Explore the history of Exile, one of America’s longest-running bands, in two new KET productions: Exile: 60 Years of Music and Exile: Live in Concert.

Premiering Saturday, March 2 at 6:30/5:30 pm on KET, Exile: 60 Years of Music chronicles

the band’s rock ‘n’ roll roots in Richmond, Ky., to their 1978 pop hit “Kiss You All Over” that topped the Billboard charts, to their reinvention as a hit-making country band.

More than six decades in the making, this is a tale of triumph and tragedy, musical peaks and valleys, and, most importantly, creativity and survival. Through it all, the band stayed true to themselves, their music and their loyal audience. 

All the current band members are featured in interviews – J.P. Pennington, Sonny LeMaire, Les Taylor, Steve Goetzman and Marlon Hargis – as well as the band’s manager Tony Conway, agent Bob Kinkead and music journalist Cindy Watts. Through rare photographs, home movies filmed over 50 years ago, and rarely seen archival musical footage, this documentary chronicles 60 years on the road with a true Kentucky original.

Then, on Tuesday, March 5 at 8/7 pm, Exile: Live in Concert,recorded at the historic Renfro Valley Entertainment Center in Mt. Vernon, Kentucky, celebrates the band’s 60th anniversary.

The one-hour film captures the band in classic form, sporting all five of its central members: J.P. Pennington, Les Taylor, Sonny LeMaire, Marlon Hargis and Steve Goetzman.

The performance, recorded Nov. 4, 2023, features many of their biggest hits, including “Kiss You All Over,” “Keep It in the Middle of the Road,” “She’s a Miracle,” “It’ll Be Me,” “Give Me One More Chance” and more.

Exile: 60 Years of Music
KET Saturday, March 2 • 6:30/5:30 pm
KET2 Sunday, March 3 • Noon/11 am

Exile: Live in Concert
KET Tuesday, March 5 • 8/7 pm
KET2 Thursday, March 7 • 7:30/6:30 pm

Both original productions will air exclusively as part of KET’s TeleFund membership drive (March 2-10). Supporters can receive DVD copies of either program as a thank-you gift for supporting KET through a monthly or one-time donation.

Exile: 60 Years of Music is a KET production, produced by Tom Thurman. Exile: Live in Concert is a KET production, produced by Nick Helton. Both programs are funded in part by the KET Endowment for Kentucky Productions. For more information, please visit KET.org/Exile.

KET is Kentucky’s largest classroom, where learning comes to life for more than two million people each week via television, online and mobile. Learn more about Kentucky’s preeminent public media organization at KET.org, on Twitter @KET and at facebook.com/KET.