Stock car racing’s roots run deep in Appalachia. Our twisty roads and dark hollers were home to moonshiners — and moonshine runners, who became known for their driving skills. And they became some of NASCAR’s first stars when it formed in 1948. But NASCAR’s oldest continuous racing team had nothing to do with moonshine.
"Just As Soon As You Can"- A Note from Mountain Stage
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“Why don’t you go out and hear some live music, wherever you are, just as soon as you can.”
The words of Larry’s slogan might translate a little differently when you hear them this weekend on NPR stations across the country. He says it after the credits at the end of every episode.
Every. Episode.
Live music is important to us. In the last couple of weeks, a lot of us are realizing how we’ve taken it for granted.
“Just as soon as you can,” has an indefinite tone to it these days. The shows you’ll be hearing on radio in the next couple of weeks were recorded in February. We certainly aren’t encouraging anyone to defy CDC guidelines. Social distancing it is.
Here in West Virginia we’ve canceled at least six shows with uncertainty of when we might tape live episodes again. Our broadcast schedule won’t be the shows we intended, but we’ll still be hearing some of our favorite performances. We’re fortunate to have a wealth of archive material that we can dip in to for the time being. We may even ask you folks, our listeners and friends, to help us chose which episodes hit the airwaves later this Spring. More on that later.
However, there are plenty of artists and venues who aren’t having as much good fortune. Our broadcast schedule will go on, but our canceled shows are just one of an increasing number of gigs that our guest artists won’t get to do. Lots of them are planning live stream web concerts, some are offering deals on their merchandise, and many are already working to reschedule shows for later this year. Suffice it to say that artists, and the entire music business, will be affected deeply. We’re working to reschedule stuff too- fingers emphatically crossed.
We are happy to provide a little live music for you while we wait out this virus, and hope it offers you some peace, some familiarity, and we hope it resonates with you in new and familiar ways. Music and public radio can be a comforting companion, and I hope we never find ourselves taking either one, or each other, for granted again.
Here are all of the stations that carry Mountain Stage and when you can tune in. You don’t have to go out, but you can still hear some live music, wherever you are.
Winners of the 2023 Virginias Associated Press Broadcasters Awards were announced March 23 at the Awards Luncheon and Annual Membership Meeting at The Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. WVPB brought home five first place awards and seven second place awards in eight different categories.
West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s News Department has secured 11 nominations in eight categories in the 2023 Virginias Associated Press Broadcasters annual awards competition. This competition includes the best radio and television stations in both West Virginia and Virginia.
Brandon Maynard, a special education teacher at Cabell Midland High School, earned West Virginia Public Broadcasting's Above and Beyond Award for November, which recognizes excellence and creativity of Mountain State teachers.
West Virginia Public Broadcasting (WVPB) recently aired a new documentary about the life of Medal of Honor recipient, Woody Williams titled, "Woody Williams: An Extraordinary Life of Service." The public is encouraged to join us for a special screening on Monday, Dec. 11 at 5:30 p.m.