On this West Virginia Week, we learned about plants that can thrive in former mine lands, we kayaked along the Gauley River, we learned about an art exhibit inspired by recent cuts at West Virginia University, and we saw dogs fly from Charleston to Michigan to reach their forever homes.
Listen: Tyler Grant & Robin Kessinger have the Mountain Stage Song of the Week
Robin Kessinger and Tyler Grant perform some traditional flatpicking on this week's episode of Mountain Stage, hitting airwaves starting Nov. 22Brian Blauser/ Mountain Stage
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Our Song of the Week comes to us from two flat-picking champions, Tyler Grant and Robin Kessinger.
A treasure of West Virginia flatpicking and old-time music, Robin Kessinger comes from a prominent musical family. Kessinger first met Tyler Grant in 2005 at the Wayne Henderson Festival and Contest in Virginia. Kessinger was a judge for a flatpicking contest that was won by Grant. The pair developed a friendship and, eventually, made some duo arrangements of classic material connected in some way to the Kessinger family. The friendship and arrangements would grow into the album called Kanawha County Flatpicking.
Our Song of the Week, “My Blue Ridge Mountain Home,” was used as a theme by Robin’s father Bob Kessinger and his band, “The Mountaineers.”
Hear Tyler & Robin’s entire set, plus music from Shovels & Rope, Cris Jacobs, Kelsey Waldon and Wayne Graham on this week’s new episode of Mountain Stage. Find a station in your area here and be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you never miss a note.
Credit Brian Blauser/ Mountain Stage
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Members of the Mountain Stage cast return to the stage for one last number. Hear the entire show starting this Friday on 240 NPR stations across the country.
This week’s premiere broadcast of Mountain Stage features the 2022 NPR Tiny Desk Contest Winner, Alisa Amador. As a bilingual sing-songwriter, Amador commands audiences with her soulful voice and mixture of rock, jazz, funk and alternative folk that is sweetly wrapped with the Latin music she grew up with.
On this week's premiere broadcast of Mountain Stage, we welcome southern rock royalty, the Drive-By Truckers back to the Mountain Stage for their fifth appearance. Guest host Larry Groce also welcomes West Virginia country rocker and songwriter Charles Wesley Godwin, singer songwriter Eilen Jewell, Afrofuturist folk artist Jake Blount with percussive dancer Nic Gareiss, and contemporary folk musician Tomberlin.
The podcast is available every Saturday at 8 a.m. Visit our podcast page to listen to our latest episode and learn what happened this week in West Virginia.
The public is invited to join Us & Them podcast host Trey Kay for a deep discussion on journalism and trust in the news media. The event will be held on Sept. 20 at Reynolds Hall on West Virginia University's campus in Morgantown.