Country Music Highway Welcomes Julie Reeves
Celebrating a Career Built on Dreams and Dedication
Sasha Bush
The Ashland Beacon
Residents of Ashland, Kentucky and surrounding areas recently witnessed a memorable moment in country music history as Nashville recording artist Julie Reeves graced the stage of the Country Music Highway Tour’s third and final stop right here in Ashland and officially became part of the elite group of talented musicians that make up the Country Music Highway.
The Country Music Highway Tribute Show was created by Shaping Our Appalachian Region (SOAR) to celebrate a stretch of roadway that has produced more stars per square mile than any other highway in the world. The Country Music Highway Tribute Show has been busy all summer showcasing the talent of local prodigies from all around. Hailing from the local area, Reeves’ performance was a bit of an emotional homecoming, marked by the unveiling of her own sign on the iconic Country Music Highway.
Reeves, a familiar name in the country music scene seems to have been born with music running through her veins. With the voice of an angel and a heart as big as Texas, it’s no surprise that she has been winning over the hearts of fans from all around. Reflecting on her journey, Reeves shared, “I’ve been singing since I was a little girl. For as far back as I can remember. It’s just something that I always knew I wanted to do, and I knew I wasn’t going let anything get in my way. I went to Nashville in 1994 to pursue music as a career and I’ve been singing professionally since then.” Her words capture the essence of a career built on passion and perseverance.
Raised in Ashland and later moving to the Russell area, Reeves graduated from Russell High School in 1993. The following year, she took a leap of faith and moved to Nashville, setting the stage for a successful career in country music. She began to get her feet wet in the music industry by providing backup vocals for other artists during their studio sessions. It didn’t take long for people to take notice of her angelic voice that left you wanting to hear more.
Reeves’ career had nowhere to go but up from there and the talented singer soon found herself the talk the town as she emersed herself in the country music world. In 1999, Reeves signed with Virgin Records Nashville and released her debut album “It's About Time.” Reeves had three hit singles from that album alone and spent the next few years honing her craft and climbing the country music billboard charts.
Performing at The Country Music Highway Tour was a special event for Reeves, not only for her performance but also for the personal milestone of being added to the Country Music Highway. “It was all just really surreal, and I am just really blessed and excited to have the opportunity to be a part of The Country Music Highway,” she shared.
The performance she gave at the event was made even more memorable by the presence of her family. For Reeves, family is everything. In a touching display of harmonization, she was joined on stage by her mother, Rosemary Stewart, and her daughter, Caitlyn Poole. The trio's performance highlighted the deep bonds of family and music that have defined Reeves’s career. “Having three generations up there singing is just something really special. Our voices … our harmonies … they just go together like peanut butter and jelly,” Reeves explained.
Caitlyn Poole, Reeves’s 19-year-old daughter, expressed her excitement and nerves about performing with her mom for the first time on a stage of that magnitude. “This was actually our first show that we have done together at a country show. We have sung together before like at church or other places, but I’ve never sang with her on stage at one of her country music concerts. It was so much fun. I was so nervous, but it was super fun to be up there beside her and my gran.” Poole shared. Poole, like her mother has the gift of an angelic voice and her performance left the residents of Ashland in complete awe.
Rosemary Stewart, Julie’s mother, reflected on the joy of sharing the stage with her daughter and granddaughter. “Having the opportunity to get up there on stage with my daughter and my granddaughter is just the most awesome feeling in the world,” Stewart said. “I have sung with my daughter for over 20 years. As a mother I am just so proud of her that it makes my heart want to burst.”
Julie Reeves’ career has been nothing short of inspiring and really showcases that never giving up can lead to some of the greatest moments in life. In her words of encouragement to aspiring artists, she advised, “Don’t ever give up on your dream. Don’t ever think or say that you can’t because you can. Your words have power, and you have to realize that.”
The celebration of Julie Reeves achievements in Ashland, marked by the unveiling of her sign on the Country Music Highway, was a fitting tribute to her remarkable journey from a small-town girl with a dream to a big-time artist with a legacy. As she continues to inspire everyone around her with her talent and unwavering spirit, her roots remain a cherished part of her story, and the Country Music Highway proudly honors her legacy.
