Musical performances, traditional old-time jam sessions, square dancing, shape-note singing, poetry readings, and workshops are examples of what’s to come this weekend at the 2025 Lexington Gathering.
Kentucky award-winning musician Brett Ratliff will lead a Songs of Struggle and Resistance from the East KY Coalfields workshop.
Ratliff is also the organizer for the event on behalf of the Kentucky Old Time Music Incorporated non-profit, in cooperation with the Singletary Center and VisitLex—the local convention and visitors bureau. Ratliff said the festival was originally named the Lexington Old-Time Music Gathering and then shortened to the Lexington Gathering to be more encompassing.
“Really kind of digging into what we see as Kentucky musical traditions and the torch bearers who keep those alive. And explore that from one side of the Commonwealth to the next but really with a focus on the Appalachian region and those traditions,” explained Ratliff.
The artist said the workshops, the presentations, the readings, and conversations are all a big part of the weekend but there’s also a great line-up of music.
“And this year we’re very excited about the line-up that has come together around the Grammy-nominated Amythyst Kiah," said Ratliff.
The 38-year-old Kiah was raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and now lives in Johnson City. She credits some of what she learned at East Tennessee State with helping her develop her style.
“Old-time music was my introduction to performing and also finding a sense of community with other musicians,” said Kiah.
The Singer-songwriter’s latest album, Still and Bright, she said, is about stepping into her power and recognizing her capabilities. She’s looking forward to sharing her music at The Lexington Gathering.
“Playing at the Lexington Gathering and being able to come back and tap into traditional music is an opportunity to be able to pay homage again to that very important period in my life where I really found my sense of musicianship and my larger connection to the people, and the music and the history,” said Kiah.
Fiddler, songwriter, and lover of old-time Kentucky music, John Harrod has been playing the fiddle for more than 60 years. He’s spent decades documenting old-time music in Kentucky. He’ll perform at the festival with his band Kentucky Wild Horse. Harrod said he and his fiddle apprentice Blakeley Burger will also do some presentations on Kentucky fiddle traditions which Harrod said is a huge subject he’s followed most of his life.
“Kentucky is known for Bluegrass music and rightfully so, and also modern country music. But all that goes back to roots of the fiddle and banjo music that was a hybrid of Black and white musical traditions really beginning when the African banjo met the European fiddle. And those traditions have mixed and mingled and evolved with other traditions. But Kentucky has a very strong fiddle tradition from all parts of the state and many different regional styles,” said Harrod.
Harrod’s apprentice Blakeley Burger spoke with me from outside a coffee shop in Omaha where she’s on tour.
“I think the biggest draw of playing traditional music from the state of Kentucky is the tight-knit community surrounding the music and the musicians and the way it ties people together in kind of interesting nuanced ways,” said Burger.
Dozens of traditional musicians from Kentucky and other states will perform at the music and arts festival.
Organizer Brett Ratliff said adults and kids are welcome. And, said Ratliff, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to people impacted by the recent flooding in Kentucky.
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