Inside Appalachia

This week, author Silas House returns with a sweeping new novel. Also, some folks say, you have to fake it 'til you make it, even if you're trying to establish a state park.   And, the story of the first Mothman sightings as written by a small town journalist in 1966. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia .

This week, ballads tell stories about all kinds of real-life events, but after Hurricane Helene, one group of ballad singers felt some topics were still too raw.  Also, the author of a book on ancient Ohio credits a former grad student with introducing him to the region’s mysterious earthworks.  And, the legacy of Affrilachian poet Norman Jordan includes a summer camp for teens to study their heri...

This week, Barbara Kingsolver’s new novel takes on issues of class and classical music.  Also, kudzu warriors band together to fend off invasive plants and take back the land.  And, it’s pawpaw season. But a new bug could be harming the trees. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia . 

Ballroom culture offers LBGTQ folks a chance to be as fabulous as they want to be.  Also, the national media reports on the deaths of notable people, but small, hometown papers add a more personal touch.  And, alpha-gal syndrome takes red meat off the menu, but what about ostrich?   You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia . 

This week, it’s not easy to find a place to play hockey in Appalachia, and if you happen to be young and ambitious, it can be harder.  Also, rappers and musicians across West Virginia come together for a song challenge.  And, farmers learn to turn unwanted sheep’s wool into home insulation.  You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia .

One thing about Appalachians, we can get competitive.   We’re proud of our local food. Love a good hunt. And enjoy competition with friends. We learn the rules and celebrate our victories. But there’s more to competing than just winning or losing.  This week, Inside Appalachia , we’ll meet competitors who are keepers of beloved Appalachian traditions.

Encore: Torn All To Pieces And Marina Waters, Inside Appalachia

This week, we remember the one and only Dolly Parton.   Dolly was more than a musician or a celebrity. She used her musical success to help others. She started the Imagination Library, a free book program for children that included some of her favorites, like the Little Engine that Could.   And Dolly’s kindness touched people from all walks of life.   Today, we’re honoring Dolly Parton, Inside App...

This week, we reflect on Dolly Parton’s passing and her legacy in the region. Also, the Adaptive Climbers Festival at Kentucky’s Red River Gorge feels like home for climbers with disabilities from around the world.   And, a new book spotlights Appalachian plants and encourages readers to get in touch with nature.   You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia . 

This week, a new report finds the number of black lung cases is at its highest since the 1970s. The human cost is high.   Also, the author of a new book says reintroducing nearly extinct animals back into the wild can boost damaged ecosystems, but they can't repair them.  And, roadside attractions pay tribute to our enduring fascination with weird.  You'll hear these stories and more this week, In...

This week, a Japanese Shinto garden took root in Southwestern Virginia because of family connections spanning geography and generations.  Also, in Whitesburg, Kentucky a new mosaic uses recovered objects to honor the town’s people after the flood of 2022.  And, the young adult novel “Verity Vox and the Curse of Foxfire” mixes historical fact with spooky Appalachian folklore. You'll hear these stor...

This week, having a very specific talent can lead to a dream job. It’s how cartoonist John Rose got his foot in the door to draw the comic strip Snuffy Smith.   Also, there are dos and don’ts for treating poison ivy.  And, a young, old-time musician wants to save her family’s lost ballads. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia .   

This week, a new memoir explores the struggle to stay in Appalachia –and the struggle to leave.  Also, an exhibit in Kings Mountain, North Carolina documents the contributions of the Catawba Nation to the American Revolutionary War.  And grab some sunscreen as we make a visit to the Nelsonville Music Festival in Ohio.  You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia . 

This week, after a disaster, can comics help set the record straight?   Also, sifting through Hurricane Helene’s debris, one group tries to reunite keepsakes with their owners, including love letters.  And a cafe in Virginia feeds the hungry and tries to destigmatize homelessness. For its outreach manager, whose brother lived on the streets for years, it’s personal.   You'll hear these stories and...

This week, we’re traveling to summer attractions across Appalachia. Like a bus that sits on a rock at the West Virginia confluence of the New and Gauley rivers.  Also, one person’s weedy nuisance is another’s “golden” treasure. So says a North Carolina fiber artist.     And we spill the tea on a classic roadside attraction.  You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia . 

This week, before emancipation, Appalachia provided pathways to freedom for enslaved people trying to escape bondage. A new project identifies more than two dozen previously unknown underground railroad sites.  Also, the Fly Around Music & Arts Festival in North Carolina was inspired by the hard work that followed Hurricane Helene.  And, a ballad about floods recorded a generation ago still pr...

This week, in the 1920s, Oscar Micheaux was an entrepreneur filmmaker in western Virginia. He became a world-renowned director and producer. Also, Kentucky’s poet laureate lives down the road from what has been called the country’s most lethal cryptid. Attempts to spot it have led to deaths.  And, we talk soul food with Xavier Oglesby, who's passing on generations of kitchen wisdom to his niece. Y...

This week, some folks are working to preserve the memory of Bristol, Virginia’s Black Bottom, a largely African American community wiped out by urban renewal.  Also, small food producers embrace digital technology for the humble farm stand.  And Kudzu, it’s coming for us. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

This week, ballads tell stories about all kinds of real-life events, but after Hurricane Helene, one group of ballad singers felt some topics were still too raw.  Also, the author of a new book on ancient Ohio credits a former grad student with introducing him to the region’s mysterious earthworks.  And, the legacy of Affrilachian poet Norman Jordan includes a summer camp for teens to study their...

This week, we’re revisiting a show featuring storytellers out loud in front of audiences. Folks like five-time champion of the West Virginia Liars’ Contest, Bil Lepp. Also, musicians Anna and Elizabeth, whose storytelling used something known as a crankie. And, we’ll head to the International Storytelling Center in Jonesborough, Tennessee. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appal...

This week, some of the stories on our show inspired college student art — including a vivid image of a bear smashing a clarinet. Also, a Hare Krishna community in West Virginia serves vegetarian food made in three sacred kitchens.  And, COVID-19 exposed the contempt society has for marginalized people. One author says, these folks are anything but passive.  You'll hear these stories and more this...

This week, a new roleplaying game gives folks in the workplace a chance to be a mythical Appalachian monster.  Southeast Ohio’s Nelsonville Music Festival celebrates its 20th anniversary in June. We talk with the founder about what keeps people coming back.  And members of a Ukrainian Catholic church in Wheeling, West Virginia, make pierogies for their community every week. What makes them so good...

This week, Hurricane Helene devastated central Appalachia and disrupted the lives of people in recovery.  In West Virginia, fur trapping continues, even in the 21st Century.  And baseball is America’s past-time. One league is making the game more inclusive. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia . 

This week, Appalachian Dungeon Fest spotlights the fantastical music of dungeon synth.  Also, every year, the Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival stages a formal dance. Organizers rely on a manual that’s been passed down for generations.  And, small dairy farms are closing across the country. Central Appalachia has been hit hard.   You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia . 

This week — too often, people with mental health challenges or substance use disorder wind up in jail. But crisis response teams offer another way.  Also, changes to the Endangered Species Act could benefit big business. They could also kill animals like the eastern hellbender.  And, in troubled times, a West Virginia writer says to find peace in nature. We talk about her collection of essays.  Yo...