Federal funding for arts and culture has been curtailed. Trey Kay looks at the reasons in the latest Us & Them. Also, the state board of education has approved another round of school closures and consolidations, the state Legislature is expected to take up several bills in the coming session to address foster care and children who are homeless, and U.S. Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom was laid to rest Tuesday at the West Virginia National Cemetery in Grafton.
Listen: John Ellison Has Our Mountain Stage Song of the Week
John Ellison performing on Mountain Stage. BRIAN BLAUSER
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Our Summer season of encore episodes continues this weekend as host Kathy Mattea welcomes Paul Thorn, Amythyst Kia, Jess Jocoy, Anna Lynch and John Ellison featuring the Carpenter Ants. Tune in starting June 10 on these NPR stations to listen.
Our Song of the Week features native West Virginian John Ellison. A veteran performer whose credits include writing the hit-song “Some Kind Of Wonderful,” originally recorded by his group the Soul Brothers Six. Ellison brings his distinct vocals to the stage accompanied by Charleston, W.Va based R&B/soul group The Carpenter Ants.
Together, Ellison and the Ants perform our Song of the Week, a love song to the state where Ellison was born- “West Virginia State Of Mind.”
John Ellison- West Virginia State Of Mind, live on Mountain Stage
Recorded June 13, 2021 in Charleston, WV for broadcast starting September 17, 2021.
The Carpenter Ants vocalist Charlie T., a beloved member of the West Virginia music community and a member of the Ants for 35 years, sadly passed away in December of 2021. The Carpenter Ants also include Michael Lipton on guitar, Ted Harrison on bass, Jupie Little on vocals, joined by Mountain Stage drummer Ammed Solomon.
1 of 5 — Paul Thorn live on Mountain Stage, 2021
Brian Blauser / Mountain Stage
2 of 5 — Amythyst Kiah live on Mountain Stage, 2021
Brian Blauser / Mountain Stage
3 of 5 — Jess Jocoy live on Mountain Stage, 2021
Brian Blauser / Mountain Stage
4 of 5 — Anna Lynch -2.jpg
Anna Lynch performing on Mountain Stage in 2021.
Tina Fisher/Brian Blauser / Mountain Stage
5 of 5 — John Ellison and The Carpenter Ants on Mountain Stage, 2021
Brian Blauser / Mountain Stage
You can hear this and a lot of other great songs on this week’s encore episode of Mountain Stage. Check out the playlist here and find a station in your area where you can listen.
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For some Americans, this year’s political earthquakes hit close to home. Trey Kay reflects on federal budget cuts, the elimination of programs and agencies and the resulting layoffs of hundreds of thousands of workers. 2025 was also a year highlighting escalated immigration enforcement, and the deployment of National Guard troops in U.S. cities. One of those missions resulted in the tragic loss of a West Virginia National Guard soldier. On this end-of-year episode of Us & Them, we examine how today’s culture-war battles are reshaping the nation’s foundation.
Federal funding for arts and culture has been curtailed. Trey Kay looks at the reasons in the latest Us & Them. Also, the state board of education has approved another round of school closures and consolidations, the state Legislature is expected to take up several bills in the coming session to address foster care and children who are homeless, and U.S. Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom was laid to rest Tuesday at the West Virginia National Cemetery in Grafton.
Our Song of the Week comes from The Critton Hollow String Band, a band that has been performing traditional American music to audiences around the world since 1975. The trio stopped by Mountain Stage during their 50th anniversary and performed a handful of songs, including "A Better Life to Find," which is our Song of the Week. The song features an old melody and a traditional refrain, with lyrics updated by the group's Joe Herrmann.
It’s common at Christmastime for churches and businesses to set up angel trees, decorated with paper ornaments holding a child’s name and wish list. Trees set up this year for the children of Iaeger, West Virginia, reflect the long-term damage done by the February floods that devastated McDowell County.
