Much has been said in recent years about bringing tourists to Russell County. The area has many assets, proponents say, such as the Clinch River, ATV trails and events like Cedar Fest.
But it was the hometown of a country music band that prompted one man and his girlfriend to travel more than 4,000 miles to “The Russell County Line.”
Formed in 2013 in Castlewood, 49 Winchester has been climbing the ladder of country music success. The band’s music has been featured on the hit television series “Yellowstone” and they have been nominated for the Americana Music Honors and Awards Duo Group of the Year, as well as for the Academy of Country Music Awards Group of the Year.
For generations country music has been the most popular in the American South, as well as the rural West and Southwest. But in recent years the genre has experienced unprecedented growth in Europe.
So much so that when Lenny Niklasson and his girlfriend were visiting the United States earlier this month, a trip to their favorite band’s hometown was a must.
One of 49 Winchester’s most iconic photographs was one taken at a “Welcome to Russell County” sign. This was just after the group released the single “Russell County Line.”
Niklasson happily posted a picture of himself at that sign on the band’s fan club page on July 2 with the caption, “All the way from Sweden to Virginia.”
“My girlfriend and I have seen them three times together and we love their music,” Niklasson said. “I’m amazed by them so when we were on road trip through Appalachia from Georgia to Virginia, a stop at the sign and a quick tour of Castlewood was had to be done!”
Niklasson said he could relate to the band as he too was from a small town.
“I come from a small town in southwest Sweden, almost out by the ocean,” he explained. “It’s about an hour from Gothenburg and it’s a town as small as Castlewood. We got like a grocery store and a school and that’s it.”
Niklasson said country music has been growing in popularity in Sweden.
“Country music is a big thing in Sweden right now,” he said. “But it’s always been big in a domestic way, where we got a lot of Swedish artist doing many cover of like 60’s and 70’s country songs in Swedish.”
He added, “But real country starting to get big there and people starts to wear boots and cowboy hats more now.”
Niklasson has seen the band a total of four times and has watched them rise in popularity, especially after their tour opening for Luke Combs.
“49 starting to rise in Sweden,” he said. “I’ve seen them two times in Sweden and two times in Germany. First time was with Luke Combs as openers and I think that gave them a lot of fire on the way.”
Niklasson said he was impressed with Russell County.
“I love the views and I think it was really nice,” he said. “Absolutely a place I could see myself live there! I’ll be back here to travel with my girlfriend next time and will go back to Virginia again!”
49 Winchester will be back in the region later this year. The band is scheduled to perform at Freedom Hall Civic Center in Johnson City, Tennessee on December 12.
