Dan Turner among the local musicians bringing their talents to the stage of The Train Station

Sometimes things just fit together perfectly. Such is the case for local musician Dan Turner and The Train Station (formerly Felts Music Place), a live music venue located off of Fifth Street Road in Corbin.

Turner, Hazard native, began playing the guitar at age nine. He was the son of a coal miner and preacher, but he had dreams of making it in the music business like many of his idols, including Johnny Cash.

At age 17, Turner left Appalachia and moved west to California. He sang with a gospel group called One Voice for a decade, producing five albums and touring around the country before he decided to return to his roots.

“I wanted to get back into playing country music,” said Turner, who has had the opportunity to share the stage with legends such as Buck Owens, Tracey Lawrence and Roy Clark, just to name a few.

Turner, who eventually married and moved to Oregon for 15 years, has since moved back home to Kentucky, living in the Corbin area since 2021. In 2020, he released his latest music project, an album titled A Good Ride. He says that the songs featured on the album were heavily influenced by the idea of returning home.

“My approach to the album was just to kind of simplify things a little bit,” Turner said. “I wanted it to be the kind of music that any band could just pick up and play.”

Turner said that he has always considered music to be a powerful tool, and when he performs his goal is to take people on an “emotional journey” where they may find themselves laughing or crying, depending on the song.

The vast majority of the songs that Turner performs were written by Turner himself, including “Up Here in the Hills,” which he says is an ode to life in the mountains of Kentucky. Overall, he said that A Good Ride is mostly about his life’s journey since falling in love with music at an early age.

Turner said that it has been a little tough getting established again after moving back to his home state, but he is excited about the fact that a nearby venue, The Train Station, is offering him the opportunity to showcase his talents and support a good cause at the same time.

Michelle and Thomas Eidschun

Train Station shows helping fund efforts of veteran-led non-profit group

Turner, who spent four years serving in the United States Air Force, said that he has always been a patriotic Christian who loves his country and loves God. For this reason, he is thrilled to use his background and musical skills to help further the efforts of the Resilient Knights non-profit group, which is currently leasing The Train Station property and using the proceeds from shows held there to help fund their charitable work.

“It is a great thing,” Turner said. “We need to take care of the people who have sacrificed so much for our freedoms.”

Michelle Eidschun is the president of Resilient Knights, and has been responsible for the booking of shows and events at The Train Station since it opened its doors last fall. According to their official website, www.resilientknights.com, the idea for the formation of the non-profit came about as a result of difficulties in finding adequate treatment for her husband, U.S. Army Special Operation Sgt. Maj. Thomas Eidschun, after he sustained traumatic head injuries in the line of duty.

“With the experience of navigating the bureaucracy of medical services and the resiliency built through artisan projects and faith, the Eidschuns dedicate their time, efforts and land to helping those Wounded Warriors in need,” the Resilient Knights website claims.

As Michelle Eidschun explained, when she and her husband first arrived to this area after moving here from North Carolina, they originally intended to build a retreat for wounded veterans. However, when the opportunity presented itself for them to take over operation of the former Felts Music Place in south Corbin, it seemed like all the pieces were moving into place for a different type of endeavor that would allow Resilient Knights to achieve its goal of supporting veterans, but in a unique, and fun, way.

“We use art therapy and peer support,” said Michelle Eidschun. “I know how much dancing can help with head injuries, especially if it is a choreographed dance. We now offer classes each week to teach line dancing. It is filling a need in our community, and it is for all ages. We have ages eight-to-eighty coming in and learning how to line dance.”

In addition to line dancing lessons, The Train Station also offers live music of all types. In the near future, the Eidschuns are excited about allowing the facility to be used for martial arts classes taught by another local veteran, Melanie Chesnut.

Michelle Eidschun said that Chesnut would have access to the building free of charge while she works to build up a client base.

“The rule of thumb is that it takes about two years for a business to be able to fully fund itself,” Eidschun said. “But we have been very blessed with a large group of volunteers, so I think that we are ahead of the curve when it comes to what those expectations would normally be.”

With the exception of Whitley County Sheriff’s deputies who provide security services, Eidschun said that The Train Station is completely run by volunteers. To find out more about upcoming shows, how to attend a class, or to receive information on how the facility can be utilized for other events, visit them online at www.thetrainstation.com or call (859) 788-0531. Those interested can also search for The Train Station on Facebook, and follow along to see announcements about future activities.

For more information on the music of Dan Turner, visit him online at www.danturnermusic.com or search for him on YouTube.