This week, people with mental health challenges or substance use disorder often end up in jail. But crisis response teams offer another way. Also, one year after the Mountain Valley Pipeline went into service, people who live directly in the pipeline’s path have received compensation. But not everyone. And, the Sacred Harp songbook gets an update for the first time since the early 1990s.
Home » Could New Twists on Traditional Music Help Revive Appalachia's Economy?
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Could New Twists on Traditional Music Help Revive Appalachia's Economy?
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In this episode of Inside Appalachia, we’ll hear why Davis and Elkins College offers a unique type of scholarship for students who play traditional folk music. And we’ll hear about a new tourism music trail in West Virginia called The Mountain Music Trail.
We’d like to hear how you mix up old music with new sounds. We’re looking to feature Appalachian hip hop artists- so send us your samples and links to your favorite hip hop artists in Appalachia.
The best entries will be featured in a future episode of our show- dedicated to the growing hip hop scene here in Appalachia. Who knows maybe, we’ll have to host a DJ or emcee battle or two in this area.
Students Awarded College Scholarships to Play Appalachian Music & Dance
Our episode begins with a story about the Appalachian Ensemble– a touring string band and dance ensemble. The college treats the musicians and flatfoot dancers like sports stars: it offers them scholarships to play traditional Appalachian music. The student arrange the music for contemporary audiences though- and sometimes they blend other styles of swing, cajun, pop, country, tap, and even belly-dancing and break-dancing into their musical and dance performances.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13sppHER-lU
Credit Mountain Stage/ Pat Sergent
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Jake Krack is a musician who performs and teaches music along the Mountain Music Trail
Mountain Music Trail Creates “Virtual Test Drive” of Heritage Tour
The West Virginia Division of Tourism and West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s Mountain Stage teamed up to promote theMountain Music Trail and the state’s music heritage. They’ve been working to create videos from stops along the trail. In this week’s episode of Inside Appalachia, Host Jessica Lilly talks to Mountain Stage’s Vasilia Scouras about the videos.
The Mountain Music Trail connects communities along US Route 219, also known as the Seneca Trail. From Monroe County to Pocahontas County, up through some pretty intense mountains on its way up to Elkins. It finally ends in Tucker County.
New Album Features Classic Songs by Tennessee Ernie Ford
Credit Ted Olson/ ETSU
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Tennessee Ernie Ford’s classically deep voice is known for songs like “16 tons”
Sixty years ago this month, Tennessee Ernie Ford went to the top of the pop and country charts with “16 Tons.” Now, a new CD box set examines the recordings of the first dozen years of Tennessee Ernie’s recording career. Wayne Winkler brings us this report.
Charlie Stamper Releases Album of Folk Tunes
Credit WWMT/ Parker Hobson
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Charlie Stamper playing fiddle outside his home in Cadiz, Ky.
Charlie Stamper is an 85-year-old fiddler who just put out his first full-length album. It’s called Glory to the Meetinghouse. The record is full of traditional tunes from the mountains of southeastern Kentucky, as well as stories Charlie tells about growing up in Knott County in the 1930’s and 40’s. One of our Kentucky correspondents, WMMT’S, Parker Hobson, traveled over to Stamper’s home recently to talk with him about music and his new CD.
This week, people with mental health challenges or substance use disorder often end up in jail. But crisis response teams offer another way. Also, one year after the Mountain Valley Pipeline went into service, people who live directly in the pipeline’s path have received compensation. But not everyone. And, the Sacred Harp songbook gets an update for the first time since the early 1990s.
Dungeons & Dragons, or D&D for short, is a roleplaying game that allows players to inhabit characters in a fantasy setting. They work together to battle monsters, find treasure and tell a shared story in which they’re all the main characters. Youth Services Librarian Jeffrey Wood ran a recent session, guiding a group of young teenagers through an adventure involving a sheep, a dragon made of furniture and a few other creatures.
On this West Virginia Morning, we learn about efforts to clean up an important waterway, and examine the impact of prospective food benefit cuts on Appalachians in need.
