Top Hill Recording Podcast

Kai Muhammad is a singer in Louisville, KY known for his soulful vocals, engaging stage presence, and versatile repertoire spanning R&B, soul, gospel, jazz, and contemporary music. His passion for connecting with audiences and delivering authentic performances has made him a standout voice in the local music community.

Nashville, Tennessee-based singer-songwriter and guitarist Ian Abel brings a powerful, stripped-down approach to the Top Hill Recording Podcast with his solo acoustic performances. Known as the frontman of the Ian Abel Band, Abel has built a reputation for blending heartfelt songwriting with dynamic guitar work that ranges from intimate and soulful to energetic and commanding. An international awa...

Midday Mayday is a Louisville-based punk/metalcore band delivering crushing riffs, chaotic energy, and just the right amount of self-awareness. Describing themselves as “a very professional and serious band that plays our serious songs with professionalism and seriousness,” the group blends heavy breakdowns with an unmistakable sense of humor that keeps crowds guessing. Equal parts aggression and...

Formed in 2020, this young four-piece has quickly built a reputation for sounding far beyond their years. The lineup features Zach Yates on guitar, Shawn Blu holding down the bass, Andrew Barnes on vocals, and Max Comings behind the drums—each bringing a distinct musical voice despite their age. Their sound is a melting pot of American roots and classic styles, blending elements of rock, blues, so...

We are Cowboy Preachers Club - A group of friends from Louisville, KY bringing together psychedelic, Americana, and even Midwest-Emo flavors in a kaleidoscopic gumbo that still feels at home on a back porch. Songs are long-simmered in a home-studio until the taste is just right—about the strangeness of love, the fiery hope behind loss, and the strength it takes to leave misery behind you, coughing...

Materializing from Louisville, KY, After You Left channels the raw emotion of bands like Title Fight and Joyce Manor while delivering a versatile range of musicality. From slow and somber to melodic and dancey, all the way to hard and heavy, After You Left isn’t afraid to challenge their sound while staying true to the core of their music, which is raw, unfiltered emotion. Founded in 2025, the ban...

Adrian Taylor, born Sacramento and raised in Anderson, CA, is a self-taught guitarist who began writing lyrics at the age of 14. By 16, he was performing in local bars, and at 21, he relocated to Louisville, KY, to explore new musical opportunities. Since moving to Louisville, Adrian has opened for several Nashville recording artists, including Thompson Square, Kip Moore, Nikko Moon, and Mitchell...

Jake "Spookie" Smith w/ his band

With a desire to open the mind of the modern music scene, Watkins brings flavors of Classic Pop and Alternative Rock into the world with an experimental twist. Their folk-rock and indie influence comes across in the dynamics of the music. Lead Singer, Taylor Watkins, has created a grassroots following across the country, known for his new age guitar picking and unique vocal performance. The band b...

Lucy & The Love Letters isn’t just a band—it’s a living, breathing love story told through sweet melodies, vivid memories, and meaningful words. Founded by Kentucky singer, songwriter, and fiddle player Lucy Becker, the project was born from an unexpected spark: a songwriting assignment that ignited a lifelong passion for transforming emotion into music. From that first tune, Becker knew she w...

Fuzzstration was formed in 2018 by Eric Rhodes, Matt Seelye and Ryan Smith in Crandall, Indiana. The musical style can be summed up as “modern classic rock” with a wide variety of influences. In 2021, Fuzzstration started the “Fuzzy Pig Festival” in Milltown, Indiana. From building the venue from the ground up, it has become a hit in the local community featuring original bands of any style from t...

Louisville, Kentucky based, country-blues artist Andy Branton cut his teeth playing guitar in country and rock & roll bands around the West Alabama bar scene. After years of collecting stories and songs while driving up and down Alabama’s highways and dirt roads, he released his debut EP 47 Minutes Away. Andy assembled a crack team of Birmingham, Alabama’s finest musicians - including Adrian M...

Eclectric is a Louisville-based rock band whose story began in December 2022 at Bellarmine University. What started as a shared love of playing music quickly grew into a creative partnership between four friends: guitarist Lance Oliphant , bassist Micah Davisson , guitarist Matthew Seelye , and drummer Lucas Wheatley . With Oliphant, Davisson, and Seelye all contributing vocals, the group built a...

Jordan A. Wilson, born in Cincinnati, OH, and raised in Carrollton, KY, is a dynamic artist blending nostalgic rhythms with fresh originality. A self-taught guitarist, he began playing at 14, performing solo, in church, and at talent shows. Over the years, Jordan became a key figure in the Cincinnati music scene, collaborating with artists like Joseph Nevels (now Los Angeles), Lauren Eylise, and a...

Back by popular demand, Southern Indiana’s own Justin Miller and The Elements of Sound returns to Top Hill Recording Podcast! Blending rock, folk, pop, blues, and hip hop into a style that’s uniquely their own, this genre-bending group has become a staple of the Kentuckiana music scene. Fronted by multi-instrumentalist and looping pioneer Justin Miller—who got his start beatboxing and playing acou...

New Gunk is a five-piece instrumental force beamed in from somewhere just outside the known galaxy. With a lineup of trombone, saxophone, guitar, bass, and drums, they conjure sounds that feel both ancient and extraterrestrial—equal parts cosmic ceremony and dancefloor detonation. Born from a collision of groove-heavy experimentation and metaphysical curiosity, New Gunk isn’t just a band—it’s a tr...

VALE is a rock and roll/psychedelic band hailing from Louisville, Kentucky. Known for their swirling, atmospheric sound, VALE has been a staple of the Louisville music scene for years. Drawing inspiration from classic psych rock and modern alternative, their music blends heavy grooves, expansive guitar work, and a raw, soulful energy. VALE continues to carve out their own lane—balancing vintage to...

Luke Edlin is a 24-year-old singer-songwriter from Southern Indiana whose music blends heartfelt storytelling with the rich traditions of folk and country. Though he only began writing songs two years ago, Luke quickly found a voice that resonates far beyond his roots. His debut live performance in December 2024 marked the start of a promising journey built on honesty, emotion, and a love for conn...

Eric Lindquist and the Velvet Sky - Four Original Songs Recorded with One Microphone in One Take, followed by an interview.

Ellie Ruth is a genre-defying string player and songwriter whose roots run deep in the rolling hills of Kentucky. Hailing from Louisville, her music draws on the tension between tradition and innovation—merging the raw spirit of Appalachian fiddle tunes with the nuance of chamber music and modern folk. A multi-instrumentalist and bold lyricist, Ellie performs with a five-string violin that becomes...

Hailing from Louisville, Kentucky, Turn3 is a rock band built on a foundation of seasoned musicianship. Don't let the tongue-in-cheek "dad-band 2.0" moniker fool you – their authentic sound, a potent mix of Southern rock swagger, pop hooks, and soulful undertones, has a universal appeal that transcends generations. These veterans have crafted an irresistible blend that's both fam...

We had an absolute blast hanging out with Luke Trimble and his bandmates during their visit to the Top Hill Recording Podcast—up there amongst the best hangs we've had in the studio. The laid-back energy, sharp senses of humor, and deep love for Appalachian music made for a great session. Hailing from Lawrence County and raised in Paintsville, Kentucky, Luke carries the weight of a rich musica...

Zac Nolan & The Bourbon Boys are a five-piece folk/country band bringing a dynamic, high-energy sound to Louisville, KY, and the surrounding region. Led by Zac Nolan, The Bourbon Boys bring an undeniable passion for music that resonates with every listener. With a mix of traditional influences and fresh originality, Zac Nolan & The Bourbon Boys are carving out their place in Kentucky’s mus...

Davey Allen 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. The band formed on the west-side of Los Angeles, California in 2017. The group immediately set out to establish themselves as one of the hardest working Americana bands in Southe...

Since they started making music together in 2023, Cincinnati-based trio Alex Kasznel & the Board of Directors have developed a sound some call "surprisingly un-whiny," a style they affectionately refer to as "pop punk for grownups." Their debut album Everything's Important & Nothing Matters was released in May of 2023, and was followed up by 2 EPs: 2023's Parach...