"We are extremely grateful to even be nominated for such a prestigious award. To win our category among the 4 other nominees is a tremendous honor. Being able to accept the award on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry, within the sacred circle, was surreal. This acknowledgment means the world to us as we continue to highlight & bring focus to Kentucky artists and their music." -Danny and Natalie Micoff
The 10th Annual Josie Music Awards were held in Nashville at the Grand Ole Opry on October 27, 2024. The Josie Music Awards are the largest, most respected, revered award and prestigious events and association in the independent music industry. Their theme is "Chase Your Dreams - Be a Part of Something Big."
Pictured from left to right: Top Row - Darrell Pittman, Andrew Moore, Haleigh Martin, Hailey Newman, Renee and Warren Cobb. 2nd Row- JD Shelburne, Brando Vanschoyck, Joe Clark and Taylor Hughes. 3rd Row - Melissa Deaton, Danny and Natalie Micoff, Kid Kentucky - Don Suiters, Will Goodwin and Jonathan Goodwin.
Kentucky's presence on the circle on the Grand Ole Opry stage was frequent, heartfelt and definitely "something big" for all who had the opportunity to stand on the sacred and highly revered space to accept their award. Let's break it all down to just how BIG that was for Kentucky's Mill Springs Studio on October 27, 2024.
Mill Springs Studio believes in proudly promoting local music and it's artists by offering affordable recording studio services, resources & community. Described as the "Muscle Shoals Sound" of Kentucky, MSS is an intimate recording space where your talent will be distilled into the high-quality product Kentucky is known for. You can come and see for your self what is possible at Mill Springs Studio!
Dan and Natalie Micoff opened a recording studio way out in rural Mill Springs. An odd choice of place to build a studio, sure, but they found themselves falling in love with the music of Lake Cumberland.
Hailing from Michigan, the Micoffs wanted to find a home in Kentucky near Lake Cumberland to mimic the feel they got from living on the Great Lakes. They rented an AirBnB in Columbia after finding what they thought was their dream home in Russell Springs. They went to their “dream home” only to find themselves feeling misled by the pictures online. When they returned to their AirBnB, they looked for more housing options.
The couple took the leap of faith and moved to their home in Mill Springs then opened their rebranded recording studio out of it — the aptly named “Mill Springs Studio.” The location could easily be described as being “in the middle of nowhere” down two-lane gravel roads and by rolling farmland.
“People kind of made fun of us,” said Natalie Micoff. “But the more we met musicians and started seeing the local music and art scene, we kind of went, ‘Oh, we know why we were brought here now. This is it. Photography by The Josie Music Awards - Grand Ole Opry
It’s a peaceful, creative space,” she continued. “We’ve heard that over and over again: ‘If you can’t be creative here, it’s never happening!’”
Dan Micoff is the engineer for the studio and has been in the music industry for decades. His instrument that he was trained with was the guitar, but his favorite instrument is drums. He was in a group in the ’90’s before it “fizzled out.” He transitioned instead to recording and production, and he said he became a “nerd” for studio recording.
The pair called the Lake Cumberland area a “melting pot” of local artists, pointing to style ranging Appalachian country to worship and even stage musicals. “Our mantra is ‘Kentucky Proud,’” said Dan Micoff. “With all that’s going on in Somerset, the sky’s the limit.”
SOURCE: COMMONWEALTH JOURNAL
You can learn more about Mill Springs Studio at https://www.millspringsstudio.com/
Renee Collins Cobb, M.Ed. and Warren Cobb. B.A. are Executive Producers of Overtones LIVE and Co-Owners of Listen Locally, LLC, as well as Executive Directors and Founders of Room 17 Productions, a non-profit 501c3 organization. We are also partners in Dreamland Entertainment Group and co-owners of The Scribe TV Network.
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