Listen: Grammy Winners Ranky Tanky Have Our Mountain Stage Song Of The Week- "Beat Em Down"

This week’s fresh episode of Mountain Stage was recorded last November in Charleston, West Virginia without a live audience. It is the second in a series of three live shows recorded in the final months of 2020. Guest host Kathy Mattea warmly welcomes Ranky Tanky, Rene Marie & Experiment in Truth, The Sea The Sea, and Susan Werner on this brand new episode.

Ranky Tanky is a South Carolina based band that specializes in “Gullah” music, a style born out of the coastal region and influenced by West African traditions. Our Song of the Week “Beat Em Down” is about meeting adversity with compassion and appears on Ranky Tanky’s most recent release ‘Good Time.’ The record earned the band a Grammy in 2020. Tune in starting Friday, March 12th for an entire set from Ranky Tanky on your favorite NPR affiliate.

We will also hear from indie folk duo The Sea The Sea who performed songs from their latest release ‘Stumbling Home’ which features their signature harmonies. Seasoned songwriter Susan Werner who has spent much of the pandemic livestreaming, shifted her weekly ‘Susie on Sunday’ audience to the Mountain Stage live stream last November. We’ll also hear a set from jazz mainstay René Marie & Experiment in Truth who has portrayed Ella Fitzgerald and Dinah Washington onstage and earned a Grammy nomination.

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