Inside Appalachia Folkways Project

Arts & Culture Mason Adams, Sep. 16, 2025

Virginia Playwright Brought 'Jack Tales' To Hundreds Of Thousands

Rex Stephenson, a theater professor at Ferrum College at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia, has died at the age of 81. He was best known for telling Jack Tales, in performances that mixed drama, humor, and musical performances to entertain and engage their audiences.

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Arts & Culture Wendy Welch, Apr. 30, 2025

Poison Ivy Cures Can Be Found In The Woods

For all the products on pharmacy shelves, people still use folk remedies for common ailments. Like the itchy rash that comes from poison ivy. Folkways Reporter Wendy Welch spoke with two health professionals about where folk cures and mainstream medicine overlap.

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Arts & Culture Zack Harold, Mar. 18, 2025

Traditional Music And Traditional Tattoos Live On At The Parlor Room

John Haywood of Whitesburg, Kentucky says he got his first guitar and his first tattoo when he was about 13 years old. These days, Haywood is the proprietor of Parlor Room Art and Tattoo in downtown Whitesburg. It’s a place where some people get inked up … and some play traditional music. It’s a place unlike any other, as Zack Harold reports.

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Arts & Culture Zack Harold, Mar. 10, 2025

Annual Hot Dog Sale Revives Family Recipe And Fond Memories

For generations, Skeenies Hot Dogs in Sissonville, West Virginia, was known for serving some of the best slaw dogs around. The restaurant closed in 2018 — but still comes alive for the annual Skeenies Tribute Sale. Folkways reporter Zack Harold has this story.

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Arts & Culture Margaret McLeod Leef, Feb. 26, 2025

James Froemel Learns The Art Of Lying

James Froemel‘s journey into storytelling has taken a lifetime. Last year, he worked with author, Liars Competition champ and professional storyteller Bil Lepp to hone his craft. Folkways Reporter Margaret McLeod Leef spoke with Froemel.

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Arts & Culture Traci Phillips, Feb. 25, 2025

Black Beauty Shop On Charleston’s West Side Is A Place For Community, Creativity And Legacy

In Black communities, hair salons can be spaces where women feel united and accepted. Folkways Reporter Traci Phillips takes us to a hair salon in Charleston, West Virginia’s West Side.

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