Appalachian Imagination

Melvin (Blue) Lakes, was born in 1947 and lived in Sand Gap, Kentucky until he was 10 years old. His family then moved to the city of McKee and has owned the Lakes Funeral Home since. After retiring from the Health Department, he then ran for the office of Coroner and held that title for 21 years, and in all that time he worked in the funeral home as well. Blue shares a few stories of childhood, w...

Out of the past~We were gifted a campaign poster from 1957 by Tina and Doyle Turner! The poster read as follows~For Sheriff-VOTE FOR GEORGE W. FELTY A Man Who Has The ABILITY, NERVE and COURAGE To Work Day and Night To Stop the Crime Wave that is Threating Jackson County. Republican Primary May 28, 1957. Though most of us don't remember George being the sheriff or being part owner in the theatre t...

Shane is a musician on the rise! Though rather new to the local music scene, he has come out with guns a blazing, with his powerful Anthem for the Great State of Kentucky! The song is titled Sweet Home Kentucky and can be found on all streaming platforms. In this interview Justin and Jason get the full rundown on Shane's musical journey to date. He tells the guys of his Country influences and the...

First off we want to thank all the men and women who have served or are serving in the United States Military! They have all put their life on the line to protect our freedom and we are forever grateful for each and every one. Jim sat down with Jason and shared his story of life in the United States Army. He has lived in several other countries while serving and also fought in the Vietnam War. Jim...

Out of the past- The guys spoke a little more about World War 2. US President proposed speed limit of 40mph across the nation in order to cut down on the use of rubber, oil, and gasoline. Though that doesn't seem very fast 40mph was a high rate of speed for a Model T or Model A Ford. Folks today would surely panic if such were even suggested. Healthy Habits-The benefit of Dandelions. They are hear...

With a quick look back at 1942, and some history of early McKee Kentucky. This episode kicks off the new format that has been laid out to give you all a better and more informed listening experience. Justin and Jason speak a little on Mr. George Felty and some of the memories of him. George was a great person and always dressed sharp when he went to town. At one time he was sheriff and part owner...

In this episode Justin and Jason tell of some things to come with Appalachian Imagination. The interviews and stories of the fine people will continue to air on a regular basis but we want to give our listeners more! Work is already under way with the team doing research on a lot more history of the region as well as true crime stories that have taken place that will hit home for folks in the regi...

With one living on the hill and the other living in the holler, Ben Parker and Jason have been friends since childhood. They share stories of riding mules and horses, rope burns,and wrestling with them. They go on to discuss the Pigg Cemetery (a historical cemetery in Jackson County) and some of the history of it. 3 brothers died of the same disease during the Civil War. The graves are all covered...

Justin gives us a run down on his health routine. Being a self proclaimed “health and wellness nerd” Justin sits down with us to discuss a topic that is near and dear to his heart. He talks about his own health struggles in his life, what caused them, what he’s doing and what you can do to help make your health a top priority. He explains the benefit of hydrogen water, grounding, breathe work, col...

This is the interview as heard on the Dial and Deal show on WWAG 107.9fm. Artimus has had a full life in the music industry and shows no signs of quitting anytime soon! In the year of 1974 he was recommended by the legendary Charlie Daniels to the band Lynyrd Skynyrd to take the spot of the original drummer Bob Burns, due to health reasons. Artimus tells the story of his father being killed in a p...

Melissa was born in Jackson County, Florida and was moved to Jackson County, Kentucky when she was only a month old. She is currently employed at Jackson County EMS. Melissa reached out to us through Facebook and wanted to come on for an episode to talk about suicide prevention. Mental health over all is something that is hard for people to talk about but it is definitely worth discussing. Melissa...

The human race all too often relies on the conveniences of modern medicines. While better, more natural remedies are often right under our noses and some of them growing in our yards. Did you know, that the cambium layer of willow bark can work as a pain reliever can help with headaches? Did you know the dreaded dandelion is edible and is really good for heart health? With some research and hiking...

The week of January has been a cold one here in Eastern Kentucky! We have had temperatures as low as -7, snow, and wind that would chill you to the bone. As with any other time of year we have still went to work to provide for the family. The roads have been slick but thankfully we have made it safely back and forth. Jason speaks on survival and talked a little bit about the Donner party, who had...

Hailing from 96, South Carolina. Jennifer is an influencer who has studied hard and really honed her skills on canning as well as food preservation, tinctures, and so many other things that we are sure you will enjoy listening to! With her main platform being TikTok you can tune in and enjoy her family friendly sense of humor, and learn so many different things that are beneficial to life. https:/...

This is a very loose episode, touching on several different topics. Flat Earth was discussed, but not saying any of us are sold on it. We also talked a little on Native Americans using turtles for calendars. Should there be 13 months in a year, with 28 days per month? Feel free to jump in the Questions and answers and tell us your opinion on any of the subjects that we discuss. All answers and com...

Ryan (Tater) Johnson has lived the dream of being a Rockstar. In this episode he tells of the highs and lows of being in a band that has toured the world and sold over 1 million copies,and how it all got him reconnected to God. After leaving 10 Years, he tells of some struggles in life that he has been through, how the Lord has blessed him, and now he has his own record company called Tater Vision...

This is an ad free episode, with clips from previous episodes. We here at Appalachian Imagination truly appreciate all of our people and are truly grateful for all of the folks who have shared their stories with us. If you have a friend or family member that you would like to interview, reach out to us and we will do what we can to make it happen. The preservation of stories, and uplifting the App...

Chris made it back in to chew the fat with Papaw Paul, Justin, and Jason. This episode is in no way treated like an interview, instead it is four friends just hanging out and letting the conversation go where it will. As you will see it goes all over the place. You will hear what is going on in Chris's life and the sharing of stories. We hope it brings you as many laughs as it did us recording and...

Nate is a returning guest to the podcast. He is currently finishing his senior year of high school and has already joined the National Guard. We truly appreciate him stepping forward to serve our country! Nathan has been an active member of the ROTC program through school and encourages other students to join and tells a little about what the program has to offer. We thank God for his kindness and...

Justin and Jason, met up with Josh and Mike in the Life Is Purpose studio for this episode. Josh and Mike give us full detail on what L.I.P is all about. https://youtube.com/@LifeIsPurpose?si=yOZIFbEEx05OI_DW It is a Youtube channel created to help get you closer to God and deal with every day struggles of life. Coming from two completely different backgrounds they make a good team with the abilit...

Justin turned the tables in this episode and interviewed Jason to unravel the mystery. Jason grew up on a farm as a share cropper,and has had several jobs through his life's journey. You will find out a little about his way of thinking and what keeps him motivated in life. In his words of wisdom he suggests that folks from all walks in life should weigh out what matters. We thank GOD for supplying...

Jory returns to share some more info on plant medicines, making moonshine, and speaks a little about being on the Netflix series The Heist. Making whiskey has been a part of Appalachian culture since the first settlers came in, so we thought it would be fitting to include an episode on it. Please keep in mind that we in no way promote drinking, but it is definitely part of our history as a people....

Jory sits down with Justin and Jason and gives a fantastic run down on foraging, medicinal plants, and edible fungi, that all grow naturally in the Appalachian mountains. Spending the first years of life in the Buckhorn area of Leslie County, he bounced back and forth between Clay and Jackson County. He served six years in the United States Army. We should also mention that he is a phenomenal sing...

Papaw Paul heads this interview with Mike! This episode will hold you captive as Mike tells of his success as a songwriter and writing the Mommy Goose series of children's books. One of Papaw Paul and Jason's favorite parts was Mr. Norris reciting a poem of his about One Eyed Jack. Growing up in McKee Kentucky, Mike was an only child born with the need to be a creative. We Thank God always above a...

Justin leads this interview and you will see,Cierra is a great person who loves her family, and the community she lives in. Most of her time is spent working to make the region a better place. She is currently holding a bachelor's degree in chemical and substance abuse counseling, while working towards three different master's degrees, clinical psychology, general psychology, and chemical and subs...