The Carpenter Ants have been a staple of the state’s music scene for decades. For the holidays, the band released “There Ain’t No Sanity Claus,” a Christmas record featuring friends like Mountain Stage’s Larry Groce, actress/singer Ann Magnuson and singer/songwriter John Ellison. Bill Lynch talked with guitarist Michael Lipton about the album.
Longstanding Mountain Stage alums Justin Townes Earle and Loudon Wainwright III are releasing new records this week, so it only seems right to open up the Mountain Stage archives to reminisce over their past performances with the help of “Mountain Stage After Midnight.” Broadcast from 1am-5am Saturday and Sunday mornings here on West Virginia Public Radio, “Mountain Stage After Midnight” takes the best episodes from the show’s 31 year history and shares their memories and songs with our late-night listeners. Each week we’ll hand-pick two of our favorite episodes and they’ll alternate order each night.
We’ve got some great performances from 2010 and 2013, so stop on by West Virginia Public Radio this Saturday September 6 and Sunday September 7 on “Mountain Stage After Midnight.”
First you’ll hear an August 2010 performance from the birthplace of country music (aka Bristol, Tennessee). At the show was singer-songerwriter Bob Livingston, acclaimed string-performers Laura Boosinger & Josh Goforth, traditional Irish musician John Doyle, hard rock’n singer Justin Townes Earle (who’s releasing “Single Mothers” this week), musical storyteller David Holt, and legendary Appalachian artist Doc Watson. See the playlist.
Next a March 2013 performance from good ol’ #CWV featuring harmony-driven band The Sea The Sea (featuring the daughter of Mountain Stage house band leader Ron Sowell), Americana group The Overmountain Men, folk anarchist Paleface, Grammy-winning pop singer (and “Dawson’s Creek” theme crooner) Paula Cole, and the ever-fascinating Loudon Wainwright III (who’s new record, “Haven’t Got the Blues (Yet),” is coming out this week). See the playlist.
There’s more where that came from! For more Mountain Stage news, make sure to follow the show on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Fo more music, make sure to subscribe to The Mountain Stage Podcast to hear why Mountain Stage remains the home of live music on public radio
The Carpenter Ants have been a staple of the state’s music scene for decades. For the holidays, the band released “There Ain’t No Sanity Claus,” a Christmas record featuring friends like Mountain Stage’s Larry Groce, actress/singer Ann Magnuson and singer/songwriter John Ellison. Bill Lynch talked with guitarist Michael Lipton about the album.
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.