NEWTOWN
- From Lexington, Kentucky
- Formed originally as the Kati Penn Band. They changed their name to NewTown in 2011.
- Band members: Kati Penn-Williams (fiddle), Junior Williams (banjo), C.J. Cain (guitar), Clint Hurd (mandolin), and Terry Poirier (bass). James Kee was the original mandolin player (2010-2012)
- Kati Penn-Williams began playing as a youngster. At 12 (1995), she performed and recorded with the “Young Acoustic All-Stars” a group coached by Pete Wernick. She has worked with Wild Rose, the New Coon Creek Girls, Dale Ann Bradley, the Jim Hurst Band, Bill Anderson and J.D. Crowe. In 2003, she recorded her first solo album “Crazy or Not.”
- Junior Williams (married to Kati) is a former member of NewFound Road.
- 2010, released first album “My Turn to Cry” (no label).
- 2011, released Newtown
album (no label).
- 2013, released Time Machine
album (Mountain Home).
- 2016, released Harlan Road album (Mountain Home).
- 2019, Kati Penn and Junior Williams divorced and Newtown was disbanded.
- 2020, Kati Penn joined the Kentucky-based Hancock and Shouse (Arthur Hancock and Chris Shouse).
- 2020, Williams joined his old bandmate Tim Shelton in The Tim Shelton Syndicate.
- 2020, Kati Penn joined Alan Bibey and Grasstowne.
- 2021, Kati Penn married banjo player Justin Jenkins (also a member of Grasstowne).