In 2014, sisters Ivy and Sophie, then teenagers, signed a major label record deal as duo Walker County. Fans around the world have followed as their sound and their spirits have evolved over the better part of a decade. From heartbreaks to true loves and county fairs to The Kelly Clarkson Show, the women of Walker County have grown into the future superstars they’ve always been destined to be.
Sophie’s hard-driving rhythms on the drumkit and Ivy’s strutting, soulful vocals create a unique blend of country music that was inspired by the sounds of middle America they grew up on. Their blood-thick harmonies and inimitable verve continue to shine underneath maturing lyricism. The CMT Listen Up and Next Women of Country artists are practiced road warriors, opening for the likes of Willie Nelson, Dwight Yoakam, Martina McBride, Old Dominion and more.
Walker County earned millions of streams with fan-favorite tracks such as “Bits & Pieces” and “Drag It Out” as well as over 1.6 million likes from their TikTok videos. In 2023, the Indiana natives released their No Smoke and Mirrors EP which was praised by Billboard for its “ultra-country enunciations within well-crafted, two-part harmonies.” The duo are poised for a momentous 2024 as they gear up to independently release some of their most vulnerable and authentic music to date. It may not be exactly the Walker County you know... but it is the Walker County you love.
OPENING ACT
Aaron Kelly was never on American Idol, but did grow up on the edge of the Chicago megalopolis, falling under the influence of a blended family, John Prine, and empathy, his songs are carefully crafted and made to last. He’s been featured by American Songwriter Magazine, lauded by his peers, and an advocate for the Illinois music/songwriter scene. Aaron Kelly Band released their debut LP, Songs Still Sing, in 2022, and a new 6-song EP, Letting the Animals Out, on 1/3/24.
Mitch Mead is a Chicago-based Singer/Songwriter and a product of the Midwest.
Owing debts to Alt-Country, Greenwich Village Folk, and Modern Indie Rock, Mitch’s songs tell stories, turn phrases, and dabble in a brand of humor that positions tongue firmly within cheek.