On this West Virginia Morning, the Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival in Pineville, Kentucky has staged a formal dance for nearly a century that has remained the same for generations. Folkways Reporter Will Warren takes us for a visit.
Listen: Billy Bragg and Joe Henry Have The Mountain Stage Song Of The Week
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Revered singers and songwriters Billy Bragg and Joe Henry perform on this week’s archive broadcast of Mountain Stage, with songs that celebrate the wide-open romance of the American railroad.
Our Song of the Week features the acclaimed pair performing the John Hartford classic “Gentle on My Mind” in a show that also features Chris Smither, Robert Ellis,Lau, and Kaia Kater. This classic episode was recorded in 2016 at the Byham Theatre in Pittsburgh, PA at the invite of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and our colleagues at WYEP.
Joe Henry & Billy Bragg perform "Gentle On My Mind"
Hear the duo take on the classic John Hartford tune.
1 of 6 — Chris Smither
Songwriter and master guitarist Chris Smither has joined Mountain Stage on the road many times. This time he joined the lineup in Pittsburgh, for a 2016 show at the historic Byham Theater.
Josh Saul
2 of 6 — Kaia Kater
Canadian Kaia Kater made her solo Mountain Stage debut in 2016.
Josh Saul
3 of 6 — Robert Ellis
This week we revisit a 2016 episode featuring Texas multi-instrumentalist Robert Ellis.
Josh Saul
4 of 6 — Lau
British folk instrumentalists, Lau are featured on this week’s encore episode.
Josh Saul
5 of 6 — Bob Thompson
It’s safe to say Mountain Stage pianist Bob Thompson often has the best seat in the house.
Josh Saul
6 of 6 — Joe Henry and Billy Bragg
Joe Henry and Billy Bragg prepare to take the stage to close our our road show in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Josh Saul
Join us starting May 28 on these NPR stations to listen in and relive the experience, or enjoy it for the first time!
This week, West Virginians went to the polls for primaries to decide some national and local issues. We’ll talk about the results of some of Tuesday’s elections and hear from some voters.
Marshall University broke ground on a new home for its cybersecurity institute Friday. The new building on campus is backed by a $45 million investment from the state.
PSC Chair Charlotte Lane said U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rules would jeopardize hundreds of millions of dollars of investments in the state’s coal fleet.