THE KING OF BLUEGRASS MUSIC AND THE TOWN THAT'S KEEPING HIS LEGACY ALIVE.

WE SIT DOWN WITH THE QUEEN OF COUNTRY MUSIC HERSELF.

THE POP GROUP FROM BOWLING BOWLING GREEN WHO TOOK THE COUNTRY BY A STORM AND A JAZZ MUSICIAN FROM LOUISVILLE WITH A SOUND LIKE NO OTHER.

THESE STORIES ARE ALL COMING UP.

SO STAY WITH US BECAUSE KENTUCKY LIFE STARTS THE MUSIC RIGHT NOW.

NOTE ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ HELLO, I'M DOUG FLYNN AND WELCOME TO THIS SPECIAL EPISODE OF KENTUCKY LIFE THAT CELEBRATES THE VERY BEST OF KENTUCKY MUSIC.

OUR STATE'S MUSICAL HERITAGE IS VAST AND DIVERSE, WHETHER IT BE BLUEGRASS, COUNTRY, POP OR JAZZ.

WHEN IT COMES TO BLUE GRAZ BLUE BRASS MUSIC, NO ONE REACHES THE HEIGHTS LIKE BILL MONROE AND IN HIS HOMETOWN OF ROSINE, IN OHIO COUNTY, THEY'RE KEEPING THAT LEGACY ALIVE AND WELL.

♪ ♪ >> YES, MY NAME IS DAVID JOHNSTON.

I'M THE JUDGE EXECUTIVE OF OHIO COUNTY KENTUCKY.

WE ARE AT THE BILL MONROE HOME PLACE NEAR ROSINE, KENTUCKY.

THIS IS 3 A BOYHOOD HOME OF BILL MONROE, THE FATHER OF BLUEGRASS MUSIC.

THIS IS HIS FATHER'S FARM.

HE AND HIS BROTHERS AND SISTERS GREW UP HERE SO HIS EARLY LIFE WAS SPENT HERE.

THIS FACILITY IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

YOU CAN COME BY MOST DAYS IT'S OPEN.

THERE ARE TOUR GUIDES TO GIVE YOU A TOUR MUCH THERE IS NO CHARGE FOR IT.

THIS HOME IS FURNISHED WITH PIECES TO NOT NECESSARILY OWNED BY THE MONROE FAMILY BUT THEY ARE PERIOD AND SUITABLE AND WHAT YOU WOULD HAVE SEEN WHEN THE MONROES LIVED HERE.

THERE ARE SOME ORIGINAL PIECES IN HERE.

ON A TOUR, YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THOSE.

IN THE ROOM THAT IS DIRECTLY BEHIND US WAS BILL MONROE'S BEDROOM.

IT'S VERY SMALL, HAS A SMALL BED ON IT.

ON IT IS A TATER BUG MANDOLIN, THE FIRST STYLE OF MANDOLIN THAT BILL WOULD HAVE PLAYED.

HE STARTED WITH THE TATER BUG.

PROGRESSED TO A TEAR DROP STYLE AND THEN THE F-5.

THE IF-5 GIBSON WOULD HAVE NEVER SOLD OR NEVER HAVE BEEN IMPORTANT IF IT WEREN'T FOR BILL MONROE.

THAT'S WHAT HE PLAYED.

Mr. MONROE DID NOT LIVE TO SEE THE RESTORATION OF THE HOME PLACE, BUT HE DID HAVE THE INPUT ON IT.

WANTED IT DONE AND IT HAD BEEN TALKED ABOUT FOR YEARS.

HE ACTUALLY DRAWED A CONCEPT OF WHAT HE REMEMBERED.

IDENTIFIED THE COLORS THAT EVERYTHING WAS AS HE REMEMBERED.

YOU KNOW, THIS DRAWS A NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL CROWD.

THERE HAS BEEN LITERALLY FOLKS FROM ALL 50 STATES OF THE UNITED STATES HAVE VISITED THIS.

AND MANY FOREIGN COUNTRIES.

IF YOU ARE A BLUEGRASS FAN, THIS IS THE PLACE THAT YOU WOULD WANTED TO COME.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> MY NAME IS BILL BURTON, CHAIR OF THE ASSOCIATION AND THE OLD BARN JAMBOREE IN ROSINE.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ THIS IS THE HOME OF BLUEGRASS MUSIC, THE OFFICIAL HOME.

PLAYING MUSIC AT THE OLD STORE ACROSS FROM THE BARN HERE, AND WE JUST JAMMED IN THERE ON FRIDAY NIGHTS AND JUST HAD A GOOD TIME.

AND WE OUTGREW THAT AND IN 1992, WE MOVED INTO THE BARN.

WE DO ONE EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT.

AND WE DO THAT APRIL THROUGH MIDWAY THROUGH DECEMBER.

WE HAVE MUSICIANS COME FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, ALL OVER THE WORLD.

AND THEN WE HAVE LOCAL MUSICIANS THAT COME FROM SEVERAL COUNTIES OUT, SEVERAL STATES OUT, ALL THE SURROUNDING STATES HERE, THEY WOULD SHOW UP FROM.

AND THEY COME FOR ONE THING, JUST LOVE THE MUSIC BECAUSE WE DON'T PAY ANYTHING.

AS I SAID BEFORE, WE JUST RUN THE BARN, WE DON'T CHARGE ANYBODY ANYTHING TO GET THROUGH THE DOORS.

WE TAKE UP A DONATION AND WE DID THIS FOR, IT WOULD BE 25 YEARS NEXT YEAR IN THE BARN AND SO FAR IT HAS WORKED JUST FINE FOR US.

BILL WAS HERE TWICE, AND HE CAME HERE ONCE WITH A NAVY BAND, U.S. NAVY BAND AND THEN HE CAME ANOTHER TIME AND PLAYED WITH SOME OF OUR LOCAL GUYS HERE THAT BACKED HIM UP HERE.

JIM JESSE WAS IN HERE ONCE.

MACK CLIVE WAS ONCE.

JAMES MONROE HAS BEEN HERE.

WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF DIFFERENT ONES COME IN BUT WE GOT SOME STEPS OUT HERE PRETTY CLOSE TO WHERE BILL STOOD IN 1995, ONE OF HIS LAST, I WOULD SAY ONE OF HIS LAST CONCERTS THAT HE DID.

HE DID IT HERE AT THE BARN AND WE GOT THE STEPS AS CLOSE AS WE CAN AND PEOPLE COME HERE AND THAT'S THE FIRST THING THEY WANT TO DO IS STAND IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF BILL MONROE AND WE HAVE GOT A LITTLE THING THAT WE SAY IF YOU HAVEN'T STOOD IN THESE FOOTSTEPS, YOU HAVE NEVER PLAYED BLUEGRASS MUSIC.

HE LOVED ROSINE, NEVER FAILED TO MENTION IT AT THE GRAND OL' OPRY AND DIFFERENT PLACES.

HE KNEW WHERE HE CAME FROM.

>> WITH THIS COMMUNITY AND MYSELF INCLUDED, ARE PROUD TO BE THE COMMUNITY THAT BLUEGRASS MUSIC BEGAN IN AND WE WANT TO RESTORE THAT LEGACY WE KNOW THAT THIS IS OUR CLAIM TO FAIP IN THE WORLD.

NO ONE MIGHT NOT KNOW WHO WE WERE IF NOT FOR THIS LEGACY.

BILL LIVED TO SEE HIS MUSIC BEING WORLDWIDE.

HE PLAYED WORLDWIDE.

HE DID GET TO SEE IT WAS POPULAR IN JAPAN AND MANY PLACES THAT COULDN'T SPEAK ENGLISH BUT THEY COULD SEE BLUE MOON OF KENTUCKY FLUENTLY.

>> HE PUT A SLANT TO IT THAT EVERYBODY WANTED TO COPY AND PLAY LIKE AND THAT IS HOW BLUEGRASS MUSIC STARTED AND NOW ANYWHERE YOU GO, COLLEGE KIDS, ALL TYPES OF PEOPLE ARE PLAYING BLUEGRASS MUSIC.

WE HAVE PEOPLE HERE COME FROM RUSSIA.

WE HAVE PEOPLE HERE COME FROM JAPAN.

AUSTRALIA.

FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, TO STAND OUT HERE ON THE STAGE WHERE BILL STOOD AND PLAY MUSIC AND TO US, THAT'S JUST AN HONOR THAT WE ARE OUT IN THE WORLD THAT MUCH BECAUSE BILL MONROE LEFT IT FOR US.

THIS, FOR MANY YEARS, IS THE HOME OF A LARGE BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL, DRAWS LARGE CROWDS INTO OUR COMMUNITY.

EVERY MONTH THERE IS WHAT IS CALLED PICKING ON THE PORCH, WHICH WILL BRING IN HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE FOR THAT.

>> WE ARE TRYING TO JOIN FORCES WITH EVERYBODY AND MAKE THIS BLUEGRASS MUSIC THING GO FOR FROM NOW ON, YOU KNOW.

♪ I'M ON MY WAY BACK TO THE OLD HOME, THE ROAD WAY UP THE HILL ♪ ♪ BUT THERE IS NO LIGHT IN THE WINDOW, THAT SHINES LONG AGO WHERE I LIVED ♪ >> WHEN IT COMES TO KENTUCKY MUSIC, NO ONE HOLDS A PLACE IN OUR HEARTS QUITE LIKE LORE RECEIPT LA WHO ARE RECEIPT LORETTA LIN, ALL THE WAY TO THE STAGE OF THE GRAND OL' OPRY, LORETTA COME TO TO REPRESENT THE ESSENCE OF COUNTRY MUSIC.

WE ARE PLEASED YOU CAN JOIN US FOR A VISIT WITH THE QUEEN OF COUNTRY MUSIC, MISS LORETTA LYNN AND KENTUCKY AUTHOR SILAS HOUSE.

♪ YOU LEFT ME FOR THE BRIGHT LIGHTS OF THE TOWN ♪ ♪ A COUNTRY BOY THAT WENT OUT TO SEE THE WORLD ♪ ♪ REMEMBER WHEN THOSE CITY LIGHTS SHINE DOWN ♪ ♪ THAT BIG OL' MOONSHINES ON YOUR KENTUCKY GIRL ♪ >> YOU KNOW, I CREDIT KENTUCKY FOR MOST OF MY WORK BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I'VE STAYED COUNTRY AND I LIKE COUNTRY MUSIC.

AND SOME OF THE MUSIC TODAY IS JUST NOT COUNTRY, YOU KNOW.

BUT PEOPLE ARE MAKING IT BIG AND THEY'RE GETTING NUMBER ONE SONGS.

I LIKE COUNTRY MUSIC AND I AM GRATEFUL FOR BEING FROM KENTUCKY.

>> LORETTA LYNN HAS BEEN SO IMPORTANT TO MY FAMILY BECAUSE SHE HAS BEEN SUCH A GREAT REPRESENTATIVE FOR APRIL LATCH APPALACHIAN.

>> EVERY FRIDAY WOULD I SING A NEW SONG AND I WOULD SING THE GREAT TITANIC.

SO KENTUCKY IS WHERE I PLANTED MY ROOTS DEEP WHEN IT COME TO MUSIC.

♪ I NEED NO DIAMOND RINGS ORPHANSY PEARLS-- ORPHANS-- I NEED NO DIAMOND RINGS OR FANCY PEARLS ♪ ♪ JUST BRING YOURSELF.

♪ YOU ARE ALL I EVER NEED ♪ THAT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR BLUE KENTUCKY GIRL ♪ >> SHE WAS BORN AND RAISED TWO COUNTIES AWAY FROM WHERE MY FAMILY IS FROM AND EVERYBODY IN MY FAMILY JUST ADMIRED HER SO MUCH.

OF COURSE THEY LOVED HER SINGING BUT THEY ADMIRED HER AS A PERSON AND THE WAY SHE REPRESENTED US AND NEVER FORGOT WHERE SHE WAS FROM.

♪ SOME MORNING WHEN YOU WAKE UP ALL ALONE ♪ ♪ JUST COME ON HOME, TO YOUR BLUE KENTUCKY GIRL ♪ >> I WOULD ROCK THE BABIES TO SLEEP AND SING.

DADDY WOULD COME UP ON THE PORCH AND HE WOULD SAY, WOULD YOU CLOSE THAT BIG MOUTH.

THEY CAN ALL HEAR YOU.

I WOULD SAY DADDY, THEY'RE YOUR COUSINS.

WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF?

>> ANY TIME I WOULD SEE LORETTA IN CONCERT, I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN WITH PEOPLE FROM HERE AND THAT'S A WEIRDENING BUT WE ALWAYS-- A WEIRD THING BUT WE BREAK DOWN CRYING WHEN WE SEE HER.

>> DADDY WORKED IN THE COAL MINES AND HE WOULD WORK ALL NIGHT LONG.

AND WELL, YOU HEARD THE COAL MINER'S DAUGHTER.

YOU KNEW HOW IT WAS.

I THINK THAT'S REALLY WHAT STARTED ME BEING SO COUNTRY WAS FROM WHERE I COME FROM AND I DON'T SEE THINGS ABOVE THAT.

AND I WOULDN'T LET MYSELF GO ABOVE THAT TODAY, EITHER.

♪ THEY RAISED THEIR KIDS ON A MINER'S PAY ♪ ♪ MOMMY SCRUBBED OUR CLOTHES ON A WASH BOARD EVERY DAY ♪ ♪ I'VE SEEN HER FINGERS BLEED ♪ ♪ TO COMPLAIN THERE WAS NO NEED ♪ SHE WOULD SMILE IN MOMMY'S UNDERSTANDING WAY ♪ >> MY MOTHER WAS A COAL MINER'S DAUGHTER, TOO.

SHE WAS ALWAYS JUST REALLY PROUD OF LORETTA, FOR MAKING SOMETHING OF HERSELF AND ALWAYS REMEMBERING HER PEOPLE.

>> I HAD NOTHING AFTER I LEFT BUTCHER HOLLER UNTIL I CAME BACK TO NASHVILLE AND THEN I STARTED MAKING A LITTLE BIT MORE MONEY.

I WENT INTO THIS GOODWILL STORE, SALVATION ARMY.

I COME OUT AND IT WAS CHRISTMASTIME AND MY PRODUCER WAS STANDING OUT IN FRONT-- I DON'T KNOW WHAT HE WAS DOING OUT THERE, TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH.

I COME OUT OF THE SALVATION ARMY AND MY ARMS WERE FULL.

I HAD ALL THE KIDS SCHOOL CLOTHES.

I HAD BOUGHT THE KIDS SCHOOL CLOTHES.

HE SAID LORETTA, DON'T YOU LET NOBODY SEE YOU WALKING OUT OF THE SALVATION ARMY AND YOU A MEMBER OF THE GRAND OL' OPENRY.

I SAID THEN THEY NEED TO PAY ME MORE.

I WOULD RATHER WRITE THAN SING.

I DON'T KNOW WHY.

I SEE SAY IN SONGS THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO SAY TO THE WORLD STOCK MARKETS WHEN I WRITE A SONG AND I THINK PEOPLE CONNECT I THINK THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE THAN JUST ME THAT LOVE THAT KIND OF STUFF.

I MEAN THERE IS JUST A LOT OF SONGS THAT I LOVE TO SING.

>> ONE OF MY BEST CHILDHOOD METROPOLITAN RIS IS WHEN WE WENT TO SEE COAL MINE ARE'S DAUGHTER, THE MOVIE.

>> SISSY SPACEK IN HER OSCAR WINNING ROLE.

>> YOU HAD TO STAND IN LINE FOREVER TO GET INTO THE MOVIE.

IT WAS THE BIGGEST FILM EVER IN EASTERN KENTUCKY.

MY AUNT TOOK ME WHO ALWAYS TOOK ME TO THE MOVIES SINCE SHE WAS ONE OF THE FEW PEOPLE IN THE FAMILY THAT WASN'T HOMELESS.

SHE WOULD TAKE ME TO THE THEATER.

I REMEMBER WE STOOD IN LINE FOREVER.

WE WERE WAY BACK IN THE BACK LINE.

I WAS ABOUT 10 YEARS OLD.

AND I WAS TIRED OF STANDING THERE WAITING.

I SAID WHY DO WE HAVE TO WAIT SO LONG TO SEE THIS MOVIE?

AND SHE REMOVED THE WINSTON FROM HER MOUTH AND LOOKED DOWN AT ME AND AS SHE EXHALED SMOKE, SHE SAID, WELL, BECAUSE SHE'S ONE OF US.

THIS IS A MOVIE ABOUT US.

>> THERE IS SO MUCH I MISSED ABOUT KENTUCKY.

I WAS JUST A KID WHEN I LEFT THERE, YOU KNOW.

I GOT MARRIED.

I DON'T THINK I WAS THROUGH GROWING YET AND I THINK I ALWAYS HAD A BAD FEELING ABOUT LEAVING KENTUCKY AND LEAVING THE HILLS.

AND I ALWAYS FELT THAT I LEFT BEFORE I GREW UP.

AND IT WASN'T WHAT I REALLY WANTED.

IF I COULD GIVE ADVICE TO THE YOUNG GIRLS, I WOULD SAY WAIT UNTIL YOU ARE OLD ENOUGH TO GET MARRIED BEFORE YOU GET MARRIED AND LEAVE THE HILLS OF KENTUCKY.

YOU NEED TO BE GROWN UP A LITTLE.

BUT YOU KNOW, I DID A SHOW ONE TIME.

I CAN'T REMEMBER WHERE IT WAS AT.

BUT A PASTOR COME TO THE BUS, THEY STOPPED TO EAT, THE BUS HAD.

AND HE SEEN MY NAME ON THE SIDE OF THE BUS.

SO HE COME WALKING TO THE BUS.

SO I OPENED THE DOOR WHEN HE KNOCKED ON THE DOOR.

THE REST OF THEM WAS EATING IN THE RESTAURANT.

AND HE SAID I WANT TO YOU KNOW THAT YOU ARE THE ONE THAT SAVED MY LITTLE 15-YEAR-OLD GIRL.

I SAID HOW DID I DO THAT?

HE SAID WITH A SONG THAT YOU WROTE COME OUT WITH, WHAT KIND OF A GIRL DO YOU THINK I APRIL.

SO IT MADE ME FEEL REAL GOOD.

HE LOOKED UP AT ME AND SAID I'LL TELL YOU SOMETHING ELSE.

I GOT SAVED WHEN I LISTENED TO YOU SING A THIRD MAN.

SO I SAID, YOU KNOW, THIS TRIP HAS REALLY BEEN WORTH, YOU NOY, WORTH TAKING.

BECAUSE THAT'S PROBABLY THE BEST THING ANYBODY COULD EVER SAY TO ME.

I DO MISS KENTUCKY.

I SURE DO BECAUSE IF I'M HOME AND MY MIND GOES TO WANDERING, IT'S RIGHT BACK IN BUTCHER HOLLER.

AND THE THINGS I DID THERE THAT'S WHAT REALLY GOT ME READY FOR EVERYTHING.

♪ I'M PROUD TO BE A COAL MINER'S DAUGHTER ♪ ♪ I REMEMBER WELL THE WELL WHERE I DREW WATER ♪ ♪ THE WORK WE DONE WAS HARD ♪ ♪ AND I WOULD SLEEP 'CUZ WE WAS TIRED ♪ ♪ NEVER THOUGHT OF EVER LEAVING BUTCHER HOLLER ♪ ♪ WELL A LOT OF THINGS HAVE CHANGED SINCE WAY BACK THEN ♪ ♪ IT'S SO GOOD TO BE BACK HOME AGAIN ♪ ♪ NOT MUCH LEFT BY BUT, NO ONE LIVES HERE ANYMORE BUT THE MEMORIES OF A COAL MINER'S DAUGHTER ♪ >> COAL MINER'S DAUGHTER, MISS LORETTA LYNN.

OH YEAH.

>> WHACHES-- WHAT HAPPENS WHEN TWO COLLEGE STUDENTS MEET TWO COLLEGE STUDENTS FROM NEW YORK AND FORM A SINGING GROUP?

WELL, IF THAT COLLEGE IS,000 KNOWN AS WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY AND THAT GROUP IS THE HILL TOPPERS, WHAT HAPPENS IS A STRING OF SMASH HIT RECORDS AND PERFORMANCES ON THE BIGGEST TELEVISION SHOWS OF THE DAY.

JOIN US AS WE LOOK BACK AT THE HILL TOPPERS ASTONISHING RISE FROM COLLEGE SINGERS TO NATIONAL FAME.

>> I LOVE THE WHOLE STORY OF TRYING.

JUST ONE OF CLOSE CLASSIC POP MIRACLES, BEING AT THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME AND THE SONG FINDING ITS WAY IN THE WORLD, LEADING THE GROUP FROM THIS, YOU KNOW, I THINK THEY RECORDED IT AT AN AUDITORIUM ON CAMPUS THERE IN BOWLING GREEN, KENTUCKY, AND THEN THAT SONG ENDED UP OPENING UP ALL THESE DOORS FOR THEM.

>> WENT TO VAN METER AUDITORIUM AT THE CAMPUS AT WESTERN AND WITH 12 PEOPLE WATCHING US, WE RECORDED TRYING AND YOU MADE UP YOUR MIND.

I'M FROM EASTERN KENTUCKY, JIMMY FROM NEW YORK.

AND SEYMOUR FROM SENECA FALLS, NEW YORK.

>> IN A WAY, IT ALMOST IS A TEMPLATE FOR THE CREATION OF ROCK & ROLL, PUTTING TOGETHER DIFFERENT STYLES AND DIFFERENT SOUNDS AND DIFFERENT ETHNICITIES.

>> JIM AND I WERE MARRIED JUNE 6, 1953.

WHEN I MET HIM, HE WAS SINGING WITH A BAND IN A CLUB IN BOWLING GREEN.

OF COURSE WE WERE IN SCHOOL THERE.

>> WE WERE MADE UP OF THREE VOICES, ORDINARY VOICES, BACKGROUND.

WE SANG GOOD HARMONY TOGETHER.

AND JIMMY SACCO HAD A FINE VOICE.

THAT SOUND TOGETHER HELPED MAKE IT BUT HE WAS THE MAIN MAN.

WE KNEW THAT.

THERE WAS NO DENYING THAT.

>> I KNOW DON MAGUIRE, THERE IS ONE LEFT TO CARRY ON THE STORY OF THE HILL TOPPERS.

>> DON WAS FROM THE MOUNTAINS IN HAZARD, KENTUCKY.

AND HOSTAGE A REALLY DOWN TO EARTH PERSONALITY AND IS QUITE TRUE TO HIS ROOTS.

>> THIS IS PHENOMENA GOT STARTED BACK IN 1949.

I WAS A BASKETBALL PLAYER AND I WAS CHOSEN TO LAY IN THE KENTUCKY INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL ALL STAR GAPE.

MIDDLE OF THE FIRST QUARTER, COACH PUT ME IN THE GAME AND SOMEHOW I HIT FIVE STRAIGHT SHOTS.

I DON'T KNOW HOW.

I WAS SCARED TO DEATH.

LATER ON I HAD SOME FREE THROWS.

AND IF I HADN'T HIT THOSE SHOTS, Mr. DYLAN WOULD NEVER HAVE OFFERED ME A SCHOLARSHIP.

THAT'S HOW MY LIFE CHANGED IN EIGHT MINUTES.

SO HAD I NOT GONE THERE, I WOULD NEVER HAVE MET MY WIFE MAXINE OR JIMMY SACCO AND THE OTHERS AND BEEN IN THE HILLTOPPERS.

IT WAS A MAGIC NIGHT FOR ME.

>> SEYMOUR SPEIGLEMAN WAS A REALLY GREAT GUY.

HE HAD A GREAT PERSONALITY.

HE HAD THIS INFECTIOUS LAUGH.

IT WAS JUST UNREAL, AND HE WAS ALWAYS HAPPY, JUST ALWAYS HAPPY IT SEEMED.

AND HE REALLY ADDED A LOT TO THE GROUP.

>> WE CALLED THEM SY.

HE WAS VERY SWEET AND SUNNY AND FUNNY AND INTERESTED IN PEOPLE.

>> HE WAS FROM SENECA FALLS NEW YORK AND HE CAME TO WESTERN KENTUCKY TO COLLEGE BECAUSE IT WAS-- HE COULD GRET A SCHOLARSHIP THERE.

HE HAD A WONDERFUL TENOR VOICE.

AND THERE WAS ONE SONG WE DID THAT WAS NEVER RELEASED CALLED JOHNNY TREMAYNE AND I GET GOOSE BUMPS LISTENING TO HIM.

>> JOHNNY ♪ >> BILLY VAUGHN WAS AN EXTRAORDINARY TALENT.

HE, IN A WAY, FOUNDED THE GROUP.

>> HE COULD WRITE A SONG IN THREE MINCE.

WE WERE IN NEW YORK ONCE AND WE HAD A SONG HALFWAY FINISHED OR HE DID AND WE WANTED TO DO IT ON A SHOW AND OUR BOSS SAID CAN YOU FINISH IT?

HE WENT UPSTAIRS IN 30 MINUTES AND WROTE A SONG CALLED "TO BE A LOAN" IN AND WAS IN THE TOP 10.

>> BILLY WROTE SOME OF THE SONGS THEY RECORDED.

HE WAS THE TRUE MUSICIAN OF THE GROUP.

>> JIMMY SACCO WAS THE FRONT OF THE HILLTOPPERS BUT BILLY VAUGHN WAS THE MAIN COG IN THE MACHINE THAT KEPT THINGS GOING.

>> NUMBER 100 BILLBOARDS 100, HILL TOPPERS SINGING TRYING.

THE NEXT TWO WEEKS 50S, THE NEXT WEEK TENDS, NINTH, 8, 7, 6, 5.

COLLEGE KIDS HAD THE NUMBER 5 SONG IN THE COUNTRY.

TWO WEEKS LATER ON THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW.

>> HERE ARE FOUR YOUNGSTERS FROM WESTERN KENTUCKY STATE.

>> THE HILLTOPPERS SANG TRYING ON THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW, WHICH WAS CALLED THE TOAST OF THE TOWN ON SUNDAY NIGHTS.

AND THIS WAS THE BIG SHOW IN THE COUNTRY.

♪ I'M TRYING TO FORGET YOU.

>> THE WAY TO SPREAD YOUR NAME, THE BEST WAY, IS THROUGH TELEVISION.

FOR INSTANCE, 40 MILLION PEOPLE WATCH THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW.

WE DIDN'T SING TO 40 MILLION PEOPLE.

IF WE HAD, WE WOULD BE SINGING THE REST OF OUR LIVES.

♪ NO USE TRYING TO FORGET YOU.

♪ BECAUSE I REALIZE.

♪ THAT I'M TRYING TO FORGET YOU WITH TEARS IN MY EYES ♪ >> THE NIGHT THEY WERE ON THE ED SULLIVAN TV SHOW THAT WAS THE FIRST SHOW THEY WERE ON.

IT WAS ON A SUNDAY NIGHT AND WE BELONG TO THIS LITTLE COMMUNITY CHURCH IN JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI.

ALL OF THE PEOPLE AT THE CHURCH SAID WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE AT CHURCH TONIGHT.

WE ARE GOING TO BE AT HOME WATCHING THE HILL TOPPERS ON TV.

♪ SO I'LL PUT MY FOOLISH PRIDE BEHIND ME ♪ ♪ AND COME BACK ♪ >> WE KNEW THAT WE HAD TO LOOK GOOD NOW INSTEAD OF JUST SOUNDING GOOD.

AND WE HAD TO SMILE NO MATTER WHO HOW YOU FELT.

AND WHEN THAT RED LIGHT COMES ON, IT'S A DIFFERENT WORLD ALL OF A SUDDEN.

♪ NOW I KNOW I HAVE BEEN... >> ONE LITTLE SONG STARTED IT ALL AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WE ARE ON THE BIGGEST SHOWS IN AMERICA AND ALL OF I ASUDDEN WE ARE AROUND THE WORLD AND LIFE CHANGES.

♪ FOR YOU CAN'T BLAME A FELLA FOR TRYIN' ♪ >> THANKS FOR JANE JOINING US TONIGHT AS WE'VE LISTENED TO THE DISTINCT AND DIVERSE SOUNDS OF KENTUCKY MUSIC.

LET'S CLOSE OUT OUR MUSIC SPECIAL WITH SOME OF THE MEDICALLED ONTIC AND MOVING SOUNDS OF LOUISVILLE JAZZ PIANIST HARRY PICKENS.

I'M DOUG FLYNN ENJOYING LIFE, KENTUCKY LIFE.

I MOVED TO NEW JERSEY IN 1979 AND THEN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FOR 12 YEARS.

IN 1999 I MOVED TO LOUISVILLE AND I HAVE BEEN HERE EVER SINCE.

AND THERE IS SOMETHING REALLY SPECIAL ABOUT THE COMBINATION OF THE CULTURE, THE LANDSCAPE, THE PEOPLE AND THE HERITAGE, SO I LOVE KENTUCKY.

♪ ♪ I BELIEVE AT THE VERY CORE OF OUR BEING, THERE IS THIS RESERVOIR OF JOY OF LOVE, OF POSSIBILITY, AND MY PART OF MY PATH IN LIFE HAS BEEN WORKING AND LEARNING AND SPIRITUAL PRACTICE AND SUFFERING AND ALL THESE THINGS THAT BRING ME MORE AND MORE TO A GREATER AWARENESS OF THIS CORE AND THEN WHEN YOU BECOME AWARE OF THIS CORE, THERE IS ONLY ONE THING YOU WANT TO DO, LIKE THE SUN ONLY WANTS TO SHINE.

YOU KNOW, YOU ONLY WANT TO SHARE IT IN WHATEVER WAYS YOU CAN.

♪ ♪ (PLAYING MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME).

♪ ♪