Videos

How the Manchester Music Fest organizers reacted to Bill Taylor’s AGT performance

The @manchestermusicfest booked Bill Taylor and the Applachian Heathens long before their now viral America’s Got Talent segment. Jess Bowman and Tim Parks talk about their reaction to the appearance and give tribute to @sundybest for opening the door for many Appalachian roots performers.

The festival is coming up Labor Day Weekend in Manchester, Ky., and also features Brent Cobb, Nicholas Jamerson and The Morning Jays, Taylor Hunnicut, The Creekers and many more. It is astonishingly free to attend.

Hear more on the full episode at rootsmusicrambler.com or wherever you get your podcasts.

#livemusic #manchestermusicfest #mmfers #manchesterky #manchesterkentucky #musicfestivals #americanamusic #bluegrassmusic #countrymusic #musicpodcast #musicinterview #sundybest

The stars keep lining up for the Manchester Music Fest

The latest episode of Roots Music Rambler is live. Jess Bowman and Tim Parks sat in with us this week to talk about music festivals, particularly theirs — @manchestermusicfest. It’s coming up Labor Day Weekend in Manchester, Ky., and features acts like Brent Cobb, Nicholas Jamerson and The Morning Jays, Taylor Hunnicut, The Creekers, Bill Taylor & The Appalachian Heathens and many more. It is astonishingly free to attend.

This year, MMF has the advantage of having Bill Taylor booked just a month or so after his successful appearance on America’s Got Talent. But it’s not the first time they have had stars aligned for who they’ve booked.

Hear more on the full episode Friday at rootsmusicrambler.com or wherever you get your podcasts.

#livemusic #manchestermusicfest #mmfers #manchesterky #manchesterkentucky #musicfestivals #americanamusic #bluegrassmusic #countrymusic #musicpodcast #musicinterview

Manchester Music Fest’s stars-aligned for an incredible 2025 lineup

Did you know there’s a music festival coming Labor Day weekend that features an incredible roster of singers, songwriters and bands in the Americana, country, folk and bluegrass space and the tickets to said event are absolutely free? You do now.

The Manchester Music Fest is in its seventh iteration in eight years (damnit, COVID) and has always been completely free to the public to attend. Yes, you have to get there. Manchester is a small little burg nestled in the heart of the Eastern Kentucky Appalachians. But it’s a short drive from Interstate 75 South from Lexington and North from Knoxville and is a community just bursting at the bit to welcome people to visit.

This year’s lineup (did we mention it’s free yet?):

Brent Cobb & the Fixin’s
Nicholas Jamerson & The Morning Jays
Taylor Hunnicut
The Creekers
Hollerhead
Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley
Bill Taylor & The Appalachian Heathens
Deep South
Scott T. Smith
Abe Partridge
Emily Jamerson
Roy Caudill
Stinky Pete
Spooky Fox
The Seas
Mayor of Shenanigans
Colby Sams

For free? Yes. Free.

Tim Parks and Jess Bowman are two of the people behind the Manchester Music Fest. They sat in with Falls this week to talk about the event, how they can pull this off without charging for tickets, booking artists and the impact of such an event on a small community.

In this segment, they talk about the lineup, the festival and more, including the stars-aligned event of having Bill Taylor and the Appalachian Heathens appear on America’s Got Talent after being booked for the event.

See more segments here on YouTube or listen to the full episode at RootsMusicRambler.com or wherever you get your podcasts.

The Manchester Music Fest has been an agent of change in Clay County, Kentucky

This week on Roots Music Rambler, we’re diving into the ins and outs of running a music festival with Tim and Jess from @manchestermusicfest. It started in 2018 and brought some social change to Clay County, Kentucky. Not only was there controversy with an early marketing nickname for event goers, but it brought the long-shunned activity of alcoholic beverages to the tiny, bible-belt town.

MMF is coming up Labor Day Weekend in Manchester, Ky., and features acts like Brent Cobb, Nicholas Jamerson and The Morning Jays, Taylor Hunnicut, The Creekers, Bill Taylor & The Appalachian Heathens and many more. It is astonishingly free to attend.

Hear why on the full episode Friday at rootsmusicrambler.com or wherever you get your podcasts.

#livemusic #manchestermusicfest #mmfers #manchesterky #manchesterkentucky #musicfestivals #americanamusic #bluegrassmusic #countrymusic #musicpodcast #musicinterview

It takes a village, according to the people behind the Manchester Music Fest

The new episode of Roots Music Rambler drops tomorrow. We’re talking to Tim Parks and Jess Bowman from @manchestermusicfest about the challenges and joys of putting on a show that is not only amazing, but free.

MMF is coming up Labor Day Weekend in Manchester, Ky., and features acts like Brent Cobb, Nicholas Jamerson and The Morning Jays, Taylor Hunnicut, The Creekers, Bill Taylor & The Appalachian Heathens and many more.

Jess told us all about the community of Manchester, Clay County and the surrounding communities that get behind the event, now in its seventh iteration.

Hear the full episode Friday at rootsmusicrambler.com or wherever you get your podcasts.

#livemusic #manchestermusicfest #mmfers #manchesterky #manchesterkentucky #musicfestivals #americanamusic #bluegrassmusic #countrymusic #musicpodcast #musicinterview