Mariam sits down with Raymond McLain and Ruth McLain Smith ahead of the McLain Family Band’s induction into the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame. They talk about their beginnings as a band in 1968 on television in Hazard, Kentucky and their musical childhoods. They toured extensively throughout the 1970s and 1980s in 64 countries through Africa, Europe and Asia. Raymond and Ruth reflect on their career so far, and the joy music has brought to their lives.

Their father, Raymond McLain, Sr., was a professor of music at Berea College, and later in his career became a librarian at Lexington Public Library, working in children’s and then in the Kentucky Room. He retired in the 1990s. Ruth and Raymond perform a song their father wrote, Kentucky Wind, for us on the podcast.

Christine Stephany joins us with a story from her childhood about how she and her father came to understand each other better.

Christine W. Stephany is a daughter, sister, Mom, YaYa and friend. Years of note taking and jotting down thoughts brings her to a turn in the highway…learning to writing. With a lifelong spirit of curiosity she embraces nature, biking, learning, people and an evolutionary career of 47 years. Working with the national and local Multiple Sclerosis Society, Wreaths Across America (for Veterans) and Valentines for Veterans are her “give-backs.” She shares her time in Lexington and in Northern Kentucky, with extended family and lifelong friends.

Theme song "Appalachian Lofi" composed and performed by Bryan Klausing and Christine Cole.

This episode has brief strong language when reading a quote from the killer in the newspaper, listener’s discretion is advised.

Mariam sits down with longtime listener of the podcast Zach Davis to discuss the 1897 murder of local pension attorney Thomas H. Merritt. Zach Davis is the President and Principal Broker of local real estate brokerage Kirkpatrick & Co., and came across this story while researching Gratz Park. Jacob Harris shot and killed Merritt after suspecting Merritt was having an affair with his wife Effie. The murder captivated the nation, less because of the circumstances of the murder itself, rather because of the precedent set by the presiding judge D. G. Falconer in dismissing charges against Harris because of societal norms, rather than written law.