Keith Garrett with Coal Canyon at the 2026 Lake Cumberland Bluegrass Festival – photo © Roger Black
The camping spots at the KOA Campground in Russell Springs, Kentucky were nearly full and the bluegrass music fans were pouring in for the 22nd annual Lake Cumberland Bluegrass Festival. Festival promoter Moochie Hart had a stellar lineup ready to step to the microphones for two nights of amazing bluegrass
The weatherman had predicted rain for Friday night, but he was wrong again. The hillside was covered with anxious fans waiting for the first band to take the stage. Moochie got the night started by introducing Free Rein, a great band from the hills of east Tennessee. The fans were expecting great music from Rounders Station and they were not disappointed. Jacob Irvin, Benny Johnson, Carl Vanover, and Randy Fry put forth the amazing set that their fans have come to expect. Throwdown Thursday ended the evening in fine form when local talent Kyle Perkins (also of the Grascals) brought his big bass to the stage along with Katie Penn on fiddle, Justin Jenkins on banjo, and Evan Maynard on mandolin and lead vocals. The first night of the Lake Cumberland Bluegrass Festival left the fans looking forward to a another full day of great bluegrass.
Saturday brought more amazing music to the banks of Lake Cumberland. First up was Lonesome Express Bluegrass Band, followed by the Ernie Thacker Tribute Band. The Tribute Band paid tribute to the late Ernie Thacker by performing an entire set of songs he made famous. Coal Canyon, with the distinctive voice of lead singer Keith Garrett, played an amazing set with many of the songs from his days with The Boxcars. Hammertowne is no stranger to the stage at the Lake Cumberland Bluegrass Festival, and are alway a crowd favorite. The Hammertowne set included one fine song after another, many of which were written by their own David Carroll. David’s son Chaston plays mandolin, Scott Tackett and David play guitar, Bryan Russell plays bass, Steven Ivey is on fiddle, and new to the band is banjo player Chase Bennett.
Blue Highway celebrating 32 years as a band, and is alway high on everyone’s list of favorite groups. It is no mystery why they have won multiple IBMA awards in the past, and continue to get nominations and awards more than three decades later. Blue Highway finished out the 22nd Annual Lake Cumberland Bluegrass Festival with smorgasboard of the terrific songs that made them legends in our music.
With that, the 22nd Annual Lake Cumberland Bluegrass Festival came to an end. Moochie Hart along with her family and friends hope to see you again next year, at the KOA Campground in Russell Springs Kentucky for the 23rd annual Lake Cumberland Bluegrass Festival
