Transcript
Well, hello there and welcome to our next episode of The Ripple Effect. It’s the Kentucky Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau podcast. So this is our platform to bring you stories and information all about Kentucky Lake, whether it’s educational, inspirational, or informational. And I feel like today our guests that we have are a little bit of all of those things. So we are, we are going to be able to really dig into a really fun event festival that’s coming to Kentucky Lake in September. And so I at this time would like to welcome Mr. Jeremy Wallace and Mr. Jeremy Marshall here to dig into the pickin on a Soldier’s Heart music festival. So thank you both for being here. Thank you for having us. Appreciate you having us.
Yes. Of course. So today we’re going to be talking about the kind of music that makes you feel something. Um, and the festival is actually really steps it up and makes everything a bit more meaningful. So, um, but before we kind of get into that, let’s get to know you guys a little bit. So how did you two get connected and kind of how did this what’s your relationship like? So, uh, it was after we started A Soldier’s Heart Bluegrass and Muddy Waters. Um, I think it was our first year out at Kenlake for the festival. And, uh, Jay Larkin was kind of helping with musicians then, and, um, he kind of twisted Jeremy’s arm into coming out and, and playing the show. And, uh, you know, it’s been history from there.
It’s been what, two thousand, I can’t remember. This will be the fifth year. Yeah, this will be the fifth year, I believe. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. And this is the ninth year of the music festival itself. So yes. Um, a pretty, pretty good time, a long time relationship. So okay, so now Jeremy, tell us a little bit about, um, the band that, that you started, you created holler head. Um, tell us a little bit about how that band came to be. What’s the, what’s the origin story there? I lived in Lexington twenty years ago, and my grandfather told me a story about a guy he worked with named Holler Head. Okay. And so I it was a hard working guy. And basically I named the band in Lexington Holler head. I moved home to West, back to West Kentucky at some point and, um, uh, took a break.
I took like eight years off without playing music. And then Jay called me about this festival, and I went and played with some friends. And then ever since then, I’ve been, uh, from that day forward, I pretty much was back into music full throttle. Yeah. So okay, so you really do music full time. Oh, we do more than full. Double time, double time. Yeah. I feel like, kind of if you’re going to take the plunge and get into the music industry, it kind of it is that way. It takes uh, yeah. Awesome. Well that’s cool. Okay. Very nice. So when someone asks you about holler head and your type of sound, um, sort of how do you explain your band and sort of its genre and sound. What I want to say is that it’s genreless because, I mean, I’m raised on everything from Ricky Skaggs to Pantera, but, um, I guess Americana, you know, we’re country rock, so whatever that that world is.
Yeah, I would say. Okay. Very nice. And you recently just dropped an EP long time coming, correct? Yeah. Okay. So tell us a little bit about that process. Actually, no, a long Time coming came out a while back. This one that just released is called The Middle of Nowhere. It’s a full album. And, uh, yeah, yeah, it’s yeah, it’s out. It’s a full eight songs. Yep. Awesome. That’s wonderful. So take, take us through a little bit when you’re writing songs. Um, you know, I think a lot of your songs are really kind of rooted in experiences of your life, rural community, Kentucky. Um, so you know, what is your writing process like? It’s a very strange thing when you write. I would think that most people would say this about any kind of writing.
I don’t know how it really works. You just tune into something else. And yes, I think there’s a connection. It’s weird, but there’s a connection with something else between what you have felt and what something’s trying to tell you that you can give to other people. Because a lot of these songs, I don’t feel like they’re really mine. I’m just kind of like an antenna. So I know that’s weird, but it just feels like it’s it’s not. They’re not always like the song Never Going to Leave You. Um, there’s just too many people out there that have reached out to me about that song for me to say, well, that’s my song. Um, because I don’t know. So I guess that’s how I, it just comes from somewhere else. And sometimes you sit down and you work really hard to try to make something happen and to make feelings happen, and they don’t.
But then sometimes it just falls out of the sky and it’s just, it’s just the messenger. That’s truly what I feel like. I don’t know how to connect it or where the message comes from, but it comes from somewhere else and I just collect it and pass it on. Oh, that’s beautiful. That’s really beautiful. So, um, I think if I also, if I’m correct, so the devil’s in the details is the song of yours that that has reached a lot of people, quite a larger audience. So what do you think it is just kind of a sort of a follow up of the previous question about that song. And the video that’s really connected to people. Is that one of those instances where you felt, I mean, you were the messenger? Yeah, for sure. I mean, that one’s a story.
A lot of that has to do with one of my friends in life. And it was kind of his story, and I was just kind of telling that story. And, and then it connected to so many people, you know, um, one of the lyrics is you haven’t smiled since you broke that tooth. And I think there’s a lot of people that have that I don’t know, resonate with that. Uh, it’s just a, it’s a, it’s a song that just, I think connected with a lot of people that there’s a lot of story for. Yeah, for the same for, I don’t know how to explain it. Yeah. Yeah. No, I think, yeah, the fact that the lyrics, they may come from a personal experience or a personal sort of moment, but that just the words themselves can take on a new meaning for someone else, right?
Yeah. Um, and I think that is just really beautiful about music. Um, and that is why it connects us all. Sure. Um, and do you ever find that being sort of in nature and being sort of in this part of Kentucky having such a beautiful, beautiful backdrop, um, does that help or influence at all? Kentucky in general. I mean, it would be a lie to say that it’s just West Kentucky because Eastern Kentucky has been it’s my second home. I travel, but the state of Kentucky itself, uh, ninety nine point nine of my songs have been wrote in that border. And whether it’s in the Daniel Boone National Forest or LBL. Absolutely. I love being in nature and writing, and that’s where a lot of it happens. But yes, the Kentucky border is home, and there’s just something about being here that’s I love writing music about this place and from this place.
So that’s awesome. You probably get asked this and you may hate to answer this kind of question, but do you have a favorite song of yours? MM. No, I don’t, I don’t, I don’t never going to leave you probably because it’s made me the most, but you know, they’re like kids. They really are. And I don’t like it. If we play a show and somebody plays a including me, if I have a bad if I perform that song badly, it’s like I was mean to one of my kids or something. You know, they all mean something to me. If I’m playing them out for other people, then they mean something to me. So I don’t really have necessarily a favorite, but never going to leave you has definitely paid me the most money, so we’ll go with that one for today.
Yeah. Do you have a favorite? I do have a favorite holiday song. Uh, it’s one he sent me several years ago when it’s kind of a real deep into kind of what we do at a soldier’s heart. And it’s that, uh, don’t cross that river alone. Okay. Um, it just, it just echoes what we do to soldier’s heart. So that’s awesome. Okay. And I think that’s probably a good segue into, into how sort of this relationship and music and healing. Um, what made you as, as you know, the founder of Muddy Waters as the founder of this festival, what made you think a music festival is going to be the best avenue for help to a help raise funds for your mission, but then also to, to connect and heal, um, people. So it’s, uh, you know, I retired medically out of the military twenty thirteen, uh, was in Iraq.
Oh oh six oh seven for a fifteen month deployment. And that’s kind of where the story of a soldier’s heart starts. Um, we were founded early twenty sixteen, so we just turned ten years old, but, uh, it was born out of my struggle with PTSD. And then some of the guys I served with, um, within six months of returning home from deployment, we had our first one that committed suicide and several more since then. So that’s why we started the nonprofit. Me and my wife co-founded it. And, um, uh, what we do is we get groups of veterans together. Uh, we keep it small, ten to twelve veterans, and we get them out for a weekend on the lake, uh, or, uh, the creeks out in Central Kentucky and spending time with them for that weekend.
We introduce them to holistic therapies, modalities, uh, they can take home and use to enrich their lives and their family’s lives. And, you know, we just hope they take one thing that benefits them, you know, away from the weekend. Uh, we always use local local companies for all of our food and stuff. We, you know, we get local beef from tap cattle for our steak nights. And, uh, that’s what the organization does. And then, you know, picking on a soldier’s heart. Me and my wife, when we first got together, uh, we used to go to a music festival in Owensboro, uh, romp. Anybody No. Okay. So, uh, you know, we went there several years together and camped out there and, um, we were trying to brainstorm ideas for fundraising, and I was like, why not a music festival?
Um, music is very healing. Nature is very healing. And why not mix both of them together? Yeah. So it makes total sense. So yeah, um, well, you really kind of because my next question was going to be, you know, let’s backtrack and talk a little bit about the origin of your organization and sort of what its mission is and what it does. But you really kind of you answered all that. So essentially you just create small, small person, ten to twelve person retreats. Um, for, for it. Can it be both active or retired? No, we serve, uh, active military and veterans. Uh, we do male veteran retreats, we do female veteran retreats, and then we do a couples retreat, which is the veteran and their support person. And then we also do some seven to ten day selling retreats, uh, and some destination locations as well.
Okay, so that’s wonderful. So now if if a veteran, if someone who was really struggling, if they wanted to, to reach out and connect with your organization, what’s the best way for them to do that so they can get on our website? It’s w w w dot bluegrass and muddy waters dot org. Um, we’ve got retreat applications there. Um, also my phone number is on that website. Um, and they can also link up with us on Facebook, Instagram, all that good stuff. Okay. And so when they fill out an application, then they kind of go through a sort of, is it like an interview process or you just have a review process? We just have a review process and then we’ll contact them and let them know, hey, you’ve been selected to go to one of our retreats and make sure they’re still able to make it okay.
Do you have a waitlist or no, currently we don’t have a waitlist. Okay. So if people are interested, it’s it’s, they’re very likely to be able to participate pretty immediately. Yes. Yeah. We’ve got a few more dates left for this year. So okay, so how many retreats are you funding in a year? Um, we’ve done thirteen. We had thirteen this year here on Kentucky Lake. And then um, we’re just getting started planning with our sailing program. Our two boats have been on dry dock getting refitted and rehabilitated. So we should be getting those underway hopefully towards October, November time frame. Okay. Um so and these, these retreats are offered at no cost to the participants, correct. Completely free to the participants.
We cover food sailing retreats. We cover up to six hundred dollars in travel. Okay. On our local retreats here on Kentucky Lake, we just ask that the veteran provide their own transportation. Okay. And we do have a little bit of assistance for that if necessary. Okay. And so hence, that’s why the music festival became a much needed yes thing. You needed a way to raise funds to continue to support this. So yes. Um, okay. That’s awesome. So can you, before we kind of move into the festival itself, is there a moment without identifying anyone or anything like that, but where you could tell that these retreats were making an impact and that they were working and that this was this was important work that needed to continue.
Well, veterans that have come to some of the retreats are now on my board, and they say that it saved their lives. So, I mean, yeah, just one one veteran was saved. I mean, that’s all worth it to me. Yeah. So okay. Yeah. That’s wonderful. Okay. So so now we are here. We are the ninth year of picking on a soldier’s heart. Um, from a genre perspective, you know, we know what holler head is, but so, so are all the musical acts kind of in that genre, or do you sort of try to branch it out and really allow multiple? We’ve got everything from bluegrass to country to rock and roll. Uh, we don’t generally have any heavy metal or rap or anything like that, but, um, you know, anything from bluegrass to rock and roll to Americana folk were in there.
Okay. So we we like singer songwriters and that’s what we try to that’s what we try to have singer songwriters, independent music musicians. I mean, I feel like that that is also good in the fact that it gives up and coming performers or, you know, more grassroots performers, a platform to continue to build their audience. And, you know, I mean, would you find that as your experience? I don’t think that the festival or Jeremy, maybe Chase and Jessica are getting the whole. Certainly the picking on soldier’s Heart is getting enough credit for what it does for independent music. What it does for veterans is definitely a line, the most important line. But what it has done for independent music in our area is ginormous.
How many people? Because these guys just don’t do this show. Um, they do the halfway show. There’s, there’s a promotion the whole year for all these local independent artists that don’t have a place. So Are you just don’t know what you’re doing for everybody else. I mean, not only have you give us this beautiful country that we live in and keep us all safe, but then you create this, this platform for us all to, to express ourselves. And I just, I can’t be more thankful for what, for what you and the whole organization has done for me personally. And I hear that echoed through all of all of the people around me who come to want to be a part of this. So thank you. Thank you all very much. Well, thank you.
And it’s it’s like a family out there at the festival. It really is. I mean, we’ve gotten to know so many new friends and families throughout the years doing this and the relationships that have been built and people put in place for, for the organization and the bands. And it’s just a beautiful, beautiful thing. We hope to keep blooming. Yeah. It is. It truly is a beautiful thing. I know that, um, you know, we did try to put on a music festival at one point in time and it is so costly. I don’t think a lot of people realize the behind the scenes costs. Um, so, uh, do a lot of your musicians. I mean, I’m sure they work with you. And again, these independent musicians. I mean, sometimes them willing to, to volunteer their time to get up there and play or to take a discount or to do it for, you know, a little, um, that is just that’s such, it’s, I think it speaks volumes to, you know, independent musicians and what they can do, but also to just what you’re trying to do.
Because I can tell you from experience, it’s not cheap to put it on. I gotta say one thing, the, the musicians we work with, um, they all do it voluntarily. Oh, wow. So, um, once they know what, what we’re doing as an organization helping veterans, uh, they get a hold of us. We have sometimes have to turn down musicians because we get full on, on both stages and put people on standby for, you know, if somebody drops out or. So I don’t feel like I’m doing it for free at all. I feel like that you’ve inspired me for the past five years to play music full throttle, which is fulfilled in my life. It’s fulfilled a lot of my friends life. And then you paid years and years ago for anything that I’m doing. So I’m you.
I’m just. I’m happy to be a part. You’ve certainly paid me for my time, so thank you. Oh my goodness, that is such a beautiful sentiment. Yeah. It really. Thanks. Um that’s awesome. So let’s, um, let’s kind of hit a few, a few moments. Um, kind of the basics. So the date of this festival is when, so we’re, uh, September tenth, eleventh, and twelfth this year. Okay. Which is a Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday. A little bit different than most music festivals. Yes. Okay. Um, and then where is it at? It’s going to be at Kenlake State Resort Park there at the amphitheater. And I don’t know, you know, if you’re not familiar with Kenlake State Resort Park and Amphitheater, uh, it sits right on a lake.
So the backdrop of the main stage is Kentucky Lake. Yeah. So, and it’s probably, I would say I haven’t been to a lot of amphitheaters or music venues in my life, but probably, I would argue one of the very few places in the country that you can watch something by water or by land. Yes. Um, and it really is just, I think one of the most beautiful settings, um, to, to host a music festival. So Kenlake is, is they are lucky that they have what they have there. Um, for sure. Okay. And so, um, so we know the date, we know where it is, what are the times? So, uh, Thursday we’re going to kick music off around five p m and then Saturday and Sunday, I believe around eleven or noon. Okay. And it goes about Friday and Saturday, eleven to noon.
Okay. Yep. Um, and then it goes to like, what, nine o’clock, ten o’clock? Uh, probably closer to eleven. Okay. Yeah. So it is a full day. Yes. It’s a all day, you know, all evening. Yes. Okay. And so when people come out, they can they get their tickets online ahead of time or at the door. Yes. So they can get tickets at, uh, bluegrass and Muddy Waters dot org ahead of time. Or you can get tickets at gate at the gate. Uh, when like the day pass tickets are forty dollars and I believe weekend passes are seventy dollars. Okay, so. And the weekend pass. So you can come and go as often as you want for three full days of music. Okay. I mean, that feels like a pretty solid deal. I think three days of music for good music.
Yeah. Um, okay. Good deal. And so when you get there and you get on site, you’ve got. Are there food trucks? Yeah, we’ve got food situation. I kind of need to know that we’ve got, uh, some barbecue. We’ve got a taco truck. We’ve got a pizza vendor this year. We’ve got some Smashburger places. All right. Dirty sodas, ice cream, coffee. I mean, we’ve got just about everything you could want to eat. Okay, that sounds like fun. And then retail vendors or merch vendors. So we’re going to have some arts and craft vendors. Okay. Of course, we’ll have our our merch up there and support gear. The artist will have their merch and albums and things available. Um, we will have a beer garden with, uh, the dam brewhouse will be set up selling craft beer.
Okay. And then Ken Lake State Park will have a bar tent set up as well. All right. Awesome. So that’s a good way to support independent musicians. I do a lot of them have merch tents as well. Okay. We do, we do fabulous. Yeah. Okay. So that’s another way that you can kind of support both. Um, for sure. And that’s what I support these artists throughout the year. Every chance I get to go to show I’m there and I’m buying t shirts and hats, uh, records. I just got mine in the mail last week. Phenomenal, I love you. That’s awesome. Okay, so beyond buying a ticket, are there are there ways for people to support the mission, whether through volunteer work or donating sponsoring? Do you what is that? So yes, we’ve still got a room for some volunteers.
And if you’d like to volunteer, you can reach reach out through Facebook or through our website. Um, definitely. We need, you know, some more help at the festival. There’s always a use for extra hands there. Um, and there’s ways to donate if you don’t want to come to the festival and you still want to help the organization, uh, you can donate on our website or if you would like a mailing address, you can message our Facebook page. Yeah. And we’ve also got our merch available online as well. Okay. That helps. And are there, do you do take sponsorships for the event? We do take sponsorships. Yes. If you’re a business and you’re looking to partner with us for if not this year, maybe next year. Okay. Reach out to us.
I would love to talk about it. Yeah. For sure. So. All right, um, let’s do a fun little, few rapid fire questions. So just kind of say the first thing that that comes to mind. So, um, if you had a song. What song gets the crowd moving the most? Maybe you can speak specifically to Holyhead. And then if there’s just one in general, Holyhead probably, uh, truck driving man. Oh, okay. One hundred percent. Okay. There’s not anybody that’s on their on their on their push for that one. They’re all up, up moving. Okay. Thank you. That’s awesome. Okay. Good deal. Um, Who would your dream artist be to add to the festival lineup? At this moment, I know it may change, but right now, if you could have anybody. I can’t pick one off hand, but it would be somebody independent, not, you know, not somebody attached to a label.
Gotcha. I like it. Uh. All right. So when you go to a music festival, do you prefer barbecue or something? Deep fried. I prefer barbecue, but I always eat a little bit of everything. Same foods. There’s so much good food there. You’re there for three days. There’s there’s time for all of it. Another one we’re going to have this year is a hibachi. Oh, vendor, I forgot about that one. Okay. That is fun and very interesting for a food festival. Okay, so when you’re going to a festival, um, which I’m not gonna lie, I don’t have much experience in festival attending, but would you, I mean, would you do the full blown, like tent, like you would camp out on the festival grounds? Or do you need, like, a cabin or cottage or a hotel room.
I’m a little older and I’ve spent a lot of time in tents in my military time, so I like to personally use a cottage. That way I’ve got air conditioning in my bed, but, uh, Ken likes about finished with the revamp of their campground, and so I’m sure there will be some great camping spots over there. Uh, new bathhouses and stuff. Uh, it’s a mix and match. If I was going to go to a festival that I was just going to go to, I would consider camping, but running the festival, I have to have somewhere to get some good rest. Okay. And now is Ken like, are they running any kind of special? Um, I got to touch base with them about that and see how close they are to being ready. It’s still hit or miss for sure.
Yeah. Um, okay. Would you rather be able to watch a sunrise over Kentucky Lake or a sunset? I like a sunset over Kentucky Lake. Sunset. Sunset. Yeah. I, I, I am partial to sunset as well. Usually you get some eagles flying over the festival grounds while we’re there too. Yeah. Okay. so who is more likely to tell the longer story between songs? Do you do you talk a lot in between songs or is there who or is it pretty pretty quick? Jeremy Sometimes he’ll tell a little story. Tyler Stephenson will talk about some of his songs more than anybody else, but he like to talk much about. He. He writes a lot. Some of his songs are from where he served in the military. So he, he, he kind of talks about some of them in depth.
Gotcha. Okay. Um, who is most likely to be the last person to leave the festival? I would say that would be me. Yeah. I think that would probably kind of obvious. Um, okay, so finish the sentence. Um, and I’d be here interested to hear from both of you guys. Picking on a soldier’s heart is more than a music festival because it’s getting, uh, community. Gather the community together. It’s it’s getting, uh, singer songwriters and musicians together. It’s bringing veterans together and they’re all working together for one goal, and that’s to help others out. Okay, that was more than one word. That’s okay. It could be more than one word. And why is it more than just your normal festival? Because to me, it’s because all of my friends and my family and the people that I love are there.
I mean, it’s it’s completely full with, you know, we I’m lucky enough to play a lot of festivals throughout the state and other states, but this, this one in particular, it truly is. And I may be biased, but it’s some of the best people that you’ll ever meet in your entire life are going to be at that festival. So to me, that’s why friends and family. That’s awesome. Okay. Um, so when someone ultimately, when they’re buying a ticket to attend this festival, they are going to help, um, your mission, your organization. Um, so, and then we talked on making, you know, donations and how you do that. Um, if there is a veteran who is listening today and wants some kind of connection with the soldier’s heart, what would you want that person to hear from this podcast?
You know, there’s folks out here to help. Uh, all it takes is just reaching out. Um, and kind of like what I talked about his song don’t Cross That River alone. There’s no use to doing that. There’s always somebody’s hand to hold it. MM. That’s very sweet. All right. Um, if I think kind of in closing, we kind of touched on it, but just run through details real quickly again. September. September ninth. Tenth. So September tenth, eleventh and twelfth. Tenth. Eleventh and twelfth at Kenlake State Resort Park. You can buy tickets online by going Bluegrass and Muddy Waters dot org. Okay. And then holler ahead if people want to connect with you, your music, what is the best way to do that? Any of it? Uh, Google dot com. okay, Spotify, we’re on everything you can that you just type already in it and you’re going to find us.
Okay. And where where’s the next place that you’re going to be playing live? The next place we’re playing with Tyler Stevenson, Paducah, Beerworks August. I don’t know the date at the very end of August, at the very end of August. Okay. But then if you can’t make that one, then we’ll see you at picking on a soldiers. Yeah, we’ll be picking on soldiers heart. Okay. Yes, ma’am. Uh, is there anything else you guys want to want to touch on? You feel like we’ve got it all? Anything we’ve forgotten? I just just hope you know how important this is to all of us musicians out here. What you do, uh, on behalf of all of us, we’re grateful to be a part of it, so. Thank you. Well, we couldn’t do do it without any of you guys.
We appreciate you guys, all the musicians. And y’all come out to picking on a soldier’s heart and see what it’s all about. Yeah, it’s a great way to support local musicians, support a great cause and one of the most beautiful places, I think. So, um, Yeah. Make your plans. If you know anybody in Frankfurt. Ken likes talking about getting the permanent stage out there at the amphitheater. Yes. And we. Which we would be in support of. Yes. Permanent stage. Yes. It would be a huge help. Okay. Well thank you guys. Appreciate you so much. Um, I think that’s a wrap for this episode. We appreciate everyone tuning in to the ripple effect here at the on Kentucky Lake. Um, stay tuned for more episodes and great stories like these.
Legendary waters await Kentucky Lake. Welcome back. Hi everyone. It’s Elena and Ellee. We’re trying to come up with a nickname, um, for the two E’s, so if you have any thoughts. Um, I don’t know, maybe drop a comment. Yeah. Right now we’re at double e double E, that’s about it. So if you have something way more clever than that, please let us know. Yeah. So. Okay, Ellee. So we’ve been trying a bunch of different things. Um, so whether it’s trying to understand what’s really working on social media as far as trying to get attention from people. And, um, you know what our posts need to look like, what our reels need to look like. And so what we’ve kind of landed on recently is, um, you know, people like to know what there is to do and how to do it.
So we have been really kind of tuning in and sort of fine tuning itineraries and, you know, just things as simple as like spend forty eight hours to seventy two hours on Kentucky Lake. What does that look like? So, um, we, this podcast in particular is sort of focusing on an event that’s happening in September. But so if people wanted to come and they’re coming for the music festival, maybe they don’t want to be at the music festival the entire time. Um, what, what else do we think they could do? Well, there’s always events happening too that are, you know, are regular events like land Between the lakes is always doing something. They’ve always got an event going on. The dam brew house always has an event happening.
Um, break time bar and grill, they’re always having like a pool tournament or a bingo game. Like everybody is always doing something at Kentucky Lake. So it’s kind of good that we have our website, you know, visit Kentucky dot com slash events because then you can see what’s happening on the weekend you’re coming, even if that weekend is two months out. Yeah, you can know already like, oh, so-and-so’s having this event. And that’s what we can go do while we’re, you know, waiting on the music festival to start or we don’t want to stay all night long there. You know, you can go afterwards as well. Yeah. So, um, I think that’s a great yeah. Check our website first. Make sure you visit that events calendar.
Make sure you check our blog page because I know, you know, you’ve done a good job lately of, um, you know, you’re really kind of bringing, I think we just did a couple’s itinerary. Yes, yes. Not too long ago. So like, yeah, if you’re coming down for the weekend, we’ve already got it mapped out for you. Yes. Like you really don’t have to do any planning. All you have to do is go to our website and it’s all right there for you. So I’ve kind of become quite the travel agent, I guess. I know, so who knew when you took this job? Yeah. All the things that you would learn. Okay, so maybe a fun little few rapid fire questions with you. Um, you took this job early May. So you’re May, June, July, August, four months into the job, what has been the most unique thing that you have done so far?
HMM. Good question. I feel like it’s gonna have to be. I went to the Hummingbird Festival a few weeks ago at Land Between the Lakes, and we were kind of just standing around. We were talking to some people, and all of a sudden this guy walks up to us and says, hold your hand out. And I was like, okay. And we held our hand out and we got to feel a hummingbird’s heartbeat, which is very rapid. You can imagine how fast their little heart is beating. And then they had actually just banded that hummingbird. So we held our hand out. And after we felt its heartbeat, we got to release the hummingbird. And so that really helps like conservation and it really helps them to study the hummingbirds migration patterns.
So it was really cool to be kind of a part of that. Awesome. That is, that is a very unique experience. That’s not something a lot of people get to. Yeah. Very cool. Okay, so you are also a transplant. So you’re not originally from here. You’re from Elkton, Kentucky. Not too far, but also not you know, it was a good little ways. Um, so what has been kind of the most surprising thing that you have found about Kentucky Lake in our destination since moving here? Being from Elkton, Elkton is a super, super small town right above Nashville in the Kentucky on the Kentucky Tennessee line. And I think that I think that a lot of people from my hometown and myself didn’t realize how much there is to do over here.
We think that if we want to do something grand or exciting, we have to go to Nashville and fight the traffic and the crowds and book an expensive hotel room, when in reality we could just drive an hour and a half with no traffic and cheaper prices and nicer people, typically just on Nashville. But there’s a lot of people there. So I think that, you know, coming over here and seeing all that there is to do over here and all the exciting stuff that, I mean, there’s something going on every single day and every single weekend. Like you cannot be bored over here. You cannot be. Yeah. No, that’s that’s also very true. Um, okay, so, you know, you have your degree is in advertising. Yes. Marketing and management and management.
Um, but I don’t really think you did a whole lot of studying in tourism marketing. Like that’s not really. So, you know, what is, I mean, did you really have any idea that sort of our job and kind of what we do even really existed in the capacity that it does? I mean, I knew that it existed, but I don’t think that I knew how fun and exciting that it was, because I really feel like that, you know, getting to tell you’re not just telling a place like you’re not just saying like, oh, this is Kentucky Lake. You’re getting to talk to resort owners and people who have made a living here and have made a life here. And you get to tell their story, and you get to get them excited about the place that they live and work in.
Even whenever, you know, the work gets tough and the work gets hard. It’s hot outside all the time. So I think that it’s just so exciting to, you know, kind of see that aspect of the tourism industry where, you know, I typically think of like, oh, here’s a pamphlet at the Welcome Center. It’s so much more than that. And it’s so exciting to get to like talk to everyone all the time about it. Yeah. I’ve always thought, you know, I, my love language is quality time. And so to me, the tourism industry, we are literally like the quality time, love language for every family, every friendship, every relationship. I mean, that’s why we exist. Like it is our job to provide the opportunities and the inspiration and the information that’s needed to really get away and disconnect and spend quality time with your favorite people and those you love and those you want to have fun with.
And I just, this is such a just special industry. And when it comes to, um, you know, our community, like the tourism industry, we’re like the front porch. We’re the front door, you know? I mean, when visitors come in to our industry and when they they get into our communities, they eat at our restaurants, um, you know, we’re, we’re able to sort of give them a glimpse of to what it’s like. Um, for those of us who live here and just how wonderful of a place it is, um, to, to get to call this place home. So yeah. Um, yeah, I think we have a pretty awesome job. Yeah, I agree, so I’ve been seeing this thing that’s called like the lake house effect and it’s okay, like how you are at your lake house and why you love going there so much.
And it’s because you’re unplugged. Your phone is nowhere near you. You’re spending quality time with your family, you’re getting up, you’re cooking breakfast, you’re eating lunch all together. You’re not even watching the clock like you don’t care what time it is. You know, when the sun comes up and when the sun goes down. And even then like a nice campfire. So I just think it’s, it’s so cool that we get to market a place that is a, I mean, it’s a living, breathing lake house effect. Yeah. That’s, that’s the whole point of where we live. So I just, I, it’s really special to me. Yeah. And I think, you know, lately the message has really been for us and, you know, in our marketing message has really been about how your weekend deserves a better view.
And I think that you’ve, you’ve done a great job. And, and we’ve really worked out how to showcase that and give people easy opportunities to give that weekend a better view. Yeah. So that’s awesome. Okay. Um, well, I think maybe, you know, you and I have also attempted golfing lately. So we took up golf not too long ago. So I think we’ve got a fun, a few fun little videos planned of, uh, here, um, out on the golf course. So be looking out for those. Um, I think I to, I also want to get out there on the docks and do a little bit of dockside dialogue. So much potential there. Um, but this, you know, the podcast is just, it’s been a lot of fun. It’s been really great to, to kind of dig into some of these stories.
I really feel like we’re just getting started. Yeah. Um, the episodes, each episode has been so different, but so informational. And so I’m really excited to see where this goes. Yeah, I really love our first three episodes because I feel like it really shows that like there’s something for everyone. Yeah. Like you want to come to an event, you want to go fishing, you want to go listen to some music. We’ve got you covered. Yeah. So I will say, if you feel like to our audience listeners, if there is a, um, whether it’s a certain industry or a certain type of podcast that you would want us to touch, touch on, feel free to shoot us an email. Um, or to, to drop a comment just saying, hey, we, you know, we want to hear stories about this or we want to know more about this in Kentucky Lake.
Um, you know, I think we certainly are open to, um, you know, some, some new ideas and new episodes. Yeah. The visit Kentucky Lake DMs are always open. Yeah. There we go. So, um, thank you everyone again for tuning in. And until next time, um, enjoy the ripple effect.