Lawrence legends to headline Country Music Highway Tribute Show
LOUISA Two Grammy winners and an “American Idol” winner will headline the two-day Country Music Highway Tribute Show, set for July 12 and 13.
Ricky Skaggs, Larry Cordle and Noah Thompson will perform on July 13 at the Shaping Our Appalachian Region, Inc. (SOAR) free event, presented by Addiction Recovery Care and Kentucky Power, with stage sponsor Trace Creek Construction and special sponsor Todd Case Trucking.
The addition of the trio of headliners, all Lawrence County natives, has pushed the event to a two-day festival of music, arts and crafts, and food.
Skaggs, a 15-time Grammy winner, will perform with his band, Kentucky Thunder. Born in rural Lawrence County in Cordell, Skaggs’s father, Hobert, gave him a mandolin when he was 5 after hearing him harmonize with his mother while playing with his toys. A year later, Bill Monroe performed in the Lawrence County town of Martha, and Monroe strapped his mandolin around Skaggs’ neck. He struck a chord, and it was a life-changing moment that charted his course to a bluegrass and country music career.
At 7, Skaggs performed on Flatt & Scruggs’ syndicated television show, which earned him his first paycheck.
Skaggs, who has 11 No. 1 country singles, four No. 1 country albums and seven No. 1 bluegrass albums, will perform at 8:30 p.m. on the Trace Creek Construction Stage.
Larry Cordle will return home from Nashville to perform with his band of acclaimed musicians. Cordle is best known for writing mega-hit songs like “Highway 40 Blues” and “Murder On Music Row,” co-written with Larry Shell. In addition, he is featured on numerous collaborative albums and singles, such as the 2022 GMA Dove Award-winning song, “The Sweet By and By,” with Dolly Parton, Carl Jackson, Jerry Salley and Bradley Walker. Cordle’s original songs have been recorded by artists such as Alison Krauss, George Strait, Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Alan Jackson and Skaggs. He has provided harmony vocals for artists such as Blake Shelton and Garth Brooks.
Cordle will perform at 6 p.m. July 13 on the Trace Creek Construction state.
Noah Thompson, the winner of Season 20 of “American Idol,” embodies the spirit of country music: overcoming adversity and the odds to achieve widespread acclaim. Growing up in Lawrence County, Thompson’s path from a construction worker to a famous artist shows his hard work and determination. His powerful voice and relatable story have won over millions of fans. He will perform at 7:15 p.m. Saturday.
A total of 19 acts will perform during the free event, which will offer free shuttle service from Lawrence County High School from 3 to 11 p.m. on Saturday. Attendees are encouraged to bring seating.
Joshua Ball, chief operating officer at SOAR, said success stories like Skaggs, Cordle and Thompson inspired the concert series.
“This is a pivotal moment for the Country Music Highway and our work to promote the up-and-coming stars of the region,” Ball said. “When we started this journey more than two years ago, we made a commitment to dream big and to put together a high-caliber event on a scale to build relationships with the stars.”
The first SOAR Country Music Highway Tribute Show was in March 2022 in conjunction with the SOAR Mini Summit in Ashland. “I remember sitting with Brandy Clark with Visit Ashland, and we looked at each other and said, ‘This has to continue.’”
The lineup
July 12
4:30 p.m. — Baldridge Brothers
5 p.m. — Phill Barnett
6 p.m. — Rachel and Connor Dale
7 p.m. — Adalyn Ramey
8 p.m. — Hannah Wheeler
9 p.m. — Ben Fugate
July 13
9:45 a.m. — Lawrence Co High School Choir
10 a.m. — Hunter Jordan
11 a.m. — Laurah Louisa
Noon — Them Lasses
1 p.m. — Eddie Jenkins and The 606 Sound
2 p.m. — Logan Purcell
3 p.m. — Luke Trimble
4 p.m. — Solid Ground
5 p.m. — Kentucky Just Us
6 p.m. — Larry Cordle
7:15 p.m. — Noah Thompson
8:30 p.m. — Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder