KEE Live

Cherokee’s Kee Live Music Festival will be held Jan. 16-17, 2026. The annual event features pub crawls, a jam session and student music clinic. Above: The Buckmiller/Schwager Band will perform Saturday, Jan. 17, from 5-8 p.m. at The Brightside Lounge.

Get ready for Kee Live 2026, Cherokee’s annual music festival coming up Jan. 16-17, celebrating great live music in the heart of winter.

Top acts performing at five local venues will make this year’s event unforgettable, so mark your calendars.

2026 Headliners

Outlaw Jim & the Whiskey Benders

Warning! Outlaw Jim & the Whiskey Benders have blown into town to raise the roof and entertain all the many ramblers in search of good music and great honky-tonking times.

The Whiskey Benders have played the Grand Ole Opry Plaza Parties in Nashville, as well as the famous venues on lower Broadway.

They have opened for John Michael Montgomery, Mark Chesnutt, Montgomery Gentry, Tracy Lawrence, Blake Shelton, Craig Morgan, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Pure Prairie League, The Marshall Tucker Band, David Allan Coe and many more.

Playing sing a long favorites and a unique list of original songs from their three albums, many  are comparing them to the original outlaws, but with a flare all their own.

Ragtown

Ragtown is an upbeat country rock and dance band packed full of incredibly talented and seasoned musicians playing what they like to call “Pop Infused Country Rock.”

Their high energy and chemistry on stage is infectious, and fans can’t stop wanting more of this kind of fun.

Covering hits by the best in country like Kenny Chesney, Alabama and Florida Georgia Line to mixing in dance rock like the Doobie Brothers and hits from Prince to current pop like Pitbull.  You get the best of it all with Ragtown. 

Avey Grouws Band

Avey Grouws Band resonates with the raw power of the Mississippi River, infusing their roots rock sound with a diverse blend of blues, rock and soul.

Fronted by dynamic vocalist Jeni Grouws and fueled by the guitar prowess of Chris Avey, this two-time top 10 Billboard charting band has carved out a reputation for a gritty sound paired with electrifying live performances. 

From the sun-drenched shores of Florida to the vibrant energy of the East Coast, and from the heartland of the Midwest to the dazzling lights of Las Vegas, the band has captivated audiences with their energy and talent. Notably, their appearance at the renowned Big Blues Bender alongside legends such as Keb’ Mo’, Shemekia Copeland, Danielle Nicole and Tab Benoit further cemented their status as rising stars of roots rock.

TICKETS

Advance tickets are available at the Cherokee Chamber of Commerce office or the 2026 Kee Live venues: Brightside Lounge, Kee Stirs  at the VFW, Pastime Lounge and Whiskey Throttle. Advance ticket sales end Thursday, Jan. 15, at noon. All tickets are non-refundable.

Friday and Saturday Night Pub Crawl tickets are $25 in advance or $30 at the door. A combination package, good for both Friday and Saturday Pub Crawls, is available in advance for only $40. Saturday’s Jam Session is free admission. For more information on tickets and hotel packages, see www.keelivemusic.com.

SCHEDULE

Friday, Jan. 16

• Student Music Clinic conducted by The Dakota Jazz at Cherokee Middle School, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1-3 p.m.
• The Dakota Jazz at The Brightside Lounge, 5-8 p.m.
• Avey Grouws Band at Whiskey Throttle, 8-11 p.m.
• Ragtown at Little Sioux Event Center, 10 p.m.-1 a.m.

Saturday, Jan. 17

• Jam Session with Buckmiller/Schwager Band at The Brightside Lounge, 1-4 p.m.
• Buckmiller/Schwager Band at The Brightside Lounge, 5-8 p.m.
• Outlaw Jim & the Whiskey Benders at Pastime Lounge, 7-10 p.m.
• Josh Hoyer & the Church of Blues at Kee Stirs at the VFW, 10 p.m.-1 a.m.