Yes, you read that right. Eastern Kentucky.
I first visited the far reaches of the Bluegrass State in 1999, hoping to make an acceptable impression on two very important people—the parents of a girl I would end up marrying.
Never having experienced such a meeting before, my nerves only multiplied when I realized I had traveled to what felt like another country, also known as Appalachia.
Middle of nowhere seemed like an apt description, until I understood I was in fact somewhere, that being in a vast coalfield.
The accents weren’t northern, nor were they southern. They were just…Appalachian.
Regardless, the visit went okay, and I was allowed to return for more. And once I stopped judging the place based on elitist measures like cafés, boutiques, and college degrees, I learned that beneath the dust was something unexpected—creativity.
In Eastern Kentucky, where grueling labor and the mere desire to survive reign supreme, there’s no time for the privilege of self-adulation. Instead, this disrespected part of the US has produced some of the nation’s most honest storytellers, otherwise known as country musicians.
Here’s a look at 10 of the finest, presented in order of birth year. If you’re a geography buff, you can follow along with this map.
Loretta Lynn (1932-2022)
Born in Butcher Hollow in Johnson County, Lynn is still considered the gold standard as it pertains to country music. The daughter of a coal miner, her 1970 hit “Coal Miner’s Daughter” inspired a biographical musical of the same name and, over a half century later, continues to move listeners to tears.
The Judds (Naomi 1946-2022, Wynonna born 1964)
Hailing from Ashland in Boyd County, this mother-daughter duo burst onto the scene in the 1980s, charting multiple hits including “Why Not Me,” a shout out to simple Kentucky girls like themselves.
Keith Whitley (1954-1989)
A product of Sandy Hook in Elliott County, Whitley’s life was cut tragically short by alcoholism, but his brief career still produced hits like “I’m No Stranger to the Rain.” He lives on in the tracks of subsequent generations, including one by Morgan Wallen that carries Whitley’s name.
Ricky Skaggs (born 1954)
Born in Lawrence County, Skaggs has made a name for himself with his virtuosity, a gift that makes him perfectly suited for bluegrass. In “Appalachian Joy,” there’s no mistaking the skills nor the music’s connection to the Old World.
Dwight Yoakam (born 1956)
Yoakam was born in Pikeville (Pike County), which by Eastern Kentucky standards is not an afterthought, even attracting an Applebee’s! He’s gone on to a highly successful career, along the way penning classics like “Guitars, Cadillacs.”
Patty Loveless (born 1957)
Also from Pikeville, Loveless has topped the country charts on multiple occasions, but it’s her cover of “You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive”—as in Harlan County—that is her most poignant look at the coal mines that took her father’s life via black lung disease.
Billy Ray Cyrus (born 1961)
Hailing from Flatwoods in Greenup County, Cyrus may now be better known for his daughter Miley, but his 1992 hit “Achy Breaky Heart” paved the way for his own highly successful career.
Chris Stapleton (born 1978)
After growing up in Staffordsville in Johnson County, Stapleton became a respected songwriter in Nashville, later translating that talent into his own portfolio. In “White Horse,” he reminds us that when desired, country musicians can totally rock.
Sturgill Simpson (born 1978)
Born in Jackson (Breathitt County), Simpson has made a career of defying genres, and “Turtles All the Way Down” is the perfect representation of his country / alt rock / psychedelia blend.
Tyler Childers (born 1991)
And finally, from Lawrence County comes a still-rising star, one known for his gifted songwriting. In “Nose on the Grindstone,” Childers recounts his father’s labor in the Pike County mines, telling of the good people and the hard times their children have fallen upon.
In other words, thank you Eastern Kentucky, not just for fueling the country, but for fueling country.
