Prestonsburg pianist brings people together through music

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – A Kentucky composer and pianist is bringing people together through music.

Prestonsburg native and current Nashville resident Kory Caudill is behind “Concert for the Human Family,” a series in partnership with the Episcopal Church. The concert series has been in the making for two and a half years, with its first in-person show finally just around the corner.

The music is a blend of different genres, with influences from classical, hip-hop, and jazz, to name a few. Caudill collaborated with hip-hop artist Wordsmith and music industry veteran Chester Thompson on the concert project.

The series is meant to draw audiences from all different backgrounds, and its message centers around racial reconciliation.

“We’ve been all forced to kind of wake up and do something different. And with this series, I don’t think the true challenge was to get it out there for people to see it, it was more, ‘how do you impact the people in front of you?'” said Wordsmith.

Kory Caudill emphasized the meaning of authenticity in the music and its message.

“The things that are built on authenticity are the things that are going to resonate with people and connect…and we do have a hand in commercial music and we work on the songs that go on the radio. But we always make sure not to step on who we are as people,” said Caudill.

“It’s hard to explain, it touches me in a real deep place. And my goal and dream and hope is that it touches others that same way when they hear it,” said Chester Thompson.

The series’ last webcast is tomorrow and the first in-person concert is September 26 at First Church Cathedral in Cincinnati.