopping over at the house on his tours his spirit is hopefully here with me in my home.
Tim Vee recorded a classic cover with Duane Mark and Chandra Brill that I enjoyed and I miss the old Moon runners crowd and all my Muddy Roots friends. He played “Breaking Down” from his Snake Charmer album from 2020 however has been playing these songs for years. I found an old video from 2017 of his I may embed it here.
It really is quite enjoyable to sit out here with all my old friends and all of the new ones I make and enjoy songs like this song“Said and Done” and “Don’t Forget to Say I love You”. Many of these folks have been keeping the roads worn out for 10 or 20 years now and Tim Vee is one of them. But wait, there is more!
How about Rico Del Oro who played this afternoon with a set that included one called “Phantom Touch” from his 2024 Durango album along with “Judas” and “Goodbye Lover”. I am not entirely sure who I took photos of and who I missed so I will just lump them on here. What I wanted to focus on was the music that was shared with me for a good cause.
He played another original called “Cactus Flower” that I do not think is on any album and he also played a really rousing version of Chris Issak’s classic “Wicked Game” Damn he did a really good job on that cover from one of my favorite albums of his catalog “Heart Shaped World” of 1989…Let’s look at some more pictures.
Now, like I was telling you, the property is cozy, intimate and open enough to have the ability to let the kids run around and not get lost. Within reason of course, there is a creek that toddlers can fall into and you cannot just ignore them but at the same time they can play! This is a kid and family friendly environment that I myself always enjoy.
I have been friends with these folks for many years. Weddings. Babies. I have been blessed to have been here to see it all. Listen, the meaning of life is watching others grow. All of these music festivals mean the world to me, and it is pretty much who I am.
Swamp Rats came down from Michigan and played a set of songs,one I remembered was called “Sorrow” and while they let their inspirations show vividly through their version of .357 String Band song“Fire And Hail”, they showed individuality. Another on the roster today was Hobo Houston. He played one called “Diary of a Road Warrior”, and a road Warrior he is indeed having been played shows in all 50 states!
He played one called “Just to Get High” which related to me well, being a recovered addict He also played a bunch of great cover songs like “Going Down the road Feeling Bad” and others. I want to say he played a Ronnie Milsap song but I cannot recall totally.
Yes Ma’am I am telling you I enjoy this no matter who or whatever lineup they have man It sure was fun to see him before the God Damn Gallows last year and I will also see them at the Spring Awakening at Waterloo Falls which is near where they have Muddy Roots each year.
Yes Ma’am played “Dig Your Grave” which is one of my favorites that they play and that is from their 2015 “Bless This Mess” album ( yes, Jayke Orvis also did as well , not the same). And from their album called “Runaway” they played that title song and one called “Brush Your Teeth’. The Runaway album was released in 2021.
RT Valine was there to play songs like “Ain’t Enough Whiskey” and others but another one that I do remember was “Long Gone”. Jade Arrow was there to play songs like “Bone Orchard Lullaby” , Roger Miller’s “King of the Road” and another original called “Before the Radio”. From over in Alabama we had Ramblin’ Ricky Tate play songs like “Yes,I am the Devil” and another dark song called “Blood or Wine”.
He played more original songs and a Carter Family cover for us as well. The very last band I wanted to talk a little bit about, none other than Steering Ships with Empty Bottles, or as we call them S..S.Web.After these more pictures.
This band really showed me a lot of other bands but when I found them, it was indeed one of the sounds I was salivating over at the time. More dark themed Stringband stuff was what I like more than anything, but at that time the Dead South had just started and many of those bands did not evolve yet.
The first song they did was the classic “Sharpen up the Meat Cleaver”, from their new album called “Revenge when it Matters Most” they played “Smoke in the Eye”. Man, they done busted all of those good tunes out like “Drag me Straight To Hell”.
Honestly, they played so many I could not write them all down fast enough I was jamming so hard to songs like “GAMBLING” and all of those rowdy ass songs they are known for. I bet I have been to about 20 S.S.Web shows to date…All in all I had an overly amazing time with my friends here again and I hope to see you soon.
