This month you’ll play on Sunday with Grateful Gospel, which has become our favorite Sunday tradition. You hold a record for LOCKN’; you’ve played the festival every single year. How does it feel to be an integral part of LOCKN’s history after all these years?

It is an honor and a pleasure to be a part of this beautiful Virginia festival that is only three hours from my home. Jay starling also shares my record of playing LOCKN’ every year and we always hang there like yearly clockwork. I even beat him in ping pong there once although he still questions my scorekeeping ability, it happened.

We’ve always felt that “Virginia is for Lovers” is a powerful message and that our community proves it to be true. As a native Virginian, what is it about the state, the people, and the culture, that promotes love and acceptance?

We Virginians endure hot, wet, sweaty, rash inducing summers. When the sun goes down, it feels so good that we are filled with love. It’s hereditary. We can’t help it. We just love.

Your Sunday Grateful Gospel set at LOCKN’ is always one of the most anticipated sets of music at the festival. It’s really such an uplifting and spiritual experience. When you look out at the crowd and see people smiling and dancing, knowing that they’re escaping their problems for a little while, what’s that like for you?

Sunday Grateful Gospel has happened around the country maybe a half a dozen times. LOCKN’ is its home. It’s there where we are most comfy. That time of day is special with a certain kind of caffeinated charm. The crowd is always there for us which blows us away. Seeing the same faces singing back to us every year really fills us with positive goodness. Awe Man. Kw.