On this West Virginia Morning, Elizabeth Elswick couldn't find a lot of merchandise to represent her home state of West Virginia while she was growing up. But today, she represents Appalachian culture and sayings through her sticker shop. Folkways Reporter Maddie Miller brings us this story.
Listen: Janis Ian Has The Mountain Stage Song Of The Week, ‘At Seventeen’
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This week’s encore episode of Mountain Stage was recorded in Morgantown, West Virginia last April on the campus of West Virginia University with our friends at WVU Arts & Entertainment. Host Kathy Mattea welcomes a special performance from folk-music icon Janis Ian, who joined us on her final tour.
Our Song of the Week is Ian’s performance of her landmark hit from 1975, “At Seventeen.” It’s one of many “evergreen” songs Ian has penned since she began songwriting at the age of 14.
In promotional materials, Ian is quoted as saying, “It’s a piece of luck when you can hit on a universal theme like ‘At Seventeen.’ It’s what you strive for as a writer. I’m astonished that the song has lived this long, but I’m also horrified that it, and ‘Society’s Child,’ are both still so relevant. I would have hoped that by now so many things would be better.”
The song was awarded a Grammy in 1976 for Best Pop Vocal Performance-Female.
We’ll also hear from Italian singer/songwriter and guitarist Beppe Gambetta, who shows off some dazzling finger-style fretwork. Colombian-Canadian performing artist Lido Pimienta joins us with an innovative sound and songs from her critically acclaimed effort Miss Columbia. We’ll hear a solo performance from New England’s Philip B. Price, who fronts the alt-folk group Winterpills. We’re also treated to a set from Morgantown-based singer/songwriter and professor Chris Haddox, whose self-titled release was produced by Mountain Stage Band leader Ron Sowell.
Iconic musician, songwriter and producer Nick Lowe returned to Mountain Stage in 2019 flanked by surf-rock legends Los Straitjackets. Host Larry Groce also welcomed Patty Griffin, Craig Finn & Uptown Controllers and Shook Twins to the stage.
This week's broadcast of Mountain Stage was recorded on the campus of West Virginia University (WVU) at the Canady Creative Arts Center. Joining us on this episode is Ruthie Foster, Charlie Mars, The Wandering Hearts, Fellow Pynins, Rebecca Porter and guest host David Mayfield.
On this week's premiere broadcast of Mountain Stage, you'll hear performances from Bettye LaVette, Kim Richey, Keller Williams, The Langan Band, and Megan Jean’s Secret Family. This episode was recorded live at the Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium in Athens, Ohio.
On this West Virginia Morning, Curtis Tate tells us about problems with the Mountain Valley Pipeline as it nears completion, Emily Rice discusses children’s mental health with state expert and Mountain Stage brings us the Song of the Week with Watchhouse performing “The Wolves.”