COVINGTON, Ky. — It was only a matter of time Derek Alan picked up a guitar – and started performing professionally.
“I come from a musical family,” the Independence, Ky. resident said. “My dad played the guitar, and my mom was a singer.”
And Derek Alan was an athlete.
A three-sport athlete at Scott High School and he played football at the University of Kentucky.
“After football,” he said, “I just needed something to fill the void. I started my music career when I was about 22,” the 41-year-old Alan said.
He remembers that first gig. “My first time on stage was at a marina on Kellogg Avenue in Cincinnati, with my uncle’s band,” he recalled.
The Derek Alan Band was just a distant dream. “I really didn’t have the ambition or thought to be in a band – it, well, just happened.”
When Bluegrass gained popularity, Alan took to an electric guitar and he was hooked.
His Derek Alan Band, with at least six total members, he says, will be performing at The Point/Arc’s Joy Goes Country, Saturday evening, November 28th at the Newport Car Barn (1102 Brighton Street) Newport, Kentucky.
“We’ve done about six or seven events for The Point/Arc,” Alan said, “and we’re
happy to do it. We’re big supporters of their mission.
“It’s fun for us to play our little part for them.”
In fact, The Derek Alan Band just finished performing at The Heart of Country Music Festival in Independence – a two-day event in September – where Derek served as Event Producer.
Joy Goes Country combines two of The Point/Arc’s popular fundraising events – Joy, and Boots ‘n Brews into one celebration. “We’re bringing Joy’s holiday spirit together with Boots ‘n Brews fun country atmosphere,” said Elizabeth Wisher, a Point/Arc Event Assistant.
Boots ‘n Brews, with a country theme, made its debut in 2020 – and the Newport Car Barn hosted the event for the first time in 2023.
“Joy Goes Country is one of The Point/Arc’s major fundraising events,” Wisher said, “bringing together hundreds of supporters to raise money for our mission of serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.”
Joy Goes Country will feature a beer and wine bar, as well as food from participating partners: Wild Side Food Truck, Chef Daddy’s Food Truck, Londonderry Chocolate Strawberries and Bethie’s Bakes (cookies available in sponsor lounge).
“We certainly wanted to keep the country theme,” Wisher said, “and at the same time keep the holiday traditions that everyone loves about Joy while incorporating the fun, laid-back country atmosphere of Boots ‘n Brews.”
Derek Alan and his band will keep that theme on point with his mixed and matching rhythm guitar, bass, drum, lead and steel guitar and fiddle.
The admission cost of sixty dollars – prepay fifty – includes valet parking – and the proceeds aid The Point/Arc of Covington. Tickets may be purchased by calling: 859-491-9191 or on-line: www.thepointarc.org/events.
Attendees can preorder Joy Goes Country apparel before the event on The Point/Arc homepage.
Joy Goes Country is presented by Maile Tekulve & Gray, Granite World, Bilz, and Auto-Owners Insurance. The media sponsor is country radio giant – WUBE – B105 radio.
The Point/Arc was founded in 1972 by a group of parents fighting for the educational rights of their children, who were diagnosed with an intellectual and developmental (I/DD) disability.
The mission – to help people with disabilities achieve their highest potential, educationally, socially residentially, and vocationally. More than this, The Point/Arc has been an organization that identifies gaps in services and provides care and support to fill these gaps – even when government funding sources are not available,.
