Darin and Brooke Aldridge are coming to Years of Farming at 150 Foster Street, Flemingsburg on Sunday, May 1 at 2 p.m. Mountain Music Ambassadors will open.

Tickets can be purchased in advance or at the door for $20. Children 12 and under accompanied by an adult are admitted free. Attendees will have the chance to win door prizes provided by our sponsors including two tickets to our May 22 show featuring Junior Sisk Band with Back Up and Push opening.

Armed with the talents of the proverbial triple-threat of uniquely distinctive singing, commanding instrumental skills, and accomplished songwriting, Darin and Brooke continue to ascend to new heights in the industry while maintaining their easy-going, down-to-earth connection with audiences everywhere.

Brooke is a four-time consecutive winner for Female Vocalist of the Year for the International Bluegrass Music Association. She was nominated for a fifth time in 2021.

Once a six-year member of The Country Gentlemen with the late Charlie Waller, Darin is a former IBMA Mentor of the Year and a truly gifted singer and multi-instrumentalist.

Together with their band – Billy Gee on bass, Samantha Snyder on fiddle, and Jacob Metz on banjo and resonator guitar – Darin and Brooke were recognized with the IBMA’s nomination for 2021 Vocal Group of the Year. They have had multiple nominations over the years from the IBMA, the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America, and the Inspirational Country Music Association. They have enjoyed top spots on the Billboard, SiriusXM, Bluegrass Today, Bluegrass Unlimited, Americana/Roots, and Gospel charts. Their music videos have been featured on Country Music Television, CMT Edge, Great American Country, Bluegrass Ridge TV, and The Bluegrass Situation. Their television appearances include PBS’ Mountain Stage, Songs of the Mountain and Music City Roots; RFD-TV’s Larry’s Country Diner, Country’s Family Reunion, and The Woodsongs Old Time Radio Hour; Great American Gospel, The Bluegrass Road, and Blue Highways TV. Their long-held dream to one day play the Grand Ole Opry came true on July 4, 2017, and since then, they have graced the Opry stage more than 35 times.

Perhaps the key to their success lies in their mutual respect and admiration. The couple’s willingness to work hard, embrace opportunities and meet challenges head-on is paying off. Darin and Brooke are inspiring in their music, artistry, and commitment to continued evolution and growth.

In following the path of their dreams, Brooke once noted, “We want our music to lift people up.”

“It was an early goal of ours to put a positive message out there,” adds Darin, “and we decided a long, long time ago that we were going to be us, no matter what.”

The dynamic “Mountain Music Ambassadors” is the flagship group of student performers from The Kentucky Center for Traditional Music at Morehead State University in Morehead. Ready to entertain with Bluegrass, Old Time and Country Music, these young musicians from the center have represented our region and our mountain culture in concerts at theaters, schools, festivals and other venues regionally, nationally, and internationally in such diverse lands as Ireland and The People’s Republic of China and have appeared nationally on television and radio.

Students performing on Years of Farming will include Tommy D. Cole, Izaac Danials, Dezso, Attila, Hayley King, Tom Lyn, Mohácsy, Lörinc, Kendall Potter, Rostás, Áron, and Török, Anett. These students hail from Kentucky, Michigan, Indiana, South Carolina and four exchange students who are some of the most promising young folk musicians from Hungary. This group is led by Ruth McLain, and Raymond McLain. All MSU Traditional Music Ensembles are comprised of students enrolled in band class, so members vary from semester to semester.

The Traditional Music degree delivered through the Kentucky Center for Traditional Music at Morehead State, was the world’s first Bachelor of Arts with a robust curriculum in Traditional Music meeting the accreditation standards of The National Association of Schools of Music.

Ruth and Raymond McLain as charter members of The McLain Family Band started their professional career in 1968. They have performed in all 50 of the United States, many provinces in Canada and on prestigious stages in 64 countries and have appeared nationally on television networks including the NBC, ABC, CBS, PBS, TNN, BBC, and CBC.

Recently, Ruth and Raymond along with The McLain Family Band were honored to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from The Lexington Music Awards. In 2013, the International Bluegrass Music Association awarded The McLain Family Band the Distinguished Achievement Award.

Our goal is not only to provide bluegrass music in our area, but also to promote our local businesses.Most of our sponsors have sponsored all our shows we have scheduled since 2011. Please take the time to thank our sponsors for helping us bring great bluegrass music to Flemingsburg.

We hope you will join us at Years of Farming for an afternoon of awesome bluegrass music. It is a terrific opportunity to see this caliber of artists in our area. If you are not familiar with any of our bands, whether a feature band or an opening band, check their websites and/or YouTube for some of their music and history and you will want to attend! Keep checking our website www.yearsoffarming.comforupdatesin our schedule.

For more information, tickets or to tag (reserve) seats, you can contact Paula Hinton at (606)748-0798 or paulahinton2000@yahoo.com.