Arts
“The Local Honeys are comprised of Linda Jean Stokley and Montana Hobbs. Stokley from the rolling hills of the Bluegrass, and Hobbs from the foothills of the Appalachian region have developed a sweet sound of the bluegrass kissing the mountains. They have dedicated themselves to the preservation of old music and the creation of new music. Their songwriting often reflects subject matter that little girls ought not talk about. In this episode of CLOSESOUND, The Local Honeys describe the creative process that led to their 2019 album “The Gospel” which offers a complex sketch of their relationship to Gospel music and rural Kentucky religious traditions. The album features traditional gospel songs, contemporary songs by East Kentucky writers, and satirical pieces about hippocracies within particular branches of the church. They express the deep and often confusing relationship many young inhabitants of the bible belt have to Christianity. In Montana’s own words, “even though it is faith based music, faith is not required as a listening tool. It’s just simply listening openly for what moves you, what compels you, and how that makes you feel.” They also discuss the recent emergence of a music scene in East and Central Kentucky, and dive into questions around the political and social responsibility of artists. How can music catalyze social change? Are artists responsible to make their communities better places— whether that be as light of a task as organizing a square dance or concert for pure entertainment, or as heavy as performing overtly political music in response to the violence exploitative coal companies? References: The Gospel http://www.thelocalhoneys.com/album/f4stgu30hvpye9h1uwklmfbc2fk85j Kentucky Center for Traditional Music Stephanie Jeter Cowan Creek Mountain Music School Jesse Wells Clack Mountain String Band Carmen Rogers (my Mom) Don Rogers (my Dad) John Harrod (Check out episode on Black Kentucky Fiddlers) Don’t Be A Square Brett Ratliff Kentucky Old-Time Music, Inc.: https://www.lexgathering.com/ The Burl Ricky Wasson Meadowgreen Appalachian Music Park Mt. Sterling Court Days John Looney and Anna Kline (Grits and Soul http://gritsandsoul.com/) https://kfrecords.de/ The Miles Brothers: http://www.waynegraham.co/wg/index.php#splash Ona: http://www.thebandona.com/ Chris Justice Jimmy McCowan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9poWNvCIoeY Matt Kinman Moses Nelligan Jean Ritchie: Black Waters https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFVdp1KJiqM The Black Jewel Miner’s Blockade: https://www.wvpublic.org/post/former-blackjewel-miners-end-railroad-blockade-kentucky#stream/0 Rich and the Po’ Folk: https://www.appalshop.org/store/june-appal-recordings-by-format/cd-compact-disc/rich-and-the-po-folk-when-the-whistle-blew/ Rich Kirby (my fave song-singer of all time) Pierceton Hobbs Fodder Shock “Dying to Make a Livin” Loretta Lynn: “The Pill”, “Fist City” Martha Carson: “Weighed in the Balance” Kitty Wells: “Christmas Ain’t Like Christmas Anymore” Brennan Leigh: https://www.brennenleigh.net/biography Noel Mckay: http://www.noelmckay.com/ John Prine: “The Great Compromise” Tyler Childers Ian Noe Larry Webster, author of “High on a Mountain” Ella Webster Molly O’Day: “I’m Going Home on the Morning Train” Alfred Karnes “We Shall All be Reunited” Robbie Wells “The Waters of the James” Don Stover The Blue Sky Boys “I’m S-A-V-E-D” Sharon Shannon Ouita Michaels Hindman Settlement School Sheila Kay Adams Alice Gerrard Rebecca Gayle Howell Addie Graham Appalachian Reckoning Ivy Brashear: https://www.kystudentenvironmentalcoalition.org/the-young-kentuckian-blog/response-to-hillbilly-elegy Robert Gipe Appalshop: https://www.appalshop.org/ Nate Polly Sexy Sex Ed Tanya Turner Girls Rock Alliance https://girlsrocklouisville.org/ https://appalshop.networkforgood.com/projects/69137-girls-rock-whitesburg Carrie Wells Mitchella Phipps Slut Pill: https://slutpill.bandcamp.com/