Taylor Lansdale is a songwriter from Mt. Sterling, Kentucky, where the rolling hills of horse country begin to give way to eastern Kentucky’s mountains. His music lives in that in-between space: heartland rock and folk meeting Appalachian storytelling. Think Isbell, Prine, and Petty.
With songs that can turn from funny to devastating in a line or two, Lansdale writes with an eye for detail that makes a place, a person, or a past life feel real. His work has earned recognition at the Kerrville Folk Festival’s New Folk Contest, where he was named a finalist, as well as the Black Mountain Film Festival, where he won its songwriting competition. He was also a finalist in the Sleeping in the Woods Festival Songwriting Contest and a co-winner of the Hollar Holler Songwriting Contest.
Lansdale has appeared at venues including The Burl and The Monarch, earned a slot in the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame’s Songwriter Rounds. He has been featured on podcasts including Wick’s Picks, Roots Music Rambler, First Spin, and Hollar N’ Kentucky, along with radio programs across the southeast.
His debut album, Headlong, introduced a songwriter grounded in place, plainspoken emotional weight, and honesty. His new EP, Wild Ride, was released May 7, 2026. This year, Lansdale is taking his songs to venues and festivals across Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio, West Virginia, Texas, South Carolina, and Nebraska.
Hello, my name is Khegan McLane, and I am a singer-songwriter from the hills of West Virginia—specifically Charleston, which, though in a valley, might make the "hills" part a little misleading. I’ve been playing music for over a decade now, and I’ve absolutely loved every second of it. Picking up a guitar, learning to play, and eventually starting to write songs is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Before music, I was an athlete. I loved sports; it was all I wanted to do. Like many other kids, I dreamed of turning it into a career. But my lack of athleticism and skill wasn’t the only obstacle—my body had other ideas. I tore my ACL at 16 and have done it two more times since then. However, because of a random conversation I had with my mom around the time of my first surgery, she bought me a $50 pawn shop guitar for Christmas. That’s when the obsession began. I still remember sitting in the basement for hours, often until my fingers bled. I told myself I had to catch up with others who had started playing years before me, but in truth, I just loved it so much I couldn’t stop.
I always grew up with music playing in the background. My parents listened to a lot of great stuff—Springsteen, Coldplay, Johnny Cash, Elvis, and the list goes on. But a few artists really caught my ear: John Mayer, Jack Johnson, and Johnny Cash. They were the ones who truly got me into playing guitar and writing songs, leading me down a path of discovering other artists who’ve influenced my style. While my music is a bit different from theirs, I mostly play originals that fall somewhere between country, Americana, and bluegrass. I released my first album in the spring of 2024, which features incredible musicians like America’s Got Talent finalist Phillip Bowen, renowned flat picker Jake Eddy, CMA Award winner Jenee Fleenor, and a myriad of other talented West Virginia artists. I recorded it with my good buddy, Zach McCord, in Bridgeport, WV.
I’ve always struggled to describe my style, though most people label me as country—so I’ll go with that for the sake of clarity. But really, I’m somewhere in between. I draw a ton of inspiration from bluegrass legends like Larry Sparks, Norman Blake, and Tony Rice. At the same time, I love listening to blues greats, The Grateful Dead, and more regional artists like John R. Miller and Tyler Childers. Bottom line: I do my best to put on a good show. While I mostly play originals, you’ll definitely recognize some of the covers I throw in, and you might even discover a few new ones.
As for personal accomplishments, there are a few I’m proud of. I’ve done a couple of videos with a well-known channel called RadioWV, which have over 200k views on YouTube. My song "Old Flame" recently hit 10k streams on Spotify, and I was voted the #1 country artist of the year by Born and Bred magazine in 2023. Playing Red Barn Radio last year was also an exciting gig for the band and me that we really enjoyed. I don’t love sharing things like this, but I’m trying to get better at recognizing my accomplishments and being proud of what I’ve done—even if it doesn’t feel like much. I’ve had the chance to open and share bills with some amazing artists and bands, including Phillip Bowen, Town Mountain, Arlo McKinley, Zandi Hollup, The Buffalo Wabs & The Price Hill Hustle, and Emily Scott Robinson, to name a few. I’ve appreciated every opportunity that’s come my way.
I can perform solo acoustic sets, duo sets, or a full five-piece set with my band, “The Raccoon Wranglers.” Regardless of the setting, venue, or gig size, I always do my best to put on a great show and keep the crowd engaged. I’m looking forward to seeing you at a show soon!
P.S. I hate writing my bios in the third person—first person just feels more authentic.
