Wick's Picks Podcast

Happy holidays/new year everyone! On this last episode of the show in 2025 we take a look back on the year that was by highlighting our 16 favorite musical performances from the show. You can find a full playlist of the songs and musicians featured below. Justin Wells - “Counting Days” Big Richard - “The Missing Stair” Nicholas Jamerson - “Days Like These” Magnolia Boulevard - “Devil You Know” Aar...

Carter Owens and Wrangler Stetson from Central Kentucky's 90's country royalty The Bolo Mules join the program to talk about their Dec. 30 and 31 shows at The Burl, Dilly Bars, John Michael Montgomery, OnlyFans, countrified Nirvana, their resemblance to Brother Smith's Wes and Aaron Smith, and more.

Albany, Ky.'s Colton Bowlin joins the program to discuss his musical journey that only began four years ago, how he wound up recording his latest single (and forthcoming debut album) with David Ferguson (Sturgill Simpson, Tyler Childers, Brit Taylor, etc.), how his family inspires his art, and more. Bowlin also performs three songs solo acoustic style for us — "Through The Fall," "Something I Wrot...

Henry County, Ky.'s Joe Clark joins the program to talk about the stories behind the songs on his new record 'The Healing' (out Dec. 12), how his family members assisted on the project, overcoming addition, the similarities between hunting and music, and more. Additionally, Clark also performed three songs off of 'The Healing' — "Into The Sun," "Man Of Steel" and "World To Myself" — solo acoustic...

Tanner Horton, Ashton Bowling and Jager Bowling from Southeast Kentucky bluegrass band The Creekers join the program to talk about their viral rise to notoriety with the song "Tennessee", signing with Warner Music Nashville, their upcoming Holidazed Tour that includes stops at The Burl and Ryman Auditorium, and more!

All five members of Lexington-based rock group Magnolia Boulevard — Maggie Noëlle, Ryan Allen, Brandon Johnson, Austin Lewis and Roddy Puckett — join the program to discuss their debut album out Nov. 29, getting to celebrate it's release with their "home team" at The Burl, the themes of resilience and perseverence running through their music, how this iteration of the band came together, and more.

Louisa, Ky.'s David Prince, known on stage as the Laid Back Country Picker, joins the show to talk about his musical roots, balancing a live as an educator while chasing his musical dreams, teaching a teenage Tyler Childers, Kentucky guitar gods, and much more. Along with our conversation, Prince and his wife Teresa also performed three songs — "Bonaparte," "They Only Come Around" and "Johnny Cash...

This week on the podcast I’m joined by Jacob Young, lead singer for Western Kentucky country rock band Ole 60. Stopping by The Hound studio before the first of a two-night run at The Burl on Oct. 30 and 31, Young spoke to me about everything from his favorite UK basketball players to the band’s pizza shops origins, viral rise to notoriety, new album Smokestack Town , and more. Young also treated u...

Champs Of The Sun's Mark Bell joins the program to discuss new music, influences and more.

Casey Campbell from Cincinnati-based group Buffalo Wabs & The Price Hill Hustle joins the show to talk about the legacy and impact of Byron Roberts ahead of a Jan. 17, 2025 benefit concert for the superfan battling cancer, how he came to land recurring acting roles in Tyler Childers music videos, and more.

Webster, Ky.'s Josh Mitcham joins the program to talk about his album A Few Cries And A Laugh (out Jan. 24, 2025), the family barn turned music venue he books shows at, and more.

The Lexington studio wizards join me to talk about late drummer Robby Cosenza's legacy ahead of a tribute concert at The Burl on Feb. 8, 2025.

Paintsville, Ky. based rocker Sean Whiting joins the program to talk about the recent benefit for Byron Roberts and Manchester Music Hall, 2025 plans, transitioning to performing under a band name, and more.

Andy Hall and Andy Falco of the GRAMMY winning bluegrass group The Infamous Stringusters join me while passing through Lexington to perform at Manchester Music Hall. We discuss everything from the band's Kentucky roots (via the IMBA conference when it was held in Louisville) to making it 20 years as a group, their forthcoming album 20/20 , and more. Additionally, we also preview three songs off th...

Northern Kentucky based singer-songwriter Jeremy Pinnell joins me inside The Hound studio this week to chat all about his new album Decades — from working on it with Shooter Jennings to the reflective nature of the songs within it — prior to its Oct. 31 release. We also get an early sneak peek at seven of the album’s ten tracks including “Barabbas,” “Too Much Sugar,” “Save You,” “Standing Still,”...

This week on the podcast I’m joined by Lexington born, Wyoming raised bassist Shelby Means. You may recognize her from groups like Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, Della Mae and Sally & George, but this year the singer has broken out under her own name with a debut record that’s pure bluegrass bliss. Throughout the show the two of us discuss everything from her Kentucky roots to the timing o...

Bek and Tim Smallwood of Pikeville based blues rock collective Bek & The Starlight Revue join me inside The Hound studio this week me ahead of the fifth annual Mountain Grrl Experience Music Festival to preview this year’s gathering, talk about new music, co-writing and more. We also heard three songs acoustic style from the duo as well — “Sail,” “9 To 9” and “Kentucky” — along with putting he...

This week on the podcast we preview the 11th annual Moonshiner’s Ball taking place Oct. 9-12 with co-organizer Travis Young and singer Scott T. Smith. Together we talk about our favorites moments from festivals prior, who we’re most excited to see this weekend, the four artist’s at large and the festival magic that could come from it, and more. We also hear Smith perform three songs — “Free,” “Mam...

On this special bonus, Substack exclusive episode of Wick’s Picks I’m joined by Ludlow, Ky.’s Jordan Smart, who on Sept. 12 dropped his folk-y protest record Confessions Of A C.E.O. . Smart and I spoke candidly about his evolution as a songwriter from penning tunes like the light-hearted “Song For Prine” and “Pickle Song” to hard-cutting hymnals like “Amerikka’s Veins” and “Who Would Jesus Bomb?”;...

After a couple weeks’ hiatus my radio show/podcast returns with Stoll Vaughan. The Lexington born singer who spent time in Michigan, Indiana, Nashville and Los Angeles discussed everything from his relationship with Duane Betts to what brought him back to Kentucky, how he approaches co-writes, transforming a barn on his property into a recording studio, and much more. Vaughan also performs three s...

This week on the program I’m joined by Louisville singer Ryan Anderson, who in addition to fronting Bendigo Fletcher now also is releasing music under the moniker Moose Loon. Together we talked inside the Hound FM studio about everything from his musical origins to the recent opening of Gatton Park, what animals mashed together make a Moose Loon, his new EP out Sept. 12, what’s next for Bendigo, a...

This week on the program I’m joined by Elizabethtown-based singer-songwriters Gracie Yates and Brock Burton. Together we talked about everything from the recent For The Love Of Appalachia benefit at The Burl to this weekend’s Unbroken Circle Music Festival in Southern Indiana, musical roots, collaborating with Smilo & The Ghost, new music, and much more (timestamps available below). We also he...

Linda Jean Stokley and Montana Hobbs of The Local Honeys stopped by the show to talk about their new music, the importance of field recordings and preserving old-time music’s traditions, forming their own record label, and more. Additionally, we also dove into the group’s catalog of tunes with the playing of “The Space Girl’s Song,” “Darlin’ Don’t You Know That’s Wrong,” “Last Mule In The Holler”...

I’m joined by Lexington-based musician, activist and fellow radio show host DeBraun Thomas to talk about his decision to step away from his full-time job at WUKY at the end of July, the new music he’s working on, being the first artist to perform on the new stage at Gatton Park, and much more. We even heard a few songs from Thomas both new and old like “Lando,” “Take Me Back To Atlanta,” “Broke In...

This week on the show I’m joined in The Hound studio by Samuel May, Tristan Frazier and Colin Michael of Lexington-based rock group Bedford to talk all about the group’s origins, evolution, new album Troubled — out Aug. 15 — and its release show the same night at 2 Fisted Willie’s. In addition to chatting about the new record, we also listen to six tracks straight from it — “Troubled,” “Lonely Nig...