California Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

LISTEN: Colin Hay Has The Mountain Stage Song Of The Week

This week’s broadcast of Mountain Stage was recorded at the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek, CA. On this episode, host Kathy Mattea welcomes GRAMMY-winning Australian rock star Colin Hay, Canadian singer-songwriter Bruce Cockburn, legendary folk and country artist Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, San Francisco rocker Chuck Prophet and his band The Make Out Quartet, and folk duo The Lucky Valentines.

This week’s broadcast of Mountain Stage was recorded at the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek, California. On this episode, host Kathy Mattea welcomes GRAMMY-winning Australian rock star Colin Hay, Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist Bruce Cockburn, legendary folk and country artist Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, San Francisco rocker Chuck Prophet accompanied by his band The Make Out Quartet, and folk duo The Lucky Valentines.

Our Song of the Week is an acoustic rendition of the international hit, “Down Under,” performed by Colin Hay. Originally heard on Men at Work’s 1981 debut album, Business as Usual, “Down Under” was written by the group’s co-founders, Colin Hay and Ron Strykert.

Listen for this episode beginning Friday, March 29 on these public radio stations to hear the entire set from Colin Hay, plus more from Bruce Cockburn, Ramblin’ Jack Elliot, Chuck Prophet & The Make Out Quartet, and The Lucky Valentines.

If you are listening overseas or on a smart device, the Mountain Stage podcast of archived episodes is now streaming. Also, make sure you are signed up for the Mountain Stage Newsletter to receive the latest updates about upcoming live shows, radio broadcasts and more.

The Enemy of the People

Political debate in this country has become anything but civil. Who’s to blame?

Nearly a third of Americans surveyed by NPR said: “the media.”

Can the news media win back trust?

In this episode, Red State host Trey Kay goes to a Trump rally to see how reporters are treated, and Blue State host Chery Glaser talks with a West Coast journalist about how journalists should respond.

What do you think?

The Midterm Election Delivers Mixed Messages

The way you read the results of the midterm election might depend on where you live.

In California, candidates were rewarded for opposing President Trump — critics like California’s new Gov. Gavin Newsom won big. But in West Virginia, Sen. Joe Manchin was returned to office while siding with the president on key issues.

What’s going on?Cherry Glazer of KCRW in California speaks with WVPB’s Trey Kay in the latest episode of “Red State Blue State,” our weekly chat between Trump Country and the Blue Bubble.

What do you think?

Two Voters Talk It Out

When we cast a ballot, it’s personal. About as personal as it gets.

That’s easy to forget when we talk about big blocks of voters — congressional districts or entire states.

So Blue State host Chery Glaser takes it to the personal level and talks with two voters.In Charleston, Deana Samms is a family therapist and an evangelical Christian. She voted for Donald Trump in 2016 but struggled with that decision.

In Southern California, Linda Rife is a music composer. She identifies as “liberal,” but she’s registered as an independent.

What are you thinking?

Coal mining means vastly different things to Californians and West Virginians

Climate change and energy jobs are hot issues, but they spark very different reactions from folks in different parts of the country. Those reactions are the heart of this installment of “Red State, Blue State,” our weekly chat between Trump Country and the Blue Bubble.

In the past, President Trump has called climate change a hoax. Then this week, Trump told 60 Minutes that he believes the climate is changing — but that the change isn’t caused by humans, and it will probably change back.

Trump said the economy is more important than the climate, so trying to fight climate change makes no sense. He said it would cost jobs, and for no good reason.

This week, we check in with our friends at KCRW in Southern Caifornia to compare our contrasting local views on climate change and energy jobs.

Why is Joe Manchin a Democrat?

West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin voted to confirm Brett Kavanaugh, President Trump’s pick for the U.S. Supreme Court. Manchin was the only Democrat in the Senate to cross party lines, and he did it in a very public way. Manchin’s vote didn’t surprise many Mountain State voters, but it left a lot of people in other states asking, “Why is he even a Democrat?”

That question came from listeners. In this week’s episode of “Red State, Blue State,” Californians learn that Manchin is an “old-school West Virginia Democrat.”

“Red State, Blue State” is a collaboration between Us & Them and KCRW in Santa Monica, California. Each week until the midterm election, we’re presenting a new segment co-hosted by Trey Kay in West Virginia and Chery Glaser in Southern California.

Let us know what questions you have for someone with different political beliefs than yours.