By Rebecca Watters [email protected] Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter and eastern Kentucky native Larry Cordle became the latest installment of the Appalachia in the Bluegrass concert series at UK on Wednesday Cordle is arguably best known for his bluegrass songs and as a storyteller of Appalachian culture. He has written songs for country music superstars such Alan Jackson and George Strait. “If you enjoy country, you would enjoy (Cordle),” said Ron Pen, director of the John Jacob Niles Center for American Music. Throughout the year, Pen hosts musicians from Kentucky and the surrounding states to perform free concerts for students and members of the community. Pen says his goal is to show students honest music when selecting performers. “I want them to be connected to traditional music and Appalachian culture,” Pen said. The concert series, now in its 11th season, has featured both local and world-famous artists. According to Pen, Larry Cordle is both a friend to him and to the university. “Larry is one of the best songwriters we’ve had come out of the mountains, period,” Pen said. “And he’s from East Kentucky, so his roots are very deep here.” Cordle was inducted into the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame in the spring and describes the honor as meaningful. “It was an honor, and it was also the last thing my dad got to go to with me before he passed, so I’m very thankful for that,” he said. Not only has he grown up with music in his life, it runs in Cordle’s blood too. His parents were both gospel singers and his grandfather was a professional musician. “In East Kentucky, you are just raised that way,” he said. “I’ve written songs since I was young, and I guess they just fall into the category of Bluegrass.” Cordle also says that around his early teen years, the Beatles were popular, and some of his inspiration comes from bands he enjoys, or things he may read. He said that there’s no exact formula for songwriting. “It’s not an exact science for me. I write songs about anything, and I write for my audiences,” Cordle said. Since he grew up in the Appalachian Mountains of Eastern Kentucky, his songs often reflect his experiences as a child there. “It’s all been done by now, so it’s about the way you decide to explain it,” he said. Cordle travels around the world to perform, but mainly, his shows span from Ohio to Alabama. “There are a lot of fans of this type of music, but it’s hard to gather them up in one place,” he said. For Cordle, the audience plays a large part in his performance. He said he enjoys having an audience that is intrigued about his music and the stories that go along with them. “If they’re interested in what you’re doing, it makes a big difference in the show,” he said. “As a rule, I try not to be play gigs where I’m just the background,” said Cordle.