Smilo & the Ghost is an Americana-grit folk band born from the rustbelt and rooted in redemption. Front-ed by singer-songwriter Tyler Smilo, the band blends raw lyricism with vintage tones, cinematic storytell-ing, and a touch of cosmic twang. Their sound drifts somewhere between dusty desert highways and dimly lit city bars — a fusion of folk, alt-country, and soul with deep emotional bite.
Formed in Erie, PA in 2016, Smilo & the Ghost have shared stages with Grammy winners, national acts, and underground legends alike. Their discography includes Ghost Writers, Fingers Crossed & Godspeed, and the live album Live from PACA, with their newest record Twang & Fire capturing both fire and fragili-ty in a post-pandemic world. Smilo’s lyrics are deeply personal, often exploring recovery, survival, and the ghosts we carry — because he's lived it.
Garrett Boys is a collaboration of the Garrett brothers, Stephen and Russell. After growing up on a small rural farm, both Stephen and Russell set out for Nashville to pursue their passion for music. This led to several years of various roles in the music industry throughout multiple genres. Garrett Boys is a reflection of an inevitable longing for home, history, and heritage that finds the brothers Garrett discovering a deeper and more personal perspective of their music than ever before. Joined by Stephen’s son, Carter, they look to further explore their Folk Americana roots with Garrett Boys.
Born and raised near Paducah, Vickie Vaughn grew up singing and playing bass at churches, community events and a local country revue show in western Kentucky. After graduating from Belmont University, she formed the Vickie Vaughn Band, releasing a six-song EP of contemporary bluegrass, Buy All the Roads, in 2015. Yet more traditional music beckoned, as she helped to start the acclaimed High Fidelity around the same time, appearing on four acclaimed albums before leaving the group in 2024. Vaughn also served as a vocalist and/or bassist for a broad array of artists, including Patty Loveless, Jesse McReynolds, Kelsey Wal-don, Luke Bulla, Billy Gilman and more. In 2020, she joined Della Mae, with whom she con-tinues to perform and record. Vickie Vaughn was awarded the IBMA’s Bass Player of the Year trophy in 2023 and 2024—and, she underlines, was named a Kentucky Colonel in 2023.
Cody Christian is a country music singing man from The Commonwealth of Virginia. He is a 31-time recipient of the CCA award which has helped propel his infectious melodies to the masses. He has several songs that have gone triple turquoise and a music catalog that is thick with songs that beautifully narrate the everyday life. Cody has shared stage with lots of Red Barn alums including Tyler Childers, Charles Wesley Godwin, Cole Chaney and The Local Honeys. He's with his band "The Congregation"
Our guest Wednesday August 13, is Ragged Union. This tight bluegrass ensemble has toured the US, UK, and China, since 2013, has released 4 studio albums and one live album. Whether you like traditional sounding grass or something with a more syncopated progressive feel, I think this will check all the boxes for you. Ragged Union also tosses in their own take on some cover tunes by artists from Levon Helm, to the Marshall Tucker Band.
Their latest release is called Pyramid Stars, and you should check it out in the coming weeks to whet your appetite for a deliciously Bluegrassy evening of music and conversation with Ragged Union.
Combining the best of Americana and blues melodies with timeless Southern storytelling, award winning vocalist Stephanie Adlington and guitarist Aaron Lessard draw influence from the likes of Tom Waits and Ray LaMontagne, along with bedrock artists such as Patsy Cline and Hank Williams Sr. A Tale Of Two has opened for notable artists such as Mary Gauthier, Grayson Capps, and Peter Mulvey. Not unlike the artists who inspired them, the duo’s songs frequently dabble in stories of revenge, drinking and feature sinners of all stripes and persuasions.
Oozing an infectious stage presence and chemistry that carries over from the music to the back and forth banter between songs, “A Tale Of Two” offers a different kind of Americana – storytelling by a swampy pair of retro raconteurs spinning blues arias with soul, intrigue and power.
Our guest is Ashley Irae w/ supporting band, Deep Nourished Roots.
Ashley's debut single from her first album “Beauty Queen” was released at the end of September in 2018. This song -- emphasizing the importance of loving yourself instead of looking to someone else to fill the void-- created a Buzz and captured hearts of many all around the world. Currently Irae is working on an album with French producer and sound man, Jahlix.
Ashley's soulful voice and uplifting messages opens people's hearts. A great eve of music and convo with Our guest next week is Ashley Irae w/ supporting band, Deep Nourished Roots
Ashley's debut single from her first album “Beauty Queen” was released at the end of September in 2018. This song -- emphasizing the importance of loving yourself instead of looking to someone else to fill the void-- created a Buzz and captured hearts of many all around the world. Currently IRAE is working on an album with French producer and sound man, Jahlix.
Ashley's soulful voice and uplifting messages opens people's hearts.
Nigel Wearne has toured Australia, New Zealand, the US, UK and Canada and he's performed at a long list of festivals from MerleFest to both the Cambridge and Philadelphia Folk Festivals, and Bristol Rhythm & Roots.
Nigel is a guitarist and multi-instrumentalist with diverse influences such as Nick Cave, Tom Waits and Rickie Lee Jones. A deep thinker and truth seeker with a penchant for all things peculiar, he sings of human frailty, grace and the cosmos; songwriting that cuts to the bone.
Rolling Stone magazine calls Nigel's music
"warmth flecked with grit...and beauty "
The Weekend Australian says
Nigel's songs showcase
"vocal swagger of Van Morrison and the arranging chutzpuh of Ennio Morricone
Villa Mure is the sonic marriage of Kendra Villiger (guitar/vox) and Colin LaMure (bass/vox), accompanied by multi-instrumentalist Ethan Evans (drums).
Villa Mure explores the musical landscape that falls between rock n roll, progressive-rock, heartland-rock, psychedelia, blues-rock, and jam. Like many groups who are difficult to place, it has been called indie-rock or alternative, but regardless of title or categorization, Villa Mure's music is alive, finding itself and place in the bigger picture with every new com-position. While no two people can give you the same answer on what to call Villa Mure's music, they can all agree that it is something brand new and genuine, yet lovingly familiar, like catching up with an old friend.
Since 2018, Johnny and the Yooahoos has been welcomed to festivals in France, Ireland, Holland, Austria and Switzerland. As winners of the IBMA International Band Grant, they are now undertaking a five-week tour of the USA renowned venues such as the Grand Ole Opry and the Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival on their tour calendar. AND RED BARN RADIO!!
Though from Southern Germany themselves, Johnny and The Yooahoos celebrate American folk music in their own way by mixing traditional bluegrass and contemporary folk in a way, they say that is both raw and nostalgic. Join us next week for a great program of music and conversation with Johnny and the Yooahoos!
Our guest is a singer, writer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist who has involved himself in countless musical exploits over the years, many playing out right before us on the Red Barn Radio stage. A good number of you will be familiar with this gentleman, but perhaps not so with his current creative persona, who he calls Waffle Therrod. Waffle describes its new musical exploration as "a multi-dimensional sensation on several planets". All I shall add to this is that I urge you to suit up and get ready for takeoff for what I know will be a cool voyage into the solar system of our talented friend Waffle!
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This high-voltage, all-female force is rewriting the rules of country music from their new base in Nashville, Tennessee. Combining glitter, grit, and unstoppable energy, they are taking the country scene by storm with their magnetic presence and undeniable talent. Whether it’s opening for high-profile artists Lonestar, Ricky Skaggs, Dierks Bentley or Lee Brice on some of the worlds largest stages, or igniting the multi-genre Canadian Music Week with four explosive performances in just 48 hours, the jet-setting trio are making waves across the industry. Celebrated at Nashville’s famed CMA Fest, The Heels are setting fire to the international music industry and winning hearts wherever they go.
Guess who's coming back?? Davey Allen of Davey and the Midnights! Davey is a versatile songwriter, musician, and artist. His work is deeply rooted in the vast American songbook. Allen has played music professionally for the past 20 years, the last six with Davey and The Midnights. While the band now calls Indianapolis home, they formed on the west-side of Los Angeles, California in 2017.
Davey has also toured extensively as a solo artist and as keyboardist for rock hall of famer Eric Burdon. In addition, he has toured as a member of the San Francisco rock band The Stone Foxes. Davey is an advocate of many social causes and has previously donated a portion of his album sales to the Dolores Huerta Foundation and the Citizen Potawatomi Nation Cultural Center.
Scott Levi Jones, this blue-collar poet was born in South Jersey and as he says, baptized by the local nuclear plant in Salem County. Jones committed to Nashville in 2017 when he scraped together the rent for a single-wide trailer on the outskirts of town. He spent his early 20’s working construction while performing in honky-tonks and dive bars all across the Dirty South. Today he resides in a small cabin as a full-time independent musician.
The songwriter's lyrical ability has been compared to that of John Prine and Steve Goodman, yet his music reflects the sound of folk rock influences such as The Band and Little Feat. Dur-ing 2020 he released his debut album ‘The Odds of You and Me’ recorded at the historic Mu-sic Row studio ‘House of David’. The artist has since released an intimate acoustic EP, ‘The Cabin Worktapes’ captured in his living room, along with multiple singles including the viral hit ‘Free Bird' which acquired over 2.5 Million views on instagram alone
Kara Cole, an Indianapolis-based artist grew up with a grandpa who would have country music and bluegrass hootenannies on the weekends. Her uncle who was a master guitarist, helped instill in her, at a young age, her love and admiration of music. Kara, we learn, not only grew up with bluegrass in her household, but also a measure of it in her family blood. Her grandpa’s surname on her mom’s side was Stanley; in fact, Kara happens to be a distant cousin of the late great Ralph Stanley.
Predicated on authenticity and a genre-less approach, Dalton Kiser and The Downwind seamlessly traverses through a multi genre musical landscape. The foursome not only pulls inspiration from their fellow Eastern Kentuckians whom are credited with birthing the country and bluegrass scenes, but also from the gritty southern rock sounds made famous by old honky-tonk hero’s and outlaw country icons. Constantly pushing boundaries and breaking barriers, this troupe truly marches to the beat of their own drum. If there is only one hard truth when it comes to Dalton Kiser and The Down-wind, we can be sure their undeniable chemistry and reckless authenticity is a refreshing stance, and above all, one that stands to last.
From Pound, VA, Brayden Mullins started his music journey at the age of 17 in his bedroom. He drew in-spiration from many artists such as Keith Whitley, The Stanley Brothers and James King. While bluegrass was a main drawing to music for Brayden he also listened to artists such as Pink Floyd, Korn, Alison Krauss and Townes Van Zandt to name a few. The lyrics and stories behind songs is what makes music come alive according to Brayden.
Brayden aims to captivate the mind and ear of the audience with his songs. He wants his songs to challenge the thinking of those who hear them and for them to fully understand the message behind what is being said. His debut album “Unfamiliar Writings” fully encompasses this with his 8 originals tracks. These songs have only two instruments (acoustic guitar and fiddle), but they will bring you through the life of those within the songs.
The Rough and Tumble-- a terrific band of four traveling throughthe area from New England.
Mallory Graham and Scott Tyler inevitably formed The Rough & Tumble in 2011 as the friends turned into bandmates. In 2015, these bandmatesnow turning spouses sold everything they could, bought a sixteen-foot camper, packed up their instruments and a couple of small trinkets that they couldn’tpart with, and hit the road. Through multiple burnt up axles, busted tires, and consistent water leaks, Mallory and Scott continue touring relentlessly and serendipitously right through our great city of Lexington, Kentucky.
Oh, and then the rest of the foursome! Joining the Rough and Tumble on the Red Barn Stage will be Mud Puddle and Magpie Mae, their two 100 lb rescue dogs.
Stillhouse Junkies are acoustic adventurers exploring the worlds between roots, bluegrass, Texas swing, blues, and rock. Their free-flowing musical interplay and improvisation make every show unique as the trio weave through high-energy, intricately composed original songs, never taking the same path twice. They have played such beloved festivals as Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival, Rockygrass, Merle Fest, and ROMP, and their busy schedule has seen them supporting Willie Carlisle, The Lil Smokies, and Asleep at the Wheel.
Kentucky born singer, songwriter Kimberly Morgan York. York has spent her lifetime on the road making music. She started performing publicly when she was a mere three years old, travelled and played with Drive By Truckers, and eventually developed her own excellent material. Critics call her one-part Wanda Jackson and the other part Dolly Parton. We call her Kimberly Morgan York.
