Appalachian Vibes Radio Show

Kandace Newman (AKA Emerald Pine Originals) is a painter, a wood burner and a single mom with an incredible story to share. In 2020 Kandace found herself in the middle of a break up with a brand new baby, at the start of what will forever be remembered as The year of 'Rona. Up until 2020, Kandace served as an EMT in her rural community of Galax, VA. With a new baby, a pandemic and the tumult...

Jonah Carden is an Americana, rock and metal inspired singer/songwriter from Southern West Virginia. He has written, recorded, and independently released 4 independent albums.  He got the inspiration and encouragement to quit his day job when his fiancé told him to follow his dreams.  We discuss the songwriting group that gave Jonah the motivation and creativity to write most of the songs featured...

This week, my guest is a mix of traditional Appalachian twang and rock and roll, Matt Mullins and the Bringdowns come from Beckley, West Virginia with howling harmonicas, a raw blues guitar, and bone chilling vocals.   Matt Mullins discusses his relation to the famous Hatfield’s from the Hatfield/ McCoy feud from West Virginia’s history; and Matt’s determination to honor the memory of Bill Withers...

On this weeks Appalachian Vibes mini, my guest is the tourism director for the city of Galax, VA. We discuss her role as tourism director, what brought her to Galax and how she’s putting her own spin on the special  events in Galax. Appalachian Vibes is bright to you by Galax Tourism, made possible by Virginia is for Lovers. Galax Tourism: “ Building our Future While Celebrating our Past. ” You ca...

Happy New Year! For this weeks episode I selected some of my favorite interviews from 2022. From The Blushin’ Roulettes , an Appalachian swing duo who got their start on a farm in Mendocino, CA eventually making their way to the hills of NC-to Dr. Bacon , an Appalachian grass six-piece from Asheville, NC-down to Atlanta with Small Reactions , a new age soul, exotica inspired quartet, then up to Fo...

The JAM (Junior Appalachian Musicians) program from Galax, VA are my featured guests this morning. Last weekend, December 10 2022 was the traditional Appalachian Christmas Festival in downtown Galax, VA. Elementary age kids stood bundled in their heaviest coats and mittens around a couple of mics singing and playing the old time and bluegrass music from Appalachian past, and inevitably Appalachia’...

For the past few months I’ve been working with Galax Tourism to discover and uncover the treasures hidden in Galax, VA, a small Appalachian community in SW Virginia near the North Carolina boarder. This weeks episode follows my journey and personal reflection of the depth of art and culture that abides in one of Appalachia’s secret havens.  Appalachian Vibes is bright to you by Galax Tourism, made...

The Loose Strings Band is an all women bluegrass quartet from Galax, VA. Comprised of Lindsey Nale  (mandolin),  Channing Combs (guitar), Grace Davis (bass) and Ashley Hultman (banjo). A few weeks ago I drove in a torrential down pour through mountainous curvy roads in my very well loved black Jeep Patriot to make it on time for the 11 o'clock service at Hillsville Church of the Brethren. The...

Hello friends! My guests this week are the Galax, VA, bluegrass, Americana, all women quartet: The Loose Strings Band . They examine the songs off their upcoming EP, Realities , due to be released in 2023. We discuss the life experiences that inspired the album, from a song called "Galaxy", about their small town that feels like it's a million miles away from anywhere on earth,  to...

Shannon Watkins is an column writer and journalist for the Galax Gazette. She shares her piece, Holy Goodness, a Moravian sugar cake recipe that comes from the Moravians that settled in Appalacahia. So, if your looking for a new (older) tradition to add to your Thanksgiving table, a Moravian sugar cake will be the perfect addition. Read Shannon's columns here: https://www.pmg-va.com/galax_gaz...

Colin Cutler is an Americana, roots, guitar and banjo driven singer-songwriter based in Greensboro, NC. We discuss the  juxtaposition between his experience in the military as well as a musician who writes about violence in America and abroad. And Dr Bacon is an Appalcahin Funk rock band from Asheville, NC. Colin Cutler links:   http://www.colincutlermusic.com Dr. Bacon: https://www.drbaconband.co...

Lindsey Nale is a Galax born and raised bluegrass, Americana singer-songwriter . We discuss how she overcame depression after college, and the song she wrote that helped her though; and Brandon Reeves is an Atlanta based country, blues finger style guitar player/ singer-songwriter, we talk about quitting bad habits, bicycles, and finding his sound.  Lindsey Nale's featured song is called Nigh...

Lindsey Nale is a Galax, VA born bluegrass, Americana singer-songwriter who just released her first single, Night Owl. You may be familiar with the songwriter through her other various musical endeavors: she is the mandolin player and vocalist in The Loose Strings Band, and she is the director for JAM, Junior Appalachian Musicians, an inicitive dedicated to teaching kids in public school systems b...

Small Reactions is a new age, soul, four piece that plays situational pop songs, with equal parts post-punk, drone and surf music. We discuss what the band has been through over the past few years with the covid crisis, songwriting and their latest album, New Age Soul. Small Reactions Links: https://smallreactions.bandcamp.com/album/new-age-soul https://www.facebook.com/smallreactions/ https://www...

Along the yellow and orange tree lined streets of downtown Galax Virginia; There sits Barr’s Fiddle Shop  in a building built in 1910, adjacent to the real birth place of country music, the historic Alderman’s Barber Shop. Oh, you thought Bristol, VA was the birthplace of country? Think again. The real birth place of country music, or "Hillbilly" music is in downtown Galax, VA. I visited...

Happy Sunday! Last week I took a trip to Fainting Goat Studios in Bedford, VA to meet indie Americana artist Griffin Haley, studio musician Camry Harris and the  owner and engineer of Fainting Goat Studios, Willy Gurley. Fainting Goat Studios was built in 2006 when Willy Gurley was in 6th grade. His dad took all the finances saved for Willy's future college career and constructed a studio in...

Hello friends! This week I took a trip to Fainting Goat Studios in rural Bedford Virginia to meet with a couple of indiepndednt artists from Appalachia.  Karlee Raye is a 19 year old country singer-songwriter from Forest, VA who launched her music business at 15 years old. We dive into her experiences playing in bars super young, and the family member that inspired her to write and perform music. ...

On this Appalachian Vibes Mini we explore Heritage Day at Matthews Living History Farm Museum down a winding road deep in Appalachia. Matthews Living History Farm Museum sits on 21 rolling acres in Galax, VA. With roaming Guinea Hogs, Gulf Coast native sheep,  Heritage Jersey cows, and a Jerusalem donkey, the homestead operates today as if it were the mid to late 1700's. Arwen Cayton, directo...

Hello friends,  This week we dive into the history of quilting in Appalachia with Stories of the Stitch, a quilt show at Matthews History Living History Farm Museum. Dozens of quilts hung from clothes lines, brightly woven fabrics blowing against the sky. Any quilter will tell you, quilts are more than a blanket to keep you warm on chilly evenings. They are one of the first forms of art in Appalac...

‘Stories of the Stitch’ 2022 Appalachian Vibes Radio Show from WNCW By: Amanda Bocchi Stories of the Stitch, the 17th annual outdoor quilt show in Galax, VA took place this past weekend.  GPS will lead you the wrong way, best to follow the small wooden signs pointing the way down a winding road, through the hills of Appalachia to Matthews History Living History Farm Museum.  Dozens of quilts hung...

Hello friends, This week my guests are the hip-hop and punk duo High-Low Audio from Bedford Virginia. We discuss the difficulty this duo has experienced breaking into one Appalachian Virginia music scene.  The duo is comprised of Elegy and Montae'Vious Dash, they met in high school and have since created No Society, a label that develops and represents artists who also do not fit in to the tr...

Hello friends,  This week my guest is  Ethan Heller, lead guitarist from the psychedelic circus, heavy jam band laced with wicked jazz lounge vibes from Asheville NC, The Snozzberries.  We discuss the trials and tribulations that brought this band from the innocent, carefree 4 piece in 2017 to a heavier, darker version of the band after their drummer passed away suddenly. Ethan discusses their new...

Appalachian Vibes Radio Show from WNCW is listener nominated, you can nominate an artist by emailing Amanda at appalachianvibes@gmail.com.  Appalachian Vibes Radio Show is created and produced by Amanda Bocchi, a neo soul singer-songwriter, multi instrumentalist and journalist hailing from the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia. 

Hello friends,  This week on Appalachian Vibes my guest is the funky, grass, soul and blues 6 piece from Asheville NC, I’m talking about dun dun dun....Dr. Bacon. I’m speaking with Myles Dunder; original member,  vocalist, saxophonist, and guitarist for this Swiss army knife of a band.  Songs featured in todays episode from Dr. Bacon's album 'Fast and Loose with the Essentials': Pan...

Good morning friends! This week on Appalachian Vibes my guests are the Charlottesville, VA rock-n-roll dance party band, Disco Risque. We catch up about their new album, Joke Squad dropping November 18 and how they incorporate their dream of becoming stand up comedians with their  music. You can learn more about Disco Risque at: discorisque.com *And* Presley Barker was on American Idol when he was...