09/14/2026
✌🏻🦊🎶
It has been truly a special year for new music from Kentucky and Appalachian artists. There has been so many great albums, EP's, and singles. I am not going to try and list them all here in this post ( we will try to do that later in the year on our 2026 wrap up podcast) and we dont try to rank albums or anything like that. We do however try to let people know when we come across a album we think is special. I know we are about a week late but Bill Taylor and his fellow Heatherns new album Porchlight Stories is one of those albums. Most people at this point know Bill is one of the best vocalists around and is one the best talents in this region if not the whole country. This album is full of songs with great stories and he so good at putting into words his feelings about his family and life, it makes you feel the songs could be about your own life. Its been hard to pick a few songs to talk about here, but here goes. "Simple Things" is going to be a song that is permanently on my playlist. Its a song about enjoying the little things in life despite all the craziness the world throws at you. "Hold Your Hand" and "Kudzu Vines" are 2 of the best songs a man could play and sing to his wife while he dances her around the kitchen ( even if you dont sing as good as Bill. Lol). The story in the song "Ginseng" is one I hope is turned a short film or music video. The raw emotion and feeling in "Scared Little Boy" is one that will almost bring a tear to eye. The reimagined versions of "Tomorrow" and "Strength" are as good as any song thats come out. Hard to believe he found a way to make those songs even better than they were. Not much else i can really say about it other than go give the whole album a listen and hear it for yourself, if you havent already. Then come see Bill and the Appalachian Heatherns at River to Grow Music Festival Oct. 3rd in Irvine, KY. Hollar!
