This week, a poet and musician draws inspiration from a distant family connection to the Grand Ole Opry’s Little Jimmy Dickens. Also, for 15 years, a Virginia library has been hosting a weekly Dungeons & Dragons game for teens.
And, a taxidermist in Yadkin County, North Carolina found her calling before she could drive a car.
Listen: Todd Snider's 'Can't Complain' Is Our Song Of The Week From Mountain Stage
Todd Snider appears on this week's broadcast of Mountain Stage, hitting airwaves starting July 15.Brian Blauser
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This week’s encore broadcast of Mountain Stage with host Kathy Mattea features performances from the alternative poet laureate Todd Snider, the returning Kathleen Edwards, powerful Irish duo Mick Flannery & Susan O’Neill, modern acoustic blues from Sunny War, and female fronted pop trio The Accidentals. Join us on your favorite public radio station starting Friday, July 15. Check out the playlist here.
It’s always a special occasion when Todd Snider makes an appearance, so it’s no wonder he’s been invited on the show 16 times since 1995. In his most recent performance, he opens with one of his classics, “Can’t Complain,” which we’re sharing here as our Song of the Week.
Todd Snider-Can't Complain, live on Mountain Stage 2021
Todd Snider performs "Can't Complain" from Mountain Stage, recorded in 2021
We are also treated to a few numbers from Snider’s recent release, First Agnostic Church of Hope And Wonder. We hear from the reemerging Kathleen Edwards, who released her long awaited latest, Total Freedom, last year and is heard this week on Mountain Stage for the first time since 2013.
Ireland’s Mick Flannery is back with us for his second appearance, accompanied by one of his home-country’s rising stars, vocalist Susan O’Neill. The duo performs a set of songs from their story-cycle album, In the Game. Rounding out the show will be some modern blues with a classic sound from Sunny War and the string-heavy arrangements of modern pop trio The Accidentals.
1 of 6 — finale, 10/22/2021
Artists join Kathy Mattea for the finale song on the episode airing October 22 on NPR Music stations.
Brian Blauser / Mountain Stage
2 of 6 — Kathleen Edwards, 2021
Kathleen Edwards performing on Mountain Stage in 2021.
Brian Blauser / Mountain Stage
3 of 6 — Sunny War, 2021
Sunny War performing on Mountain Stage. Hear this episode on NPR Music stations starting October 22.
Brian Blauser / Mountain Stage
4 of 6 — Susan O'Neill, 2021
Susan O’Neill performs along with Mick Flannery on this week’s broadcast of Mountain Stage, starting October 22.
Brian Blauser / Mountain Stage
5 of 6 — The Accidentals
The Accidentals performing on Mountain Stage. Hear this episode starting October 22 on our NPR Music affiliates.
Brian Blauser / Mountain Stage
6 of 6 — Todd Snider, 2021
Todd Snider performing on Mountain Stage. Hear this episode starting October, 22.
On this West Virginia Week, another round of school consolidations in the state, the Republican caucus lays out plans for the upcoming legislative session and a Nashville poet and songwriter channels a connection to LIttle Jimmie Dickens.
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This week, a poet and musician draws inspiration from a distant family connection to the Grand Ole Opry’s Little Jimmy Dickens. Also, for 15 years, a Virginia library has been hosting a weekly Dungeons & Dragons game for teens.
And, a taxidermist in Yadkin County, North Carolina found her calling before she could drive a car.
A lot of people who came of age listening to the Grand Ole Opry know Little Jimmy Dickens. With his clever songs and his rhinestone-studded outfits, the West Virginia native influenced a generation of performers. Now he’s remembered in a new book of poetry.
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.