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After five years of steady growth behind the scenes, Low Gap is positioned for a massive breakout in 2026. Brothers Gus and Phin Johnson spent the past year-and-a-half with their proverbial feet slammed on the gas and have hundreds of shows and a slew of singles to show for it. The duo recently released their debut album, Geneva, which has expanded their ever-growing audience to new heights. Gus and Phin, known for their well-crafted songs and animated concerts, have roots planted in Ohio and Eastern Kentucky, which show up clearly in their music. They, along with their five-piece band, blend 90s alt-country and americana with modern country sentiment. Original and unique, their songs manage to garner mainstream attention and critical acclaim from all corners of the increasingly diverse country genre.

Moonlight Mile proudly and intentionally is a reality check for mainstream country and fedora-wearing folk country hipster posers alike. Moonlight Mile is a voice for those many impoverished and destitute in rural Appalachia, gripped by the sting of addiction, brow-beaten by fanatical religiosity, and oppressed by fascist regimes. An Americana bluegrass band from Sandy Hook, Kentucky, they’re forging a sound that blends Appalachi-an roots with modern storytelling and heartfelt grit. Formed in 2021 and fronted by songwriter and vocalist Jonathan Pennington, the group draws on the deep musical heritage of Eastern Kentucky while embracing a wide range of influences—from traditional bluegrass harmonies to the alternative rock and psychedelic sounds that shaped Pennington’s upbringing. Born of long summer evenings and back-road reflections, Moonlight Mile’s music speaks to life in rural Appalachia: the beauty and struggle, the pride and pain. They write with an honest voice and a sense of purpose, tackling themes like community, hardship, and resilience with songs that feel both personal and universal. Their work has shared stages with artists across the Americana and country spectrum, including Wynonna Judd, Dwight Yoakam, The Infamous Stringdusters, and 49 Winchester—a testament to the band’s wide appeal and deep musical roots. With releases that include the Kentucky Bourbon EP and tracks like “Honey,” Moonlight Mile showcases rich instrumentation—banjo, fiddle, and guitar weaving through stories caught between past and present. Their first full-length album captivates listeners with authentic narratives grounded in the landscapes and legacies of Appalachia. Whether on festival stages or intimate venues, Moonlight Mile brings a fresh voice to Kentucky’s storied musical tradition—one that honors the past while charting a course into the future of Americana and blue-grass.

Tanner Troutman, Blake Bramlet, and Ryan Harper comprise the renowned Southern Illinois-based songwriting trio, known professionally as Pity Thy Neighbors. With an extensive background in music spanning their entire lives, these accomplished musicians showcase their artistry through performing a unique blend of raw, soulful Americana tunes infused with gritty lyrics and heartfelt melodies.

Them Lasses is a trio of pickin’, singin’ and songwritin’ women from Winchester, Kentucky spreading joy through sunflowers and harmonies. Since forming in 2022, Them Lasses quickly captured the hearts of the community with their wholesome sunshiny presence and sound. From lighthearted and silly to soulful and reflective, Them Lasses puts on a dynamic and entertaining show that blends the songs, voices, vibes and instruments of its three members, Brittany Dawn, Erin Sliney, and Abby Rank. Fun and folksy to the core, Them Lasses are also known to rock out and get funky with their backing band, The Old Dogs, and are sure to touch your heart, get your feet stomping, and ignite your love for life’s sim-ple joys: happy flowers, good chickens, creeks, and homegrown tomatoes.

CornMaiz is a nouveau old-time family string band featuring original music, traditional, old-time tunes from East Kentucky, and unique versions of some famous cover songs. Hailing from four different moun-tain counties, the band features clawhammer banjo, mandolin, guitar, bass, fiddle, and three part harmo-nies. Performances also include the exciting traditional Appalachian dance styles of flat-footing and clog-ging. The group has performed at festivals and events throughout Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina, and at festivals abroad in Mexico, Wales, Ireland, and Serbia. CornMaiz seeks to present the evolving traditions of Appalachia, and provide cultural perspectives and sto-ries from their oft-stereotyped region, while sharing the fun and generous spirit of the genre! And while there are many bands from all over performing traditional Appalachian music, CornMaiz believes there is something potent and precious about artists from the region representing their own culture and sharing the stories of where and how they learned the music.

Ian Gabriel (MIRAAGE) is both a professional Music Artist and a Motivational Speaker. Born and raised in Lexington, KY. The music has a Pop/Jazzy/Hip-Hop feel, spiced with horns and flow switches. This along with his voice creates beautiful soundscapes with soul and passion. MIRAAGE has been making music since he was very young and has been producing it professionally since 2010. He debuted his first full length project, "Donuts & Coffee" in 2015 which is a tribute album to the late great James Dewitt Yancy AKA J Dilla. The album displays MIRAAGE'S lyrical prowess and complexity over the instrumentation provided by J Dilla's "Donuts" album. He continues to provide intricacy and yet stay simple enough to make sure the message connects with his audience. He brings back true soul music into an industry that is now so hard to find. Ian is also an activist for foster youth and individuals with disabilities. He started speaking at different events/conferences at age 15. He uses humor and music to connect with youth, families, and professionals on various topics; Relating to his 13 years that he spent in the foster care system. Recently he gave a keynote for the 2nd time at the annual KECSAC con-ference (Kentucky Educational Collaborative for State Agency Children) and has also spoken at several events nationally. He's also been involved with different organizations building the futures for youth: such as TAYLRD (Transition Age Youth Launching Realized Dreams), YMO (Youth MOVE Oregon), and NYTD (National Youth in Transition Database). He has used these experiences to develop himself into a messenger of hope- delivering a powerful, informative, and entertaining experience every time he grips a microphone.

Stripmall Ballads is the haunted, dust-blown project of Phillips Saylor Wisor, a songwriter wandering the backroads between myth and memory. Drawing comparisons to Neil Young, Bonnie “Prince” Billy, and Maybelle Carter, his work lives in the tension between Appalachian tradition and modern disillusion-ment—aching with spectral beauty, dry wit, and a bone-deep sense of longing. From early lo-fi master-works like Since Jimmy Died to the sparse, cinematic ache of Distant, his songs are slow-burning dispatch-es from the heart of a fractured America—where ghosts speak in minor chords and resistance sounds like a hymn. Stripmall Ballads doesn’t just sing about forgotten places—it sings from them. Phillips Saylor Wisor – aka STRIPMALL BALLADS – is a Maryland-based rollicking musical rambler, rife with story-songs rich in emotion and hardihood. His brand of folk music sings the heartbreaking ballads of old brick buildings, vacant lots, and rustbelt towns. Of third shift papas, flood plains, and long drives through nowhere towns. He’s boots on the ground, guitar across the body, ever observing the ugly mundane mixed with the beautiful chaos of this place we trample upon on the daily. He’s shared stages with Tommy Prine, John R. Miller, Danny Barnes, Les Claypool, The Be Good Tanyas, Willy Tea Taylor, just to name a few. In his early days, Wisor found comfort in DC’s encampments searching for validation in the gritty corners of tucked away spaces. Where street people applauded and encouraged as he picked away, a rustling sound of Americana and folk, with boozed-up night chatter for background noise. As founding member of The Shiftless Rounders, Phillips dove deep into the Appalachian ocean of old time banjo and balladry. And as a fervent practitioner of Shape Note music, he has spent countless hours singing in the “old way” and devouring the harmonic notions of American roots music. With a nod to Woody Guthrie, Phillips deploys all these influences in his music. Stripmall Ballads is a testament to the enduring power of painting experience with emotion, forever a voice of the strange amongst strangers.

Joe Troop is a multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter hailing from the North Carolina Piedmont. He is one half of the acclaimed panamerican folk duo Larry & Joe, and founder of GRAMMY-nominated stringband Che Apalache. His music is deeply inspired by a decade living in Buenos Aires and traveling throughout Latin America and the world. When the pandemic landed him back in North Carolina in 2020, Joe began working with stalwart organizers in order to more effectively meld his music and progressive social agenda. This culminated in his 2021 album “Borrowed Time,” featuring an epic cast of collaborators including Béla Fleck, Abigail Washburn, Tim O’Brien and Charlie Hunter. In December of 2021 the stars aligned, and Joe met his musical soul brother, Raleigh-based Venezuelan folk music legend and asylum-seeker Larry Bellorín. Soon thereafter he decided to put down roots in Durham to pursue the duo full time. When not on the road with Lare-bear, Joe leads various ensembles in NC, which play his original music.

Eric Bolander has been active on the music scene for many years. He writes thoughtfully, his songs have staying power, and he brings to the stage the same joy he brings to his students at the high school where he teaches art. Eric grew up in the Ohio Valley in the small Eastern KY town of Garrison. His dad passed on a humble and compassionate work ethic which became a driving force for Eric to achieve his life goals in subsequent years. Eric now lives here in Lexington, KY, and is a pillar in the city's art community. Eric always brings a great band to Red Barn Radio, and this week is no exception.

With deep bluegrass roots and a hard-edged traditional country sound, Will Jones is carving out a space where Appalachian soul meets outlaw grit.Will didn’t so much learn three chords as inherit them. Raised deep in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, his music carries the raw heartbeat of Appalachian bluegrass and the fierce edge of traditional country. “I knew three chords and the truth before I even knew my ABCs,” he says, summing up his earliest years in music, when he was already on stage with a guitar in hand, immersed in the mountain spirit that shaped generations before him.Born into the family band, The Cana Ramblers, Will learned early what it meant to perform. By age six, he was singing lead, strumming guitar, and commanding the crowd as the band’s natural MC. “I was always the one talking to the crowd,” he recalls. “Knowing how to entertain and hold a stage — that’s what I’m still doing now. Nothing’s changed.”Nothing’s changed, but he’s certainly refined. For Will, Appalachian bluegrass is the lifeblood that shapes both his music and his story. Now, Will’s music feels equal parts front-porch picker and highway poet, which comes through clearly in his most recent songs, “Lonesome Dove,” “My Country’s Showing” and “Devil’s Den.” While his artistry continues to expand, he explains, “the heart of my sound remains rooted in my bluegrass beginnings.” As Will puts it, “being surrounded by bluegrass mountain music as I grew up — that’s what made me, that’s what raised me.” When his sisters left the band to pursue other paths, Will faced a crossroads. “I knew I was meant to play music,” he says. “I wanted to take it to a bigger stage, and my family supported and encouraged that dream.” Driven by that hunger, at 17 he stepped out on his own, carrying the Appalachian soul with him and choosing the road less traveled. Now based in Nashville,

The 65 North Pickers are a high-energy bluegrass quartet that fuses the drive of traditional bluegrass with the exploratory spirit of jam band im-provisation. Their high-energy performances feature incredible original compositions that merge bluegrass with the nostalgic vibes of classic festival music, where the essence of the grateful dead meets the psy-chedelic flair of Jimi Hendrix. with listeners dancing out of their chairs and captivated by the music. Next week will be an unforgettable night of music and conversation with the 65 North Pickers!

Musician Michael G. Ronstadt has traversed a wide range of musical styles from singer-songwriter, folk, jazz, classical, Americana to new age. Ronstadt displays genre-blending explorations on cello and guitar in complement to thought-provoking lyrics, as well as instrumental work. In addition to his solo and group recordings with Ronstadt Brothers, Trotta & Ronstadt, Serenity Fisher & The Cardboard Hearts, Aaron Na-thans & Michael G. Ronstadt, he is a much sought-after studio musician, who has appeared on more than 200 albums in the last 20 years. Michael has recorded in studios across the United States in Philadelphia, Tucson, Phoenix, Nashville, New York City, New Jersey, Cincinnati, Los Angeles, Germany & North Wales (UK). His versatile work has been tapped for studio and concert work by such artists as David Bromberg, Linda Ronstadt, Murial Anderson and Craig Bickhardt (SKB). He has opened up for artists like Ruthie Foster, Jor-ma Kaukonen (Hot Tuna, Jefferson Airplane), Steve Katz (Blood, Sweat & Tears), Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Neil Young, Death Cab For Cutie, Smashing Pumpkins and Josh Groban. He has toured and performed with the late, great Rick Rosas (Crazy Horse) and Dave Krusen (Pearl Jam). His performances have been heard at the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering (Elko, NV), Philadelphia Folk Festival, San Diego Sail Festival, Musical Instrument Museum (MIM), Common Ground On The Hill Music Festival, and Tucson Folk Festival to name a few. Serenity Fisher has a piano style that is theatrical and passionate. Her music has been compared to Regina Spektor, Tori Amos and Fiona Apple.

Episode 228 First Air 01-04-26 Bryce Mullins Cask Strength A OK Breakthrough Sidewalkin' Always Right by Your Side Alice's Saturday Night Train Raising Kane E.T Bryce Mullins is a seasoned fingerstyle guitarist and songwriter hailing from Batesville, Indiana, with a rich and diverse musical background. Initially introduced to the guitar by his father, Bryce's passion quickly grew, drawing him into a world where classic rock intertwined with classical music, blues, and bluegrass. A pivotal moment in his early development came when he encountered the works of Andrés Segovia, leading him to pursue classical guitar with fervor. Bryce's academic journey took him to the College Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati, where he earned a Bachelor's Degree in Classical Guitar Performance under the guidance of Professor Clare Callahan. He continued his education at Austin Peay State University, obtaining a Master’s Degree in Classical Guitar Performance, studying with Dr. Stanley Yates. It was during this period that Bryce was introduced to the vibrant world of fingerstyle guitar, inspired by artists like Chet Atkins, Merle Travis, Jerry Reed, Tommy Emmanuel, Andy McKee, and Antoine Dufour. Armed with a deep understanding of technique and music theory, Bryce began composing his own fingerstyle guitar pieces. His debut album, "First Sip," released in 2017, garnered critical acclaim from outlets like Minor 7th, which praised his "melodic diversity" and the intricate interplay of melodies and contrasts in his compositions. This album marked the beginning of a distinctive voice in the fingerstyle community, where Bryce seamlessly weaves together his myriad influences into a sound that is both unique and familiar.

JUSTIN CLYDE WILLIAMS WRITES SONGS. Sometimes he writes them with his buddies. Armed with a flattop or backed by a full band, Justin Clyde Williams takes listeners on an emotional journey with his songs and stories you can relate to no matter where you call home. Capturing the full spectrum of life, the good times and bad most of his songs you’ll hear serve as a soundtrack to his own experiences with love, death, heartache and that one time he “ate a little bit too much of that gummy bear” Raised on sounds between bluegrass and rock ‘n roll with a variety of influences, when he’s not performing himself, it’s not uncommon to see Clyde playing sideman for one of his bud-dies or appearing with Tyler Hatley in The Dick and Tammy Show. Justin Clyde Williams always leaves people wanting more with an unwavering experience that is blunt, therapeutic, candid and above all - unforgettable.

In 2013, frontman Tanner Blevins and guitarist Patrick Brumback shared a Morehead State dorm hallway and musical dreams. With Tanner’s older sister Amanda joining on vo-cals and songwriting duties, the band quickly took shape, releasing Conclusions in 2014 — a charmingly DIY debut full of personal, scornful laments and loose acoustic-pop, setting the tone for the heartfelt, genre-blurring path ahead. They followed with 2015’s Growing Pain EP. Chasing a bigger sound, the band headed to Nashville to record The Edge EP at Blackbird Studios. A run of polished singles followed — “All of Me,” “Halfway,” “New Addiction,” and “Tubesox” — recorded back home at Lexington’s Shangri-La Studio. With the addition of powerhouse drummer Matt Holleran and bassist Jared “Hippie” Davis, Wicked Peace also dove deep into production work, building their own Butchwood Studios in the process. Over the next few years, the band entered their most prolific era: four EPs (The Portland EP, The Evening EP, The High Road EP, Scott Named the Band (Live at Butchwood)), high-energy singles like “(Take Off My) T-Shirt” and “Ur Welcome,” and — at last — their first full-length album: 2019’s Rock N Roll Racecar, a full-throttle showcase of their growth, hu-mor, and heart. In 2023, the band returned with Wicked Peace, a self-titled record that sharpened their hooks and expanded their palette — delivering 10 hummable, harmonized songs about heartbreak, resilience, and boats. Now in 2025, Wicked Peace celebrates 13 years together with two retrospective releases