Kentucky Life
Kentucky Life
Stories from Kentucky
Where to Watch Kentucky Life • Kentucky Life
23 Episodes
- Gary Akers; Bomber Pilot; Kentucky Youth ChorusE1
Gary Akers; Bomber Pilot; Kentucky Youth ChorusA Boone County painter who works in egg tempera and his daughter, who is also taking up art; Graves County pilot Ralph Waldrop, who flew a B-26 bomber in World War II; and a performance by the 2000 Kentucky All-State Chorus. - Wickliffe Mounds; Horse Mania; Jefferson County MemorialE2
Wickliffe Mounds; Horse Mania; Jefferson County MemorialNative American burial mounds in Western Kentucky that date to 800 A.D., the colorful and creative horse statues from Lexington's 2000 public-art project, and a forest preserve located just 15 miles from downtown Louisville. - Family Reunion; Tommy Clark; Jeannie Spears; Debbie TuggleE3
Family Reunion; Tommy Clark; Jeannie Spears; Debbie TuggleThe Pollittes of Mason County hold their 67th annual family reunion, a Campbellsville potter sculpts dinosaurs, a former mapmaker in Edmonton puts her drafting skills to work creating cards and silk-screen prints, and a Letcher County singer/songwriter combines her concern for the environment with her music. - Hill Community Theater; Greyhound Rescue; Bybee PotteryE4
Hill Community Theater; Greyhound Rescue; Bybee PotteryA Danville community theater troupe named for a Centre College scholar and writer; Jack Bricking of Richmond, who travels to greyhound tracks to save former racing dogs that would otherwise be destroyed; and the highly sought-after pottery made in the little community of Bybee. - Newport Aquarium; Big Bone Lick; Cumberland RiverE5
Newport Aquarium; Big Bone Lick; Cumberland RiverNewport's riverside tourist attraction brings the life of the sea to the land of the bluegrass, while a state park nearby is home to prehistoric animal remains. Host Dave Shuffett canoes down a segment of the Cumberland River that's part of the national Wild and Scenic Rivers program, finding lots of scenic beauty and a little whitewater. - Yardbirds; Blacksmith; Space-Age Design; Wildlife RefugeE6
Yardbirds; Blacksmith; Space-Age Design; Wildlife RefugeThe artisans of Louisville's Yardbirds, who create fanciful creatures out of scrap metal and old tools; Oldham County's Dick Wright, who carries on the traditions of blacksmithing; Nancy Farmer, who quests for examples of "futuristic" design, circa the 1950s; and a National Wildlife Refuge in western Kentucky. - Sculptor; Basketmaker; Treasure HuntE7
Sculptor; Basketmaker; Treasure HuntBellarmine University professor Bob Lockhart, whose bronze sculptures are found throughout Louisville; Owensboro homemaker Jan Treesh, who started making baskets as a hobby and now runs her own business selling them; and a hunt beneath old outhouses for antique glass. - ReRun Retired Thoroughbreds; Mantle Rock ConservancyE8
ReRun Retired Thoroughbreds; Mantle Rock ConservancyThe Carlisle-based organization ReRun places retired thoroughbreds who might otherwise be destined for slaughter in loving new homes. Host Dave Shuffett visits a Nature Conservancy preserve in Livingston County that features natural arches and an unusual ecosystem. - Along U.S. Highway 60, from Ashland to PaducahE9
Along U.S. Highway 60, from Ashland to PaducahHost Dave Shuffett takes a nostalgic tour of Kentucky by driving from Ashland to Paducah on U.S. 60. Stops include a drive-in restaurant, Grayson Lake, Calumet Farm, the state capitol, a Frankfort memorial to African-American Civil War veterans, a Louisville blues bar, Brandenburg, an Owensboro pastry shop, Camp Breckinridge, Smithland, and the Swan Lake Wildlife Management Area. - Blue Licks Battlefield; Peter Eichhorn; StrawberriesE10
Blue Licks Battlefield; Peter Eichhorn; StrawberriesThe Northern Kentucky site of a bloody Revolutionary War battle, a Louisville stained-glass artist whose work embodies both Old and New World traditions, and an Edmonson County couple who grow strawberries without soil. - Berea Carillon; Old Talbott Tavern; Elkhorn CityE11
Berea Carillon; Old Talbott Tavern; Elkhorn CityKentucky's largest carillon, which rings the music of the bells out over the Berea College campus each day; a historic Bardstown landmark restored after a devastating fire; and a visit to Elkhorn City for small-town charm, picture-postcard mountain scenery, and outdoor adventure. - Larry Elmore; Crafters' Co-Op; Middlesboro Golf CourseE13
Larry Elmore; Crafters' Co-Op; Middlesboro Golf CourseA Leitchfield man who's one of America's most widely published fantasy artists; Munfordville's Creations from the Hart, a crafts store owned and operated by the crafters of Hart County; and a round of golf at the oldest continuously operated course in the country. - Columbus-Belmont Battlefield; Father-Son Garage; Pilot KnobE15
Columbus-Belmont Battlefield; Father-Son Garage; Pilot KnobA park overlooking the Mississippi River in Hickman County commemorates an unusual Civil War battle, Frankfort's David Rodgers runs his business as a tribute to his father, and host Dave Shuffett and naturalist Joyce Bender hike through a Powell County nature preserve said to have been visited by Daniel Boone. - Dr. Thomas Walker; Vietnam Veterans Memorial; JeffersontownE16
Dr. Thomas Walker; Vietnam Veterans Memorial; JeffersontownBell County festivities honoring the explorer who named Cumberland Gap and created some of the first maps of the region, a Frankfort monument that honors Kentuckians killed in Vietnam, and a walking tour of a historic town in Jefferson County. - Denny Crum; Arrowheads; James ArchambeaultE17
Denny Crum; Arrowheads; James ArchambeaultFormer University of Louisville basketball coach Denny Crum reviews his Hall of Fame career, host Dave Shuffett joins Dave Hellard to search for Native American arrowheads, and a Lexington photographer specializes in Kentucky landscapes. - Wood Carver; Piano Prodigy; Revolving AquariumE19
Wood Carver; Piano Prodigy; Revolving AquariumCarver Bruce Smith of Villa Hills specializes in human caricatures in wood; 11-year-old Kelsey Tamayo of Hardin County composes music, plays more than 20 instruments, and actually loves to practice; and Bowling Green pet store owner Mitch Gibbs' patented revolving aquarium helps coral grow more naturally and keep its color. - Oral History Commission; Harmonics; High School ChorusesE20
Oral History Commission; Harmonics; High School ChorusesThe Kentucky Oral History Commission, begun in 1976, has one of the largest and most accessible collections of taped interviews in the country. A band of seniors in Louisville entertains with harmonicas and nostalgic songs. And high-school singers perform in choruses formed through the 2001 Kentucky Music Educators Assoc. all-state audition process. - Monroe County; Ed HamiltonE21
Monroe County; Ed HamiltonA tour of Monroe County, including barbecue restaurants, the Turkey Neck Bend Ferry, and the Old Mulkey Meeting House, and a visit with renowned Louisville sculptor Ed Hamilton as he completes his Washington, DC memorial to African-American soldiers of the Civil War. - Minds Wide Open; Historic Clock Tower; and moreE22
Minds Wide Open; Historic Clock Tower; and moreIn Fayette County, a volunteer organization sponsors an art program for mentally disabled adults. Host Dave Shuffett journeys to Fulton County to visit a historic clock tower, a black history museum, a company that sells nuts, and a broom-making shop. - Fly-Fishing; Eagleswings; Jay BolotinE23
Fly-Fishing; Eagleswings; Jay BolotinHost Dave Shuffett goes fly-fishing with 97-year-old Hub Perdew of Frankfort, who shares his secret for longevity. Ohio County ministers run a teen center. And Louisville artist Jay Bolotin works on his mixed-media creation Limbus, a "mechanical opera" that's part music and part sculpture and is based on a real-life tragedy. A 2001 KET production.