PN

PENN'S STORE PRESENTS
2017 KENTUCKY WRITERS DAY CELEBRATION
April 23, 27-30, 2017
WRITERS/PARTICIPANTS

Click here for the 2017 Schedule and Locations

KY Writers in Celebration performances by Dawn Lane Osborn, and other Songwriters in Celebration.  Dawn is a poet, song writer, and musician and performs professionally.
Emcees
CHAD M HORN is an award winning poet and author of three books.  The former owner of KENTUCKYLIT, an independent bookstore in Harrodsburg, KY, Chad frequently appears on WRFL, WHBN and WHIR radio programs discussing Kentucky literature, and has taught and lectured on this subject for the past eight years.
RANDY BURCHFIELD is a multi talented high energy entertainer with a career spanning more than four decades, traversing the United States and other countries.   Randy has been involved with radio, film, television and hosted his own radio show.   A prolific writer, Burchfield has written and produced many media  "jingles" for Kentucky businesses.  Randy Burchfield was one of the youngest performers to ever grace the stage at RENFRO VALLEY, and was the first person to have a full set of drums on the RENFRO stage.  He has performed with and opened shows for many country music stars.  Randy Burchfield has earned great respect among his peers and is proud to still be active in the entertainment industry.
Hershel McKinley is probably best known for his many years on Danville radio stations as News Director, public affairs broadcaster and morning air personality.  In what Hershel describes as "long ago and far away" he wrote, produced, directed and appeared in many films for the State of Kentucky in The Department of Public Information.  Hershel called Danville home for many years, but now lives on a farm in northern Mercer County with his wife Shirley.  Calling himself a lifelong fledgling novice in creative writing, Hershel is a member of Speaking Out and Nomadic Ink writing groups in Mercer County.  Hershel currently does freelance voice work and script writing.  He has been heard throughout the South in radio and television commercials, industrial video voiceovers, audio book readings, and political radio advertisements. He and Shirley, and their children, have had the opportunity to travel or work in many parts of the world including East Africa, Central America, England, the Caribbean, and India.
List of Writers Who will have Books to Sell during the weekend
Darlene Franklin Campbell David Cole Tasha Cotter Yolantha Harrison-Pace Libby Jones Rick Lee	Jenean McBrearty Ellen Burkett Morris James Shields Dave Shuffet Paul Stansbury Richard Underwood
List of Writers and Performers
Kentucky's  2016 Poet Laureaute George Ella Lyon has published award-winning books for readers of all ages, and her poem, “Where I’m From,” has been used as a model by teachers around the world. Recent titles include She Let Herself Go (poems) and the following picture books: “Which Side Are You On?” The Story of a Song, and All the Water in the World (both CCBC Choices), The Pirate of Kindergarten (Schneider Award) and You and Me and Home Sweet Home (Jane Addams Honor). Originally from the mountains of Kentucky, Lyon works as a freelance writer and teacher based in Lexington, where she lives with her husband, writer and musician Steve Lyon. They have two grown sons.	Dave Shuffett is a nine-time Emmy Award nominee, winner of a national TELLY AWARD.  Is host and producer of KET's weekly series "KENTUCKY LIFE" and co-host of the popular new  KET series, "KENTUCKY COLLECTIBLES".  He is also the bi-monthly “Great Outdoors” columnist and photographer for Kentucky Living magazine.   Shuffett was the host and producer for the long running "KENTUCKY AFIELD".  On the national level he was owner and host of "Outdoors with Dave Shuffett" airing on broadcast stations as well The Outdoor Channel.  This is his first book.  Dave is a winner of Kentucky Monthly's 2017 Penned Contest. Author of My Kentucky Life.
Sharon Mauldin Reynolds has worked as a newspaper reporter, teacher, and freelance writer. Her short fiction has appeared in numerous literary journals, and her debut short story collection, Walking Air, was published by Pen-L Publishing. She recently received  Kentucky’s highest literary reward -- the Al Smith Individual Artist Fellowship. A native of Mississippi, Sharon lives and writes in Lexington, Ky.	Harold Tokle will be playing selections from his first solo CD- "Songs from Box Hollow" as well tunes from his upcoming release "Deep Water Culture". Harold is a semi-retired Family Counselor and when he's not wandering up on the family tree farm can be found close to the beach.
Katie Caswell is an English and Creative Writing teacher at Assumption High School in Louisville. Her works have appeared in various publications, including Calliope, Literary LEO, Pegasus, Kudzu, and Kentucky Monthly. The beauty of nature, the compassionate spirit of people, meditation, and her new husband all inspire her poetry and prose.	Paul Stansbury is a life long native of Kentucky. He is the author of Down By the Creek – Ripples and Reflections and Little Green Men? His stories have appeared in a number of print anthologies as well as a variety of online publications. His poems have appeared in a variety of online publications Now retired, he lives in Danville, Kentucky.
Wayne Westerfield ( aka " The Drumming Banker",  a title earned later in his music career ) has been performing in bands since 1968.   His early band career was spent with bands performing Soul and Rhythm & Blues, all of which had a strong influence on his musicial palate.   However, in 1975, while in college, several "Country" music jobs came along ... his adopted genre for the past 41 years ... and " the rest is history".   Westerfield was drummer on a 1969 45rpm record done by noted Boyle County, Kentucky songwriter, KENDALL  HAYES ( who penned the country classic, "JUST WALK ON BY". ) Westerfield will return to his "roots" at the 2017 Songwriters Tribute Showcase as drummer with * BIG BOSS BAND.	Stratus is a four piece Central Kentucky based rock band featuring Lexi and Landon Sarrett on bass and guitar, Chase Riggs on drums and John Blades on lead guitar.  The band originally formed in the fall of 2015 as part of the Rock School! program at Lexington Music Education.  The style of the band is eclectic, with a mix of covers and original songs included in the bands set.  The cover tunes they play range from AC/DC to Radio Head to Five Seconds of Summer.  The bands original tunes are hook laden pop ear worms that will get you out of your seat and on the dance floor.  The band has performed in the Central Kentucky area and elsewhere, having made their Nashville debut at the Whiskey Bent Saloon in the spring of 2016.  Currently the band is working on a recording project, an, as yet, unnamed EP of three original songs scheduled for release in the late summer of 2017.  Check out Stratus, this band is on the rise!
Joseph G. Anthony , a Jersey-born Kentucky author, moved in 1980 from Manhattan’s Upper West Side to Hazard, Kentucky.  Anthony, an English professor for 35 years, regularly contributes essays and poems to anthologies, including a poem and story in Kentucky’s Twelve Days of Christmas. His most recent novel, Wanted: Good Family was described by the Lexington Herald-Leader  as "masterfully written and well grounded in Kentucky history and mannerism (exploring) race, class, relationship and the potential for change."  His previous books include 2 short story collections, Camden Blues and Bluegrass Funeral plus 2 novels—Peril, Kentucky,  and Pickering’s Mountain.  Appalachian Heritage’s said of Pickering that :“Anthony balances multiple voices with restraint…{he makes} us feel for their individual pain and sorrow, their prejudice and greed and lack of guile and fully-realized humanity.”	Born in Memphis, Tennessee, Ronn Crowder is from a musical family. His grandfather JB Maxcy was the first man to play harmonica live on the radio. -Atlanta Journal, Sept 22, 1923.  Ronn did session work in Memphis at Sun Recording Studios, American Studios, Ardent Studios, Sounds of Memphis, and Stairway Studios.  Performed on stage and/or recordings with Furry Lewis, Leo LeBlanc, The Hombres, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bonnie Bramlett, Lindy Hearne, The Amazing Rhythm Aces. Played with Don McNatt,  the Smplzat Band.  Served as opening act for Rick Springfield, Pure Prairie League, Styx, Stephen Bishop, and others.  Ronn presently performs his solo act at many venues in central Kentucky, and is currently a member of two bands, Sons of the Frigidaires, and RC and the NightShades, (with the late five-time Emmy winner, master pianist, Jay Flippin) whose latest album "Snakebit" includes 4 songs written by Crowd.
Phillip Clarkson and Sarah Patrick are both award-winning Singer/Songwriters from the state of Kentucky.  They are both members of The Kentucky South Band and also perform as an Acoustic Duo and make solo appearances through out Kentucky and surrounding states.  You can find them on Facebook and listen to their music on Youtube.	Gordon Webb, a native of Eastern Kentucky and West Virginia, has spent most of his adult life in Elizabethtown and now resides in Lebanon.  He picked up the guitar in his teenage years after a football injury put a damper on his mobility for several months. Being the 9th of 10 children, and a teenager in the '60's, his musical influence was rock and roll and popular music of the 50's and 60's.  This is the style he has stayed with.  Although he does not write original music, he sometimes likes to alter the lyrics of rock and roll to spiritual wording and perform in his church (as in Sister Act).)
Stephen M. Vest is the editor, publisher and founder of Kentucky Monthly Magazine, which won the Governor Award in the Arts (Media) in 2005. Vest, along with long-time journalist Michael Embry, founded Kentucky Monthly in 1998 and today it has a circulation of more than 40,000 with readers in every state. He is the author of Unexpected Inheritance (Butler Books, 2014), two collections of his columns and the publisher of the 2012 anthology Kentucky’s Twelve Days of Christmas.  A native Kentuckian, Vest holds degrees from the University of Louisville (1986) and Murray State University (MFA in Creative Nonfiction, 2011). His work has appeared in literary journals such as The Journal of Kentucky Studies, Still, The Single Hound (and others). He has been anthologized in Of Woods and Waters: An Outdoor Reader. He was a contributor to The Encyclopedia of Northern Kentucky. He is also the editor of SAR Magazine, the National Society Sons of the American Revolution’s Quarterly. Before Kentucky Monthly, Vest was the news editor of The Blood-Horse, an international Thoroughbred racing magazine. He spent more than a dozen years in newspapers, mostly in sports, including award-winning stints at the Frankfort State Journal, the Recorder Newspapers of Northern Kentucky and the McLean County News.  Vest and his wife, Kay, reside in Frankfort with the youngest of their four delightful children.
Formed out of the vision of two independent songwriters, The Girls Say Hi, Although being relatively new to some folks, have been on the scene approximately 2 1/2 years. As singer/songwriters they can be found performing around the area at various venues bringing their variety of tasty originals that are flavored with styles of ballad, folk, rock ,blues, country and even some humor.  In normal show circumstances they will blend their originals with about 50% of cover tunes that were big hits but have since become cloudy in the minds of a lot of people. That is of course until they hear these particular selections and say "Wow! I forgot all about that song. It was huge on the charts back in the day" Or they may say something like, "How come most bands play the same old stuff anymore. How come you rarely hear these songs?" It becomes apparently refreshing to hear good songs you either forgot about or when looking for new material. Composed of Rennie Neubecker, Larry Williams & Jeff Jones, The Girls Say Hi will often bring other artists into the group to either round out and enhance a particular set list or just to change things up and have a bit of fun. The Girls Say Hi can also be seen at various Singer/Songwriter events performing their originals in an "originals only" type of showcase atmosphere. Front man Rennie Neubecker (host), with Larry Willams managing the stage along with Jeff Jones backing other musicians, the award winning, wildly (and widely) Popular "LexJam" held the second Saturday of each month, is the region's Longest running and Biggest open mic and talent showcase. The event is 'always' the second Saturday of the month and look for the event pages to be posted about 5-7 days ahead of the event. Anyway, you choose to dice it (or them), The Girls Say Hi can be found performing many places and each and every one, a fun and memorable experience. Look for our you tube channel and new record soon.
Although newly formed as a musical duo, Bentley and Cain have been performing individually since they were in their teens. From a gospel, bluegrass, folk and country background for Tom Bentley to a  bluegrass, honky tonk, blues,and light jazz background for Jeff Cain, the two artist recently decided to join forces and meld their musical talents into one sound that reflects their unique musical backgrounds. Tom grew up in the mountains of Eastern KY and is considered one of the premier cross pickers in the state and is also recognized for his authentic mountain vocals and harmony. His musical career has spanned over 45 years. Tom is also known as a fine luthier and violin maker.  Jeff grew up in Louisville, KY and started playing the clubs at the age of 17. He has had the honor of playing music for the Vice President of the United States, as well as two KY Governors and has performed in several states from the Ohio Valley through the Southeast. Jeff is the owner of Main Street Music and has given music lessons for over 20 years.  Both men currently reside in Stanford, KY.	Wayne Pollock, bassist, has been in and around music his entire life. His father was a singer/songwriter and his siblings are also musicians. His primary instrument is the bass guitar, but he is also a vocalist and plays piano, drums and guitar as well. He has a degree in Music Engineering and Marketing. He has toured with drummer Tony Royster Jr., who is the drummer for Jay-Z and has also played with numerous Gospel and R&B legends of the music industry. Wayne is a vocal coach and has worked with artist Lyndriette Smith, who is currently on tour with Usher. Wayne has played with the Back Street band and the Paul Childers Band, both from Kentucky.  Played at B.B. King’s and 12th and Porter in Nashville, TN, Ham Days, the Bourbon Festival, The Outhouse Blowout and numerous KWD  Festivals.  He is the founding member of the smooth jazz band, The Wayne James Xperience.  Pollock now resides in Palm Bay, Florida.  Wayne Pollock will take the stage at the 2017 Songwriters Tribute Showcase with Dawn Osborn and BIG BOSS BAND.
Kenneth Joseph Mills grew up on a knob farm on upper Little South in the Forkland area.  He immediately joined the U.S. Air Force after graduating from Casey County High School.  While in the Air Force he worked as a jet engine mechanic and was discharged after nine years.  He attended the University of Kentucky and for thirty-three years he worked as an engineer in industry; he was also in the Air Force Reserves for thirty-three years.  He loves being retired and working on his own place here in Kentucky.	Tasha Cotter is the author of the poetry collection Some Churches and the chapbooks That Bird Your Heart and Girl in the Cave (fall 2016). Winner of the 2015 Delphi Poetry Series, her work has appeared in journals such as Contrary Magazine, NANO fiction, and Booth. In 2015 she was named runner-up in the Carnegie Center's Next Great Writer contest. A contributor to Women in Clothes (Blue Rider Press, 2014), The Poets on Growth Anthology (Math Paper Press, 2015), and the 2017 Poet's Market (Writer's Digest Books), she makes her home in Lexington, Kentucky, where she works in higher education.
Lee Dixon, musician/songwriter, has been in the entertainment business since age nine when he first stepped on stage in the 50s and 60s playing guitar and bass and opening for the likes of Frankie Lymon, Stevie Wonder, Brenda Holloway and numerous other stars and recording artists. During those years Dixon also appeared on recordings and was contracted as a songwriter by various labels. He later gained broader experience playing and appearing in USO Shows in Viet Nam where he served in the military signal corps. Today, he has returned to his music roots and continues to compose new and original tunes in various categories. The most recent of these has been showcased in performing duo, Chiaroscuro, with talented violinist/pianist Jolene Davis.
Susan H. Simpson is a Kentucky educator with a Masters and a Rank I in English.  She has taught for over 35 years in the public and private school systems teaching English and Journalism.  Susan was also the Washington County cheerleader sponsor and the newspaper advisor for 13 years.  She currently serves on the Kentucky School Media Association State Board and works as a librarian. At the age of 23, Susan served in the Peace Corps. For two years she worked in Colombia, South America teaching English and the use of educational television and learning Spanish.  Susan  has traveled extensively, discovering over nineteen countries.  Inspired by her travels, she now enjoys Painting, Photography, and writing poetry.  Susan is a member of the Poet's Supper, a central Kentucky collective of writers, which has published some of her work.   Susan is married to Coach Whitey Simpson who is also a Kentucky educator.  Chad, her oldest son, is a Disability Advocate for Binder & Binder.  Chad and his wife Dr. Christina Conroy, who is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Morehead State University, blessed Susan with a grandson, Carter who is now two.  Her youngest son Wade is a Photographer and is the Photo Editor for an arts journal, Cousin Corinne's Reminder.
Larry Ray Hafley was reared in Peoria, Illinois.   A lifetime writer, author, teacher, preacher, lecturer, and motivational speaker, Larry now resides in Cookeville, Tennessee, not far from Dale Hollow Lake.  He has two sons, Shawn and Curtis and four grandchildren.   Larry enjoys traveling, especially when going to fulfill speaking assignments.   Although he is a big Alabama football fan (Roll Tide!) he also cheers for the Kentucky Wildcat basketball team!  Larry's family roots are in the Gravel Switch/Forkland area of Boyle County, Kentucky.  He says he is the first Hafley who was raised away from a Kentucky tobacco farm!   His grandmother, Lee Hafley, wife of Earl Hafley, taught at Forkland School for 43 years.  Larry's parents, Cecil and Marie (Coyle) Hafley, were from the Forkland area of Boyle County, but moved to Peoria, Illinois, during WWII.  You may contact Larry via E-mail: larryhafley1@cs.com, or by phone 931-510-9997.	DINO MUSSO has played and performed music most all his life.  Beginning with the accordion at age 6, he now plays guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, piano, sax, bass, drums, flute and harmonica ... and has played / jammed with many of the "greats".    On a musical sojourn for 10 years, DINO MUSSO traveled the United States in a motor home, along with his dogs, and played at every vacation spot and place that offered respite.  Having come to Kentucky recently, drawn here by the state's beauty in all it's seasons,  and even more with the Kentucky people, DINO has planted roots and found his home.  According to Dino ... "They'll carry me out feet first".
ALTRUISTICS The Altruistics is a Central Kentucky based 13 piece classic soul/pop band playing Top 40 hits from the 60's and 70's.
Phil Pendleton has worked in in the news industry in one facet or another for more than two decades. He began his career at Danville's WHIR radio in 1992 then worked for stations in London (WFTG), Stanford (WRSL) and Lexington (WVLK.)  He's also worked for The Advocate-Messenger newspaper for several months in 2003 but you probably will recognize him most for his work at the Lexington, KY CBS News affiliate at WKYT. "I've worked for all three mediums: print, radio and television, but I must say that I enjoy working in television the most," says Phil. Phil's position with WKYT carries one of the more unique job descriptions. He is a "one man band" or what is more commonly referred to now as a "multi-media journalist." "I still have people come up to me, even after nearly 13 years of doing the camera, reporting, and editing all by myself, and they say, 'Hey, can't they afford to get you your own camera man!' Or they will say, 'You mean, they haven't promoted you to having your camera guy yet?'"  Phil will tell you, though, that he enjoys traversing southern and south-central Kentucky and covering stories of every-day Kentuckians along with highlighting the various news of the day events, even if he does have to do all the work alone.  He's also been able to travel outside of Kentucky in covering Kentuckians helping disaster victims in Mississippi, Alabama, Missouri, and Oklahoma and was able to cover excited UK fans in the Final Four and SEC tournament. Recently, Phil has taken on a new passion in writing books. His first book, One Man Band is an autobiography. That was followed in 2014 with Television Revelation and last year with his first work of fiction, The Answer. All three were self-published. When he's not busy covering the news or writing, Phil enjoys spending time with his family. His wife of nearly 22 years, Allissa, has been a longtime elementary school teacher in Stanford and they have three children, Hannah, 16, Connor, 13, and Keaton, 9.
Joe Crafa was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. He became interested in music of the thirties and forties while listening to his parents' record collection and became influenced by the styles of Dick Haymes, Bing Crosby, and several other artists of that era. Joe was the lead singer for several "oldies" groups while living in New York. He played tenor saxophone and performed at resorts in the Catskill Mountains of New York state. After marrying he moved to New Jersy and discontinued public performances. He moved to Casey County, KY in 2005 and in 2009 was "drafted" by his friends to help start an open mic at Uncle Bob's in Stanford, KY.	Yolantha Harrison-Pace, award winning author, playwright and poet, referenced as America's Top 100 Literary African American Divas, Poet of the Year, Humanitarian Author of the Year, Adjunct Reporter for University of Southern California's Institute of Genetic Medicine Art Museum, Guest Columnist Advocate Messenger, On-Line Arts and Education Reporter for Examiner, Guest Poet for THE CAN FACTORY of Mohnesee, Germany. Ambassador to Haiti for Arise and Shine the Light Ministries.
Dr. H. R. Stoneback and the Elizabeth Madox Roberts Society from New York will be joining us again this year.  H. R. Stoneback is Distinguished Professor of English at the State University of New York. As Honorary President of the Elizabeth Madox Roberts Society, every year he leads dozens of students from New York and many other states (including France!) to Kentucky to study Roberts, one of Kentucky's greatest writers, and to participate in the annual Roberts Conferences held at St. Catharine College (and other venues in Springfield and Harrodsburg) every April since 1999. In addition, Roberts Society members have participated in the Penn's Store Kentucky Writers Day programs for over a decade.  Stoneback is the author or editor of 30 books, roughly half poetry and half literary studies.	Tim Readnour picked up the guitar 35 years ago and hasn't stopped!!! Songwriting , singing, performing , guitar !! He started singing gospel music as a child, with his family. The teens hit and so did the rock n roll! Tim spent several years in regional bands, such as Dalton and Trailer Trash. He has opened for such artists as Lynryd Skynyrd, Trace Adkins, John Anderson, Little Big Town, Rick Skaggs, the list goes on and on.  But then something changed.... He did! Gave his life to Jesus and now is currently recording his debut album!! Singing songs for Jesus and spreading the gospel through songs!!  From current contemporary music to hymns, his style is vocal and guitar driven and sure to be something that makes you feel great!!!  The members of his band The Melodic Brotherhood are: Joe Caldwell on guitar, Audrie Readnour (niece) on drums and percussion, and Jason Boyle on bass.
Ed McClanahan is a native of Brookville, Kentucky.  A graduate of Miami University in Ohio and the University  of Kentucky, he has taught English  and creative writing  at Oregon State University, Stanford University, the University of Montana, the University of Kentucky and Northern Kentucky University.  His books include The  Natural Man (a novel), Famous People I Have Known, A Congress of Wonders, and My Vita, If You Will.  McClanahan is now working on a novel, The Return of the Son of Needmore.	Maurice Manning was a Guggenheim fellow for 2011-2012.  His fourth book of poetry, The Common Man, was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2011.  Manning teaches in the MFA Program for Writers at Warren Wilson College and at Transylvania University in Lexington.  Most recently Manning received the Lee Smith Award from Lincoln Memorial University.  His next book, The Gone and the Going Away, will be published in the spring of 2013.
John Robinson, photographer       Having spent his early years in the USMC, C. A. Shelley became a member of the Lexington Fire Department, retiring after 28 years of service. In 2010 he found his voice in the arts by writing and co-producing the movie Gone But Not Forgotten, the Story of the Smoke Eaters, a full length documentary chronicling the memories and experiences of his “Firefighter Brothers”.  During the filming Shelley became so inspired that he began to write. First: A Collection of Poems, Thoughts & Short Stories about his beloved Fire Department.  Second: Wake up America Its Your Conscience Calling, 30 poems honoring the struggles that our military and their families are enduring every moment. Third: A Spiritual Awakening, 49 poems of inspiration and hope. His current book: God and Kentucky, a book of love poems about God in all His glory and Kentucky, its beauty, people and history with a touch of humor thrown in.  He calls himself a “Blue-Collar Poet”, with My God guiding this ship, putting His words in my heart, which I put to paper. I am on a mission and I have a lot to say, look for me; I’m coming to you down God’s highway.”  C. A. and his wife Rita reside at Herrington Lake, Mercer County, Kentucky.
SOUTHERN FLAMES is a South-Central Kentucky duo/band comprised of Amanda Cooper and Christina Cooper-Lawhorn.  They are the daughters of award-winning songwriter Tony “Papa” Cooper.  The ladies are multi-talented and perform a wide variety of musical styles and have varied musical influences. They began singing and honing their family harmonies from an early age, and now give a unique perspective to the classic songs we all love.  From Country, Southern-Rock, Blues, and Gospel, they make each song their own.  They perform in both full-band and acoustic/duo performances. They released their full-length album titled, Our Way on 2016 New Year’s Eve to great success.  The CD has garnered outstanding reviews and sold many copies. Amanda resides in Hustonville, KY and Christina makes her home in Liberty, KY.
Tony Cooper is an Award-winning songwriter who splits his time between his native Casey County, Kentucky and Nashville, Tennessee writing songs and playing music any time he can.  While he likes many types and genres of music, his favorites are the old time tearjerkers.
Jenean McBrearty, writer of "griterary" fiction, is a graduate of San Diego State University, a former community college instructor who taught Political Science and Sociology, and is finishing a certificate in Veteran Studies as a Donovan Scholar at Eastern Kentucky University. Her fiction/non-fiction has been published in a slew of print and on-line journals including Cigale Literary Magazine, 100 Doors to Madness Anthology, Mad Swirl and The Moon, and her poetry has been accepted by Van Gogh's Ear and Page & Spine. Her photographs have appeared in Foliate Oak Literary Journal and Off the Coast Magazine among others. Her novel, Raphael Recloak, was serialized by Juke Pop. Her novel, The 9th Circle was published by Barbarian Books. She now resides in Kentucky, writes full time, and spends her free time pretending she's a princess, or, on cloudy days, Norma Desmond. A fan of the Royals, her Queen Elizabeth plate collection is impressive.	One Car City is a three piece ensemble consisting of Trevor Arvin on banjo, guitar and mandolin, Grace Mattingly on guitar and vocals and Serena Hutchens on keyboard, violin and vocals.  The bands style is a mix of the new and the old, influenced by the likes of The Avett Brothers, Landon Pigg and Simon & Garfunkle.  One Car City plays original and cover songs with catchy ear worm hooks, beautiful vocal harmonies and poignant songwriting the belies the youth of the performers.  One Car City has been playing together for three years forming as part of the Rock School! program at Lexington Music Education.  They’ve performed at a variety of locations in the Central Kentucky Area including Willie’s Locally Known, Arts Place, Keeneland Racetrack, the S-E-C Sports Pub as well as other venues.  Come check out this up and coming band while you can, because they are surely on their way to something big.
For Randy Colvin, exposure to the blues came soon after taking up guitar at age thirteen.  Artists such as B.B. King, T-Bone Walker and the blues-based bands of the 70’s were primary influences. While other forms of music afforded the opportunity for paying gigs, no other genre offered the raw emotional appeal of the blues. After 25 years of playing in various bands, Colvin formed the blues trio One Shot Johnny and also began performing as a solo act.  Currently, Randy’s solo performances consist of blues standards as well as obscure covers and originals.  “Times Like These”,  a One Shot Johnny record  consisting entirely of original music went to the semi-finals in the Best Self-Produced CD category at the International Blues Challenge in 2010. He also represented Kentucky Blues Society as solo/duo artist in 2013 and The Kentuckiana Blues Society in 2015 at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, going to the semi-finals in 2015.
The Rounders is the longtime project of Central Kentucky guitarist/songwriter/banjo player/educator Chris Mattingly and bassist Josh Stitzer.  The two have been playing together for fifteen years, give or take.  their style is a mix of jazz and folk and alternative rock and ambient music with a heavy accent on melodic improvisation, vocal harmony and acoustic instruments.   They play mostly original music with a mix of covers thrown in from the likes of The Greatful Dead, Old Crow Medicine Show, Neil Young and Phish.  Recently guitarist and vocalist Robby Humphries has been added to the band which has lead to an increase in performances and a movement in new creative directions.  This spring The Rounders will be playing at a variety of venues in the Central Kentucky area including Keeneland Race Track, Willie’s Locally Known, The Twisted Cork, and Artsplace among others.  On stage the band is known for their musicianship, their humorous approach to playing down home Americana tunes and having a good time playing good music; what The Rounders feel it is ALL about.
Jon Nesbitt, a Pennsylvania native, has had one desire in life -- to be a successful musician and songwriter.  At the age of 14 he started playing guitar and writing songs. He soon realized that the more instruments he could play, the easier it would be to get into a band.  At the age of 17 he learned to play drums and bass guitar. The piano soon followed.  Jon was being influenced by musicians such as John Lennon, Bob Dylan and the guitar-playing of Jimi Hendrex.  Jon realized that a true musician should be open to different styles of music from rock and blues to folk and country.  This thinking has helped him develop his own style.  Over the years he has worked with many of Central Kentucky's top country and rock variety bands. He has also preformed as a solo act. Jon doesn't want to be classified as a "one style writer".  He wants to be known as a true musician, songwriter and performer.  Jon's love for music and his God given talent has made Jon a success.
Barry Morrison,born March 20, 1949, in Red River Gorge, Kentucky, is an American country music singer-songwriter. This multi-talented artist is largely identified with the country rock/Americana genre(s) of music, and is best known for his 1970's cult-classic "Snakey Hollow Stud"; a song released on the RCM Records label which charted on the Independent Country Music Charts at number one. Based on this initial success, Morrison received a 1971 first round nomination for Country Male Vocalist of the Year. In the interveining years, several other of Morrison's releases have entered into a top five chart position, with "There Ain't No Country" being the only other of his songs to reach number one. The offer to record his music on his own terms for a Nashville-based label lead Morrison back to recording and performing in 2007. Given the opportunity, he took a bare bones approach to recording the highly acclaimed roots music album; "A Cold Wild Wind". That year saw him touring solo throughout the central and southeastern United States in support of the album release. In 2009, Morrison recorded outstanding cover versions of "Folsom Prison Blues" and "Good Hearted Woman" in preparation for headlining and promoting the 2010 Walk the Line-Good Hearted Woman Tour. In April 2012, Morrison returned to the studio to record more original material. Backed by bassist Paul Martin, better known as "The Apostle", the Americana Music Association 2006 Instrumentalist of the Year,  Kenny Vaughn and dobro virtuoso Matt DeSpain.   The Barry Morrison discography chronicles the very powerful musical output of a consummate singer-songwriter. The lyrics from one of his songs proclaims, "I'm a hundred miles of bad road, I'm a bridge washed out". Luckily, he found the way around it all.
Eric “Rick” Lee is a native of Chicago, Illinois. A second generation soldier, Rick was commissioned as an officer after completing Army ROTC at the University of Alabama. He subsequently served eight years with the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, KY and the 3rd Armored Division in Germany. Rick’s awards include the Bronze Star, Army Commendation, Southwest Asia and National Defense Medals as well as the Parachutist and Air Assault Badges.  A veteran of the Gulf War, he is an affiliate of the 761st Tank Battalion & Allied Veteran’s Association as well as a member of the Central Kentucky World War II Roundtable. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Alabama and a Masters degree from Murray State University. Rick’s father served in both World War II and the Korean War.  Rick has worked in the civilian arena in various management and technical positions. He is privileged to be the father of four children and has been married to his wife Mary for over 28 years.  He is author of the book Tribute to Valor and Courage. The nonfiction work chronicles the lives of several veterans of World War II and the former last known living American veteran from World War I.
Carolyn Crabtree is a former high school mathematics and English teacher, who now spends her spare time doing history and genealogy research. She worked for 13 years in the Danville, KY Tourism Office as the Administrative Assistant to the director.  Over the last 35 years she has written Bible Studies and devotionals and has helped compile history books for the Forkland Community Center.  She has several books for sale herself.  After retirement, Carolyn started Crabtree's Historical Reasearch, a business for helping people do research on their historic properties and on their family genealogies.  She is also the web master for Penn's Store web site, as well as several other web sites.	Ellen Birkett Morris is the author of SURRENDER (Finishing Line Press). Her poetry has appeared in Thin Air Magazine, The Clackamas Literary Review, Juked,  Alimented, Gastronomica, and Inscape, among other journals.  Morris won top prize in the 2008 Binnacle Ultra-Short Edition and was a semi-finalist for the 2009 Rita Dove Poetry Prize. Her poem, Origins, was nominated for the Pushcart Prize.
Dr. Rodney “Buz” Piercey spent most of his early life with his brothers and sisters on his parents’ small farm in southern Kentucky where he attended a one-room rural school through 8th grade.  At Story school all eight grades were taught by one teacher in one room without the convenience of indoor plumbing.  At age 13, he pick up an old Silvertone Guitar and learned a few chords.  He has been playing on-and-off for over 50 years.  Dr. Piercey earned his B.A from Centre College in Math and Physics and his Ph.D. in nuclear physics from Vanderbilt University.  He is a Graduate of the Harvard IEM and MLE institutes, the Pro-Miss Institute for Leadership and the American Academic Leadership Institute.  He sits on the Board of Directors of Sparrow Corporation, the Board of Directors of Tribo-Flow Separations, LLC, and has served on several other government appointed boards and panels. He and his wife, Katarzyna have three children.	Doris Purdom was born in the Forkland Community on Black Lick Creek in 1931 and graduated from Forkland School in 1949.  She serves as Vice-President of the Forkland Community Center , has been chairman of "Forkland's Old-Fashioned Bean Supper" for 38 years and has performed in most of the 38 dramas.  Doris has one daughter Dianna Barker and one granddaughter Jamie M. Hamblin.  Doris, along with Shirley Sheperson and Darrell Ellis, researched all cemeteries in the Forkland community and compiled a cemetery book called The Forgotten Past in 1976.  Doris also served on the Forkland Committee that put together the Forkland History of families called Forkland Heritage: Its People Past and Present, 1793-1996, Vol. 1 & 2.
A resident of Lancaster, Ky.  Dan Waters has spent years making music.  While living in the Greater Cincinnati area he formed a band called Dirty Waters.  The group established in 1980 came to an end in 2002.  The band performed in the Greater Cincinnati and Southeastern Indiana area.  In 1981 Waters, under the guidance of Harold Bradley, recorded a single in Nashville’s RCA studio and was backed by some of the best session players of the time.  The song entitled “Warm Sheets Can’t Cover Up Your Cold Heart” was released on the Soundwaves label and distributed by an independent distributor nationwide. Dan moved back to Kentucky in 2004.  Since his return he has played as a street performer at Renfro Valley and appeared as a guest on the Old Barn’s Gospel Jubilee.  He was also a featured soloist at the “Church in the Valley” 2005-2006.  In the past few years he along with Ronnie Payne formed the duet Payne and Waters, which eventually became a band called Big Train.  Payne passed away in 2013 and Waters left the group in 2015.  The past couple of years Waters has played solo and in small groups in surrounding counties.  He also has been active in playing in church.
Darlene Franklin Campbell is an award-winning poet and novelist from southern Kentucky. She is also a first grade teacher and visual artist. Her works include I Listened, Momma, Uncommon Clay, Looking for Pork Chop McQuade and Touched. Darlene donates portions of her royalties to aid in the fight against cancer and to fund efforts aimed at halting mountaintop removal. She holds an Master’s Degree from Lindsey Wilson College and has done post grad work at Western Kentucky University. She is proud of her Appalachian heritage and writes about the region and its people, not as an outsider looking in with romantic notions, but as one who has risen up out of the Kentucky soil, like a tree, with roots going four hundred years deep, touching long-gone Scotch Irish settlers, Native American bloodlines and Melungeon legends. In her spare time, Darlene is an avid disciple of martial arts and enjoys spending time with friends, family and nature. http://www.darlenefranklincampbell.com/chippie http://www.nochipa.wordpress.com
David Cole is an independent writer from Wayne County, Kentucky. His work has appeared in five journals, four performance halls, and on three continents. He has been fortunate enough to work with some of his heroes and see large swaths of the world. Gurney Norman once said David was a good writer with a nice voice, which he still holds as the highest praise. His other self-published collections, I’ve Been a Prisoner All My Life (And I Can Say to You) Or Young Phil Collins in Love and An Oddity Below, can be found on his website, davidcole.space. They explore music and our strange relationships with celebrities. For business inquiries, or even just to chat, David can be reached via his email address: outcoled@gmail.com
Libby Falk Jones teaches creative writing at Berea College where she is Chester D. Tripp Chair in Humanities and Professor of English.  Her poems and creative nonfiction have been published in regional and national journals and anthologies, including Still, Appalachian Heritage, Ruminate, Connecticut Review, PMS poemmemoirstory, The Merton Seasonal, New Growth: Recent Kentucky Writings, and I to I: Life Writing by Kentucky Feminists. She is the author of two books of poems, Above the Eastern Treetops, Blue from Finishing Line, 2010, and, with four other poets, Balance of Five, 2015.  She is working on two full-length poetry collections, one on contemplation, the other on southern women.	Jim Shields began writing as a teenager growing up on his family farm in middle Tennessee. He continued writing creatively for college courses and for local radio and newspaper while attending Berea College. He received his degree from the University of Kentucky. His other interests include book collections, reading history, nature photography and spending time with his family, including his five grandchildren. Jim is an active member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, He can be reached at: jimshieldsauthor@gmail.com. His website is jimshieldsauthor.com . Jim is a winner of Kentucky Monthly's 2017 Penned Contest.
Dixie Bertram has been teaching language arts for 21 years in Lincoln County, Kentucky. She always had a great personal love for writing, and since becoming a teacher, has an even greater love for teaching others to write. Dixie began writing stories at a very young age. A high school poetry class opened the door to another genre. Bertram has written plays for church, which she also directed and produced, and has also written sermon skits and personal narratives. Dixie Bertram presently teaches at Lincoln County Middle School; lives in Stanford, Kentucky where she has resided most of her life, has two daughters and two granddaughters.
Leanne Edelen was born and raised in Louisville, KY.   The past 12 years of her career have been spent working with and around children at the Kentucky School for the Blind.  This experience, combined with a home life involving three wonderful children, has fostered a love of writing for a young audience.  Leanne pens whimsical poems intended to delight the reader’s imagination and tell amusing stories that, of course, deliver a life lesson. She was recently selected by the Kentucky Monthly’s 9th Annual Writers Showcase for her poem, Contrary Connor.  This was a great honor as it was her first submission for a literary contest.  Since that publication, Leanne has also begun discussions regarding a theatrical reading and musical performance of a different poem. She continues to write new and entertaining rhyming stories, with the counsel of her eight year old daughter, Madeleine and the support of her husband, step-sons and daughter-in-law.	Diantha Daniels grew up in North Carolina and Tennessee, and then spent the next 35 years in Indianapolis, IN. When her children were grown up, she took a flying leap of faith six years ago and moved back to her beloved mountains, where she now lives as a member of a Benedictine women’s community in rural Martin, Kentucky.  There she served for several years as English teacher and principal at The David School, a non-traditional program that serves young people who are at risk of falling through the cracks. She is currently a reading and writing tutor with Floyd County Schools. Her lifelong work with young people who struggle to achieve their full potential continues to inform most of the writing she does. A lover of words, Diantha is primarily a poet and an essayist.
Richard H. Underwood is the W.L Matthews Professor of Law at the University of Kentucky College of Law, where he has taught since 1980. He is the co-author of several books on evidence, trial technique, and legal ethics, and he has published numerous articles on the law, legal history, perjury, famous trails, and true crime. Richard has lectured or presented papers on diverse subjects at conferences across the United States and in London and Amsterdam. His latet book is CrimeSong: True Crime Stories from Southern Msurder Ballads (ShadelandhouseModern Press 2016).
Linda Prather is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author living in Lexington, Kentucky.  Linda has always had a penchant for things a little outside the norm.  She studied metaphysics, including the areas of touch healing, dream analysis, meditation and hypnosis.  When reading she loves books that allow her to travel around the world without ever leaving home.  Her greatest desire as an author is to create characters that readers can love and hate, laugh and cry with, and stories that allow the reader to spend a few hours in sheer entertainment. Linda’s first novel, The Gifts, was published by Echelon Press in 2006.  She has been an independent author since 2008, and published numerous books including two legal thrillers and a romantic suspense. In 2016 Linda partnered with British author, M. A. Comley, another NYT and USA Today bestselling author  to produce the Deception series. In February of 2017 Linda decided to go traditional again, and signed a contract with Bloodhound Books for two novels, and the option for more. Her first crime thriller through Bloodhound Books was released on March 7, 2017.
Larry Sanders & BorderLine are a versatile group of musicians. If you enjoy country music, (old and new), old rock and roll, some gospel and a little bit of bluegrass, Larry Sanders and BorderLine is the of entertainers for you. They are well known for their impersonations, colorful costumes and comedy routines. If you've ever been to a Pigeon Forge or Branson music show, Larry Sanders & BorderLine are the group for you.  They have worked with Ronnie McDowell and The Jordaniers, The Kentucky Headhunters, International folk singer Michael Jonathan and they were the band when Gary Edwards visited Kentucky. They have performed on cable and KET. Larry has been a special guest on the RFDTV broadcast of MidWest Country and Jordan Leigh Young has appeared on "The Morning Show" on CBS with Dolly Parton and has been Dolly's guest at the Grand Ole Opry.  Larry Sanders & BorderLine are known for their "Tribute to Kentucky", Patriotic and Christmas concerts. If you want "Excellence in Entertainment" for your next event, contact Larry Sanders & BorderLine.
RC and the NightShades Home: Lexington, Kentucky Members: Leader Ronn “RC” Crowder, “Skeets” Pennington, Mike Howard, Bill May, Gene Noel, Lindsay Olive and Steve “Doc” Lyons (not pictured). This olde-school blues and rhythm band of veteran musicians is very popular in the Central Kentucky area, playing to large audiences with their original songs and many familiar hits as well. They have performed at the Governor’s Derby Day Party in Frankfort, The annual Blues Between the Bridges Festival, and many other venues. The band’s latest album entitled “Snakebit” was submitted for Grammy consideration by their record label, Altus Records and they have appeared on WUKY FM 92.1 many times on “Curtains at 8:00” a radio program hosted by Nick Lawrence. They have also appeared on another WUKY program “Joe’s Blues” hosted by Joe Conkwright. They have performed three times on “Art This” a television program at Morehead State University and their records have been played on radio and web broadcasts world-wide. Band Leader Ronn Crowder was honored by the California Country Music Association with “Instrumentalist of the Year” award in 1992, and the band was nominated for Best Blues Band in 2016 by the Lexington Music Awards. Crowder is an accomplished songwriter. Three of his original songs were featured in a Hollywood movie directed by Rob Zombie, entitled Devil Girl. You may view the movie webpage at http://www.devilgirlthemovie.com. Here are some links to our recordings and videos! The four songs that were up for Grammy consideration are at https://soundcloud.com/rc-and-the-nightshades/sets/snakebit-album/ Our videos are at https://www.youtube.com/user/RCandtheNightShades Our Facebook page (please login to facebook first) is at https://www.facebook.com/RCAndTheNightShades/ Contact information: Ronn Crowder at rrcrow46@aoll.com or Call (859) 948-1036
For a complete 2017 Schedule and locations, click here. View the 2016 Kentucky Writers Day Performers list here. For more information contact Jeanne Penn Lane at Penn's Store (859) 332-7706 or (859) 332-7715, or e-mail PennsStore@aol.com It is best to call ahead to check times and cancellations. Penn's Store 257 Penn's Store Road Gravel Switch, Kentucky 40328 859-332-7715 or 859-332-7706 GPS Coordinates: N37.549912; W085.028191 You may also visit PENN'S STORE FACEBOOK page.

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This page last updated 03/31/2017