Review- Hunter Flynn: Appalachian Soul
Life is too short not to spend it doing what you love. This is a lesson all too familiar to the Pulaski County native supplying the freshest contribution to the “Appalachian Renaissance.” Hunter Flynn tells The Amp it was last December when he dropped everything to pursue a life driven by his passion for creative expression. The release of “Appalachian Soul” showcases Flynn’s artistic capability while paying tribute to the experiences that led him here.
The EP is a 5 song “sampler,” Flynn describes, each embodying a different essence of Flynn’s unique sound. Featuring a total of eight different artists that each played a novel part in its production, including those who Flynn would say played an essential role in his career trajectory.
“I spent my free time writing my own songs and going to open mics and by the time December had rolled around, I had my first offer for a gig. I was thrilled about the opportunity, but had no idea what I was doing. Luckily for me, the music community in this region is like a huge family and anyone that I asked for advice or help was always willing and encouraging. People like Cody Lee Meece, Nick Jamerson, Daniel Stroud, and Jared Shoemaker were all a massive part in helping me get going and figuring out some tricks of the trade and I can’t thank them enough.”
Trailblazing the project is the fan-favorite, competition-winning, “East Kentucky Dream.” The haunting tale of loving and leaving gained traction when Flynn’s original song came out on top in Master Musicians Festival’s Take The Stage competition, allowing him to perform his song before the headliner’s set right in his hometown of Somerset. “The commonwealth journal’s headline for the festival read like I was the one who wrote it,” Flynn recalls “(Grace) Potter and (Marty) Stuart rock MMF stage, but Flynn is the surprise star.” My name isn’t even on the poster, but that festival changed my life.”
Appalachian Soul is dedicated to Flynn’s late “Granny Jackie” after her passing this past March. “She was a huge part of my life growing up and watching her get very sick and suffer at the end of her life was a hard thing to do. “Granny’s Song” is an attempt to convey the hurt, frustration, and helplessness of watching someone you love lose their life.” Don Rogers, the fiddle connoisseur, takes this track to the next level when accompanying Flynn. The two together perfectly reflect the anguish in Flynn’s prayer: “Cause the world keeps turning and the birds keep singing no matter how sick she feels, and I pray to God that he takes my soul before I ever live to get that ill. Let the Lord be with her when the morphine hits her to the sound of the whippoorwill, and I pray to God that he takes my soul before I ever live to get that ill.”
“Spanish Street Signs” and “You Just Don’t Know Me” are woven into the thick of Appalachian Soul but are strikingly unique from the songs that precede them. Listeners get the privilege of hearing Flynn in a reimagined way, the first time he’s ever played with a live band. “I got to play it with a group of guys I consider friends,” Flynn told The Amp, “Cody Lee Meece and his band, The Poor Excuses, came to Mill Springs Studio and we had a ball cutting that one.” Each features an exclusive band of musicians that bring the songs to life.
“If my listeners were to take one thing from this record, I hope that it is the fact I’m not just a one-trick pony.” Flynn told The Amp, “I’ll continue to experiment with sounds and make music that I want to make.” Appalachian Soul is the embodiment of Flynn’s unique sound and introduction to the genre Flynn deemed “Appalachian Soul.” A compilation of songs that broke his heart to write and those that focus more on “enjoying the gift that is music.” Flynn describes.
Flynn’s grit paired with his raw and intimate lyrics takes listeners back to the feeling of listening to Tyler Childers’ “Bottles and Bibles” for the very first time. Flynn is a force to be reckoned with and it’s only the beginning of a fresh career that’s on the uphill climb.
You can listen to Appalachian Soul on all streaming platforms today, and you can expect Flynn to be playing all over the region this summer with Matt Heckler, Festival of the Red, and more.
Find out more about Hunter Flynn at the links below: