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Square dance calling — the spoken instructions said over the music — makes participation easy. But there are other aspects — like the prevalence of gendered language such as “ladies and gents” — that can make square dancing an unwelcoming or confusing space. One group of friends in the Appalachian square dance scene are taking action to make the tradition more welcoming for all participants.
LISTEN: Hot Tuna Has The Mountain Stage Song Of The Week
Hot Tuna performs on Mountain Stage as part of their "Final Electric Tour."Chris Morris/Mountain Stage
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This week’s broadcast of Mountain Stage was recorded in front of a live audience at the Moss Arts Center in Blacksburg, Virginia on the campus of Virginia Tech with host Kathy Mattea, featuring a highly anticipated performance by Hot Tuna as they go out on their “Final Electric Run.”
We’ll also hear from Irish singer songwriter Mick Flannery, contemporary roots duo Viv & Riley, accomplished Americana/Blues artist William Lee Ellis, and folk artist Kaia Kater who draws influence from Quebec, the Caribbean, and Appalachia.
Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady of Hot Tuna have been performing together since 1969, and while they are retiring their long-running plugged-in project, they don’t plan on stopping performing together. On their website, Kaukonen states, “It has been said that the music Jack and I play was transformative and that we injected an energy into our sound full of constant improvisation taking the compass on a joyride. It is still our plan to continue in our original duo format. We are not retiring from touring, but the Electric lineup of this long-lived incarnation is going fishing for a while. The road may not go on forever, but the destination is still beyond the horizon.”
Our Song of the Week is Hot Tuna’s cover of “Death Don’t Have No Mercy,” which is originally by the American gospel blues singer-guitarist Reverend Gary Davis.
Tune in to this week’s episode starting Friday, Nov. 10 on these public radio stations. Be sure you’re watching our podcast page for the newest episodes and sign up for email updates to help plan your trip to be a part of 40th Anniversary shows this December.
Viv & RileyWilliam Lee EllisHot TunaMick FlanneryKaia KaterFinale Song
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On this week's premiere broadcast of Mountain Stage, you'll hear live performance radio from the Canady Creative Arts Center on the campus of West Virginia University in Morgantown, WV. This episode features ...
This week’s Mountain Stage was recorded in the intimate space of the historic Franklin Theatre in Franklin, Tennessee. Host Kathy Mattea welcomes some of Americana's top artists, including Grammy Award-winning musician Jason Isbell.
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