Local artists made global impact
BY PHILL BARNETT
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
The slowed production of the first two years of the pandemic made for an explosive year for entertainment in 2022 at both a local and national level.
While some of the best TV, music and movies we’ve seen in years were released from artists around the world, eastern Kentuckians made major waves this year.
Eastern Kentucky artists of all media were hard at work this year, pouring their souls into their craft. We saw music releases, art exhibits and festivals all year long showcasing the innumerable talent of our region.
Louisa construction worker Noah Thompson scored Kentucky its first “American Idol” winner in May in the show’s 20th season.
Martin County native Josey McCoy was cast as a series regular in the animated children’s show “Batwheels” on Cartoonito (HBO/Cartoon Network). McCoy voiced the Riddler’s artificially intelligent helicopter Quizz.
After rising to top original preschool show on HBO MAX, “Batwheels” was renewed for a second season in early December.
The Garden Theater in Louisa held its first full season in 100 years featuring local and professional actors for dinner shows, comedies, dramas and musicals. The shows put up at the Garden Theater are produced by the Mountain Movers Theatre Company.
Lovely-based artist Hefner gained recognition in 2022 as her paintings were featured in multiple exhibits including a solo exhibition Haus of Hef at the MAC in August.
Pikeville-based singer-songwriter Logan Halstead and Boyd county-native Cole Chaney were each featured on the session video series OurVinyl, through which they each released acoustic EPs.
A new session video series called Three Sheets to the Wind emerged this year, featuring artists from Appalachia. The Laid Back Country Picker of Fallsburg was featured in one of their most recent episodes, performing songs from his upcoming album “Go West,” which he will be releasing on CD and 8-track.
Musical Moonshine, a video production company from Fallsburg also released several session videos this year featuring artists from the region.
Knott Countian Tyra Madison released a music video for her song “Bridesmaid” featuring Inez’s own Kaitlyn and Wesley Hager.
This year also saw releases from national acts from the area including Sturgill Simpson who released a duet single with Angel Olsen called “Big Time” and Chris Stapleton who released a driving new single “I’m A Ram.”
In April, Senora May and Tyler Childers announced they were going to have a baby. Childers continued to shock the world with a triple-album release in September with little announcement. The album, “Can I Take My Hounds to Heaven?” is a Gospel-inspired journey through spirituality and growing up in eastern Kentucky.
Prestonsburg-based country/folk-rock duo Sundy Best released several singles this year, gearing up for their new album “Feel Good Country,” set to release March 23.
Both members of Sundy Best, Kristofer Lee Bentley and Nicholas Jamerson were also hard at work this year on solo projects in 2022. Each singer-songwriter released six singles under his own name and played shows around the country.
Festivals in eastern Kentucky in 2022 were electric, from Sundy Best’s second annual Kinfolk reunion in partnership with the MAC to Lawrence County’s star-studded Septemberfest featuring Lawrence County natives Tyler Childers, Ricky Skaggs, Larry Cordle, Noah Thompson and others. Alleyfest, Apple Day and Martin County’s own Harvest Fest saw great crowds come out to watch top local talent.
Eastern Kentucky music royalty was lost in 2022 with the passing of Naomi Judd of Ashland in April and Loretta Lynn of Butcher Hollow in October. Both singers paved the way for women in country music and changed the genre as a whole with their prolific careers.
Eastern Kentuckians repeatedly held the spotlight this year, showing the world just a little glimpse of what we have to offer. With each production, song and brush stroke may we write our futures and preserve our history.