Music scene · Owensboro

Owensboro is the global home of bluegrass, anchored by the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum and its Woodward Theatre, where the genre's legends and newcomers share the stage. The ROMP Fest at Yellow Creek Park draws thousands of pickers and fans, while country and folk acts fill Brasher's Lil' Nashville. The RiverPark Center and Friday After 5 riverfront concerts add rock, blues, and Southern gospel to a city that lives and breathes American roots music.

Owensboro's identity as the Bluegrass Music Capital of the World was cemented when the International Bluegrass Music Association established its Hall of Fame and Museum on the city's riverfront. The museum's Woodward Theatre and the annual ROMP Fest at Yellow Creek Park draw bluegrass legends and modern innovators to a city that sits near the birthplace of Bill Monroe in neighboring Rosine.

The Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum hosts concerts in its 450-seat Woodward Theatre, while Brasher's Lil' Nashville books country and bluegrass acts. The RiverPark Center presents multi-genre performances, and Friday After 5 brings free riverfront concerts to downtown.

Owensboro claims Kevin Olusola of Pentatonix and country artist Steve Bridgmon, while the city's bluegrass heritage connects it to legends who perform annually at ROMP Fest.

Newcomers should start at Brasher's Lil' Nashville for Thursday open mic nights hosted by Andy Brasher, then visit the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame for weekend open jam sessions. KY Fried Pickin' at the Holiday Inn Riverfront offers Tuesday jam sessions, and the museum's educational programs provide formal instruction in bluegrass traditions.