West Liberty Mountain Boys

The West Liberty Mountain Boys got their start with a group of friends who had an interest in music. “We went to the same high school; we all played music, but we didn’t know each other well.” Music has a way of bringing people together, and that’s what happened with Johnathan Keeton, Byron Holbrook, and Matt Bailey. “We named the band for the place we lived – West Liberty in Morgan County, Kentucky.” The band’s first show was in 2015. 

“We played locally, around West Liberty and surrounding areas,” says Johnathan. “We played at a popular bluegrass festival here for several years, but it no longer exists.” They kept it going through college, then the COVID pandemic hit. “We actually played two shows in 2020 – one in Ohio and another at the Poppy Mountain Music Festival in Morehead, Kentucky.” 

As often happens in bands, members came and went, but West Liberty Mountain Boys has had the same lineup since 2022. Johnathan Keeton on banjo, Byron Holbrook on mandolin, Matt Bailey on guitar, and Ryan Gillum on bass. When she is available, Byron’s wife, Maddie Murray Holbrook, joins in on fiddle and vocals. We all enjoy playing together, and we hang out together as well,” says Johnathan. “Everyone has something different to bring to the mix. Bryon is big into the Stanley Brothers, and Ryan played on the Grand Ole Opry with Rhonda Vincent. It was on his birthday, and everyone sang to him while he was on stage. We were all there to cheer him on.” 

While the band plays some covers, they are mostly lesser-known songs. “We like to dig and pull songs that aren’t as well known,” Johnathan says. They also write many of their songs. Their 2024 album release, Finding New Ground, features 12 songs, eight of which are originals, including the title track. That wasn’t the only album they’ve recorded. “Byron, Matt, and I recorded two homemade albums in Matt’s mother’s basement when we were kids. We bought some equipment and figured out how to do it.” 

Today, the band works hard at their craft. “We love traveling to play music,” says Johnathan. “If I can book a show that’s worthwhile, we’ll be there.” They play a lot of music festivals, as well as churches and hometown festivals. “We’ve been really busy this year. We’ve played almost every weekend.” Johnathan admits that it can be a challenge, since all the band members work full-time jobs during the week. “It doesn’t leave much time to handle things around the house.” 

That’s a trade-off they are willing to make to play the music they love. Johnathan says he is inspired by country music, rock, and blues. “I take something from everything I listen to. My mom loved all music, although she wasn’t a big fan of bluegrass when I was growing up. But my dad took me to bluegrass festivals around the state.” Johnathan says he is also influenced by his fellow bandmates. “Each one has a distinctive style, and it’s fun to learn from each other.” 

On stage, the band is high energy with strong harmonies. There is no standout musician in this band – each member plays with the confidence and talent of a seasoned musician, and they complement each other.

The band has plans to go into the studio this winter. “We are really excited about that. We are working on material now and look forward to making more music together.”

Follow the West Liberty Mountain Boys on their Facebook page.