Kentucky Music Community Raises Over $20K For Byron Roberts
Former Kickin It On The Creek founder fighting a recent cancer diagnosis
I’ve seen our Kentucky music community come together countless times for everything from flood and tornado benefits to tribute concerts and festivals, but none of them came close to reaching the love and support I felt in the room for Byron Roberts at Manchester Music Hall last Friday night. Well, I guess I can think of one…
The gathering was the first of three benefits that took place last weekend for Roberts, the former host of Kickin It On The Creek, a festival that began as a birthday party for his son, Kenton, and helped to launch the career of Tyler Childers that lived in the front yard of his family’s Estill County holler from 2015-2019.
“Byron has been a lens for our music,” says Justin Wells, one of the performers during Friday night’s show. “Kentucky music was happening before Byron Roberts and Kentucky festivals were happening before Kickin It on the Creek, but, at a time when the rest of the country was starting to pay attention to the art we Kentuckians had been making, Byron put everybody together. And all of this without corporate backing, no conflict, no folks running out of water, no lack of female representation. All these things that plague other festivals, Byron and the Roberts clan got it right and got it right the first time.
They made it about the music, but even more than that they made it about the people attending. ‘If somebody needs help, you help ‘em.’ There were no strangers because everybody was a homie the minute they got in the field.”
Combined, the events — which also included a homecoming benefit at the Steam Engine Pizza Pub in Irvine and a Laurel Cove Music Festival lineup announcement party-turned-benefit in Pineville — raised well over $20,000 for the Roberts family to assist in Byron’s ongoing battle with cancer.
Organized by Malcolm Wilson, Charlie Hatcher, and Greg Adams (the latter of whom you can hear talk about the show at the Spotify link below), the Manchester benefit ran for a total of eight hours with constant music and a crowd that seemed to multiply by the minute, all of whom were there for one man, Byron. I saw too many people to count there that I knew I’d run into and even more that I didn’t — some even coming from as far away as Canada — a further testament to the power and reach that Byron, and by extension the festival, have had far beyond their Eastern Kentucky homes.
The more you think about it the less of a surprise it really is. Byron is one of the most selfless people I’ve ever met. That was the entire ethos behind Kickin It On The Creek and it was revived this past weekend in a way that hadn’t happened since the last festival took place in 2019. Much like the festival itself, these benefits were more of an honor and privilege to play for these artists than most, many of whom consider getting to play the former their crowning achievement.
“It wasn’t that he asked me to play,” confides Geno Seale, an Estill County native himself and GRAMMY-nominated co-writer for Tyler Childers’ “In Your Love.” “That was obviously a great feeling, and I said yes immediately. It was hearing of his vision and his passion for this festival. What it could mean for the music community, our community in Estill Co, and for Kentucky. It was amazing!”
“The first time I met [Byron] was when I got ‘the call’ that he wanted to meet with me to discuss me playing his festival,” says David Prince, the sideburn totin’, guitar shreddin’ frontman for Laid Back Country Picker. “It was like being called in by The Godfather. I was a little nervous about it, but within 10 seconds I was under his spell.”
Seale and Prince’s sentiments were ones echoed by Senora May, a longtime family friend of the Roberts clan and the wife of Tyler Childers, when I asked her about the festival and what makes it so special in 2019.
“Unlike most people who organize a music festival, [Byron] is not in it for the money, attention, popularity or good community regard for a political campaign later,” said May. “It’s simple: He’s proud of where he’s from, he loves music, values human connection and appreciates when those things come together.”
That genuine yearning for human connection and a love for home are traits that have caused a trickle down effect in our music community that has not only given us even more incredible music talent to enjoy, but even more places to do it with events like Laurel Cove Music Festival and Sleeping In The Woods carrying with them the same spirit, a phenomenon that’s led to Prince proclaiming Roberts as “The Bill Graham of Appalachia.”
“Back about 10 years ago, all of these talented acts were developing and swirling around in the area,” recalls Prince. “Byron grabbed them all and gave them a home base at Kickin' it on the Creek. That became ground zero for the Appalachian music scene and created a kinship, not only with the bands, but with the fans as well. A family was born. He set the tone for the scene, and first and foremost was his respect and love for the music and the people that played it.”
Another artist who performed at Friday’s Manchester benefit that sees Byron the same way is Arthur Hancock. (He even penned a song about Kickin It On The Creek titled “Wolfpen Branch,” which he played with his musical partner, Chris Shouse, at the show.)
“Byron set the standard for what a musical gathering could be,” says Hancock. “It inspired real community and growth for lots of bands that were able to play his events. He and his family have believed in me and so many other artists over the years — they are family to us all. Byron is a friend and mentor to so many and always willing to lend an ear and a hand.”
With that in mind, it’s no shock how overwhelming the wave of support for Roberts has been. Whether through music or helping his neighbors recover from flooding, Byron is always one of the first to help and the last to leave, so it only makes sense that those he’s given so much to are now returning the favor when he needs it the most. According to David Prince, it’s the least they could do.
“Byron faces many challenges ahead and everyone that knows him would do anything they could to help him,” explains Prince. “The concert and raffles are important to help him and his family through this difficult time, but I feel that even more important than the financial support, is the outpouring of love. Byron got a chance to see and feel just how much everyone loves him. I think that is good for his soul and will give him added support in his journey.”
Final Byron note: Last week on my radio show I welcomed Casey Campbell, who emcee’d and performed at last Friday’s benefit for Byron with his band, Buffalo Wabs & The Price Hill Hustle. You can hear what he has to say about Byron at around the 35-minute mark of my interview with him below.
Coming Soon
Tomorrow, Jan. 22, I’ll be joined by Webster, KY’s Josh Mitcham for episode #38 of Wick’s Picks on Hound FM. We’ll discuss everything from his new solo record A Few Cries And A Laugh (out this Friday!), recording and hosting house concerts inside the barn on his family property, finding success under his own name after time fronting the country rock group Jericho Woods, and more.
Join us tomorrow at 7 p.m. ET on the dial at 96.1 FM locally, on The Hound mobile app, or at HoundFM.com (And if you miss us, stay tuned for the episode to hit Spotify soon). See y’all then!
