Appalachian Imagination

Strap on your aluminum foil hats and brace yourselves! In the episode Justin, Jason, and returning guest Jesy Sparks cover several conspiracy theories, ghost stories and so much more. The Mandela effect, The possum conspiracy, the Beatles, aliens, and several cryptids. There are some wild conversations to say the least in this episode, we hope you enjoy! Be sure to chime in with your thoughts on t...

Just in time for Halloween, Evan returns again to talk with Jason about some classic horror movies and books that he enjoys reading. Evan is still at it, driving for Daniel Boone Transit and raising his family. He looks like Luke Combs, but is a very down to Earth guy, who is a blast to hang out with. By the end of this episode you will feel like you have known him forever. The team here at Appala...

 Mules- The mule, a hybrid animal, being a cross between a horse and donkey, was the backbone of civilization for centuries. Pulling traits and physical characteristics from each parent, the mule was made for work. They are a sure footed animal,that are good on the trails, and are really strong, which made them good in the fields, pulling plows and tilling land.   In the early days of America they...

Rain, snow, sleet, or hail, Jesy Sparks hauls the mail! Jesy is a hometown guy that absolutely loves where he lives! He is a very funny individual who can tell a story that will pull a chuckle from anyone. Overcoming complications from birth and suffering terrible injuries from a car wreck, Jesy counts himself fortunate, but at the same time finds a way to bring out something funny from almost any...

Hailing from Livingston Kentucky, Donovan is a musician, who sidelines as a bus driver. This episode gives you a glimpse behind the scenes and the life of Donovan and his musical career. Though you can't wash the country off of this old boy, he has a song for most anyone who enjoys music. If you are one who enjoys gospel check out his 2022 album ALL FOR MY KING https://spotify.link/WjYlez0jmDb or...

Delaney being the middle child of five and growing up in Somerset Kentucky, has experienced a little farm life as her folks headed a rescue farm in her youth. Being the creative type, she is the perfect fit for her job as Jackson County's Family Consumer Science Agent. Headquartered in the Jackson County Extension Office, she is doing a lot to help the local folks! http://jackson.ca.uky.edu The Ch...

Justin tells a little of his life growing up and shares his story of dealing with anxiety and suffering panic attacks. If you are someone who suffers with either of these issues, you should listen to this episode and hear how Justin overcame this with out the use of medication. In no way does he say that if you need medicine don't take them. But if you can get past it without meds, why not do it?...

This episode will turn you on to a lot of Kentucky musicians, that you may or may not have heard of! Anthony and Zack, are the hosts and founders of Holler N Kentucky podcast. Neither of the two are musicians, but are both avid listeners, and have some really cool connections with the music scene in Central and Eastern Kentucky. Music is a large part of Appalachian culture and is still going stron...

Working in the coal industry for most of his adult life, Kyle shares stories and touches on the history of mining. Born and raised in Harlan Kentucky,he is now safety director of the mining outfit that he works for. Coal has been one of the biggest parts of Appalachia throughout modern history. Kyle is also a very well respected songwriter and plays bass and sings background vocals in the Outlaw C...

This was a really fun interview! Traci shares lots of stories of growing up in Eastern Kentucky. We talk about gardening, canning, Snake Handling, and the great cat incident of 2023, just to name a few. One that really stands out is the story of her grandmother stripping tobacco, until her fingers bled. Traci is now a realtor, who makes friends, while making a living. Her and her husband have play...

This interview is with an awesome Appalachian from Prestonsburg, Kentucky by the name of James Stiltner. In Eastern Kentucky, lots of folks have trail horses,show horses, and the occasional draft horse or mule however, James is a professional driver/trainer in harness racing! The Red Mile is a harness track in Lexington, but there is now a track in Corbin, Kentucky, making it easier for South East...

Hailing from Winchester Kentucky, Trish, lives and breathes music! She retired from teaching music in 2019, but continues to promote up and coming singer songwriters through Heartstrings. It is a show that is very professionally run through Facebook, to showcase singer/songwriters. Trish is also the curator for the Acoustic Guitar Project, Kentucky chapter. It is a great project that is world wide...

As Summer rapidly comes to a close, and dread sets in for kids returning to class. Bus drivers have to do their yearly update and refresh all the safety guidelines in their minds, to ensure they are being safe when transporting children. In this episode Jason, and Papaw Paul, have a fellow bus driver, Richard Lakes, and Transportation Director, Kathy Spurlock in to talk a little about bus driving...

Laverne who is a retired school teacher, currently working with the Meals on Wheels program in the local area, spends her spare time making art with something that has been often discarded on small tobacco farms. Tobacco Sticks! Making walking sticks, platters and American flags is a hobby that is great for relaxation and sells. She sells her art in Gatlinburg, TN and in Kentucky as well. Sharing...

I found no one who could tell me anything about Sheriff Morris's killers in the county where it happened. There is a memorial that sits to the right in front of the courthouse in McKee Kentucky. I have worked a lot of days beside the building as a food vendor and I've walked by the monument countless times. After seeing it several times I had the question "Who killed him?" I asked elected official...

You knew know what is on the next person’s mind. This song is titled Bars. It was written a couple of years ago by Jason and Amy Bowman. Everyone deals with mental issues that are all too often hard to escape. If you feel stuck,find yourself someone to talk to. It may not fix all of your problems but it will help.

Brigid McCormack is a student of the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. With a deep love for literature and regional culture, she interviews Jason as part of her research on podcasting and different narratives in Appalachia. You will hear how and why Appalachian Imagination started, thoughts on big cities, Elvis movies, Kissing Cousins, and so much more. Spending her youth adjacent to different...

Eric chews the fat with Papaw Paul in this episode, talking about grandparents, motorcycles, and Back Roads of Appalachia. If you have spotted some high end cars in our area, Eric has been a big part in bringing those folks into the Appalachian region. In turn they spend money in local businesses and see the beauty of our part of the world. https://backroadsofappalachia.org/ We thank God for all o...

Save The Children is a wonderful program that helps kids to learn to read and retain what they read better. This interview is somewhat different from our regular format, as Papaw Paul sits down and has a conversation with his boss,Tina, from Save The Children about the work they do. Some kids struggle a little more than others and it is quite alright to get a little extra help. They tell stories o...

It was a heartwarming experience to see all the fine folks come together June 10th at the Festival of Hope, to contribute to The Jackson County Cancer Fund. There were inflatables, a dunking booth, cake walk, great food, live music, guest speakers, silent auction, and so much more. Mickey,Minnie, and Goofy were in attendance for some cool photo ops. (Pictures will be posted on appalachianimaginati...

Tammy has been an educator for the past 32 years, spending 31 of those years in the same classroom. She was Jason's teacher in the early 1990's and has taught a few of his children already with another on his way to middle school. Mrs. Marcum likes structure in the classroom and truly loves what she does for a living. She grew up right beside Highway 421 in Sand Gap Kentucky and everything in life...

Growing up in Breathitt County, Josh now resides just across the line in Owlsey County. He works for the transportation dept. in Jackson Kentucky as an inspector, but as you will hear, he puts his whole heart into creating. Making highlight reels for athletes and musicians alike, Josh is a videographer, photographer, author, musician, and works with Crystal Jones on Mewz in the Mountains podcast....

Chris is a hard working guy,who loves his family,friends,and the community. Jason often refers to Chris as (Banana Hands). It is a running joke between the two of them on the Dial and Deal show on 107.9fm. This episode is full of laughs and true stories! They talk about hog killing,farming,loading hay,tying brothers up, breaking chandeliers, and how much there is to enjoy in the small town life. (...

Cathy is a person, who you will find out, loves the community she lives in and, the work she does for the Jackson County Farmer's Market. She starts off by telling of her father who played in the 1901 Olympics and migrated to the United States from England. Being a very sentimental person she tells of a few of the keepsakes that she keeps tucked away. She also gives us a schedule of things the...

Keith is a person who a lot of people are familiar with, as he is the CEO of PRTC (People's Rural Telephone Cooperative). The interview starts with Mr. Gabbard sharing the story of his great grandfather migrating here from Syria and working as a traveling merchant. Papaw Paul sits in once again as co-host and it is a real treat to listen to the two of them reminisce about days on the softball...