The Story Behind the Show

A Mewz in the Mountains got it’s start as an idea to showcase local talen on live radio. We first aired on WSGS 101.1 out of Hazard Kentucky in 2018 in a fifteen minutes segment of the morning show. Guest answered a five questions and played two songs. Later the segment evolved into a friendly singing contest among guest of the show. Thousands tuned in and participated in online poles about the musicians. With the success of the show, we continued airing episodes for the duration of our contract with WSGS. Back then, we called ourselves A ‘Voice’ in the Mountains. The early episodes were recorded, and can be found in our video archives on our Facebook page. Some of our early guest include Lenny Centers, Monroe Land Way, Taylor Austin Dye, Hannah Wheeler, and more.

Hometown Radio

After a year at WSGS, we took the show to our hometown of Jackson Kentucky on WJSN. The show aired weekly, and we garnered an audience of over 1k for our first episode. AVITM continued to focus on local musicans and also began highlighting creators from other mediums including local authors and content creators. Our contract ending with WJSN coincided with the start of the pandemic.

A Mewz in the Mountains

The pandemic put terrestrial radio (radio that’s not online) in financial hardship, and the market for contract broadcast work meant no where to air the show. After some consideration and much research, production adapted to the podcast platform, and we rebranded ourselves as the source for music and entertainment news. MEWZ.

Mewz continued to focus on the people and places that inspired and amused us, and sought ways to connect the artists with an audience. As the world reopened it’s doors, we began attending shows and festivals. Reconnecting with old friends in the local music scene and making many, many new ones. Our following began to grow and with it our network.

Mewz is now in it’s seventh year of sharing the stories of the artists with day jobs, supporting small business and encouraging communities to connect through art and music.

In 2022, after attending nearly two dozen festivals across the Bluegrass, we felt moved to host our own. An opportunity to grow our community and our brand. We planned the first festival of the Mews for August 2022.

Two months prior to our event, devestating flooding across East Kentucky would wash away our dreams of a festival. In the aftermath, out of respect for those who had lost much more, we chose to postpone the event until further notice.

Our production team was fortunate, many of our neighbors and our county were not. With resources limited in the area, and needed by those affected most, after much consideration, Mewz relocated to Berea Kentucky. We took a deep breath and started planning the festival again. September again, around late August, due to zoning issues, and too late to raise the money for another venue, we were faced with cancellation yet again.

In 2023, we once again visited the idea of festival, but were unable to secure a location. In 2024, long time supporters and friends of the show, Bash on the Branch promotions reached out with an offer to host our festival and their beloved venue in Irvine Kentucky. On September 7th, 1st Festival of the Mewz opened it’s gates. We kicked off the weekend with Hannah Fest on Friday night, followed by music all day Saturday, plus vendors and food trucks.