Creating New Jobs in an Area Hit Hard by the Loss of Mining Companies
NASHVILLE, TENN. – Appalachia Made Co. (AMCO), a country lifestyle and destination travel brand that strongly focuses on the mission to help create new jobs in the heart of coal country, was founded in 2018 by Williamson, W. VA., locals, Dr. Dino Beckett and Jody Gooslin, and partner Randall Ussery of L37. AMCO officially launches its 2021 schedule of powersports and live music events in Williamson, W. Va., which is home to the Hatfield McCoy Trail system, 600+ miles of some of the best off-road vehicle trails in the nation.
“Over the years, we have seen a significant rise in countrywide and local ridership along with a need for more experiences when the riders get off the trails in our town,” says co-founder, Dr. Dino Beckett. “We saw this as a perfect opportunity to re-build our once-booming town into a national travel destination and provide locals with new service economy jobs,” he continues. “This will also provide riders from all over the country with lifelong experiences that will keep them coming to our region for years to come and drive significant economic impact.”
AMCO has hired music industry veterans, Lexia Chamryk-Thomas as CEO and Cameron Catron as Head of Artist and Brand Partnerships, to build a country lifestyle experience like none other and to bring the Nashville music scene and top nationwide artists to the region.
“I could not be more excited to bring powersports, music, and family events together under one roof and serve an area that has been often overlooked in the region,” says Chamryk-Thomas. “If you have ever touched Appalachia, you would understand how beautiful it is and how great the people and trails are. We want more people to experience what this historic town has to offer, and even better, have it be their destination of choice.”
An early believer of the AMCO movement and brand is rising country music star, and “Artist to Watch in 2021” (mentioned by Spotify, Amazon Music, Pandora, etc.), Kameron Marlowe.
“When I first learned about AMCO, I was totally locked in,” Marlowe exclaims. “Mixing my love for country music and outdoor sports, this was a perfect fit. I have a real passion for this, and I’m excited to see this town revamp and come back to life.”
Marlowe, from Kannapolis, N.C., went from selling car parts to signing a record deal with Columbia Nashville within six months of moving to Music City. Known for his hits, “Giving You Up”, “Burn ‘Em All” and “Sober as a Drunk”, Marlowe is on the fast track to stardom and a huge part of what AMCO represents.
Many brand partners have also proudly joined AMCO in its inaugural year to boost awareness of the region.
“We are so thrilled and humbled to partner with iconic Nashville brands such as Whiskey Jam and Porter Road, as well as Weed Cellars and Riff, to help drive economic impact in a region that has been devastated by the loss of coal jobs and suffered the opiate crisis,” says Co-Founder Randall Ussery of L37. “I have spent a lot of my life in the Appalachia Mountains, and we have always said if you could bottle up its authenticity, values and beauty, the world would look at this place differently. We have a chance here to reframe the narrative of the region and rebuild it into a thriving and sustainable community. It won’t happen overnight, but we are investing for the long term, in our community, in our trails and in the arts, so that our children will stay or come back after college or the military.”
Three percent of all proceeds will be donated to the Hatfield McCoy Trail System, Hiring Our Heroes Foundation and the Williamson Community Economic Development Corporation.
Adhering to local COVID-19 restrictions, AMCO will kick off our Hatfield McCoy Trail riding season with the first AMCO Whiskeyfest presented by Weed Cellars, featuring Kameron Marlowe on Saturday, March 20, 2021. The event will take place at the historic Williamson Field House in Williamson, W. Va.
For tickets and more information, please visit amcoheaven.com or watch it live on the Riff app (joinriff.com).