HISTORIC MAINSTRASSE VILLAGE IN COVINGTON IS THE CENTER OF A CLOSE KNIT COMMUNITY.

A MISSISSIPPI MUSICIAN NOW CALLS THE BLUEGRASS HIS OLD KENTUCKY HOME.

AND THE VICTORIAN ELEGANCE OF OLD LOUISVILLE IS THE BACK DROP OF A POPULAR ART EVENT.

ALL THESE COMING UP NEXT ON "KENTUCKY LIFE."

>> HELLO, EVERYBODY.

I'M DAVE SHUFFETT ALONG WITH MYn GOLDEN BOY TOBY.

WELCOME TO KENTUCKY LIFE.

LAST SEASON, WE SHOWED YOU SOME BELIEVE ARE EVIDENCE OF EARLY EXPLORERS FROM OTHER CONTINENTS.

BUT THESE CARVINGS ARE IN AN AREA THAT HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANT TO NATIVE AMERICANS FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

LATE IN THE 1700s, A CHEROKEE INDIAN BY THE NAME OF RED BIRD WAS KILLED.

AND HIS BODY WAS BURIED NEAR THESE CARVINGS.

NOW THE TRAGIC DEATH OF RED BIRD WAS SO WELL-KNOWN AT THE TIME THAT HIS NAME WAS GIVEN TO A NEARBY FORK OF THE KENTUCKY RIVER.

WE CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF THIS FASCINATING STORY, SO WE THOUGHT WE'D TAKE ANOTHER LOOK TONIGHT.

>> INCREASE SEVERAL PETROCLIFFS IN CLAY COUNTY.

I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT A COUPLE OF THOSE.

AND AS A WOMAN OF INDIAN DECENT PARTICULARLY OF CHEROKEE, OUR FEELING IS THAT THOSE PETRO CLIFFS ARE PUT THERE BY CHEROKEE PEOPLE.

>> PETROCLIFFS ARE SIMPLY DRAWINGS OR IMAGES THAT ARE ETCHED OR PECKED INTO STONE.

>> AND PECKING IS TAKING A SHARw ROCK OR SOMETHING AND ACTUALLY PECKING IN THE SURFACE, AND YOU CAN SEE THE PECK MARKS AROUND.

AND THAT WAS THE USUAL TYPE OF PETROCLIFFS DONE IN KENTUCKY.

>> AN OPEN-FACE BLUFF THAT'S GETTING WEATHER EXPOSURE IS NOT GOING TO LAST A LONG TIME AND THERE ARE EARLY ACCOUNTS, HISTORIC ACCOUNTS OF BEING MANY MORE OF THESE SIGHTS AND MANY BEING PAINTED AND SOME OF THEM BEING QUITE SPECTACULAR.

>> STAND SAND STONE, FROM THE SURFACE AND INSIDE.

THE SURFACE IS JUST WHAT YOU WOULD THINK, WIND, RAIN, SNOW, SLEET, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

ACTUALLY REMOVE THE PARTICLES OF SAND ON THE SURFACE.

BUT THE SECOND THING THAT OCCURRED IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT, IS THAT WATER WITHIN THE SAND STONE TENDS TO PERCOLATE TO THE SURFACE, CARRYING MINERALS WITH IT.

WHEN IT GETS TO THE SURFACE OF THE SAND STONE, IT EVAPORATES LEAVING THE CRYSTALS THERE AND THE CRYSTALS GROW, THEY POP OFF THE SAND STONE.

SO THE PETRO CLIFF TENDS TO RECEDE INTO THE ROCK.

IN OTHER WORDS, IT IS BEING FRESHLY MADE EVERY DAY SO TO SPEAK, MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO DATE.

>> I COULD PICK UP A PIECE OF BURNED TORCH MATERIAL AND DRAW ON THE WALL, AND IT WOULD BE DRAWN, YOU KNOW, YESTERDAY, BUT, THAT CHARCOAL IS 2,000 OR 3,000 YEARS OLD SO YOU DATE IT AND IT SAYS IT IS 2,000 OR 3,000 YEARS OLD BUT DOESN'T MEAN IT WAS DRAWN 2,000 OR 3,000 YEARS OLD.

SO DATING, PICTURE GRAPH AND PETRO CLIFF SITES IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT.

>> MOST OF THE PETROCLIFFS THAT WE SEE ARE AROUND WHAT THEY CALL TERMINAL ARCHAIC OR EARLY WOOD LAND WHICH IS ABOUT A THOUSAND YEARS BC.

>> THE NATIVE AMERICANS FOUND IN CLAY COUNTY AREA WOULD HAVE INCLUDED THE CHEROKEE AND CERTAINLY THE SHAWN ANY WOULD BE THE -- SHAWNEE THE MOST LIKELY GROUPS IN THE AREA.

>> TRADITIONALLY THE PETROCLIFF WOULD BE FOR LOCATION, THEY MIGHT BE AN EVENT THAT TOOK PLACE, THEY MAY HAVE BEEN COMMENTING ON A CEREMONY.

>> THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT HAVE STUDIED THIS, AND STUDIED IT PRESENT DAY INDIANS AND TRIED TO RELATE TO WHAT THEY SEE NOW WITH WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED IN THE PAST.

>> IT WAS DEVELOPED BY SEQUOIA, IF YOU HAVE EVER LISTENED TO BITTER TEARS BY JOHNNY CASH, THEY ARE REFERRED TO AS THE TALKING LEAF, AND WHAT HAPPENED WAS SEQUOIA RECOGNIZED WHEN THE EUROPEANS CAME, THAT THEY COULD TALK TO EACH OTHER ACROSS THIS ON PIECES OF WHITE PAPER.

AND HE WANTED HIS CHEROKEE PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT ALSO.

ALL INDIAN COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING THE CHEROKEE WERE TOTALLY ORAL.

EVERYTHING WAS PASSED FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION, BY WORD OF MOUTH.

SO WHAT SEQUOIA DID IS TO LOOK AT A WAY THAT HE COULD HAVE TALKING LEAVES OR A WRITTEN MEANS OF COMMUNICATION.

>> WE DEFINITELY KNOW NATIVE AMERICANS HAVE BEEN AMERICANú█ HAVE BEEN IN THIS YEAR FORz█ 10,000 TO 12,000 YEARS IF NOT LONGER.

>> THEY ALL PASSED THROUGH KENTUCKY AT VARIOUS TIMES HUNTING.

BUT, IT IS ALSO EQUALLY TRUE THAT THERE WERE PERMANENT VILLAGES IN KENTUCKY.

THERE WOULD NOT BE PETROCLIFFS WERE THAT NOT SO.

>> YOU WERE LIVING 4,000 OR 5,000 YEARS AGO, YOU WERE A HUNTER AND GATHERER.

YOU WERE LIVING OFF THE LAND, THE NATURAL BOUNTY OF THE LAND AND A LOT OF THESE SITES MAY BE NEW PLACES THAT YOU'RE EXPLORING.

>> THEY ARE OUR WAY THE INDIAN WAY OF LEAVING OUR HISTORY RECORDED.

A PETROCLIFF MIGHT TALK ABOUT A HUNT, A SPIRITUAL QUEST, A CEREMONY, TRAVEL, BUT IT IS THE OLD INDIAN WAY OF LEAVING A WRITTEN RECORD OF WHAT WAS THERE, WHAT THEY DID, WHAT THEY EXPERIENCED.

THAT IS OUR HISTORY.

>> A SITE THAT REALLY DOES HURT THE SITE AND PEOPLE TEND TO DO THAT.

JOHN LOVE MASSRI TYPE -- JOHN LOVES MARY TYPE OF THINGS HAPPEN AND PEOPLE BEING THOUGHTLESS ABOUT IT PEOPLE WRITE THEIR NAME OGE BRIDGES AND SPRAY PAINT THEIR NAMES ON BRIDGES.

WE DON'T PROMOTE THAT, PEOPLE WRITING THEIR NAMES ON ROCK SHELVES AND CAVE BUS YOU SEE IT.

YOU CAN GO TO EARLY TOURIST SITES LIKE MAMMOTH AND YOU'LL FIND THOUSAND OF PEOPLE'S SIGNATURES AND NAMES ON THERE AND YOU'LL FIND UNDER THAT PRE-HISTORIC DRAWINGS.

IF I KNOW THERE IS PRE-HISTORIC DRAWINGS IN A PLACE IN A CAVE THAT'S USUALLY ALSO THE MOST POPULAR PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO WRITE THEIR NAMES HISTORICALLY ON THE CAVE SO THERE IS LAYERS OF THESE PICTOGRAPHSGRAPHS AND SIGNATURES, OFTEN TIMES IN THE SAME PLACE WHICH MAKES IT HARD TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S WHAT.

>> IT IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT AS A CHEROKEE I DID DESCENDANT BECAUSE THESE ARTIFACTS AND THESE PETROCLIFFS ARE IN THE STATE WHERE I WAS BORN, RAISED, WORKED AND LIVED, WHERE I WAS EDUCATED.

THEY WERE LEFT BY MY ANCESTORS.

I SEE THAT AS A PART OF MY OWN PERSONAL HISTORY.

>> ALL I WANT TO DO IS FIND THEM AND RECORD THEM AND TRY TO PROTECT THEM AND THAT'S MY ONLY MEANS.

>> SO THE BEST WAY TO PROTECT THEY FEEL IS JUST TO KEEP LOCATIONS CONFIDENTIAL.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL I THINK AND I THINK THE COMMISSION FEELS THIS WAY, IS EDUCATING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE BECAUSE IF WE START REALLY EDUCATING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TO THE FACT THAT YES, WE DID HAVE NATIVE AMERICANS IN KENTUCKY, BEFORE EUROPEAN CONTACT, YES, WE DO HAVE MATERIAL THAT THEY LEFT HERE, AND YES, THERE ARE SACRED PLACES HERE AND HELP THEM TO UNDERSTAND THAT AND TO HELP THEM TO RECOGNIZE THOSE PLACES.

>> THESE ARE SMALL WINDOWS TO THE PAST AND THEY ARE VERY FRAGELE AND ONCE THEY ARE GONE, THEY ARE GONE FOREVER.

>> NATIVE AMERICAN PEOPLE HAVE BEEN IN KENTUCKY FOR THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF YEARS.

WE ARE STILL HERE.

AND WE WILL REMAIN HERE.

>> BE SURE TO VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT KET.ORG/KENTUCKYLIFE FOR MORE STORIES ON THE NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURE.

>>> KENTUCKY'S EARLY GERMAN ROOTS ARE CELEBRATED IN THE POPULAR NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT IN COVINGTON, KNOWN AS MAINSTRASSE VILLAGE.

IT IS TONIGHT'S DOWNTOWN DESTINATION.

SEVERAL BLOCK OF DOWNTOWN COVINGTON ARE COMPRISED OF BEAUTIFUL HISTORIC BUILDINGS, CONSTRUCTED BY GERMAN FAMILIES IN THE LATE 19TH CENTURY.

SO STRONG IS THIS AREA'S GERMAN HERITAGE, THIS VILLAGE WITHIN COVINGTON CAME TO BE KNOWN AS MAINSTRASSE.

STRASSE IS A GERMAN WORD MEANING STREET.

>> MAINSTRASSE VILLAGE BACK IN THE 1800s WAS ONE OF THE PRIME SPOTS FOR PEOPLE THAT HAD A LITTLE EXTRA MONEY AS YOU CAN SEE FROM OUR ARCHITECTURE DOWN HERE.

MOST OF THE BUILDINGS IN MAINSTRASSE WERE BUILT IN THE MID-1800s.

SOME OF THEM WERE MANSIONS AND SOME OF THEM WERE WORKING CLASS FAMILIES BUT IT IS STILL BEAUTIFUL ARCHITECTURE, DIFFERENT ARCHITECTURE, EVERY BUILDING IS DIFFERENT FROM THE NEXT.

AND THAT'S ONE OF THE SPECIAL THINGS ABOUT MAINSTRASSE, JUST TO WALK ALONG THE STREETS, AND TO SEE THE DIFFERENT BUILDINGS, AND TO TRY TO IMAGINE WHAT IT WAS LIKE IN THE 1800s.

YOU CAN ALMOST ENVISION A SUNDAY IN THE PARK BEFORE THE CARS WERE HERE, BEFORE THE ELECTRIC WAS HERE.

IT IS JUST A BEAUTIFUL SETTING TO COME DOWN, AND ENJOY THE VILLAGE, AND ENJOY SOME GOOD FOOD AND JUST SPEND THE DAY.

YOU HAVE THE HISTORY BUT YOU HAVE THE AMENITIES OF THE FINE DINING, AND THE ENTERTAINMENT AND THE SHOPPING, IF YOU LIKE THAT PART OF IT.

>> WALKING TOURS ARE AVAILABLE HERE AS WELL AS UNIQUE DINING AND SHOPPING.

AND BY THE WAY, JUST ABOUT EVERYONE IN AMERICA HUMS TO A TUNE WRITTEN BY A RESIDENT HERE.

>> GILLESPIE WAS ONE OF THE REGULAR VISITORS TO MAINSTRASSE WHEN HE WAS HOME IN THE COVINGTON AREA AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHO HAVEN GILLESPIE IS, I'M SURE THAT YOU KNOW THE SONG "SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN" THAT WAS ONE OF MANY SONGS THAT HE WROTE SO WE'RE PROUD THAT HE WAS ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO ENJOYED MAINSTRASSE WELL BEFORE WE DO.

>> THE GERMAN HERITAGE IS ALSO CELEBRATED IN MAINSTRASSE BY TWO FESTIVALS: MAY FEST AND OKTOBERFEST.

BUT ANY TIME OF YEAR IS A GOOD TIME TO TAKE IN THE GERMAN FLAVOR OF MAINSTRASSE.

>> AS LATE AS 1927 THE MAINSTRASSE VILLAGE FIRE HOUSEñ█ WAS STILL USING HORSES TO PULL THEIR FIRE ENGINES.

WELL, FROM ONE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD TO ANOTHER, OUR NEXT STORY TAKES US TO THE HEART OF ELEGANT OLD LOUISVILLE.

@m@oúo THERE SURROUNDED BY ONE OF THE LARGEST COLLECTIONS OF VICTORIAN HOMES IN AMERICA, THE ST.

JAMES COURT ART SHOW HAS BEEN ATTRACTING ARTISTS, AND CROWDS FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS.

lÑúÑ█w >> IF THIS IS THE FIRST WEEKEND IN OCTOBER, YOU'LL FIND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN THE HEART OF OLD LOUISVILLE AT THE St.

JAMES COURT ART SHOW.

HUNDREDS OF ARTISTS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE SHOWING THEIR WORK AMONG THE BEAUTIFUL COLLECTION OF VICTORIAN HOMES.

AND WHAT A DISPLAY IT IS.

ART FOR ALL TASTES, AND ALL BUDGETS.

>> IT STARTED IN OCTOBER OF 1957 AND IT WAS A WAY OF THE RESIDENTS HERE ON ST.

JAMES COURT WANTED TO RAISE MONEY TO BE ABLE TO FIX SOME REPAIRS THAT THE FOUNTAIN WAS UNDERGOING SO THEY DECIDED THERE WERE A BUNCH OF ARTISTS ON LIVING HERE ON St.

JAMES COURT SO THEY DECIDED TO HAVE AN ART SHOW.

IT IS NOW BLOSSOMED INTO 750 ARTISTS.

THEY COME FROM 42 DIFFERENT STATES.

ABOUT 100 ARE REPRESENTED FROM THE STATE OF KENTUCKY.

IT IS JUST QUITE AN EVENT.

>> BRUCE AND KELLY, OWNERS OF TURNING WHEEL POTTERY IN BEREA HAVE BEEN SHOWCASING THEIR WORK IN ST.

JAMES FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF DOCTOR YEARS IN 2008 THEY CAME FROM KENTUCKY FROM OR WE GONE AFTER DECIDING TO TURN THEIR LOVE OF POTTERY INTO A FULL-TIME JOB.

>> WE HEARD ABOUT IT THROUGH SUNSHINE ARTIST MAGAZINE AND IT TALKED TO A FEW OTHER ARTISTS AROUND HERE AND SUGGESTED THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO APPLY AND HEARD IT WAS A REALLY HARD SHOW TO GET INTO.

WE GOT ON THE WAITING LIST AND WE KEPT CALLING THEM EVERY DAY, AND SAYING THAT WE WERE HERE, WE WERE READY.

IF YOU HAD A SPOT TO COME IN AND THEN THEY CALLED US AND SAID, CAN BUT HERE THE NEXT DAY, AND WE WERE THERE.

>> IT WAS THE BIGGEST SHOW WE HAVE EVER DONE AND WE HAD NO IDEA WHEN WE APPLIED TO THE SHOW THAT IT WAS AS HIGH PROFILE AS IT IS, AND THAT IT HAD A FOLLOWING THAT IT HAS.

SO WE -- OTHER FRIENDS TOLD US, THIS IS A HUGE DEAL SO WE WERE REALLY EXCITED.

WE WERE AMAZED AT HOW MANY PEOPLE COME FROM SO FAR AWAY TO DO THIS SHOW.

AND THE SETTING WAS BEAUTIFUL.

I LOVE OLD TOWN LOUISVILLE.

I CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER PLACE TO HAVE AN ART SHOW.

I FEEL LIKE POTTERY CHOSE US.

ONCE WE STARTED DOING IT, THERE IS JUST SOMETHING ABOUT -- I LIKE A LOT OF DIFFERENT AMPLET IT IS HARD FOR ME TO STAY FOCUSED ON ONE THING, BUT, CLAY, YOU CAN TAKE IT SO MANY DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.

WE COULD MAKE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT LOOKING WORK IF YOU WANTED TO OUT OF CLAY.

>> THIS IS FOUR POUNDS OF CLAY, AND I'M GOING TO CENTER IT ON THE WHEEL TO GET THE CLAY STUCK TO THE BAT.

AND THEN I'LL USE A LITTLE WATER AND SENT THEY ARE PIECE OF CLAY.

SO I WANT TO ADHERE THE CLAY TO THE BAT SO NO WATER GETS UNDERNEATH OF THE PIECE OF CLAY AND IT SLIPS OFF.

AND THEN, NOW I'LL CONE THIS UP, AND THAT GETS THE CLAY IN THE CENTER OF THE BAT.

AND I'LL PUSH DOWN AND OUT.

AND I'M COMPRESSING THE BOTTOM AND PULLING THE RIM OUT.

AND I USUALLY COME RIGHT TO THE EDGE OF THE BAT AND I WANT TO COMPRESS THE BOTTOM A LITTLE MORE AND HAVE A NICE FLAT BOTTOM ON THERE AND THEN WE'LL MAKE THE FLUTES.

AND I TAKE MY TWO FINGERS, MY INDEX FINGER BETWEEN AND JUST PULL OUT.

>> ANOTHER ARTIST WHOSE WORK HAS BEEN FEATURED AT THE St.

JAMES ART SHOW IS JOHN LACKEY, OWNER OF HOMEGROWN PRESS IN LEXINGTON.

>> IT WAS A LOT OF FUN.

IT WAS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE BECAUSE I HADN'T DONE ART FAIRS BEFORE.

AND IT WAS COOL TO BE IN THAT LITTLE CITY OF ARTISTS, AND THE TIMES WHEN I GOT TO WALK AROUND A LITTLE BIT AND MEET OTHER ARTISTS AND SEE A LOT OF REALLY COOL WORK.

THAT WAS WITH EXCITING AND INSPIRING.

AND KIND OF FELT LIKE HOME.

>> IT IS GREAT EXPOSURE AND GETS NEW PEOPLE'S HEADS, GETS YOUR NAME OUT THERE.

>> WELL, THIS IS RIGHT BEFORE YOU GET TO THE OVERLOOK OF RAVEN RUN.

THIS IS THE KENTUCKY RIVER.

AND THE OVERLOOK IS RIGHT OUT THIS WAY, AND THIS IS RAVEN RUN CREEK THAT COMES DOWN THROUGH HERE AND MEETS THE KENTUCKY RIVER.

IT IS A LITTLE NEAT LITTLE SPOT.

SO IT IS KIND OF I GUESS KIND OF A FISH-EYE VIEW OF THE RIVER.

>> SOME OF YOUR BEST-SELLING ARTISTS IN NEW YORK AND IN THE WORLD DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE SERIOUS ARTISTIC TALENT OR CHOPS.

THEY JUST HAVE BIG SPIRIT.

YOU KNOW.

THEY JUST GO FOR IT.

>> IF YOU WANT TO PAINT, YOU SHOULD JUST DO IT.

>> SO MANY TALENTED ARTISTS ARE A PART OF THE St.

JAMES ART SHOW EACH YEAR.

IT HAS COME A LONG WAY DURING THE LAST FIVE DECADES.

>> IT IS REALLY A TRADITION IN LOUISVILLE THAT BRINGS THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER.

A BIG EVENT FOR LOUISVILLE.

OTHER THAN THE DERBY TIME, CERTAINLY SO WE GOT TO DERBY IN THE SPRING, AND ST.

JAMES IN THE FALL.

>> THE SAINT JAMES COURT ART SHOW WASN'T THE FIRST SIGNIFICANT EVENT TO TAKE PLACE AT THAT LOCATION IN OLD LOUISVILLE.

IN THE LAID 1880s, THE SOUTHERN EXPOSITION WAS HELD THERE THE EXPOSITION WAS A KIND OF INDUSTRIAL STATE FAIR.

IT FOE CLURRED THE FIRST PUBLIC DISPLAY OF THE LIGHT BULB DESIGNED BY THOMAS EDISON WHO LIVED AND WORKED IN LOUISVILLE SOME 16 YEARS EARLIER.

MUSICIAN CHET LOTT MOVED FROM HIS NATIVE MISSISSIPPI TO THE BLUEGRASS OF BOURBON COUNTY BY COLLABORATING WITH FORMER EXILE STAR JP PENNING ON THE AND INFUSE SOMETHING KENTUCKY COUNTRY MUSIC INTO HIS DELTA-STYLE BLUES.

LOTT HAS CREATED AN INVITING SOUND THAT'S ALL HIS OWN.

♪ >> I'M ORIGINALLY FROM@█@í MISSISSIPPI AND WAS BORN IN@?ú█ PASCAGULA, MISSISSIPPI.ú?

AND IN 1969 WHEN I WAS THREE@w YEARS OLD, MY FATHER TOOK A JOB IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

AND WE MOVED THE FAMILY TO WASHINGTON, D.C.

AND I WENT TO SCHOOL IN WASHINGTON THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL AND EVERYTHING BUT WE WOULD ALWAYS SPEND SUMMERS AND HOLIDAYS DOWN ON THE GULF COAST OF MISSISSIPPI AND SO I REALLY FELT LIKE I HAD THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS.

AND YEARS LATER WE MOVED TO KENTUCKY TO PURSUE A BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY, AND I TOLD MY WIFE WE WOULD BE HERE FOR A YEAR, MAYBE TWO AND WE WOULD GO BACK TO THE WASHINGTON AREA OR SOMEWHERE ELSE, AND WE NEVER LEFT.

WE FELL IN LOVE WITH IT.

AND THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW WE HAD BEEN IN KENTUCKY FOR TEN YEARS AND I WAS LIKE, THIS IS HOME NOW.

IT JUST FELT RIGHT.

>> CHET'S ALWAYS HAD A LOVE FOR MUSIC.

IN HIS HIGH SCHOOL DAYS HE PLAYED IN SEVERAL BATTLE OF THE BANDS ALONGSIDE FELLOW CLASSMATE DAVE GROLE WHO LATER WENT ON TO HEADLINE FOO FIGHT BIRS IT WAS HURRICANE KATRINA THAT PROMPTED CHET TO FIRST RECORD AN ALBUM.

>> WHEN KATRINA HIT, I FELT SO HEMLESS BECAUSE MY RELATIVES AND ALL OF THE PEOPLE I KNEW BACK HOME HAD LOST EVERYTHING, AND WHEN I MEAN EVERYTHING, IT WAS ENTIRELY, THE ENTIRE TOWN, THE ENTIRE GOLF COAST WAS ABSOLUTELY LEVELED.

AND I WAS HERE IN KENTUCKY, ANDV JUST FELT BAD BECAUSE THEY WERE DOWN THERE CLEANING UP, AND I HAD MY LIFE HERE.

AND I WAS IN MY STUDY JUST MESSING AROUND WITH A GUITAR, AND WROTE A SONG CALLED WHERE AM I FROM.

♪ WHERE AM I FROM ♪ ♪ WHERE AM I FROM ♪ ♪ SOMEBODY ASK ME, WHERE AM I FROM ♪ I SAID I'M FROM THE LAND WHERE THE COTTON GROWS ♪ >> AND I THOUGHT AT THAT MOMENT THE IDEA WAS I'LL DO A BENEFIT CD.

IT WENT ON TO BE FOR THE SOUTHEAST MISSISSIPPI CHAPTER OF THE RED CROSS, AND WE RAISED OVER $125,000 FROM THE SALES OF THAT CD,.

>> YOU AIN'T FOOLING NOBODY, COME ON BABY SAVE FOR ME ♪ >> I TEAMED UP WITH A LEGEND AROUND HERE JP PENDINGTON OF THE GROUP EXILE.

WE HAD A CHEMISTRY AND STARTED WRITING TOGETHER.

WHEN WE PLAY TOGETHER, I LOVE THE GUY.

WE'VE JUST FORMED A REALLY UNIQUE BOND.

>> THE THING THAT I LIKE MOST ABOUT WORKING WITH CHET WAS THAT WE REALLY HIT IT OFF MUSICALLY.

WE REALLY LIKE A LOT OF THE SAME THINGS.

AND I ALSO GOT TO PLAY A LOT OF GUITAR AND A LOT OF PI IANO ON S RECORDS TOO.

IT WAS THE KIND OF MUSIC THAT I DIDN'T GET TO PLAY A LOT BUT REALLY LIKED.

AND I REALLY -- I'VE HAD THE MUSICAL TIME OF MY LIFE WORKING WITH CHET.

>>>> WHEN WE WERE WRITING THE MUSIC, WE HAD SO MUCH MATERIAL THAT I THEN RELEASED A FOLLOW-UP CD CALLED "WILD RIDE" AND THAT CD IS MORE ABOUT, I TAKE THE BLUES THAT I'VE GREW UP WITH, MIXED WITH SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE HEARD AND INFLUENCES SINCE I HAVE BEEN IN KENTUCKY.

MORE BLUEGRASS AND COUNTRY RELATEEDAND KIND OF MESHED THEM TOGETHER AND CAME UP WITH THIS SOUND THAT I FEEL IS MY SOUND.

>> I JUST THINK THAT HE'S UNIQUE.

YOU KNOW, IT IS HARD TO REALLY FORMAT, PUT A FORMAT ON WHAT CHET IS BECAUSE FIRST OF ALL, HE WRITES 90 PERPS PERCENT OF WHAT HE DOES.

AND I WRITE SOME OF IT WITH HIM.

>> WELL, CHET IS JUST PURE AMERICANA, JUST GRASS ROOTS NUTS AND BOLTS FUNK.

IT IS AND HE BRINGS IT.

AND IF YOU EVER GET TO SEE CHET LOTT PERFORM LIVE, IT IS REALLY SOMETHING THAT HE WILL SMOKE YOUR DOORS.

>> I WANT HIM TO ENJOY THE MUSIC AND I ENJOY KENTUCKY AND THE COUNTRYSIDE HERE AND I LIKE TO EXPOSE THEM TO SOME OF THE MISSISSIPPI BLUES ELEMENTS THAT I BRING TO MY MUSIC.

TO CREATE SOMETHING THAT IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN THEY MAYBE WOULD THINK WHEN THEY FIRST MEET ME AND HOPEFULLY THEY'LL ENJOY IT AND PUT IT IN THE CAR, AND JUST, YOU KNOW, SING ALONG AND ENJOY THE MUSIC.

THAT'S WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT.

KENTUCKY'S CONTRIBUTION TO AMERICAN MUSIC IS HUGE.

IT IS THE BIRTH PLACE OF BLUEGRASS AND THE HOME OF COUNTLESS CHART TOPPING STARS FROM EASTERN KENTUCKY'S COUNTRY MUSIC HIGHWAY, TO THE INTERNATIONAL BLUEGRASS MUSIC MUSEUM IN OWENSBORO, WE'VE GOT IT ALL RIGHT HERE.

AND WE HOPE THAT YOU HAVE FOUND SOME INSPIRATION AND ENTERTAINMENT RIGHT HERE ON "KENTUCKY LIFE."

THANKS FOR WATCHING, AND WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.