Featured Photo by Anna Leadingham
Story by Anna Leadingham
Ken Huddleston and Zakk Huddleston are the owners of local stop-and-shop KK’s Loans Music & Jewelry which started in Manchester, Tennessee in 1978. It has since opened three stores in middle Tennessee including Tullahoma and McMinnville. Twice a year, they put on a show. The KK’s Jam is a community get-together that serves as an opportunity for those who have never played on stage to be able to do so. It also allows people who have just moved to the community to jam and network by meeting other musicians and music fans.
The Jam took place at Prater’s BBQ, on Oct. 7 at 6:00 p.m. on an outside stage set up by KK’s employees and close friends of the business. Normally guitar guru and aficionado John Cook hosts the bi-annual KK’s Jams, but the responsibility fell to owner Ken Huddleston as Cook could not make the event this year.
Audion Technician Danny Freeman ran sound for the KK’s Jam just as he has for many years; He also aids in system installation for KK’s Loan Music & Jewelry. Army veteran and multi-faceted musician Levi Troxell and Jacob Norwood, a KK’s employee, sound engineer and drummer filled in as electrical lighting technicians for the show and drummers for many bands during this event and previous jams.
The Fall 2023 Jam fell right on track with Ken and Zakk Huddleston’s goal of giving music back to the community. The jam started off as it always does with Ken Huddleston introducing himself and giving a brief synopsis of what the KK’s Jam is for. Then, he played several songs with a band of KK’s employees called the KK’s All-Star Band to warm up the audience and other performers as the signup sheet to play was passed around.
The next band he called up on stage was Georgia Crossroads. Georgia Crossroads is made up of Zachary Mott, an employee of KK’s, Peyton Garner, a 20-year-old MTSU Audio Production student and his 16-year-old brother Spencer Payton. The band played “54-46 (That’s My Number)” by Toots and The Maytals, “Fire on the Mountain” by The Grateful Dead and “Beastly” by Volfpeck. Later in the night, the band took stage again joined by Melinda Drake (Lenny or Misfit Lenny) for a cover of Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth (Stop Children What’s That Sound)” among others.
The next band to play was Ninth Sun who played covers of AC/DC’s “You Shook Me All Night Long” and “Rock You Like a Hurricane” by the Scorpions. The band also played many other covers in the rock and metal genre. The band consists of Luke Ross, Trey Cash Bryant, K.C. Burns and John Hutchings. The band has been playing together for seven years and was formed at a local church in the area.
Soon after Ninth Sun left the stage, Webb Schmidt took his place on stage. Webb is 12 years old and started playing guitar three years ago. Although young, this isn’t Schmidt’s first time playing live. He frequently plays in Nashville and other surrounding areas. Webb’s biggest musical influences are The Alman Brothers, B.B. King and Marcus King. He was joined on stage by his guitar mentor as well as his aunt, Dana Witherspoon.
Up next to play was Ty Merrill who is 19. Merrill has played at several KK’s Jams over the past couple of years. He has been playing guitar for eight years and is entirely self-taught. Ty is a solo artist for now but is hoping to play with people on stage very soon.
This Jam, he surprised attendees by playing one acoustic song in his set which was “Wasteland, Baby” by Hozier. The next two songs he played to electric guitar after belonged to Avenged Sevenfold. Merrill plays locally throughout middle Tennessee and enjoys attending the KK’s Jams with his family.
Throughout the night many other notable artists and bands played and jammed together such as Brian Metcalf with his band Whiskey Dust. Guitarist Tim Henry and drummer Jack Smedley played the song “Dig Up Her Bones” by The Misfits to celebrate the Halloween holiday. Levi Troxell joined Johnny Keown and John Frantum to close a very successful night at Prater’s.
Ken Huddleston thanked everyone for coming out to play and was happy to report the next jam would take place in late Spring 2024. KK’s Loans Music & Jewlery’s Facebook page will post the official date of the next jam as well as other updates.
To contact Lifestyles Editor Destiny Mizell, email lifestyles@mtsusidelines.com. For more news, visit www.mtsusidelines.com, or follow us on Facebook at MTSU Sidelines or on X at @MTSUSidelines.
