Our Show
Each year, the Lexington Philharmonic’s full orchestra takes the stage with a world class guest artist or group for an incredibly fun evening of elevating popular songs we all know and love.
For over 40 years, our shows have included The Music of Queen, The Music of The Rolling Stones, the music of Duke Ellington, live film scores played alongside Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark, and many many more!
POPS GOES COUNTRY!
Country Hits: Songs From Nashville
Pull out your favorite boots, hats, bolo ties and other country accessories for a true celebration of a music genre that’s very near and dear to many of us here in Kentucky! For this year’s show, cast of Nashville-based guest artists will join the Lexington Philharmonic for an evening of symphonic renditions of beloved classic country songs like “Folsom Prison Blues,” “Devil Went Down to Georgia,” “Always On My Mind,” “Jolene,” and “Wichita Lineman,” with a few modern country songs mixed in. Expect to hear solid gold hits we know and love, made famous by artists like Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Alison Krauss & more.
Be sure to read up about our costume, cocktail and table decorating contests as the event nears!
AUGUST 8, 2026 • Gates at 4 p.m. • Show at Dusk (around 8:30 p.m.)
Keene Meadow at Keeneland
The Lexington Philharmonic
Led by Music Director MÉLISSE BRUNET
POPS GOES COUNTRY!
Country Hits: Songs From Nashville
A Schirmer Theatrical/Greenberg Artists co-production • Arrangements by Jeff Tyzik • Creative Consulting by Rick Brantley
CALLIN’ BATON ROUGE, written by Dennis Linde As performed by The Oak Ridge Boys
WILL THE CIRCLE BE UNBROKEN, written by Charles H. Gabriel and Ada R. Habershon As performed by the Carter Family
KEROSENE, written by Stephen Earl and Miranda Lambert As performed by Miranda Lambert
CRAZY, written by Willie Nelson As performed by Patsy Cline
FOLSOM PRISON BLUES, written by Johnny Cash As performed by Johnny Cash
ALL MY EX’S LIVE IN TEXAS, written by Lyndia Shafer and Sanger D. Shafer As performed by George Strait
GOOD HEARTED WOMAN, by Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson As performed by Waylon & Willie
FANCY, written by Bobbie Gentry As performed by Reba McEntire
INDEPENDENCE DAY, written by Gretchen Peters As performed by Martina McBride
RAINBOW, written by Natalie Nicole Hemby, Shane McAnally, and Kacey Lee Musgraves As performed by Kacey Musgraves
DEVIL WENT DOWN TO GEORGIA, written by Charlie Daniels, Tom Crain, “Taz” Digregorio, Fred Edwards, Charles Hayward, and James W. Marshall As performed by The Charlie Daniels Band
- INTERMISSION -
ALWAYS ON MY MIND, written by Johnny Christopher, Wayne Carson Thompson, and Mark James As performed by Willie Nelson
WIDE OPEN SPACES, written by Susan Lauralee Gibson As performed by The Chicks
BRAND NEW MAN, written by Leon Brooks, Don Kirby Cook, and Ronnie Dunn As performed by Brooks & Dunn
WHEN YOU SAY NOTHING AT ALL, written by Paul Overstreet and Donald Alan Schiltz As performed by Alison Krauss & Union Station
CHATTAHOOCHEE, written by Alan Eugene Jackson and Jimmy Ray McBride As performed by Alan Jackson
WICHITA LINEMAN, written by Jimmy Webb As performed by Glen Campbell
JOLENE, by Dolly Parton As performed by Dolly Parton
I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU, by Dolly Parton As performed by Dolly Parton 9 TO 5, by Dolly Parton As performed by Dolly Parton
I HOPE YOU DANCE, written by Mark Daniel Saunders and Tia Sillers As performed by Lee Ann Womack
JACKSON, written by Jerry Lieber and Billy Edd Wheeler As performed by Johnny Cash and June Carter
ALL ARRANGEMENTS LICENSED BY SCHIRMER THEATRICAL, LLC