BITTERSWEET, Ky. — I will be the first to admit I really love to talk about local artists who are making their way to the big time. Call me partial if you will, but I’m really proud of the talent that has come from my little corner of the world, as you should be in the places where you live.

As a person who grew up around music and lived the life of one of these local bands or individuals, I know the passion these folks possess to play night after night, weekend after weekend for little money and little attention except from those loyal local fans.

These talented musicians do it for the love of the art, for the feeling they get when stepping on that stage and seeing those wonderful fans enjoying the music they are so dedicated to.

And from my backyard, I have been noticing many performers making their way out into the world using social media to a great extent, but also by the old-fashioned way: pounding the pavement and playing every venue that invites them in, every festival that features local talent and any event that needs a musical boost.

I had the pleasure recently to hear a local group that is about to explode onto the national scene. Jericho Woods is a Kentucky band comprised of local guys coming from diverse backgrounds, all ending up in the same place at the same time to create a sound all their own.

These guys are country with a rhythm and blues seasoning, sprinkled with rock roots and topped with a touch of folk/bluegrass. When you blend these ingredients and pop this musical dish into the oven, you get a sound that gets you out of your seat and makes you want to sing along with them.

Their debut album, Same Ol’ Dirt, came in 2015 and these guys have been going strong since, mostly at the local level. But the national attention is coming, and I think it is only a matter of time until you see their tour calendar go from gigs in Kentucky and Tennessee to shows all over the place.

It is at least my hope, for a group of musicians who have worked so hard and have such a passion for what they do. JW lead singer Josh Mitcham is a former agriculture teacher who credits the local fans and the need to please those local fans with the success they have seen thus far.

In an interview with Billboard, Mitcham said any success the band has had is a direct result of the people they have built relationships with and who want just as much for JW to be successful as the band members themselves.

Ricky Skaggs sang a song years ago about not getting above your raising, translated into “don’t forget where you came from.” These guys have never forgotten and I’m sure they never will. Perhaps that is the thing I like about them the most.

Bluegrass Johnson comes from a long line of country music performers and enjoys a passion for the rhythm and melody. From the hills of Kentucky, he will offer his opinions on a variety of new country music each week. Readers with questions or comments may write to Johnson in care of this publication.