When you think of “Appalachian cooking,” what comes to mind? For a lot of folks, it’s savory comfort foods like biscuits with sausage gravy, crispy fried chicken and mashed potatoes loaded with butter. But, what about folks who want that comfort food, without involving animals? Jan Brandenburg is a pharmacist and poet in Eastern Kentucky. Over the last 30 years, she’s collected and perfected recipes that take a plant-based approach to the Appalachian table. Producer Bill Lynch spoke with Brandenburg about her new book The Modern Mountain Cookbook.
LISTEN: Hugh Masekela Has The Mountain Stage Song Of The Week
Hugh Masekela performs on Mountain Stage during the Sterwheeler Regatta in 1989.Hugh Masekela/Mountain Stage Archives
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“Around the world it’s just a simple song.” – Mountain Stage theme, composed by Larry Groce.
This week’s premiere broadcast brings you music from all corners of the globe with a Mountain Stage special called “Around the World It’s Just a Simple Song.”
Our Song of the Weekis by Hugh Masekela, the South African trumpeter and activist who performed the popular anti-apartheid song “Bring Him Back Home” (referring to Nelson Mandela) twice on Mountain Stage. First in 1989, and again in 1994.
This version is from the latter appearance recorded in Charleston, West Virginia, two days before Nelson Mandela was inaugurated president of his home country. Emotions ran high that night. Masekela lived in exile from 1960 – 1990, returning only after Mandela was released from 27 years in prison. Hugh left West Virginia the next morning, bound for Pretoria, to be present for Mandela’s inauguration. Hugh Masekela died in 2018.
This special episode also features performers such as June Tabor, Angelique Kidjo, Miho Hatori, Beausoleil, Ali Farka Touré, Zakir Hussain, and many others.
Our spring broadcast season continues with a fresh new episode of Mountain Stage, recorded live at the Culture Center Theater in Charleston, WV. Host Kathy Mattea welcomes The MC Taylor Goldsmith Show, Kat Edmonson, Ken Pomeroy, Jonny Fritz, and Scott Mulvahill.
Listen this week for a premiere broadcast of Mountain Stage featuring Larkin Poe, Victoria Canal, Raye Zaragoza, Ron Pope, Christian Lopez. This episode was recorded with our host Kathy Mattea on the campus of West Virginia University thanks to o...
On this week's premiere broadcast of Mountain Stage, host Kathy Mattea welcomes The Headhunters, Amanda Ann Platte & The Honeycutters, David Berkeley, Buffalo Rose, and Crys Matthews. Recorded at the Culture Center Theater in Charleston, WV.
