This year I traveled out to my good friend Dustin Kennedy’s family farm in Whitleyville Tennessee, where I (attempted to) cover my third year of this festival here the North Springs Music Festival, that I adore for so many reasons. In the years that I have been attending this festival, I have indeed met many wonderful people and this year was a rare occasion as well. This year I got really sick during the event, and my story will be included in this. This issue I am having is also what caused me to miss a few other music events I attend yearly.
This festival has grown exponentially mostly by word of mouth on social media and also solely by the work of his amazing team that labors tirelessly year in and year out. Folks, this is not Bonaroo where they have millions of dollars to promote this event…were talking flyers in the local IGA…and yet this festival is impressive to me in many ways. By no means does it consist of rows and rows of vendors with flashy trinkets or CBD oils, but it does have some really fun ones to visit.
I indeed got to spend a lot of time looking around, and thankfully I got my North Springs hoodie and shirt early before I had to abruptly leave. All things considered, I bought a good lot of merch and I did get to reconnect with many people in the business the first day. When I arrived and got settled in this young man Sam Lowe was playing “Long Haired Country Boy” and some other original songs. I did delve into his collection of singles, but I do not believe he has a full length debut album as of yet.
Additionally, I missed the National Anthem and the first act Cherokee Hope, who I remember played “Want To Be Free” from her 2023 EP “Wakin’ Up And Rollin’ With It’, as I was parking in my spot. Like I have said before last year, you can pretty much pull up to a good spot and listen and see everything VERY well from a camp spot. see, artists like these two playing early sets at places like this are integral for growth, and one of the reasons I like to go early.
I parked behind the lounge area for Mountain View Talent whom works with Clint Park and recently respectfully parted ways with Tony Logue, both of whom I will divulge on later in this article. I finally got to meet the man behind the management Chris Edwards, and I wished I could’ve had more time to talk shop with him.
This was the third year for one of my favorite champions of sobriety from the Florida area the name of Wes Shipp. I think he receives a lot of bullshit from the music community as being someone who just goes around playing cover songs. Those idiots couldn’t be more delusional. If anything, I am enjoying watching him grow as formidable force in the local community, and his new song “Jekyll & Hyde” is the title of the Whey Jennings album out this year.
He played his original song “Citrus County Jail” and although he does not have a long list of albums out, his originals are really good and he is one of my favorite ones out these busting their ass on the road now. Another reason I enjoy him a lot is his choice of covering obscure songs like his version of George Jones “The King Is Gone, So Are you” from the 1989 One Woman Man album.
He played one from a hero of his, and a hero of mine as well. None other than the traveling Outlaw songwriter Billy Don Burns and the song he played was “Lonesome 77203” from the album called “Train Called Lonesome”. Also included in his set was a song he wrote about his father called “My Old Man”, and a Keith Whitley song “Between An Old Memory And Me”.
I have a tremendous amount of admiration for Wes, and his admiration of the era of Country I GREW UP with the likes of Aaron Tippin, John Anderson, Keith Whitley, and Alabama. I mean, just the way the lyrics are sung….he has that style of vocal presentation. And it speaks to me. One thing an active recovering addict can easily see in a person is another active recovering addict. You cannot argue with me for one moment that he isn’t as real as they come.
One of the many genres of music I love is Country, and basically the term “90’s Country” was not really pop country, however it was still juxtaposed into the airplay program on the FM radio at that time. CD’s were the IN thing, and there are very few 90’s Country albums on vinyl now. Wes has a common love for Confederate Railroad and Joe Diffie and all those great names.
Next up was another one of the Kentucky boys that are embarking into the local music communities from the eastern part of the state…the growing in popularity Country from the Appalachian region. The major issue I have is that many of the solo acts from that region all just basically try to sound like Tyler Childers. Now, just bear with me on this note for a moment about this young man Hunter Flynn
If you just sit back and relax, and soak in this guy’s setlist of songs, you are going to find out that this artist has many of the same influences they all have. That influence culminates into their own songs, and also the covers they chose to include. This man caught my ear by doing a cover of a VERY COOL artist named Nicholas Jamerson, He played a song called “It’s A Long Way To Wheelwright” from his 2018 album NJ. Sometimes I include links to other bands and festivals, so I can branch out traffic to EVERYONE.
You have to really immerse yourself into the lyrics of the dark side and lighter side of the Appalachian history stories of struggle and poverty still contain love for the Lord and honest pride in being a good person. Mountain folk have heavily influenced many genres of music and art for decades, and that song was evidence.
He did a Cody Lee Meece song called “Can’t Never Could”, who’s 2023 album “No Excuses” boasted that song. There was another sign of his avidity for local music on another level. Many of these artists are into the same people I am into, and that helps to delve into more artists. That alone is why festivals like this one are important.
Other songs he did in his set were one called “You Just Don’t Know Me” and another one that really hit me called “Granny’s Song”. Anybody that has lost a parent or grandparent has lived through this song by all means. And it contains a very powerful line ” May the Lord be with you when the morphine hits you”. That song right there took any doubt from me about his validity. He also played another called ‘Spanish Street Signs”, and one other.
Now, these next two on the lineup tonight I once covered at the Tumbleweed Music Festival in Kansas many years ago, and this past year I did get to catch up with Ritch Henderson and Taylor Hunnicutt. I have not seen the The Comancheros since Tumbleweed.
“Far From home” is one of his best songs in my opinion, I love some of the lead intros he does live when he has another guitarist with him. Sometimes when he is solo he omits many of those short leads he does so well, but nevertheless I have always enjoyed his sets.
Now, from his Alive In Alabama album he played “The Dance”. And from the four letter words album he played “Finally Comi’n Round”. Many of his songs speak to me from a standpoint of sobriety and have helped me maintain my own sobriety. I truly was having a good time down there until I abruptly had to leave for medical reasons, and right now I will share some pics of the vendors and merch areas.
I did get a chance to shop around for some merch and some snacks for the evening before I went back to the stage for the next acts of the evening. I got to finally catch up with Issac Denton Artwork, and got to re connect with some old friends. Now, before I came down here this weekend, I wasn’t feeling so well. I did get to stay the rest of the night, but I had to leave early Saturday for colon issues.
The Comancheros I was introduced to by attending the Tumbleweed festivals and I have been an avid fan of theirs for the years I had not seen them. since then, three full albums have been released. So basically, I caught them in their early stages before ‘Heavy And Western” became a household name in any local music lovers verbiage. I mean seriously, look how they have grown into an immoveable force for their area, this band is going places already there is no WILL about it.
This band moves around so much, I didn’t bring a camera with a shutter speed fast enough to capture them PERFECTLY like I had intended to, so here are some terrific single shots of them. At the end here I will post many of the others I took, that didn’t “make the article”. I also didn’t get to spend eoungh time with my Buddies over at Reelsound Productions that made the show sound so amazing.
These guys not only made up their own style of music, they also made up their own style of clothes and stage attire. This band is an absolutely mind blowing juxtaposition of my two favorite genres…Country and Metal. ALL KINDS of Metal. Guys, I get it…I am WITH YOU. When I heard you guys do “Locomotive Breath” live I heard that rhythm chunk, those beloved power chords …..who cares if this is a Country blog. 75% of them need to pay attention to this band and watch real stage presence.
“We Own The Night” is a song that is aptly titled to describe them for sure. They DO own the night indeed. They are a very hard working trio putting a lot of miles out there on the road, while maintaining a strong Missouri presence. Another song that I liked was “White Trash Throne”. It has a truly amazing old school Metal riff , used in a Country format. They also played the “Cowboy Song” , and ” The Day George Jones Died”.
So, right now I will talk about and include pics of the last act I got to watch before I got unbelievably sick to my stomach. I wanted to share a few memories about my local music friend Rye Davis. I have featured him on my website many times through the years, and some of those older songs of his are almost classics to someone like me.
Yeah, I’m going to skip around on the set here but a song like “Blue Jeans” is one of those overlooked and well written songs you find lingering in the dive bars and family bars like The Spillway, where we initially met. I’ve been blessed enough to get to watch him and his wife start a family and maintain a road warrior status, and I am always excited to catch up with him.
He does indeed play some covers in his set like “The Ride” by David Allan Coe and “The Legend Of Wooley Swamp” by Charlie Daniels band. He has an album from 2020 called “Cut To Tape”, and from that album he played the songs “If You Wanna Rock And Roll” , “Save You A Seat” and “King Me’.
From the 2024 new album called “A Long Time Coming”, he played “Trouble” and “It Should Be” . To be honest, this album is quickly becoming my favorite. I would like to tell you guys why these songs speak to me so well. “It Should Be” is exactly how I try to apply those old golden values.
Not only have I had the opportunity to watch him become a father but I have also watched him grow as a songwriter, and how he delineates his ideas to us in lyrics. Many of his songs are so well written and portrayed so vividly that it rivals some of his older songs.
Just like last year, I was impressed with how family friendly this festival still is. I did get to meet Isaac Denton and admire his artwork of the many people in the world of independent music world. Here are some pictures of his work and his kids carving pumpkins! There are so many kids playing and dogs playing that this truly is a comfortable place to share love for music.
at this time I went back to my car because I began to feel uneasy and I wanted to rest. I had kept getting sick over and over that previous week. I fell asleep and I awoke early that next morning and thought I was hungry. I even grilled pork chops! Immediatly after I ate I became very sick and packed up to go to the hospital. Initially in 2014 I lost half of my colon to cancer, and I get infections a lot…in fact, let’s just say I was pretty sick. That next morning I was forced to go get checked into the hospital..so at this point let’s talk about what I know of Day 2.
Before I move forward I wanted to say thank you to the nurse from across the campground that checked on me. I never did remember your name, and you didn’t do it for glory. I hope very much that we cross paths next year and I can thank you properly. That kind of community we have in this music world is what makes festivals like this beyond amazing. Why? I feel safe and I can contribute to help others feel that way. That’s my main reason for sharing my emergency…if anyone is worried about that, many times at festivals people really do look out for one another.
Day 2 had some names you will see in a lot of 2024 best of lists and I’m going to talk about their songs I watched on Youtube from this festival.
Whey Jennings I am sorry so sorry that I missed your set and got sick. I’ll be writing more abut you in the near future. I wanted to share some memories of Outlaws And Icons when you walked up on Steve Young and sang that ol song ‘Lonesome Onry And Mean’ to him?
We really did not get to cross paths often enough through the years like I did with some of the other people I met up with at that festival in 2014, but it was truly nice to see him. Other people that played were good old Ward Davis who played ‘Sound Of Chains”.
This year was a big one for the ladies of Country, including the very talented young lady from Alabama known to everybody as Taylor Hunnicutt. her new album called ‘Alabama Sound” is amazing. The last time I got to see her, many of these songs she was doing weren’t on any album. ‘In It For The Pain” is one of her better songs from the album…..I mean we have all been in some toxic relationships at one point or another. This song both justifies and also laments the toxic relationship that she is going through in this song.
“Saw Blade Hill” was played but the song “Runaway” was from another EP that she released this year, and that was called “With All Due Respect”. She is currently burning up the roads across America doing shows all over the Nation. Speaking of road warriors many others have infiltrated the ranks of this festival like my friend Tony Logue. He is another one that I just don’t get to see often enough, and he is one hell of a friend.
His band played “Callaway County”, and from his 2022 album called “Jericho” he played the song “Road To Richmond”. Another name I am going to mention here , is one that I have featured in previous articles for North Springs. Tim Goodin is a great songwriter and artist that always brings a terrific set.
His 2023 album called “True Stories And Flat Out Lies” has the song called ‘The Huntin Song” is a song that certainly speaks to me as a hunter myself. I was born and raised to hunt deer since 6 and I am 55 tomorrow. Hey Mr. Tim if you’re reading this be safe this year. He also played a song off that same album called “Son Of Appalachia”.
However, his most powerful and poignant song is called “Pills And Poverty”. Unfortunately, there are so many songs from so many artists about the state of how things are in this region. In this song, it sounds so genuine and honest because he is talking about his own hometown.
Parker Barrow dammit, I’m SO bummed that I missed this band. Every chance I get to run into them, some shit happens and I can’t see the show. They played their song called “Throwing Stones” from their 2023 album called ‘jukebox Gypsies” which was a definite banger.
