Here in Kentucky the last two weeks have been unprecedented, scary and uncertain we know. While Uniquely Kentucky is usually meant to give you a break from the hustle and bustle of the world around us, for this episode of Uniquely Kentucky Amber sits down with her co-anchor WKYT's Sam Dick to just talk about what has unfolded the last few weeks. In this episode they are talking about the headlines, what WKYT has been doing behind the scenes to keep you informed and also how this has changed the ...
Mar 20, 2020•17 min
How many of us are guilty of not exploring more of the cities and states in which we live? Sometimes we forget that we can actually be a tourist in our own communities. Audra Meighan is helping people that live in central Kentucky explore one of the largest cities through a new book, “100 Things To Do In Lexington Before You Die.” Meighan is a central Kentucky native and considers herself an unofficial “Ambassador to the Commonwealth.” Her new book is meant to be a bucket list full of fun, quirk...
Mar 12, 2020•27 min•Season 2Ep. 15
With the recent deadly tornadoes that ravaged Nashville, Tenn. and surrounding areas Amber checks in on a friend and musician living in the Music City. Brandon Holder is a Tennessee native who cut his teeth on music in and around the Lexington, Ky. area when he was getting his start. Holder can now be found playing some of the most popular spots on lower Broadway in the Music City.
Mar 07, 2020•22 min•Season 2Ep. 14
Kimmery Martin is a critically acclaimed ER doctor turned author who just released her second book. Living now in the Charlotte, NC area, Martin grew up near Berea, KY living what she calls a very magical life that always included books. She admits she is a lifelong literary nerd who reads two to three books a week in her free time. On the heels of her first book, The Queen of Hearts released in 2018, Martin has now released her second book, an issue driven story of what happens when a doctor is...
Feb 27, 2020•27 min•Season 2Ep. 13
Please note, this episode of Uniquely Kentucky has mature content and may not be suitable for younger listeners. Human trafficking and sexual exploitation may seem like a big city problem, but places like central Kentucky are no stranger to the crime. The trafficking of humans, especially women is a nearly $10 billion industry in the United States. In Kentucky, the detectives and those working the frontlines to stop trafficking will tell you the drug epidemic only fuels it. Deanna Lynn is the au...
Feb 21, 2020•30 min•Season 2Ep. 11
Kentucky is known for basketball, bourbon and horses, but music is also high on that list. From bluegrass, country, rock, jazz and more Kentucky has seen its fair share of amazing artists, musicians and songwriters. In Lexington, the live music scene is exploding with more and more, great music being heard in bars, clubs and breweries across town. Brett Higgins is a Winchester native who has been kicking it around musically for years now. He is one half of the duo Prototype and they have new mus...
Feb 13, 2020•31 min•Season 2Ep. 11
Spreading joy one t-shirt at a time, that has become the unofficial company motto for Shop Local Kentucky. The company, selling fun and interesting t-shirts was started by husband and wife Rick and Joni Paynter in their garage. The grassroots style business quickly grew becoming the place many now turn for their favorite t-shirt. The Paynter's have grown their business by not just selling shirts, but also through giving back to their community. Shop Local Kentucky has become synonymous with givi...
Feb 06, 2020•27 min•Season 2Ep. 9
Since 1935 the Miss Kentucky Organization has evolved from a mere beauty pageant into a well-respected program that has provided thousands of dollars in scholarship money to young women in central Kentucky. For many young girls across the state becoming Miss Kentucky is a dream and the woman crowned each year becomes a role model for so many. In June of 2019 Lexington native Alex Francke was named Miss Kentucky and from day one she took her role and ran with it. Francke has spent the last severa...
Jan 30, 2020•33 min•Season 2Ep. 9
Every year many of us make resolutions or goals in the new year to change something in our lives, but sadly many of those fly right out the window in just a couple of weeks. One of the most popular resolutions for people is getting in shape and eating better. In this episode of Uniquely Kentucky Amber sits down with a Lexington, Ky. fitness trainer and motivator who uses positivity to inspire his clients to not only reach their goals, but encourage others. Jarad Foglesong first came to Kentucky ...
Jan 22, 2020•28 min•Season 2Ep. 8
On New Year's Eve the University of Kentucky football team pulled off a thrilling win in the 2019 Belk Bowl with a 37-30 win over Virginia Tech. One of those players still celebrating that win is linebacker and UK graduate Kash Daniel. The Paintsville, Ky. native has been a leader both on the field and off for the UK football team. Wearing number 56 he became a fan favorite and the pride of the 606 for folks back home in eastern Kentucky. Despite his season being over for the blue and white he n...
Jan 13, 2020•34 min•Season 2Ep. 6
Two brothers, a couple hundred dollars and a dream of starting a business is what led to the creation of the small business, New Frontier Outfitters. Jared and Josh Ravenscraft of Morehead, Ky. started the outdoor lifestyle brand two years ago selling a clothing line that some consider to be Appalachian chic. The two grew up loving the outdoors, but felt like all of the clothing geared towards what they loved to do represented the American west and not the mountains and hills they call home in e...
Jan 06, 2020•27 min•Season 2Ep. 6
With the Christmas season upon us that can only mean one thing, it is Christmas movie watching season! Time for you to sit around glued to your television or smartphone taking in endless hours of Hallmark, timeless classics or the hilarious Christmas favorites we have all come to love and adore. No one loves Christmas more than Amber Philpott and Chris Bailey, both consider themselves Christmas junkies. In this episode Amber and Chris talk about their favorite movies, breakdown why they love eac...
Dec 17, 2019•28 min•Season 2Ep. 5
Jacqueline Coleman will be officially sworn in as Kentucky's next Lt. Governor on Tuesday, December 10, 2019, Coleman has been hard at work since first being elected to the position back in November. Coleman will be busy serving in that role and as the Secretary of the Education and Workforce Development Cabinet. Coleman also has another new title coming as well, new mom. Lt. Governor-elect Coleman admits there is no rest for the weary when you are assembling a new administration in Frankfort. T...
Dec 09, 2019•13 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Makenzie Thomas is a soulful singer and semifinalist on season 15 of the hit NBC show The Voice. Thomas, a native of Fleming Co., Kentucky grew up singing in church at the just the young age of 3-years-old. She says she is inspired by gospel, R&B and soul music. While she may have been eliminated in the Top 8 on The Voice Thomas has made a name for herself and is pursuing her music career. Her new album Hym will be released December 17 across all music platforms. In this episode of Uniquely ...
Dec 05, 2019•29 min
Tara Conner was crowned Miss USA in 2006, but the Kentucky native would encounter headlines of a different kind just a few short months later. Allegations of underage drinking and testing positive for cocaine put Conner’s title and career on the line. Her then boss and former owner of the pageant, Donald Trump gave her a second chance, but she was ordered into rehab. Now, nearly 13 years later Conner is still sober and an advocate for recovery. She travels the country speaking on addiction and r...
Nov 25, 2019•25 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Uniquely Kentucky is rolling out season two, and episode one has a guest that knows her way around the kitchen and has her finger on the pulse of the food culture in central Kentucky. Chef Ouita Michel is a James Beard Foundation Award nominee and queen of the Bluegrass culinary scene. She and her husband Chris bought Holly Hill Inn in Midway, Kentucky in 2000 and she now operates eight restaurants in and around Lexington. She believes in shopping and serving local food on her menus and strives ...
Nov 21, 2019•30 min•Season 2Ep. 1
If you love ghost stories, paranormal activity and things that are just plain strange, then you will love Lexington husband and wife team Jerry and Tracy Paulley. Together the two host the podcast Hillbilly Horror Stories which focuses on the paranormal, true stories behind some of your favorite scary movies and even unsolved mysteries. The couple first released a podcast in 2016 and since then it has grown to have an audience of thousands of people who tune in weekly for their quirky talk. This...
Oct 30, 2019•33 min
Film director and writer William Robert Chadwell is a Corbin native who grew up watching classic 80’s films, idolizing people like Steven Spielberg and dreaming of one day producing a film of his own. With no formal filmmaking experience Chadwell has made that dream come true with his first film, Moonbow. Growing up in and around Cumberland Falls in southern Kentucky Chadwell had always heard the urban legends and myths surrounding the famous moonbow. It’s a phenomena that happens when there is ...
Oct 03, 2019•17 min
On September 6, 2018 a routine walk into work for 38-year-old Whitney Austin turned in anything but routine. Austin, who is from Louisville was on a conference call while walking into the Fifth Third Office Tower in downtown Cincinnati when she found herself in the middle of an active shooting scene. Austin was shot 12 times and played dead so the shooter would not shoot her again. In those moments while fighting for her life Austin made a decision that if she lived she would make it here life’s...
Sep 26, 2019•23 min
Bourbon is just one of the things Kentucky is known for and its history is as rich as its taste. The stories behind the bottles though are an even bigger part of the experience. We know the distilleries of today, but what about those distilleries of days gone by and the stories that may have went with it. One man is using his love of history and archaeology to find those forgotten landmarks and help us all get a better taste of the state’s signature drink through the stories and people who were ...
Sep 19, 2019•32 min
For twenty years a cart full of kindness has been rolling through the halls of Kentucky Children’s Hospital in Lexington. The idea, born from the mind of a wise little boy who was very sick. Jarrett Mynear was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer when he was just 2-years-old. He spent most of his life in and out of the hospital and while he always had plenty of visitors and toys in his room, he quickly realized that was not the case for many other children undergoing treatment in the hospit...
Sep 13, 2019•22 min
Christi Thomas has the distinct honor of being the first female host of a network pre-game show in the Southeastern Conference! Thomas is the host of the two hour Countdown to Kickoff show on the UK Radio network for every home and away football game. Her co-hosts include two former UK football Wildcats, Jeremy Jarmon and Dusty Bonner. Thomas grew up loving football, her father coached at both the high school and college level and she jokingly says as was the water girl for countless big brother...
Aug 29, 2019•23 min
Football season in the bluegrass is right around the corner, with the University of Kentucky football team kicking off their season Saturday, August 31 at Kroger Field. For the last twenty years at every home football game you have heard one booming voice over the loud speaker, notably with his "First Down Kentucky" call! Carl Nathe has been the public address announcer for UK home football games since 2017, he admits it's the perfect job as a longtime UK fan. Nathe recently retired from his rol...
Aug 22, 2019•29 min
Heather Watson is the founder and editor-in-chief of HerKentucky, a lifestyle website for the modern woman of Kentucky. She is a writer, blogger and influencer who loves style, bourbon and books. Watson, who is a Kentucky native turned her passion for style, good food and books into a very popular website that keeps its readers up to date on all things happening in the Bluegrass state. She also loves telling the stories of Kentucky women, who they are, the businesses they run and the passions th...
Aug 16, 2019•35 min
Bethany Brook Anderson is a Lexington native who hails as the writer, producer and director of the independent film, Burning Kentucky. The film has been making its rounds this year on the film festival circuit and garnering awards like Best Picture and Best Actress. Anderson has deep Kentucky roots and it’s what led her to writing Burning Kentucky she says. The film, is one of star crossed love set in Appalachia and follows a young girl trying to unravel her family's tragic past. Anderson says 9...
Aug 09, 2019•28 min
In Kentucky farming is a tradition shared among many families and generations. Typically we think crops, cattle and now the resurgence of hemp, but new numbers released earlier this year from the 2017 Census of Agriculture show a new trend in the farming community. The census found more and more women are turning to the agriculture world to grow their own businesses. In this episode of Uniquely Kentucky Amber is headed to a southern Kentucky farm to talk with a mother and daughter duo who turned...
Aug 01, 2019•13 min
Sally Denton is an award winning investigative reporter, author and historian who has written a number of books, including The Bluegrass Conspiracy. It is an inside story of power, greed, drugs and murder and it blew the lid off of Lexington, Ky. when it was released. Denton was a WKYT investigative reporter from about 1980-83 and who worked several reports on corruption in the Lexington Police Department. Her book The Bluegrass Conspiracy was released in 1989 to both raves and jeers. It is a de...
Jul 19, 2019•29 min
Lexington author and Jackson Co. native Gwenda Bond is a New York Times bestselling author who has written more than a dozen books. Her latest release, Stranger Things: Suspicious Minds is the prequel to the hugely popular Netflix series Stranger Things. Bond has been writing all of her life and had her first book published in 2012. Her books include a trilogy on Lois Lane as a teen, a series that follows a modern day circus and she has co-written a middle grade series with her husband and fello...
Jul 10, 2019•32 min
Bourbon is Kentucky’s signature industry and it’s enjoying a renaissance of sorts in the Bluegrass. Congress declared bourbon America’s only native spirit in 1964 and the bourbon made here at home is enjoyed all around the world. In fact, Kentucky provides 95% of the world’s bourbon. According to the Kentucky Distillers’ Association bourbon is an $8.6 billion industry here in Kentucky, generating some 20,000 jobs. Right now there are 68 distilleries in 32 counties with more and more products com...
Jun 28, 2019•24 min•Season 1Ep. 19
There is nothing that screams summertime tradition like a trip to the ballpark for a little baseball. The Lexington Legends, a minor league affiliate of the Kansas City Royals have called central Kentucky home now for the last 19 years and currently they are the reigning South Atlantic League Champions! Andy Shea is the President and CEO of the Legends, running the family business and working his way up from parking attendant to leading the front office staff. Shea, a former Boston College baseb...
Jun 08, 2019•32 min
