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Stretching more than 140 miles across Kentucky’s Appalachian region, the U.S. 23 Country Music Highway happens to be the home of many famous country legends. Some of its most notable include Dwight Yoakam, Loretta Lynn, and Patty Loveless. The route also lets you embark on a cross-country tour across many points of interest, which you can further explore in this guide to the U.S. 23 Country Music Highway.
The History Behind It
U.S. 23 is a scenic byway known for its star-studded cast, an achievement that earned it the title of the Country Music Highway in 1994. It’s also remembered as the site of the infamous Hatfield-McCoy feud, a result of industrial exploits and land disputes that began at the start of the American Civil War. But before all this, it was home to Native Americans who used the land to hunt and survive before being taken over by Appalachian settlers.
The Trail of Fame
As you travel the U.S. 23 Country Music Highway, you’ll see rectangular markers set along the route denoting the home county of some of the biggest country music legends. Each marker features a map that shows your current trail location and reveals which star originates from that particular area.
These signs are placed across seven different counties in eastern Kentucky, from the central part of Greenup to the Southern tip of Letcher. You’ll find one for mother-daughter duo, the Judds, when crossing into Boyd County and another for Dwight Yoakam in nearby Floyd County. Meanwhile, the most decorated area is Johnson County, where stars like Hylo Brown, Loretta Lynn, and her sister Crystal Gayle were born.
The Country Music Highway Museum
If you follow the trail into Paintsville, you’ll come across the Country Music Highway Museum. This attraction features more than a dozen exhibits with photos and memorabilia from stars that call eastern Kentucky home, including Billy Ray Cyrus, Chris Stapleton, and Ricky Skaggs. Set up in front of each exhibit is an informational plaque about each person’s life and their contribution to the country music industry.
The museum may be small in size, but its unique artifacts and displays more than compensate. You’ll even get the chance to listen to live bluegrass music every Thursday during the Front Porch Pickin’ event. And don’t forget to hit the gift shop on your way out to pick up souvenirs for your favorite country stars.
Visit Loretta Lynn’s Childhood Home in Butcher Hollow
In the town of Van Lear in Johnson County sits the cabin that Loretta Lynn and her sister Crystal Gayle grew up in. It’s part of the Butcher Hollow mining community, also coined Butcher Holler by Lynn herself, and is open for public tours. The four-room cabin features tons of photos and memorabilia, as well as vintage furnishings and various knick-knacks.
The home also sits just shy of 2 miles northeast from Webb’s Grocery Store, previously owned by Lynn’s brother Herman. He was the home’s curator for 30 years as well until his death in 2018, passing the job down to relatives of the family who still maintain the estate today.
Explore for yourself the wonders along the U.S. 23 Country Music Highway and find out why it deserves a visit during your next stop in eastern Kentucky.
Image via Flickr by cschieman82
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