This week, people continue to resist the Mountain Valley Pipeline. Some folks have complained to the company about noise from compressor stations. Also, why is Appalachia so prone to severe flooding? We spoke with a reporter whose team dug into the data to find out. And, a good blanket will keep you warm on a cold night, but a handmade temperature blanket can convey a message to a loved one.
Listen: Grammy Winners Ranky Tanky Have Our Mountain Stage Song Of The Week- "Beat Em Down"
South Carolina's Grammy winning jazz group Ranky Tanky returns to Mountain Stage on this week's broadcast.Brian Blauser
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This week’s encore episode of Mountain Stage is the second in a series of three live shows recorded without an in-person audience during the final months of 2020. Guest host Kathy Mattea warmly welcomes performances from Ranky Tanky, Rene Marie & Experiment in Truth, The Sea The Sea, and Susan Werner.
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, December 17th for an entire set from Ranky Tanky on your favorite NPR affiliate.
Ranky Tanky- Beat Em Down
South Carolina's Ranky Tanky perform their song "Beat Em Down," which appears on their Grammy winning album 'Good Time'
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 live-streaming, 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.
1 of 4 — Ranky Tanky on Mountain Stage, 2020
2 of 4 — Susan Werner with Kathy Mattea and Julie Adams, on Mountain Stage in 2020
3 of 4 — The SeaThe Sea performing on Mountain Stage in 2020.
4 of 4 — Rene Marie performing on Mountain Stage, 2020.
Listen this week for an encore broadcast of Mountain Stage featuring Larkin Poe, Victoria Canal, Raye Zaragoza, Ron Pope, and Christian Lopez. This episode was recorded with our host Kathy Mattea on the campus of West Virginia University, thanks to our friends at WVU College of Creative Arts and Media.
Our Song of the Week comes from the legendary jazz fusion band, best known for their 70s era records with the great pianist Herbie Hancock, The Headhunters. “Watermelon Man” was written by Hancock and was first released in 1962. On this live recording, you’ll hear Michael Clark on drums, William Summer on Vocals and Percussion, Donald Harrison on Saxophone, Shea Pierre on Piano, and Chris Severin on bass.
