Korey Rose
Dalton Rose
By KAREN JONES CODY
Excitement is building for the Friday night entertainment at this year’s Spring Trail Ride. Fans will get to enjoy some good traditional country music, and hear an artist who is gaining lots of acclaim at the beginning of a promising career. The night will also be a homecoming of sorts for two of the performers who have strong Knott County roots. One of these is headliner Korey Rose; the second is his brother Dalton, who is a band member with Donovan Chrisman and the Desperados.
Singer/songwriter Korey Rose is described in Country Music People Magazine: “With a voice somewhere between George Strait and Joe Nichols, Korey is the epitome of modern, traditional country.” Kevin Moon of WKGA 97.5 FM notes, “What I love about Korey Rose is that he has the ability to take what I love about old school country music, and freshen it up. Very few guys can be both contemporary and country . . . but Korey pulls it off as well as anyone I’ve ever heard.”
Korey was born in Martin, Ky.; his family later moved to Morehead and then Lexington. But he told the Times that all his summers were spent at the home of his grandparents, Paul and Mary Dyer Conley, in Mousie. “We were all over the mountains, riding four-wheelers, having fun. I was actually at Knott County’s very first trail ride, with a horse!” His interest in music began in the mountains, too, Korey explained. “My grandmother’s side of the family, the Dyers, taught me a lot about music. I picked up acoustic guitar around age 9, and I’ve been playing seriously at least since I was 11, so it has always been a huge part of my life. I started out playing gospel and Bluegrass, and then in my teen years, got into country music. I’ve always kept to traditional country, not the ‘pop turnaround’ you hear on the radio a lot now. I think people are starved for traditional country music.”
Early influences included Keith Whitley, George Strait and Alan Jackson. When Korey was in high school, he entered what was then called the Colgate Country Showdown, a nationally televised program, and was one of the top five in the country division. “I got to play in the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville with LeeAnn Rimes and Charlie McCoy. I was only 17 the first time I played there.”
Music took a back seat for a little while — a couple of years later, Korey joined the Army and spent seven years as an infantryman. He did two tours in Afghanistan. “I didn’t forget music during those years — I was still writing songs,” he noted. “I got out of the Army last August, and the music side of things picked up quickly since I was able to travel and do what I wanted.” Korey says he is very much looking forward to spring.
“I’m super excited to get back to Knott County. The Army kept me away so long — I was there last April when my grandmother died, but haven’t been able to spend much time there. I love the Kentucky mountains, and have all my life. There are lots of friends and family members I haven’t seen in a while, and it’s gonna be awesome to see them. A few friends have seen me perform in Lexington, but a lot of others have told me they’ve been waiting for me to come to the Trail Ride — and now finally it’s happening! I know all the other people playing Friday night, — Timothy Baker with Donovan and the Desperados is a great guitar player, and Kyle Fields is good — I don’t know Courtney Patrick personally, but know her reputation. It will be a great night of country music — I’m excited about that.”
Korey reminded us that this is not his first appearance in the Troublesome Creek Times. “One of the first times I was in the paper, I was interviewed by Charlotte Hicks Caudill. She’s a great person — she grew up with my Papaw. “You know, when some people from this area perform and they talk about where they’re from, they’ll mention the closest town, like Hindman or Hazard. Not me — I’m proud to say I’m from Mousie! That’s where I spent my time, and those are the people I love. I can’t wait to get back there. It’s gonna be fun!”
Knott County is fortunate to welcome Korey back home; his career is taking off, and his schedule is packed. He is playing all along the east coast, and a couple of weeks after playing in Knott County, he’ll be in Canada. Korey’s new single “Cowboy Left in These Boots” was named one of the top five country singles by Lyric Magazine last week. The review states, “It’s a lovely track with touching lyrics and fantastic country guitar riffs. Rose’s vocals have that lovely gritty tone that is symbolic with the old school country genre. There is very little pop influence in the track that instead focuses on the country music genre. It’s a real tune that will be a big hit on country charts.”
The artist also scored a mention on capturekentucky.com: “Korey Rose is a young man who has seen a lot in his young life. Born in Eastern Kentucky, he found his love for guitar at an early age. Moved to Lexington and grew up there. He joined the Army and was deployed to Afghanistan, twice. This veteran (Thank you for your service, Korey!) came back home to Kentucky. His words have an honesty, a genuine feel to them. If you’re a fan of a smooth country crooner like George Strait or Kentucky’s Keith Whitley, you’re going to love Korey Rose.”
Dalton Rose has been the bass player with Donovan Chrisman and the Desperados for about a year.
“We play traditional country, some rock, and William Michael Morgan, to name a few,” Dalton related. “I’ve always been around music and always wanted to learn to play something — my family influenced me in that,” Dalton said. “I finally picked up the bass. I work at the Austin City Saloon, where Eddie and Troy (Montgomery Gentry) and John Michael Montgomery got their start. One of my friends is a singer, and he wanted to put together a band, so I got chosen to play bass. We’re the house band there, and have also been playing some other places in the area — Morehead, Nicholasville. We have upcoming shows scheduled in Mt. Sterling and Western Kentucky. Hopefully someday, I’ll be doing music full-time.”
Like his brother, Dalton has fond memories of Knott County. “We were really raised in Mousie — we spent all our summers and breaks there. I was always riding horses or four-wheelers. I’ve been coming to the Trail Ride since it started, and I always wanted to be on that stage!” Everyone is encouraged to visit the Knott County Trail Ride for a great night of music on Friday, May 4, beginning at 6 p.m. Dalton Rose and his band (Donovan Chrisman and the Desperados) are scheduled to play at 7 p.m., and headliner Korey Rose will take the stage at 9 p.m.
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