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.
This season’s premiere broadcast of Joy to the World featuring vocalist Heather Masse can be heard on West Virginia Public Broadcasting Tuesday, December 23 at 9pm, Wednesday December 24 at 9pm, and Thursday, December 25 at 3pm. The 21st annual holiday jazz show was recorded last December when the production went on the road for the first time, recording shows in Charleston, Elkins and Morgantown, WV . The show includes classic seasonal tunes like “The Christmas Waltz,” “Jingle Bell Rock” and an original song by Masse called “Mittens.” There’s also some modern arrangements of favorites “Silver Bells,” “Let It Snow,” and Joni Mitchell’s “River.”
Throughout the day December 25 our listeners will be treated to classic episodes of Joy to the World airing from 12am-6am, 9am-4pm and 6pm-midnight. Special guest vocalists you’ll hear include Catherine Russell, Tom Lellis, Kim Nalley, Dwight Lennox and Toni Lynn Washington & the Appalachian Children’s Chorus.
For those of you who were able to attend this season’s show with Mollie O’Brien, it will air at Christmas time next year. In the meantime, you can enjoy these videos from the television production.
Happy Holidays from all of us here at West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
This week, vaccine requirements in the state of West Virginia change again, a look ahead at PEIA, and we talk with photographer Roger May about communities in southern West Virginia rebuilding after the February floods.
Appalachian Power customers may be seeing another price hike, caregivers are under stress, particularly during the holidays, and a new mountain roller coaster is a destination for fun seekers in Mercer County.
On this West Virginia Week, the body of a missing miner was recovered, guaranteed median income comes to Mercer County, and with Halloween over and Thanksgiving a few weeks away, what can you do with those leftover pumpkins?