Deep in the hills of Appalachia lies a little town on the Kentucky/Tennessee border that bears the name Pineville. At first look you might wonder what’s so special about Pineville? Or what is special about Bell County in general? Well, let me be the one to tell you. Laurel Cove Music Festival, that’s what. This is one of the greatest venues in the great state of Kentucky. Nobody sets the stage more beautifully and no other venue I have yet visited has had the incredible seating arrangements that the cove offers. Just before the main stage is a beautiful little pond that stretches across the entirety of the stage separating fans from pickers and creating some great photo opportunities of musicians and announcers' reflections in the water. While there, I heard someone refer to this spot as “the Red Rocks of Appalachia” and that has been how I mostly describe it when speaking in person. Among the many great venues and festivals in the Bluegrass state, this one stands out for its incredible display of staging and the lineup. Driving to Pineville was quite a treat as well. My wife and I were lucky enough to stay with some friends at a cabin up the hill from the festival grounds and if you are able to drive over the mountain at Pine Mountain State Park, you absolutely should. There are breath-taking views that will nicely accompany the sounds that you may find at Laurel Cove Music Festival.

This was my 4th festival of the year and to say I was excited would be an understatement. The lineup included some artists I know and love and some that I was eager to meet. To list all the names here would be a futile attempt at what the more than impressive Jimbo Valentine did with his poster featuring multiple deer in tie-dye and overalls watching the show near the pond. It’s a fantastic piece of art and I was tickled to snag a poster for the collection. There were two stages setup, the aforementioned main stage and a smaller stage down the hill from the main stage. I believe they called it the Campfire Stage. I tried my best to catch all of the acts and some of you may not know, but a man of my stature doesn’t exactly get around at superman speeds so I was thankful for the assistance of the volunteers driving the golf carts. Some of the finest acts played that campfire stage. There are a few I feel deserve an honorable mention. Clarke Sexton has one of the most buttery voices I have ever heard and anyone that disagrees is just missing out. Plain and simple. Abby Hamilton serves a song better than most in the game and her song “Trailer Park Queen” is simply a hit in my books. Lance Rogers is one of the finest songwriters in the region, sounds incredible, and looks good doin’ it. Vincent Neil Emerson is a Texan Gem and anyone that missed that set missed a really incredible performance. Emerson is one I was eager to meet and was thankful to snag a picture with him and Garrett McKie from the Hippies and Cowboys Podcast.

Every act that graced either of these stages were more than worthy of being on them. A few more performances I’ll chime in on would include a set from Sierra Ferrell dressed in a very nautical theme but still playing the sweet noises and wailing her vocals throughout the hills. One from Eric Bolander and These Assholes which is always a treat. Bolander’s new record has been on my repeat list lately so seeing him live is really special to me and every time he sings “The Wind” I have a little moment. I unfortunately missed Cody Lee Meece but I am still gonna say he murdered it because I know him well enough to know he murdered it. Justin Wells put on a clinic and had an incredible backing band with him. My favorite memory of Wells isn’t on stage, though. It’s down by the creek where Phil Barnett and the fellers from Musical Moonshine were filming acts for the weekend. I was lucky enough to sing my song, “No One Turns Me On,” while being accompanied by Aaron Smith of Brother Smith (they were in the Morning Jays, among other acts throughout the weekend) and playing Wells’ Martin Guitar. After I played the tune I was mingling around with some of the other artists and Wells gave me a big ol’ hug right before Abe Partridge did the same thing. Partridge wasn’t on this years lineup but he deserves a mention for how wonderful of a “sawngwriter” he is and how wonderful of an artist he is. His visual art is off the chain.

I guess it wouldn’t be much of a review if I skipped over the Headliner, Charles Wesley Godwin. I had honestly never heard of Godwin before so imagine what a treat I was in for when he kicked things off. His band was really well seasoned and they put on one of the best shows of the weekend. I sat for a while before my legs took me to the side of the stage where John R. Miller happened to be standing. He had put on a songwriting clinic just a few sets before and his entire band was more in the pocket than most peoples cell phones, who were just trying to capture a moment that should only have been savored in real time. I spoke with Miller after offering him some of the “Boom Chicka Pop'' I was carrying around and we spoke briefly about working when he’s not touring and he told me he really enjoyed landscaping, which was not too surprising considering how hard of a worker John R. seems to be. I suppose it’s safe to say that Miller is an influence of mine and I may have been a little more nervous talking with him than I am most people. Late Night sets would include Buffalo Wabs and the Price Hill Hustle and Vintage Pistol. The Wabs, as I have heard them collectively referred to, are a unique group with unique songs and a message that speaks peace and love. Casey Campbell, drummer for the Price Hill Hustle, spoke, at length, between songs and always had positive uplifting things to say to the crowd while the band vamped low behind him. This was only my second time seeing The Wabs and I must say I have been impressed both times. I regret to say that I did not make it too long in the late night set with Vintage Pistol but from what I heard, a good time was had by all that stayed. I ventured my way up the mountain back to where Cole Chaney and Wolfpen Branch were jamming in a cottage. I brought a guitar in for safe measure and spent the rest of the night singing songs with Chaney, Aaron Bibelhauser, Jeff Guernsey, and Arthur Hancock. Roddy Puckett made a brief appearance to tell some youngsters to quiet down on the back deck but quickly returned to his slumber. That’s how it goes on Saturday night, sometimes you sit around and pick til the stars come out.

Laurel Cove Music Festival is one that should not be missed. It is an absolute jam of a time and the already beautiful scenery accents the beautiful sounds coming off the stage into the ears of those who are lucky and witty enough to get their tickets on time. If you miss the Cove in the summer, don’t worry! The Cumberland Mountain Fall Festival is a sister event to Laurel Cove and the lineup always looks just as good. This is a must see venue and a must attend event to truly “get it.” I had only seen pictures up until this summer and was pleasantly surprised to see that a photo cannot contain all the beauty of Laurel Cove Music Festival, it is something you have to see for yourself.