| About Kenny Messer | Kenny Messer, the youngest of seven children, was raised in the hills of Argillite, Kentucky, in Greenup County. As a young boy in rural Kentucky, there was not much for a young lad to do. His entertainment sometimes consisted of rolling a gallon lard can lid that had been tacked to a tobacco stick through the yard or imagining riding a horse while he straddled an old sassafras stick with a corn string bridle. Times were tough, and nothing was better on a hot summer day than walking barefoot along the road collecting pop bottles in an old coffee sack to be taken to Lucy Brown’s country store about three miles away and sold for three cents apiece which would allow him to enjoy an ice cold Mountain Dew and a fresh honey bun. When the school year began, Kenny would shop for his yearly pair of brogans at Woods Used Shoe Store not too far from the old log home place where he was raised for the bargain price of 25 cents a pair. His school attire consisted of the dreaded bibbed overalls which were hand-me-downs from his many older brothers. At the end of the day, when the sun would be going down, he would join his daddy on the front porch with a small gnat smoke of smoldering rags in a five gallon bucket to fight mosquitoes where he learned to play bluegrass and country music by strumming his dad’s old Martin guitar. Sometimes his daddy would play the French harp as he learned the hits of old timers such as Jimmy Rogers and Hank Williams, Sr. That old Martin guitar was given to Kenny by his mother soon after his dad’s passing. Kenny has performed in various clubs, restaurants, private parties, weddings, and festivals throughout the State of Kentucky. He has performed with talent to include Rock-A-Billy Legend Billy Adams, Gary Morris, Marty Haggard, Ricky Skaggs, Ronnie McDowell, and the legendary Grandole Opry players who are featured on his recordings. Of the many venues and festivals throughout Kentucky, Kenny has enjoyed being the opening act to launch the Lexington Festival Market in Lexington, Kentucky. He was a regular entertainer for the Boonesboro Wharf located on the Kentucky River just outside Richmond, Kentucky. He has warmed the hearts and spirits at the Louisville Convention Center in Louisville, Kentucky, and his travels have led him to Gate City Days in Mt. Sterling, Kentucky; Carter County Sorghum Festival in Grayson, Kentucky; and, Poage Landing Days, Ashland, Kentucky. Kenny has worked very closely with Ashland Main Street and the Luncheon for the Arts at Judd Plaza. He has had the pleasure of performing at the Paramount Arts Center with spotlight performances at Greenbo State Park, Grayson Memory Days, and many more. The song “Daddy’s Gift” was featured on WLGC 105.7’s Budweiser Challenge and became only the 11th in the program’s history to be retired after five consecutive winning days along with setting the all time record for number of telephone calls received and highest winning percentages achieved. When composing “Daddy’s Gift,” Kenny incorporated many of the old song titles he and his father would sing into the story he tells about that old Martin guitar. Kenny’s songs, “Hot Black Coffee and Cold Red Wine” and “Kiss Me Like You Used To,” have been neatly tucked away waiting for just the right time to make their debut. Having taken some time for reflection, raising two sons, surviving manufacturing plant closures, suffering the loss of his oldest brother and mother, he has returned to the hills of Eastern Kentucky where he decided to make a career change by choosing to cut hair. This has allowed him the opportunity to open his own business and the free time to sit on the front porch and start strumming that old Martin guitar once again. It is with great pride that Kenny has decided to share with you the tales he has put to song and recorded with Nashville’s legendary Grandole Opry musicians and background singers. For that young man from the hills of Eastern Kentucky, it has been an incredible journey and a dream that has come true to have worked with the very legends that contributed to some of the biggest country music hits of all time. We would like to thank those along the way in the past as well as the future for your support and hope you enjoy sharing Kenny’s memories in song. If you ever journey into the hills which he calls home along the US 23 Country Music Highway, y’all come and see us. We’ll have the coffee brewing! |
Return to profile |