Middlesboro, Ky., native Jordan Lee King released “By and By,” a stripped-down but powerful sophomore album recorded by J. Tom Hnatow, in February. Photo furnished
While 2024 may not have brought us new albums from major Kentucky artists Tyler Childers or Chris Stapleton (last November’s “Higher” just missed the cut-off), the year was still chock full of great music from artists spanning across the commonwealth.
Established names like Sturgill Simpson, Brit Taylor and Lost Dog Street Band’s Benjamin Tod explored new sounds and found renewed hope with their albums “Passage du Desir,” “Kentucky Bluegrassed,” “Survived” and “Shooting Star.”
Additionally, relative newcomers Jordan Lee King and The Creekers drew praise with their debuts, while Mojo Thunder, Wayne Graham and Melanie A. Davis proved that Kentucky excels in far more than country and bluegrass music on “The Infinite Hope,” “Bastion” and “Noctalgia.”
Simply put, the state of our music scene is in great hands, no matter what you’re looking for. To commemorate the year that was, here’s a rundown of some great Kentucky releases from the past 12 months.
The Creekers: “Pour Me In the Creek“
Kentucky has long been synonymous with bluegrass music, and one of the new bands keeping that tradition alive today is Southeast Kentucky’s The Creekers. The band brings those traditional sounds together with a poppy flare from cajon player Ashton Bowling on their debut record “Pour Me in the Creek,” complimenting the twangy vocals of Tanner Horton during songs like “Laurel County Jail,” “Leslie County Blues” and “Hometown.”
Melanie A. Davis: “Noctalgia”
Murray, Kentucky’s Melanie A. Davis shows off her classically trained voice amid the jazzy ebbs and flows of “Noctalgia,” her fourth full-length album and the first to feature her longtime band, The Madness. As a result, the depth of songs such as “Tinseltown” and “Golden Lasso,” are second to none, both lyrically and in terms of the complexity of the soundscapes that surround them.
Johnny Blue Skies: “Passage du Desir”
After moving through genres ranging from tripped-out honky tonk, anime rock, bluegrass and more on his previous albums, Johnny Blue Skies — the new alias of Jackson, Kentucky native Sturgill Simpson — has pivoted once again with “Passage du Desir,” the latest chapter in the musician’s storied catalog. Documenting the loss and loneliness present in his life since the release of 2021’s “The Ballad of Dood & Juanita,” the project has an aesthetic that draws from early country records first introduced to Simpson by his grandparents, as well as ’70’s rock records from artists like Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and others, culminating as one his most personal and dynamic records to date yet.
Jordan Lee King: “By and By”
A lot of promising singer-songwriters have come and gone within Kentucky’s music scene through the years, but there may not be one with more sincere songs built for our current moment than Middlesboro, Kentucky’s Jordan Lee King, whose album “By and By” unites with blue collar anthems like “Cars and Refrigerators” and the metaphorical escapism of “Make Me a Bird.” A relatively stripped-down project, “By and By” also serves to remind us that you don’t need a bunch of bells, whistles, instruments and layers to make a great song, just a compelling story and the foresight to share it.
Benjamin Tod: “Shooting Star”
Although Lost Dog Street Band’s “Survived” was released months ahead of “Shooting Star,” the solo album from the band’s frontman Benjamin Tod, the latter and its exploration of the various eras of country music inspired Tod to reform his band to record “Survived.” With songs like the Sierra Ferrell duet “One Last Time” and the stoic “Muhlenberg County Line,” an homage to his Kentucky homestead, it’s easy to see why both these albums — and Tod’s music as a whole — have resonated with so many in the region for so long.
Dalton Mills: “Good Place to Hide”
Another Middlesboro native, Dalton Mills also drew praise earlier this year with the raw country soul of his first album in four years. The album documents his insecurities on ballads like “Outsider” and “Gettin’ By,” but the record’s most poignant moment comes on its closing track, “Blue Ridge Skyline,” a heartfelt love story that couples his rugged voice and acoustic guitar with a fiddle for a sound as sweet as the backdrop it centers around.
Mojo Thunder: “The Infinite Hope”
After leaning into a more nostalgic rock sound on their previous record “Hymns from the Electric Church,” Lexington/Louisville band Mojo Thunder instead opted for a more modern sound a la Kings of Leon on their latest batch of songs. From the high-flying guitar solos of “Holy Ghost” to the vocal gymnastics of vocalist Sean Sullivan on “Greetings from Western Art,” the foursome leaves no doubt that they belong in the conversation among the state’s most captivating bands, regardless of genre.
Brit Taylor: “Kentucky Bluegrassed”
After releasing the critically acclaimed “Kentucky Blue” in 2023, Knott County-born and Nashville-based singer Brit Taylor re-hashed the project this year with “Kentucky Bluegrassed,” an eight-song effort featuring five songs from the original record, including the defiant “Rich Little Girls,” horn-infused ballad “No Cowboys” and Loretta Lynn-esque “Kentucky Blue.” Three new songs — “Married,” “Church Bus,” and “Saint Anthony” — have also made appearance, collectively illustrating that despite living under the bright lights of music city, Taylor always has Kentucky on her mind.
Kelsey Waldon: “There’s Always a Song”
A native of Monkeys Eyebrow, Kentucky, Kelsey Waldon dusts off several classic country and traditional tunes on her most recent star-studded album. One of the most distinctive voices in the state, Waldon’s high and lonesome holler is on display in full breadth throughout, paired with the likes of S.G. Goodman (“Hello Stranger”), 49 Winchester’s Isaac Gibson (“I Only Exist”), Amanda Shires (“Uncle Pen”), and Margo Price (“Traveling The Highway Home”) for epic duets that make these old songs feel new again.
Wayne Graham: “Bastion”
For the past decade, Wayne Graham, the Eastern Kentucky band led by brothers Kenny and Hayden Miles, have teetered on the cutting edge of sonic exploration with jazz and psychedelic influences fusing with their country/Americana roots. Their latest compilation is no exception, going further than ever before, thanks to the clarinet, piano, synth and other instrumentation brought in by German musician Ludwig Bauer. From the trance-like jams of “We Could’ve Been Friends” to the meandering instrumentals of “The Patsy” and distorted chaos to close out “All the Way,” Wayne Graham shows that it can still cut through to the heart with introspective stories, despite its shift in sound.