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Welcome back. Last week I shared Keith Wallen's music video shot right here in Kingsport. This week, I'm showing you how we made it happen.
In today’s post:
Behind the Scenes: How a national music video came together in our city
Next Projects: KATS Bus, and something with flashing lights
This Week: What's happening around town
Your Stories: How you can help shape what we cover next
HOW WE MADE A MUSIC VIDEO IN KINGSPORT
Last week you saw the finished product - Keith Wallen's music video shot in Kingsport. This week, I want to show you how it actually happened.
We followed the entire production from setup to final shot, documenting what it takes to create work at this level right here in our city. The crew, the locations, the decisions made on the fly, the moments that didn't make the final cut.
Keith Wallen - “A Thin Line” Behind The Scenes
This matters because it proves something I've believed for a long time: creative work of this caliber doesn't have to happen somewhere else. It can happen here. It is happening here. The infrastructure, the talent, the locations - we have what it takes.
Kingsport isn't just a backdrop. It's a platform for people doing serious work.
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STORIES I’M WORKING ON
Appalachian League Logo
I'm digging into the history of the Appalachian Baseball League, a summer league that's been a rite of passage for future MLB stars since 1911. Kingsport has fielded a team for decades, and the stories from those years are incredible. Small-town baseball, future Hall of Famers playing at Hunter Wright Stadium, the people who kept it alive.
I'm also working on something else that I can't talk about yet, but it involves long hours, flashing lights, and people who run toward emergencies instead of away from them. More on that soon.
If you've got stories worth telling - people, places, moments that define what Kingsport is becoming - hit reply. I'm listening.
WHAT’S HAPPENING THIS WEEK
Inspire Wine Bar Brunch Club/Run Club - Sunday, February 8 at 10:00 AM
Run, walk, or any combination of the two - all distances and paces welcome - then stay for fellowship and brunch.
Jake Dwyer Solo Acoustic at The Sports Mill - Saturday, February 7 at 6:00 PM
Jonesborough-based singer-songwriter blending country, folk, and blues with storytelling that lands somewhere between Neil Young and The Black Keys.
Blue Ridge Artisan Days at Farmers Market Pavilion - Friday, February 6 (3-7 PM) & Saturday, February 7 (9 AM-3 PM)
Two days of handmade goods from local artisans, food vendors, and the Young Artisan Creation Station - free admission and parking.
QUICK HITS
GLUTEN FREE Biscuits at Urban Brews & Creamery
Local Food Fame: Times News featured ZachBites, Kingsport's food influencer making waves beyond the Tri-Cities.
Oven Fundraiser: Urban Brews and Creamery is hosting a bake sale to raise funds for a new oven.
Donate Now: PETWORKS is accepting donations to support their animal rescue work.
WHAT I NEED FROM YOU
This newsletter works best when it's a conversation. If you know a story that needs to be told, a person doing something interesting, or a place in Kingsport that matters to you, send it my way. Every documentary, every feature, every post starts with someone saying "you should look into this."
That's it for this week. Thanks for trusting me with your inbox. Let's tell some stories.
Talk soon,
Ryan