Music transcends life.

It travels beyond the hollers and dark foothills of the countryside, weaving and diving its needle into the fabric of every breath that we take in and exhale. The words tumble through the mind and fuel lost hearts with vigor. One cannot help but smile, cry, laugh and welcome the highwall of emotion that is conjured with each note and within each verse.

Imagine a place where all of this mystique and complex power babbles and flows. And there you will find Cody Howard, sharing his magic from his debut album, Appalachian Dream.

Howard is, perhaps, as damn humble as a successful musician and songwriter may come. In a room full of people, the most creative and genuine personality in the entire scene would probably be Howard, quietly sharing a soft crooked smile from the side of the room. He's a young mind with an old cherub’s warmth and an “awe shucks” Eastern Kentucky drawl.