Feature-length documentary coming about Bell County’s Laurel Cove Music Festival

Mesmeric Media and Laurel Cove Music Festival are thrilled to announce the production of Where the Mountains Sing, a feature-length documentary capturing the soul, sound, and spirit of the Laurel Cove Music Festival — one of Appalachia’s most cherished musical treasures. Filming will take place throughout 2026, from the planning to organizing and through the festival, with the film set for release on PBS, Amazon Prime Video, and additional FAST channels and streaming platforms worldwide in late 2026. 

Producer Michael Holstein has produced content for over 20 years, specializing in music events, including the PBS series’ In Performance at the White House, An Opry Salute to Ray Charles, the Gershwin Prize, and Live at 9:30. He has also created, written and directed music videos, documentary pieces, and broadcast segments for artists including Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Lord Huron, Harry Connick Jr., Leon Bridges, Drew Holcomb, and My Morning Jacket.

The first look at the documentary was just released via the “Where The Mountains Sing” social pages, seen below. 

Nestled deep in a shady mountain holler in Kentucky’s oldest state park (Pine Mountain State Resort Park), the 1,400-seat Laurel Cove Amphitheater has long been considered one of the most beautiful music venues in the state— “a bluegrass Red Rocks,” with a sheer rock cliff behind the stage and a reflective pond at its feet. The event has sold out in under five minutes in each of the last three years before a single band is announced, with 80% of the available tickets going to past attendees. Surrounded by old-growth hemlock and rhododendron, with a rock cliff behind the stage and a small pond in front of it, it looks like an Appalachian dreamscape come to life. This is the hidden home of a beloved, taste-making, fan-friendly, artist-supporting festival that draws fans and artists from across the country for an intimate, grassroots experience defined by authenticity, community, and a shared love of modern Americana music and Appalachian culture. 

Recent breakout artists who have graced the Laurel Cove stage that will be featured in the documentary include Red Clay Strays, Charles Wesley Godwin, Kaitlin Butts, Wyatt Flores, Cole Chaney, Ole 60, and many more of the genre-defining musicians whose stories and performances anchor both the festival and the film’s emotional core, and provide lifelong memories for those lucky enough to secure a ticket to this intimate festival. 

“It’s so incredibly humbling that someone as accomplished and skilled at their craft as Michael Holstein wants to help us tell this story. It never ceases to amaze me that a small, volunteer-run festival in a holler in southeast Kentucky is something that’s grown to be something that people hold dear to them….a place where we can all put aside all the BS of everyday life and remember what it’s like to just enjoy one another’s company,” said Jon Grace, festival organizer and Bell County Tourism Director. “I’m thrilled the world is finally going to see what makes this place so special…the people who are there. Whether they’re the fans, artists, staff, vendors….they are what makes LCMF what it has become. Yes, it’s a beautiful setting….but the people in that holler are what makes this event memorable.” 

Where the Mountains Sing will follow three narrative arcs — the small but intrepid team of organizers, the artists (focusing on breakout star and co-headliner Cole Chaney), and the fans — all converging in Pineville for a transformative weekend of connection, creativity, and communion with music, memories, and the mountains themselves. The film blends cinematic festival performances, artist-eye perspectives, handheld vérité storytelling, user-generated footage, and soundscapes that elevate the Appalachian landscape as a living character. 

“This festival is a reminder of everything that’s still great in American music — generosity, grit, collaboration, community, and soul,” said Michael Holstein, Director / Executive Producer and founder of Mesmeric Media. “Where the Mountains Sing is a love letter to Appalachia, to the artists who make this festival a launchpad, to the dedicated team who conceived of and run this special event, and to the people who return every year because this place feels like home. We’re honored to capture that magic, preserve it, and share it with the world.” 

He continues, “When I first heard about the Laurel Cove Music Festival, I was intrigued. When I saw the setting, I was even more interested. And when I met Jon Grace, saw how many amazing acts have played there, learned how much affinity there is for the festival among fans, artists, and the community, I knew it was a story worth telling. These past few months working on Where the Mountains Sing have reinforced that every day. I’ve made movies and TV for 20 years, and I can be a bit jaded, but this is just an awesome event. And, even more, it’s America at its best – no politics, no divisiveness, no price gouging, no BS – just a big ole crazy family coming together in one of the prettiest spots on Earth to enjoy each other’s company, hear some kick ass music, and uplift the community at an event that consistently punches above its weight. “

This year’s edition of Laurel Cove Music Festival features a lineup that includes some of the hottest up-and-coming names in roots music, including Evan Honer, The Creekers, Kashus Culpepper, SG Goodman, Cole Chaney, Shadowgrass, Colton Bowlin, and many others. While tickets are sold out, verified resale tickets can be found for another two weeks or so on the official Facebook group page, www.facebook.com/groups/CoveFam 

The film will be supported by a robust festival circuit run, national publicity campaign, artist engagements, and digital content rollout, including short-form video, social media storytelling, and companion materials such as a podcast, soundtrack, and other special events. Where the Mountains Sing will be produced by Mesmeric Media, in association with Jesse Schuster (Black Swan Booking) and Jon Grace, with production crews drawn primarily from the Appalachian region. 

For more information on “Where The Mountains Sing”, visit www.wherethemountainssing.com 

For more information on Laurel Cove Music Festival, visit www.laurelcovemusicfestival.com