Like so many successful performers, native Kentuckian Emily Portman cut her musical teeth singing in church and learning to read music as a member of her high school band. Inspired by her parents’ music, her influences were an amalgamation of classic country and classic rock, with a little ‘80s music mixed in and included Merle Haggard, Jim Croce, and Creedence Clearwater Revival. In college, she joined a choral group, learned the guitar, and began performing professionally at the Corydon Jamboree just across the border in neighboring Indiana. However, when she covered the music of Loretta Lynn, people took notice.
At an early age, perhaps due to her Kentucky roots and natural inflection, Emily was told that she, “sounded a lot like” country music legend, Loretta Lynn, so she became a student of her artistry. Emily pored over the singer’s entire catalogue of music and began working to emulate Loretta’s vocal style and her onstage mannerisms.In the summer of 2004, Emily entered a “Sing Like” contest at the Kentucky Opry and won $1,000 for her portrayal of Loretta.
Just a couple years later, after posting a video of herself performing a Loretta Lynn song on YouTube, she was discovered by Michael Twitty (eldest son of the great Conway Twitty) who cast her to portray Loretta in the nationally touring musical “It’s Only MakeBelieve.” The musical was instrumental in establishing Portman’s career. Over the next two decades, herportrayal of the Coal Miner’s Daughter would carry to the most prestigious stages (including the Ryman Auditorium and the Grand Ole Opry), where she would rub shoulders with some of the biggest names in the business, including George Jones, Archie Campbell, Vern Gosdin, Toby Keith, Chris Cagle, and even Loretta Lynn, herself, with whom she formed a close friendship.
Emily made frequent trips to Loretta Lynn’s Ranch in Hurricane Mills,TN. During one of her visits, the two singers were enjoying a casual conversation when, in mid-sentence, Lynn paused, looked at her straight in the eyes and said, “ya’ know, we have a real connection, don’t we?” If you ever saw the two performers together, the connection they shared was obvious.After Ms. Lynn’s unfortunate recent passing, Emily Portman connected with Loretta’s longtime backup band, The Coalminers. They agreed to join talents and collaborate to honor the memory and music of this true country music trail blazer with “Always Loretta”—a show authorized by the Loretta Lynn family that includes all the greatest hits and shares intimate stories of Loretta’s life through the eyes of those who knew her best.
Authorized and Approved by the Loretta Lynn Family!
www.alwaysloretta.com
The Isaacs have been performing for 50 years this year (2021) After performing as guests for 30 years, The Isaacs were officially inducted as members of the Grand Ole Opry on September 14, 2021. In 2020 the Isaacs were inducted into the GMA (Gospel Music Hall of Fame). They have been frequent guests on RFD network’s ‘Larry’s Country Diner’, and also appeared on the Gaither Homecoming Videos and Tours for over 20 years. The Isaacs have won 9 Dove Awards and their latest 3 albums have received Grammy nominations! They have performed the National Anthem at many professional sporting events including NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL games. The Isaacs and it’s members have been invited to perform on many gospel, bluegrass and country artist albums and stages including: Dolly Parton,Paul Simon, The Oak Ridge Boys, Don Williams, George Jones, Merle Haggard, Trace Adkins, Trisha Yearwood, Vince Gill, Reba McEntire, Brad Paisley, Dierks Bentley, Alabama, Craig Morgan, Josh Turner, Alison Krauss, Natalie Grant, Connie Smith, Marty Stuart, Ricky Skaggs, and many others. The Isaacs have a non-profit organization called The Isaacs Foundation that blesses the less fortunate in America. They also have a branch called the Fishman Isaacs Israel Initiative that has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to bless Israel, specifically Holocaust Survivors, Israeli “Lone” Soldiers and orphans.
One Christmas Night in Memphis recreates the night of December 4, 1956, when four of the biggest names in early Rock ‘N’ Roll just happened to end up at Sun Records at the same time. The studio engineer kept the tape rolling and the impromptu session was quickly nicknamed the “Million Dollar Quartet” in the media. The cast will transport the audience to Memphis for this one night in rock ‘n’ roll history, bringing to life the music of Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash.
For more information: www.onenightinmemphis.com
The Oak Ridge Boys’ Down Home Christmas Tour Comes To RENFRO VALLEY!
Theirs is one of the most distinctive and timeless sounds in the country music industry, and now The Oak Ridge Boys are bringing their Down Home Christmas Tour to Renfro Valley on December 1st, 2023 for an unforgettable night of holiday entertainment for the entire family.
The show will feature both traditional and contemporary songs from the group’s eight bestselling Christmas albums, as well as some of their classic country-pop hits, beautiful visuals, Christmas trees, falling snow—and a Visit from Santa!
The group has scored dozens of country hits and two pop smashes, earned Grammy, Dove, CMA, and ACM awards, and garnered a host of other industry and fan accolades. Every time they step before an audience, they bring decades of charted singles and 50 years of tradition to the stage.
“When I go on stage, I get the same feeling I had the first time I sang with The Oak Ridge Boys,” says lead singer Duane Allen. “This is the only job I’ve ever wanted to have.”
“Nobody does Christmas quite like The Oak Ridge Boys,” says tenor Joe Bonsall.
Allen and Bonsall, along with baritone, William Lee Golden, and bass, Richard Sterban, make up The Oak Ridge Boys, the legendary group whose appeal crosses generations.
Together they have earned 12 gold, three platinum, and one double platinum album—plus a double platinum single—and had more than a dozen national Number One singles and over 30 Top Ten hits—with more than 41 million records sold! Some of their best-known hits include “Elvira,” “Thank God for Kids,” “Bobbie Sue,” and “American Made,” among many others.
Renfro Valley – The Lacs
Renfro Valley Entertainment Center
Old Barn
Tickets available at www.renfrovalley.com
Bittersweet Festival will be held in downtown Mount Vernon, Kentucky on October 5th – 7th, 2023
Thursday, October 5th
Car Show 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Friday, October 6th
Festival with vendors and live music 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Saturday, October 7th
Festival with vendors and live music 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM
Our Final Friday After Five for 2023 will be on September 15th featuring a Classic Car Cruise In & Bike Night on Main Street in Mt. Vernon. Donovan Howard Trio will kick things off on the porch of Los Cazadores with 21 Dust inside Down on Main. Rockcastle Arts Association will have an art gallery show as well. It is FREE to attend.
The Moonshiner’s Ball is an annual music festival that was started in 2014 by a rag-tag group of musicians and music-loving friends, including members of the band Blind Corn Liquor Pickers. Since 2018, the fest has taken place at Rockcastle Riverside, a beautiful and secluded private concert venue and campground located in the Daniel Boone National Forest, a little over an hour southeast from Lexington, Kentucky. With an average attendance of 1200-1500 kind souls, this small, grassroots festival allows plenty of space to spread out, steal away from the crowds and commune with nature.
Meticulously curated by a team of music lovers, The Moonshiner’s Ball embraces a diverse variety of music, with the unofficial tagline “folk by day, funk by night.” We take great pride in our region, and love to spotlight our favorite Kentucky acts, but are also excited to host some of our favorite musical discoveries from well beyond our state on our two stages. Genres range from bluegrass, Americana and singer-songwriter to funk, R&B, electronica and beyond.
Beyond the music, festival features include camping, kayaking / canoeing (arrange for a paddle experience on-site!), community bonfires, tons of kids’ activities, top-shelf culinary vendors, creative arts and craft vendors, and tons of new friends you didn’t know you needed in your life. The vibe is blissful, friendly and laid-back. We’re pretty sure you’re never gonna wanna leave.
2023 Lineup includes Galactic featuring Anjelika Jelly Joseph, Neal Francis, Sierra Hull, Adia Victoria, The Brothers Comatose, Larry Keel Experience, Kelsey Waldon, Sunny War, Thumpasaurus, The Rumble, Magnolia Boulevard, Vintage Pistol, Boulevards, Happy Landing, Good Mornign Bedlam, Hot Brown Smackdown, Eric Bolander, Mama Said String Band, Jeremy Short, Driftwood Gypsy, Houseplant, Brother Smith, Nolan Taylor, Jory Bowling, Them Lasses, Hunter Flynn, Joel’s Front Porch Jam, Blind Corn Liquor Pickers.
Tickets: https://themoonshinersball.com/
Come celebrate your independence with your favorite regional musicians, artisans, craftsmen, and food vendors. Nestled on the banks of the Rockcastle River in Livingston KY, you’ll find one of the best campground music venues you have ever experienced, Rockcastle Riverside, the home of Trash Bash, Moonshiners Ball and returning for the third year, the Sweet Land of Liberty music festival.
2023 Lineup includes Jason Leech, Hot Brown Smackdown, Buffalo Wabs & The Price Hill Hustle, The Local Honeys, Wayne Graham, Blind Corn Liquor Pickers, The Settlement, Brother Smith, Charlie Woods & Deep Hollow, Don Rogers & THe Apostlebillies, Them Lasses, Jenn Marie & Blackwater Station, Sarah Kate Morgan, and Ethan Wayne & the Mountain Revue.
Purchase Tickets at: https://sweetlandfest.com/
