Interview: Rising Kentucky Artist Dalton Dailey at The Burl

The Rugged Revival team caught up with emerging country artist Dalton Dailey backstage at the For the Love of Appalachia show at The Burl. This green room session captures his roots, his influences, and the early beginnings of a career already drawing attention across Kentucky. Dalton is one of the youngest artists in the independent Appalachian scene right now and his mix of soulful vocals, outlaw country energy, and small town storytelling is quickly becoming his signature.

Who is Dalton Dailey

Dalton is a young artist from Rockholds in Whitley County, Kentucky, a tight knit holler community that has supported his music from the very beginning. He grew up singing in church and credits that environment for shaping the soulful tone in his voice. Although he performs country music, his delivery carries a gospel influenced depth that listeners immediately notice.

Outside of music, Dalton represents the next generation of Appalachian songwriters who are rooted in tradition, surrounded by community, and ready to share their voice on larger platforms.

Quickfire Kentucky Edition

During the interview we played a round of rapid fire questions focused on Kentucky life and culture.

Lexington or Louisville?
Lexington

Fried chicken or Hot Brown?
Fried chicken

Cumberland Falls or Red River Gorge?
Cumberland Falls

Bluegrass or Outlaw Country?
Outlaw country when performing

His go to gas station pick on the road is a Yellow Red Bull and Haribo gummy bears. If he could master a new instrument instantly, he would choose the banjo.

Venues and Local Influence

Dalton has already played several key Kentucky venues. His favourite venue to perform at is The Train Station in Corbin, a room he describes as one of the best sounding stages he has experienced. For watching shows, he chooses Corbin Arena or Renfro Valley.

A standout moment in his musical journey was appearing at WoodSongs Old Time Radio Hour at the Lyric Theatre in Lexington. He credits that performance as the point where everything began to change. He also highlights the support of local figures such as Daniel Kane, Cody Lee, and especially Lance Rogers, who is producing his upcoming project.

Songwriting and New Music

Dalton has written around five songs so far and is preparing to release a three song EP on September 5th. The project will be available on all streaming platforms and can be pre saved now.

His personal favourite song is a track called Paps Pickles, a humorous story about his grandfather bringing moonshine pickles to a church picnic. Although it is not on the EP, it shows his storytelling range. Dalton describes it as talkative and inspired by a classic Johnny Cash style delivery.

Sound and Style

Dalton describes his sound as soulful country with an outlaw edge. His church background and Appalachian upbringing play a major role in shaping the tone of his voice and his approach to songwriting. For an artist his age, his voice carries a weight that listeners often associate with older, seasoned performers.

Collaborations and Dream Pairings

If Dalton could collaborate with any Kentucky artist, his choice is simple.
Tyler Childers.

Where to Follow Dalton

Dalton shares his music and updates here:

Facebook
TikTok

He is currently represented by Branstetter Music Management.

Episode Timeline

00.00 Introduction at The Burl
00.22 Dalton talks about nerves and excitement before the show
00.35 Kentucky rapid fire: cities, food, landmarks
01.16 Favourite venues in Kentucky
01.57 Bluegrass or outlaw country
02.30 Early songwriting and first releases
02.54 Story behind Paps Pickles
03.26 Dalton explains his vocal style
03.55 Key moments that shaped his music
04.52 Shout out to Rockholds and his hometown community
05.06 Influence of Appalachian culture on his sound
06.35 Road trip snacks and instrument he wants to learn
07.24 Kentucky traditions and speech patterns
08.00 Dream collaboration
08.05 Closing comments