Lexington, KY - Anyone who knows anything about a proper jamboree knows that it must take place in a barn. True to form, Red Barn Radio has been hosting said jamborees for several years, steadily providing Old-Time and Bluegrass sounds of the commonwealth and neighboring states to increasingly enthusiastic audiences. On Aug. 3, the show celebrated its milestone 10th anniversary with very special guest performer Larry Cordle.
Red Barn's accomplishments are noteworthy for both their promotional value to the ultra-talented, practicing artists, substantial contributions to the Lexington music and art scene, and for its preservation and advancement of Kentucky music that has "settled and flourished," in the words of executive producer Ed Commons.
"We are celebrating locally what this music and these musicians are about regionally," Commons said. "We are providing a place to access what these Kentucky and regional artists are all about."
Red Barn hosts its musically colorful productions at Arts Place on 161 North Mill St., where the shows are recorded live and subsequently archived. Their website features some 90 performances from past shows. Commons celebrates the interactive nature of Red Barn and feels that the audience is more than just an avid crowd of music fans but a true "asset" to their artistic mission.
"If there is no audience at a performance, it is still just a rehearsal," Commons said. Limiting the show to 150 to 200 seats lends to the intimate ambience, which is purposely designed to eliminate would-be physical and/or implied barriers between the audience and performers. The full Red Barn experience consists of a live studio session, pizza or other treats, giveaways from sponsors, entertaining banter between associate producer/host Brad Becker and show producers, and retakes of flubbed lines and false starts. This is radio in the raw, if you will, that benefits from an intended subversion of slick radio conventions, a strategy that has begat 10 successful years.
Becker also speaks of the show's desire to stimulate listeners, both present and those joining via broadcast, with the unique atmosphere and character of Red Barn's production. Raving reviews from attendees have generated a natural current of word-of-mouth buzz that positions the show as a growing and viable entertainment option and cultural draw.
"No one is going to leave the show saying, 'That was a waste of time,'" Becker said. "As the show has progressed over the years, we have always been trying to define what experience will bring them back."
Intimacy intensifies, especially when the audience is invited into the lives of the musicians. Stories abound, from song inspirations to childhood musical memories to striking anecdotes of what inspired particular artists to pick up an instrument of choice in the first place. Commons said this interjects a "noticeable local/private element" and provides what Becker referred to as a "defined and important part of our niche."
Red Barn's recent 10th anniversary show featured Kentucky-bred musician, Grammy Award-winning musician Larry Cordle, whose hefty portfolio boasts songs that have appeared on projects that have sold a combined total of more than 55 million records, by artists such as Ricky Skaggs, Alison Krauss, Garth Brooks, George Strait, Trisha Yearwood, Reba McEntire, Diamond Rio, Alan Jackson, Trace Adkins and many others.
Larry turned in a dynamite set and proved affable in his interaction with a lively, adoring crowd. His lead and harmony singing on 2004 Best Country Album Grammy winner Livin' Lovin' Losin': A Tribute to the Louvin Brothers sits among numerous other songwriting and performance credits on a veritable who's who of country artists. Cordle's anniversary appearance was a testament to and pinpoint example of the homegrown talents that Red Barn valiantly champions and hosts.
Red Barn's 10th season would have been impossible without lofty goals, expertise, a little elbow grease and community partnerships within Lexington's art community. Five years ago, Ed Commons and company began conversations with Jim Clark, LexArts president and CEO, concerning the need for a permanent venue and general support for the show. Clark soon decided to provide sponsorship support, due mainly to Red Barn's dedication to promoting the state and region's musical heritage and how its mission mirrored LexArts' own directives.
"Involvement with Red Barn comes with a healthy dose of respect," Clark said. "These community art partnerships feed off of a synergy where creative people feed off one another."
Lending credence to the necessity of partnerships, local NPR stations WUKY 91.3 and WEKU 88.1 feature Red Barn's weekly broadcasts on their on-air schedules, allowing it to reach a broader audience and recruit new enthusiasts. These partnerships allow Red Barn a platform to generate further interests far and wide.
Improving Lexington's standing as a sustainable cultural destination is one goal that many see as imperative. This echoes Mayor Jim Gray's focus on instituting a comprehensive plan for the city's arts community. Clark believes that the arts have a responsibility to "cross-pollinate," especially in tough economic times, in order to ensure viability and to make citizens "pay attention" continually to local arts happenings. He firmly believes that the important cultural contribution of Red Barn Radio is the delivery of "art and expression that is authentic."
This inborn authenticity and clear sense of artistic direction and identity is one ingredient that has enabled the show to flourish over its nearly decade-long run. With its dedication to bringing the "best artists you've never heard of" from Old-Time and Americana genres, insistence on unique presentation and true love of our region's indigenous and sonically rich rural music traditions, Red Barn Radio is poised to bring us beautiful music for years to come.