>> There's no better feeling then.

Completing a piece of work.

>> Every piece of where that tree is always going to be a little bit different for what?

One couple, 2 great talents.

♪ Blackfoot how one woman is Appalachian are.

Well these days we're not going to be in this plane of of life we want to leave something behind for people who members >> The project is under way to celebrate the great musicians home grown in Kentucky.

♪ >> And don't touch that dial old Time.

Radio is coming through loud and clear.

Thanks to a self-taught Mister Fix.

>> Production of Kentucky Edition is made possible in part by the KET and down the Kentucky Productions.

Leonard Press Endowment for Public Affairs and the KET Millennium Fund.

♪ ♪ ♪ >> Good evening and welcome to a special episode of Kentucky edition.

I'm Casey Parker Bell filling in for Renee Shaw.

Kentucky is a state rich with culture is also home to talented artist musicians and craftsman.

We shine a spotlight on many of them throughout the year on Kentucky.

Addition in our tapestry segment, including a husband and wife who turned a love of woodworking and ceramics into a thriving business in Logan County.

♪ >> And an old tobacco barn in Logan County, west of place where their creative collaboration began.

Noon.

>> Quarterback got married and the same bar in just a little below.

>> Under the watchful eye of some loyal companions.

>> The best part is unloading the killed and seen the beautiful pieces that you created >> us then and Laura Beth boxes L the woodworker and the Potter creating functional pieces that spark Joy.

This is awesome.

>> I just love to make work that I know is going to be picked up and held.

>> Throughout the day.

>> Inspired by the materials they use.

>> I think the best thing about what it is they will just kind of tell you what it wants to be.

>> The nature that surrounds them.

>> I love to incorporate flowers and wild flowers and trees and mountains.

Their partnership as husband and wife.

>> We can kind of really bounce ideas off each other.

We're each other's best critic.

>> And the place they call home part of what we get to do as Kentucky artists is we get to be a little bit of the voice of the state and how we create and art that we put out into the Laura Beth, that's mugs.

>> They says Jars and recently baskets.

I just think I can't sit I think I just always like to be able to do something with my hands.

>> We're been it's woodworking.

From cutting boards to Christmas ornaments.

>> Christmas is always a really big deal in my childhood.

And so I try to reflect back on what your old antique.

We're bubbles.

>> No matter what they're making, it's a taking time and patience.

Here's spending hours, weeks, months on a single piece.

>> And though they want each piece to be loved and use.

>> I love making functional stuff but also really just love making pretty stuff.

I continue to make a lot of wall art pieces.

One fact a lot of this kind of would this is a little chunk of Pin Oaks lab that I got from an Amish farmer out now in county.

>> They say their work became more intentional during the pandemic.

I felt like it was a pivotal moment for us to like, really think about it.

The work that we were making.

Where do we want to take this?

What we want to go with this?

Both continue to learn new things are that recently teaching them the basics of pottery.

>> I will say that the woodworking is a lot more dangerous, but the pottery is.

So much more volatile play because you can get at the store you think is really great.

And then we're in a in a heartbeat.

>> While Beth using her talents to support causes that are important to her.

A lot of the work that I do has an active is an element to it helps me express myself, but I also see it as an opportunity to celebrate people who are doing the hard work as for their own work of wood and clay, it's more a labor of love >> for Kentucky edition, I'm Laura Rogers.

>> You've heard of tap Dancing.

You may even know about clogging.

But what about flat funding?

Carl Gover was born and raised in the mountains of Letcher County in eastern Kentucky.

As a child, she learned how to flat foot dance.

Now she's determined to share her knowledge with others.

♪ ♪ >> I think it's just really valuable to.

Share.

My story of being somebody who's from eastern Kentucky who grew up with a bunch of beautiful traditions and not only that, the arts for such a beautiful way to invite people into our world to share a live-in to break down those misunderstandings.

I am a Kentucky musician dancer for the Saudis to perform is called Appalachian Flat footing or clogging.

It's a style that evolved from a mixture of the European roots of some of our Kentucky ancestors from Ireland, Scotland, England, also with influences of indigenous Native American dancing and African-American dancing.

And so those styles obviously mixed together in a lot of ways that came up with tap dance and clogging in flat footing.

And if you wanted to really simplistic difference between clogging in flat, putting out say clocking is often done in teams with synchronized choreography and flat footing is what most people think of as a very similar style, but usually just performed as an improvisation with live film, enjoy music.

It's very simple.

Inaccessible a lot of times people tell me I'm too old or I'm too out of shape from too heavy.

And I just invite people to try anyway because it's a great, a fun way to exercise.

And it's also not it's not so hard that the average person can't pick access it because this dance style.

It's not made to be danced.

You know, on the big stage is made for porches and barn dances and living rooms and jam sessions.

And so I think this nurse tells for love teaching that flat footing basic.

So it set.

Lyft pull.

So if I had to Looks like that.

You can also add a settlement step with the heel like a little stuff.

So if I had to hear his plane.

With the pros.

And they use.

And you can add the to leave him out yet that.

>> So that is one of the steps that helps you unlock.

I'm having that conversation with the fiddle mimicking the fiddle tune Lines.

And that's just one step.

And there's lots to learn.

So I love teaching people how to do that during the pandemic.

When things shut down and like many other musicians, I was suddenly cut off from every single source of income that I had.

I just started offering these different zoom classes.

I know I did balancing of Kentuckyian banjo tons of Kentuckyian I did this flat but dancing.

And when I started off or the dance classes which I had previously, mainly just done it like an elementary school residents here, a festival.

All of a sudden I was having people sign up that I've never even heard of that.

Never even met like it has blown me away.

How been able to reach students from all over the world.

Have students in Sweden in Germany and Ireland and Scotland and England and Canada all over the United States.

I've had about 150 students come through my academy now and now that things are open up on touring again, I'm never going to stop doing academy because it's it's really important to me to make it accessible to people.

I don't want this art form to die out.

That's been a lot of time collecting the college and I want to pass along to preserve it.

When you learn a traditional style from somebody that grew up with it.

You can tell you the stories of the people and the places and the situations where they learned it adds a whole nother dimension and I think that's special.

So I'm proud to pass that on.

>> From dancing to the music that makes us want to dance in Bowling Green Museum is gathering research for an exhibit that explores Kentucky's rich musical traditions includes genres and styles from bluegrass to hip-hop rec time to rock and roll.

More now on that major project.

>> And this is a German issues that they sign for me.

When I was little I saw kids on TV.

I thought what is that started by records and going to concerts?

Not a kind of stuff.

>> The rest, as they say is history.

>> It's and you get another copy said new, why don't you can get mine.

>> Music history of got a summerly forty-five's of the Kentucky headhunters.

I've got the platinum plaque that was originally presented a double yellow sea.

I've got some UK posters, a black stone cherry, one of their tours with a headlined Wembley Arena.

If it's an album poster or keepsake from a south central Kentucky band, they're absolutely going crazy trying to find these posters news.

Only 20 of them.

>> Tell me star likely has it in his role as a radio personality and E 93 W DNS Starr is often the first to play and interview local bands.

>> Steam jewel on bass guitar.

That was his first police with >> Over the years he has amassed quite the music collection.

>> That stuff starting to stack up CDs, flyers and so the throne way I just capital star is now partying with hundreds of items to be included in an exhibit at the Kentucky Museum at Western Kentucky University.

We have this very unique musical landscape of expression here Sunday.

>> Landscape will explore the rich diversity, talent and dynamism of music across the Bowling Green in Southcentral, Kentucky area earnings.

Hogan.

>> The father of Ragtime music who is burning shake.

Greg, here in our neighborhood here.

To Sam Bush and n**** roots.

2, the Hilltoppers, the doo-wop group.

Based at western Kentucky University to cage the elephant today.

It's just this wide swath of different types of music.

What is that story?

Why Bowling Green?

>> One of the area's most notable successes, the Kentucky headhunters who originated decades ago and Metcalf County.

We want to be in English Rock and roll band.

>> But soon as we opened her mouth, they go.

Come on.

Haha, you guys are from you from the country where less.

And that's the beauty of it.

>> The band's picking on Nashville album won a Grammy in 1991.

The group still tours extensively today.

>> To have made a living as something that truly love.

He's been really, really special.

And I don't take it for granted that the guys and and they had hundreds take it for granted.

>> Stars collection includes mementos from the band's beginnings as it she brother and the 1970's and the earliest iteration of picking on Nashville known as the pink tape when they were just the headhunters.

>> When they had a Kentucky to it actually made total sense.

>> And even relics from the radio show that caught the attention of the band's future record label.

>> Some time in latter part of 86.

We started doing the chip and Jo Wroc that pretty much see minute the deal with Mercury records.

Back in the day, Martin marvels at the musical heritage of the place he calls home.

Kentucky is such a diverse state musically.

There's such a a great array of music around here.

We've got Mister Sam Bush, New Grass Revival.

10 balls had a scene that happened.

And you know that which a lot of bands came out of that.

>> The museum has been conducting research for the exhibit for the past several years.

We've been just interviewing people slowly, musicians, but also owners of clubs, owners of record stores recording studios all content to be preserved and explored when sonic landscape opens to the public.

Hopefully you go away from this exhibit saying I had no idea.

We have all these great musicians here.

Lot of people like to say there's something in the water.

>> Maybe there is.

I don't know their system.

Word here.

A huge amount of talented people here in South Central Kentucky.

I mean, super super talented folks here.

>> For Kentucky edition, I'm Laura Rogers.

>> Sonic landscape is expecting to open in the spring of 2025.

It's creative, meets functional at one lounge in Lexington Trifecta, class art lounge not only serves you drink, it makes the glass.

You drink it out of 2.

>> The trifecta is a 3 component business here.

We have a fine art gallery that features incredible glass work out front.

That kind of Francis space.

You see that my working studio behind me and then we have a speakeasy lounge experience that connects our visitors with the glass blowing.

That's going in the studio behind.

So then all the glass will be made in house.

And so the kind of idea here is that it connects our visitors with the vessel with a drink with the experience, everything is handcrafted from the glass.

I thanks to well, it's just been wonderful.

You know, I'm so excited to be in Lexington, this area of the state and this region really hasn't been exposed to glasses much.

And so it just takes a little bit of time to develop a collector bays develop.

An interesting blast.

And so we had to create a financial model that would support us until those things kind of area.

And of course, people of the speakeasy aspect, we've got a really lounge, aiming for for this area of the We've had so many people come in and say we feel like we're in, you know, New York City or whatever.

I wish everyone loved glasses, but I do.

But I think there's something magical about.

Glass and there's because there's fire and smoke and commands being made between teammates.

There's a rule, a connection, this kind of base need in our human condition to see that kind of activity.

And I think people really get absorbed in it.

It's probably the intensity and the drama that goes with it, a tie.

But pretty excitable high energy and but what I think maybe the the thing that capture the most is the amount of focus that's required in that intensity.

When you sat down with glass.

There's there's only one thing you can focus on as an art medium to me, it reflects spirit often the transmission of light, the capturing of light.

I think it's a it's a very spiritual element to it.

I think it's why a lot of folks well, I mean, you can look at staying glass and cathedrals all over for centuries.

There's something that that causes human spirit and a fine that it really exciting about the material with the process itself.

You know, the team aspect of it is so much fun.

You know, we west of the loud music and we joke that I will cut up, but then it certain moments we all have each other's back.

We know where the focus needs to be placed and and I just makes her really unique connection when you're making work, you know, stop this isolation in a studio somewhere.

It very active with with the fun, a team of people.

Not only do I think glass in Kentucky is is good for.

You know, Kentucky craft, but I think it's going to it.

Add to that the tourism aspect of our state, a group in Shelbyville and so Kentucky boy hard and I'm glad to be you know, carrying on the legacies that I was taught from my mentors.

♪ >> That are pieces based on an oak tree located on Starr Hill Farms once finished that peace can be viewed at the makers.

Mark Visitor center along with 5 other companion pieces.

What started as a hobby.

He's since become a great connection to the past.

Rick Howard began with a barn full of old radios and no expertise or idea what to do with them.

But now he's grown not only in to a collector, but a radio repairman and historian.

♪ >> People that come in, a lot of people just come in the fighting this and make next or what it is.

>> Overnight, our colleague, I can't believe this is like a museum and there.

And so you know what?

The people have been really reset.

The way I got started was a retired from the fire department and the Richmond and out.

So well, I'd have something to do so started collecting intakes and that sort of thing.

This fella called me one day and I have about radios up in a bar and more than 5 BN rest and buy them.

So I didn't really know anything about radios.

It's been about 10 years ago.

So I called a friend of mine and he said, yeah, that's a really good deal.

So I went to pick up these radios and brought him back.

And what am I going to just clean them up and kind of his better half?

So I pulled one out of the pack and that is looked pretty good.

mister him to get a pardon.

And I got on YouTube and the Earth found that radio somebody was repaired.

And so I got it repaired for it.

So after that, I was hooked there for a year to about anything.

You have a cold Okay.

This is a.

>> A 1939 Zena and it's a world's fair.

They made this specifically for the world's fair, not to 39.

And that's one of my right.

Yes, I'm not going to sail.

>> The more I got into the the the radio, how the radio actually works, how it they get their electoral magnetic waves out of their 3 year and 10 and goes to the radio and comes out a speaker's really interesting to me so that the more I learn the more I got, you know, but more interested still not over.

I'm not an expert, but it stretches.

Lot of people know more about how to repair radios But it's a finance.

When you get noise, I don't want it.

And played in 30 years ♪ What one of the main reasons I really like their radios is the history that's been through the radios, all the presidential speeches, a sports and and it, you know, just over the history that's then through the rails because that was the only form of news besides the newspaper.

I wish I had kept a journal.

List of everybody that's been through here.

The different states.

I think all 50 states and probably 4 different countries are represented by somebody to come in.

Just a look at radio.

♪ >> They're also preserving history at Keeneland Horse Racing is one of the industry's the Commonwealth is most known for, but many of the industry's African-American pioneers are largely unknown.

The Cayman Library is trying to remedy that with its exhibit.

The heart of the turf.

>> It's part of a turf racing spot.

Pioneers covers just over 200 years of history.

Roughly 100 lives are featured from his statement today.

The exhibit comprises hundreds of from Cayman Library collections loaned our Roark from our collections as well.

>> And biographical vignettes.

roughly 75 of those lives.

We were never going to be able to capture the thousands upon thousands of that have played a part in this industry.

But what we wanted to do is to highlight the depth and the breadth of the rules.

So you're going to see fair years.

You're going to see Jackie should going to see Grooms.

You see exercise riders.

You're going to see some top owners and breeders.

Sometimes you'll see a handful of folks.

They had multiple roles, basically did everything that is that you could do in this industry.

Even she were says.

So.

We wanted a representative sample of that work.

And and we were able to highlight roughly 100 lives we see, of course, the superstar black jockey athletes that a lot of folks will have that kind of name recognition.

Isaac Murphy and then we will have other folks that the folks won't maybe recalls her name.

So we're trying to tell their stories as well.

The closer we get to 1900, the more we start to see that Jim Crow era and everything that it brought illegally culturally we start to see more and more signs that those opportunities for those highest paying positions.

Those headline making positions for the most part.

The further we get be on the turn of the century.

So the early 19, 100's, we start to see a shift away from that in a shift toward backside work.

So work on farms, work on the backside of tracks.

And that really was for the most part, the norm in terms of opportunities in this industry into we get closer to the civil rights movement.

And we also highlight lives it to and which started after the civil rights movement bringing us to today.

My hope would be that.

That there's exposure to just the sheer impact from every life that is represented here in some way, whether it's a biographical vignette, a photograph and to know that this is a small sampling.

It's illustrative, but it's small.

Nonetheless.

So for every story you see here, there are thousands of others that aren't featured here in this format.

But the primary goal of this exhibit was to start conversations.

With the intent to continue conversations with the intent to listen.

Action.

>> We move from the turf to the typewriter in downtown Lexington.

You can hear the sounds of a typewriter mixed in with traffic and pedestrians.

It's Curtis Kaiser hard work typing out homes for anyone who walks by.

We learn more now about the art of improper to poetry.

>> I'm out here.

Typewriter, poetry for anybody that walks 5 for free.

Absolutely.

For free.

So.

They'll give me a prompt and I'll respond with a home and I don't make them ahead of time either.

So every single home for somebody is immediate and whatever learn from them is what they get.

There is no, hey, already got this.

Here you go.

There was no catalyst, really other than the city going like typewriters.

I can think I can write when you go see if I get why pushing for free and see if that makes people happy or not to think about this one.

I didn't see it somewhere.

First.

But I know it can't be that original idea, because like that was a very easy thought to have somebody has to do that.

But I won't let that stop me from doing it on my own.

I have 0 coaching background.

Absolutely 0.

And I haven't read too much poetry there.

My day job as a mechanical engineer.

So the structural installations on helicopters and working with structural installers doing very hard to find physical.

Things is far different than this, which is a very open and impromptu based just think of something.

What kind of role so that very analytical day job.

Can sometimes help do this because it's a very linear thought think the staff make this right.

This is a subject cool.

>> But then this is also very do what you want.

I just think it's something where his work as a very constrained environment, the lack of constraints here is somewhat of a relief where you can just do what you want.

I found, but it's surprisingly appeals to people that I would not have thought would have liked poetry or like a thought that I would have done it.

You know, it.

>> Hearing that an engineer does not think that's for me now.

At first glance, like dude, how do you do souls noise of random shuffle that it's not as bad as you may think?

There's quite a few distractions.

The work of people heading out, maybe like on the computer.

>> And also saying, hey, we've got this problem over here site.

This is actually not that destructive environment because it's there's one person here.

They only want one thing and it's a very won't want to change.

Well, subject.

Here's the poll and other people, Sarah traffic that it doesn't bother me.

It's OK, I can shut that out and kind of do this.

I can.

I will.

I know that for sure.

My spirit remains a life and above all, staying here.

What I hope to give out is some sense of positive outlook on life like a while.

This just happened for free.

And I got in there was nothing expected of it.

Hoping to get out.

Hope we get a positive outlook on things.

Also open the show.

Hey, you can prove you can be creative.

It's allowed.

It's all right.

You can do it.

Nobody can make out here.

It's it's are people receptive and that anybody can do it, too.

Because if I'm out here so speeds and your guy, I supposed to be able to do this.

But here I am just trying.

You can try to.

So it's trying to get some kind of searching out throughout their fur.

Want to get on track stuff.

You can do it.

>> Kaiser says he's currently in talks with several indoor locations around Lexington to KET the spontaneous poetry going through the winter months.

We hope you'll join us again Monday night at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central for Kentucky Edition, we inform connect and inspire subscribe to our weekly Kentucky Edition email newsletter watch full episodes and clips at KET Dot Org.

You can also find Kentucky Edition on the PBS video app on your mobile device and smart TV.

Send us a story idea.

Public affairs at KET Dot Org and follow KET on Facebook, X and Instagram to stay in the loop.

I'm Casey Parker Bell.

Thank you for joining us to take good care and have a great night.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪