Howdy y’all, Father Kentucky here! I write songs and play em for folks. If you’ve stumbled upon this post you’re probably thinking about visiting Brown County! Or maybe you’re up late at night after a long day of wondering “Maybe I should be a songwriter, what’s up with Brown County?” Well look no further friend, you’ve found your read. I’ll be sharing some of my experiences as a musician here in little Nashville.
Mid 2021 I recorded an album in Colorado and upon returning home to Martinsville I was looking for somewhere to play these tunes. You see, Martinsville ain’t got much in terms of a music scene. Best gig I’ve played there was in the Walmart parking lot. So, what is a scrappy upstart to do but look up “open mics near me”? Surely there’s no where to go but up.
View I had while recording my first album in Colorado
Up on the magic box came the illustrious Brown County Inn, and what I didn’t know then was that I’d soon meet some of my greatest friends and peers at this open mic. I was greeted by probably the friendliest smile you’ll find in Nashville, that belonging to Will Scott. Will was the first person I met in Brown County and to this day he’s a beacon of welcoming for all who wanna throw their songs in the ring. Wednesday through Saturday, there’s always live music at BCI. I’ve had the privilege of performing at the inn many times, and I’ve gotta say it’s definitely a step up from the Walmart parking lots.
It wasn’t too long after I met Will before I got in touch with Kenan Rainwater, host of Rainwater Studios. He runs a high quality production podcast that live streams artists and their original music. I’ve made a few appearances on his podcast through my time here and it’s always been a learning experience and a ton of fun.
Kenan also helped put together Amplify Nashville, partnering with the Brown County Playhouse and the Brown County Music Center to host events for the community and for local artists to have a chance to play on the bigger stages. Kenan and Will have been carrying the torch, offering up opportunities for people like me to play our music for an audience that wants to listen.
One of my favorite things about Brown County are the jams. Some are public, some are private, both are steeped in the old tradition of people getting together and singing to the ether. My first jam was in the backroom of the Gnaw Mart gas station. During hours too, we got great service. Mike’s Dance Barn is a sleeper of an establishment. Every Tuesday is dart night with a bluegrass jam on the dance floor.
Brown County is host of some of the finest songwriters in Indiana. The impact some of these people have had on my own writing is not negligible! That’s the thing. Sure, it’s pretty out here. But it’s the people that really make the place special. The musical community here is vast, welcoming, weird, and willing to listen or even show ya a thing or two if you ask. The songs the people write here are special too. They’re often of the land and tell little snippets of the county’s history. The songwriters here are rooted in authenticity. They care about what they sing and they care about the people listening.
My good friend Ben Fuson and I performing together at Bill Monroe’s Music Park
Well, that’s about all the word space I’ve been allotted. Hopefully you haven’t reconsidered you dream of being a songwriter in this time we’ve shared. Thank you for reading, and if you find me folk singin’ and song slingin’, stay a little while and say hello!
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