Remembering Francis Fisher, Who Helped Build WVPB And Mountain Stage

On this West Virginia Morning, we remember Mountain Stage Chief Engineer Francis Fisher who passed away last week at the age of 79.

Fisher was — for a lack of a better way of putting it — the man behind the curtain on the show. But what most radio listeners in the state may not know is that Fisher was responsible for building West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s network as we all know it today.

To those who knew him well, Fisher was a unique human being — a man of wit and kindness that helped build up West Virginia Public Broadcasting and the state’s greatest export: Mountain Stage.

Senior reporter Dave Mistich has this remembrance.

Also, in this show, for this week’s Mountain Stage Song of the Week, we highlight blues music icon and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Buddy Guy who performed on the Mountain Stage in 2009. He played songs from his studio album Skin Deep. The title track is a thoughtful ballad that features Guy playing his bluesy style on an electric sitar.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from West Virginia University, Concord University, and Shepherd University.

Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting with support from Charleston Area Medical Center and Marshall Health.

West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Curtis Tate, David Adkins, Dave Mistich, Eric Douglas, Glynis Board, Jessica Lilly, June Leffler, Liz McCormick, Roxy Todd and Shepherd Snyder.

Andrea Billups is our news director. Eric Douglas produced our show this week.

Teresa Wills and Chuck Anziulewicz are our hosts.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning