Old Crow Medicine Show appearing at Brown County Music Center photo by Kit Wood
~ by Ryan Stacy
Here in the age of instant access, it’ s easy to forget that music wasn’ t always so easy to come by. Back in the day, the sounds of America’ s folk traditions— country, bluegrass, blues— were heard over radio waves, played on the phonograph, or performed live, and that was about it. But that scarcity also made music a big deal: Families gathered around their radios to hear popular songs. People packed barn dances, juke joints, and honky-tonks on Saturday nights to listen and dance. Church choirs and instrumental accompaniment were the highlight of Sunday mornings.
“ Every town in America had a legion of musicians,” explains Ketch Secor, frontman for Old Crow Medicine Show.“ People always thought of musicians as local entertainers. Music was a reason to get together and celebrate.”
48 Our Brown County • Nov./ Dec. 2021
“ It’ s about fun, and music connecting us to where we are. We’ re homespun music, bottled at the source,”
— Ketch Secor
It’ s this spirit of music Ketch wants to keep alive, and it comes through in Old Crow’ s lively, whiskey-soaked blend of country, folk, and bluegrass, often served with a side of rock-n-roll attitude. Based out of the“ other” Nashville a few hours south of here, the band has stomped and shouted its way to gigs at the Grand Ole Opry, a Grammy, and a platinum record, sharing the stage
Continued on 50