Tag: grief

Grief Rituals And The Alabama Astronaut, Inside Appalachia

This week on Inside Appalachia, we speak with an author about grief rituals, a podcaster about the religious music of snake handling churches, and we explore best practices to prepare for retirement.

This week, we speak with the author of a new book about grief rituals and how they’re practiced here in the mountains.

We also talk with podcaster Abe Partridge about an Appalachian art that goes unheard by most people – the religious music of snake handling churches. 

And, a new study recently found a majority of Americans are not on track to comfortably pay for retirement. We checked in with the National Council on Aging about preparing for the end of our working lives. 

You’ll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

In This Episode:

Grief Rituals Continue On In Appalachia

Rachel Held Evans was a bestselling author, columnist and blogger, who wrote extensively about modern Christianity in America.

Considered a voice for young, progressive Christians, at 37, she unexpectedly died in 2019. 

Her death led her sister Amanda Held Opelt to study grief rituals, as she processed her own loss.

Producer Bill Lynch spoke with Opelt about her sister, and writing about grief while grieving.

Plan Ahead For Retirement And Beyond

A new study by Fidelity Investments found that more than half of Americans are not on track for a comfortable retirement. It’s not just millennials and Gen Xers either: Many older adults don’t have enough money to retire. 

WVPB News Director Eric Douglas spoke with Josh Hodges, chief customer officer for the National Council on Aging, to learn about what help is available for retirees and caregivers. 

Amanda Held Opelt wrote about grief rituals, after losing her sister Rachel in 2019. Courtesy

Exploring Music From Snake Handling Churches

Abe Partridge explores music and faith with “Alabama Astronaut.” Courtesy

There are always untapped veins of Appalachian music that haven’t been mined, including the religious music of snake handling churches, which has its own particular style. 

That music is the subject of a podcast called “Alabama Astronaut.”

Folkways Reporter Zack Harold spoke with co-host Abe Partridge about how a project intended to document this music ended up being about a whole lot more.

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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by David Mayfield, Jesse Milnes, Jeff Ellis, Little David and Tyler Childers. 

Bill Lynch is our producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. Zander Aloi also helped produce this episode.

You can send us an email at InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.

You can find us on Instagram and Twitter @InAppalachia and on Facebook here.

And you can sign up for our Inside Appalachia Newsletter here!

Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Writing About Grief And Our Song Of The Week On This West Virginia Morning

On this West Virginia Morning, working through her grief, Amanda Held Opelt studied grief rituals and wrote a book. Inside Appalachia Producer Bill Lynch spoke with her about grieving, writing about grief and her sister Rachel.

On this West Virginia Morning, the 2019 death of religious writer Rachel Held Evans shook many who looked to her as a voice for young, progressive Christians. It was also a terrible blow to her sister Amanda Held Opelt of Boone, North Carolina.

Working through her grief, Opelt studied grief rituals and wrote a book. Inside Appalachia Producer Bill Lynch spoke with her about grieving, writing about grief and her sister Rachel.

Also, in this show, our Mountain Stage Song of the Week comes to us from Darlingside, who is described by NPR as “exquisitely arranged, literary-minded, baroque folk-pop.” We listen to their performance of “Ocean Bed,” which appeared on their 2020 album Fish Pond Fish.

West Virginia Morning is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting which is solely responsible for its content.

Support for our news bureaus comes from Concord University and Shepherd University.

Appalachia Health News is a project of West Virginia Public Broadcasting with support from Charleston Area Medical Center and Marshall Health.

West Virginia Morning is produced with help from Bill Lynch, Caroline MacGregor, Curtis Tate, Chris Schulz, Emily Rice, Eric Douglas, Liz McCormick, Randy Yohe, and Shepherd Snyder.

Eric Douglas is our news director. Caroline MacGregor is our assistant news director and producer.

Teresa Wills and Chuck Anziulewicz are our hosts.

Listen to West Virginia Morning weekdays at 7:43 a.m. on WVPB Radio or subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode. #WVMorning

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