Appalachia is at the core of producing incredible country music right now.
The style of Appalachian music is unlike anything else within the country music genre right now. From their raw and honest verses and authentic sounds to expressing their way to life through song, Appalachia is THE spot for good music.
A few months back, we had one of Appalachia’s own, 49 Winchester’s Isaac Gibson, on our Whiskey Riff Raff podcast. While many items were discussed on the pod, a prominent conversation topic was the rise in appreciation for Appalachia music.
Steve asks Gibson what his thoughts are on the region’s rise musically, given that creatively, these artists seem to be in a league of their own.
“I think if you’re going to narrow it down and put a box around all of it and call it country music…which I guess you kind of have to do.
I don’t think there is a better place in this country to have been born and raised than right here, to experience that life and to know what those things are that are being sung about in so many country songs.
We’re about as country as it gets out here; it really is. It’s a very rural area. It’s very socially secluded; it’s very geographically secluded.
I think it’s led to a lot of young artists that have had to rely on their creativity and their minds to help them overcome some of those disadvantages that Appalachia has, and it’s presented some brilliant artists in the process.”
Gibson talks about how Tyler Childers and Sturgill Simpson were trailblazers when defining what Appalachian music had to offer while still keeping the sound with no boundaries so other artists could soon join the Appalachia movement.
Today, we have seen countless artists come up through the ranks, like 49 Winchester themselves, but also other incredible artists like Sierra Ferrell, Jake Kohn, The Local Honeys, Logan Halstead, Cole Chaney, Charles Wesley Godwin, John R. Miller and many, many more.
“It’s a cool place to be a part of…to be from. It’s a cool scene to be a part of, to be growing within that rank.
It’s like the whole world kind of turned onto Appalachian artists with Tyler and Sturgill; Stapleton even, for that matter, started doing it.
So, they’re really the ones that paved the way for hillbillies to get up and play this un-genre-fiable rocking country music.”
Isaac Gibson said it best.
The most notable part about music coming out of Appalachia is that it can’t be put in a box.
Appalachian music is having its moment in the limelight, and I hope the light continues to shine on the talent coming out of this region.
@whiskeyriff #Throwback to 49 Winchester’s lead singer/guitarist, Isaac Gibson, talking about Appalachia music. // Check out the Whiskey Riff Raff podcast for more #whiskeyriff #whiskeyriffraff #49winchester ♬ original sound – Whiskey Riff
If you haven’t yet, give the full podcast episode a listen. It’s killer.
