Kaitlyn Baker’s New Virginia Song Has Larry Cordle’s Touch

(WISE COUNTY, VA) – It may be more country than bluegrass, but a new song about Southwest Virginia has just enough twang to convince Larry Cordle to help produce the record and perform background vocals on it. Now, Kaitlyn Baker’s “Heart of Appalachia” is the official theme song for tourism in the region, with an accompanying music video that features cameo appearances by Cordle and Ralph Stanley II, along with Alex Leach and Stanley Efaw. Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/h2BfWyiYvrg
 
Baker, a country singer/songwriter from Wise County, Virginia, wrote “Heart of Appalachia” with Scott Arnold, an East Tennessee-based songwriter. When Cordle heard the demo, he liked it so much that he agreed to help produce the record and sing background vocals, along with Val Storey, a prolific session singer in Nashville, with whom he has worked on other projects.
 
“My dad introduced me to Larry Cordle’s music when I was a young girl, but I never dreamed I would work with him on a song,” Baker said. “I met him a few months ago through Carl Jackson, and he has been so helpful.”

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​Cordle, a multi-award-winning songwriter, singer and producer, has written many hits for other artists, including Alan Jackson’s “Murder on Music Row” and Rick Skaggs’ “Highway 40 Blues.”
 
Scott Arnold produced the music track for the record, and later Cordle produced the vocals at The Gorilla’s Nest Studio near Nashville, with help from owner and engineer Chris Latham.
 
“Larry offered ideas to improve certain phrases in the song, and he had great ideas for harmonies,” Baker said. “He was so easy to work with. I was a little nervous at first, but he put me right at ease.”
 
Cordle and Baker performed “Heart of Appalachia” in public for the first time at the recent Ralph Stanley Bluegrass Festival in Virginia. Baker has also recently begun spreading the good news about Southwest Virginia, performing her song while on tour, most recently at Country Jam Colorado, as well as in Denver and Kansas City.
 
Baker decided to donate the song on a non-exclusive basis to the Heart of Appalachia Tourism Authority, a nonprofit organization that promotes tourism in the Coalfield Region of Southwest Virginia, which has taken an economic hit because of job losses in the coal industry. The video is now being shown on the organization’s website, www.HeartOfAppalachia.com.
 
“Southwest Virginia has lost something like 11,000 coal jobs in the past year or two,” Baker said. “I hope ‘Heart of Appalachia’ will encourage more tourism, which could help the local economy. This area spectacular scenery, and there’s so much to do here.”
 
“Heart of Appalachia” is available on iTunes and Amazon. Information about Kaitlyn Baker is available at www.KaitlynBaker.com.