My Countrytown: SixForty1 – Kentucky, USA

Regional towns are in our blood here at CountryTown! From Kurri Kurri to Broome, Ballarat to Noojee, we love the amazing country musicians our regional centres produce – but we mustn’t forget the quality artists who come from distant shores too!

Nashville-based pop-country duo, SixForty1 (Austin Gee and Brooks Hoffman) originally formed when the two met at Murray State, in Kentucky. Since then, the band’s goal was to bring people together, through their music, as does highway 641, the band’s namesake. 

Since making the move to Nashville in 2018, the two have managed to create quite a buzz. Through a series of independent releases over the last three years, SixForty1 has already made waves in the streaming world. They released their sophomore EP, Started Right Here in 2021, which contains their current single Bad as well as the tracks Me and Your Memory, Started Right Here, Never Gets Old, Not Me Missing You and the summertime anthem, All Night.

The group has found early success and fandom, touring with several acts including Brantley Gilbert, Eli Young Band, Michael Ray, Walker Hayes and Niko Moon among others.

To get to know SixForty1 a little better, we’ve asked what they love about their hometowns – Austin (Hopkinsville) and Brooks (Louisville) – in Kentucky, US.

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Austin Gee: 

1. 270

To most, this number doesn’t mean much. But to me, it's everything. Being from Hopkinsville, Kentucky, we wear our area code with pride. So much so that I distinctly remember a few of my classmates getting it tattooed on them like a badge of honour my senior year of high school. I keep this ideology with me to this day, never forgetting where I came from.  

2. The Bible Belt

My family has always been deeply rooted in religion. My butt was in a church pew every Sunday morning, night, and most Wednesday’s when I didn’t have baseball practice. There is a church on every street corner each with their own personalised message on the sign in the parking lot. I’m thankful to come from such a unique part of the country.

3. Eclipseville

Our town’s “claim to fame” was being the epicentre of the Solar Eclipse of 2017. People flew in from around the world to witness the phenomenon up to a year in advance making the town jump start expansion/improvement plans. New hotels started popping up alongside brand-new restaurants, making Hopkinsville the place to be in Western KY.

Brooks Hoffman:

1. Sports History

Home of the Kentucky Derby – the fastest two minutes in sports. Most people overlook the amount of history Louisville has, and Churchill Downs has plenty of it. Derby week is a huge celebration/party for Louisville and people all around the world. Girls are in their big hats and dudes throw on their best suits. I'm proud to be from a city that hosts such a big event. Louisville has also hosted multiple PGA Tour championships at Valhalla Country Club (One of which won by Tiger Woods) and a Ryder Cup. I could hear the roars from my house. Last but not least, one of the greatest athletes of all time, Muhammed Ali, is also from Louisville.

2. Musical Influence

If it weren't for taking guitar and drum lessons at a young age, I never would've caught the songwriting bug. In middle school, some of my buddies and I decided to form a band at a local music school called the "Louisville School of Rock". Some of my best memories growing up were made during that time. Whether it was writing terrible songs in my friends' basements, or playing local Pizza shops, we had a great time learning how to perform.

3. Community

Anyone from Louisville knows that it's one of the country's best kept secrets. From the schools to the food and entertainment; I've always loved Louisville's passion for creativity. It's part of the reason why I wanted to make music in the first place. I knew I could always count on friends and family to show up and support us. Most of those same people still come to our shows today! It has been fun to see the growth.

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Keep up to date with SixForty1 and follow them on Facebook here.

For more of our My CountryTown series, check out here.