Steve Earle & The Dukes Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Listen: Steve Earle & the Dukes on Mountain Stage

Our Song of the Week comes from the Hardcore Troubadour himself, Steve Earle.

Steve Earle is widely considered to be one of the greatest living songwriters, so it’s a testament to the prowess of the late Guy Clark that Earle pays tribute to the Texas songwriting legend on his latest collection of Clark-penned songs, “Guy.”

In his seventh appearance on Mountain Stage since 1996, Steve Earle & the Dukes perform a set of songs from “Guy,” including our Song of the Week, “Dublin Blues.”

If you watched “There’s A Stream” recently, you heard some new songs from Earle from his album The Ghosts of West Virginia. We had hoped to record a new session with him earlier this year, but we look forward to welcoming him back to Almost Heaven with those songs next Summer.

Revisit “There’s a Stream” on Facebook, YouTube or LiveSessions.NPR.org.

You can hear the entire set from Steve Earle & the Dukes, plus more live performances from Damien Jurdado, Erika Wennerstrom, Alsarah & the Nubatones and Vanessa Peters, on this week’s broadcast of Mountain Stage with guest host Kathy Mattea.

Guest artists join Kathy Mattea for one last number to close out the show.

Find a station where you can listen here, and be sure to sign up for our email newsletter for periodic updates.

The Legacy Of The Upper Big Branch Disaster

Ten years ago, the Upper Big Branch Mine exploded in West Virginia. Twenty-nine men died and an investigation uncovered that a legacy of overlooked safety measures contributed to the disaster.

A new play called “Coal Country” focuses on the stories of the men and their families. It aims to put a spotlight on prejudice against the rural working class — to bridge a divide between city dwellers and those who work with their hands underground.

Co-creators Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen interviewed the families and the production weaves their words with the music of Grammy-award winner Steve Earle to help people understand another America.

Learn more about the New York Public Theatre’s production of “Coal Country”.
Read the New York Times review of “Ghosts of West Virginia”.
A Preventable Tragedy, and a Model of Loving Care: The Lessons of ‘Coal Country’ – an article written by Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen after New York theatres were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This episode of Us & Them is presented with support from the West Virginia Humanities Council and CRC Foundation.

Subscribe to Us & Them on Apple Podcasts, NPR One, RadioPublic, Spotify, Stitcher and beyond. You also can listen to Us & Them on WVPB Radio. Tune in on the fourth Thursday of every month at 8 PM, with an encore presentation on the fourth Saturday at 3 PM.

Remembering Past Mountain Stage Guests We Lost in 2019

We’re reflecting on past Mountain Stage appearances from some of the gifted musicians who we lost in 2019.

We marked the passing of several influential musicians and some home-grown treasures in 2019, and hope you can enjoy the memories shared here.

George Daugherty, a.k.a The Earl of Elkview

George Daugherty- The Earl of Elkview
A beloved performer in West Virginia, Daugherty was The Earl of Elkview and served as guest host in the early period of Mountain Stage. He would play the musical saw and added humorous flavor with his witty, comedic skits and songs. Daugherty was an ambassador for West Virginia and beloved by so many, throughout our state and beyond.

Read the Charleston Gazette-Mail’s remembrance of Daugherty here.

Kofi Burbridge, left, along with Derek Trucks and Mike Mattison of The Derek Trucks Band, February 2009.

Kofi Burbridge visited Mountain Stage three times as a member of the Derek Trucks Band, most recently in February of 2009. You can revisit that set via NPR Music below.

Kofi Burbridge on keyboards, Yonrico Scott on drums, February 2009.

Yonrico Scott (Drummer, Derek Trucks Band- 2009; Royal Southern Brotherhood- 2016) Another past member of the DTB, Yonrico Scott also appeared along with Trucks and company during his long tenure with that band. Scott’s most recent performance on Mountain Stage was alongside Cyril Neville and the Royal Southern Brotherhood in 2016. You can revisit that show in our archives.

Kofi and Yonrico both got in on this set from Scrapomatic, recorded the same night in 2009.

The captivatingly mysterious tunesmith Leon Redbone made six appearances on Mountain Stage between 1990 and 2007. His mystique was matched by his expert song choice and comedic timing. Check out his 2007 appearance via NPR Music.

Dr. John– The night tripper made three appearances on Mountain Stage dating back to 1989. We just revisited his set as part of our “Class of ‘89” Special, in which you can hear his legendary performance, accompanied by members of the Mountain Stage Band. Their version of “Such A Night” was also included in the “Best of Mountain Stage” CD series which you can hear on Spotify. You can hear his entire 1989 set in this post on WVPublic.org, which we updated with a quote from our host, Larry Groce.

Jeff Austin photographed in 2015 on Mountain Stage.

Jeff Austin- In June we joined many music lovers and music makers in mourning the loss of journeyman mandolinist and songwriter Jeff Austin. He was on Mountain Stage in 2006 alongside Yonder Mountain String Band, a group he helped co-found. In 2015 he brought the Jeff Austin Band to the show for the first time, which you can revisit via NPR Music.

A highly admired songwriter and guitarist, Russell Smith appeared on Mountain Stage four times in three configurations. Twice with the Amazing Rhythm Aces (1996 & 1999), once as a solo performer (1992) and once with the legendary Run C&W (1993). After Smith’s passing, our host Larry Groce compiled this set of highlights from his various appearances, remarking “If all he had written was “Third Rate Romance,” he would be in my personal Hall of Fame, but he did so much more.”

Art Neville (The Neville Brothers, 10/11/1994)- Art Neville, of quintessential New Orleans group The Neville Brothers, appeared with that band on Mountain Stage in October of 1994. Their performance of “Ayiti” was included in the compilation Louisiana Live on Mountain Stage. Click to listen on Spotify.

Neal Casal soloing on the finale song, March 2017.

Neal Casal – Revered guitarist, producer and songwriter Neal Casal appeared on Mountain Stage as a member of Ryan Adams’ Cardinals in 2007, and he joined us in March, 2017 as part of the Chris Robinson Brotherhood. His tone and fretwork were one of the most distinguishable characteristics of that set, which you can revisit below via NPR Music.

Mark Payne -A stalwart member of the old-time music community in West Virginia and beyond, Mark Payne appeared on Mountain Stage as part of the popular string band Gandydancer in 2001 and again in 2003. In addition to countless concerts, festival appearances and recordings, the band also appeared at the Library of Congress in 2007, which you can watch here.

Kelley Looney photographed on Mountain Stage in 2017.

Kelley Looney was a loyal member of Steve Earle’s band since the mid-1990s, and appeared several times alongside Steve on Mountain Stage. His last visit was just earlier this year in June, before his untimely passing later that Summer. Revisit Steve Earle & The Dukes set of songs from Guy via NPR Music below.

New Episodes of Mountain Stage Start This Week

Our radio audiences will hear all new episodes starting this Friday, September 6, on more than 220 NPR stations. Tune in this week for an immensely entertaining show featuring modern folk duo The Milk Carton Kids, whose powerful songwriting is matched only by their humorous in between song banter. We’ll hear the incomparable energy and sweetness of Steve Poltz, songwriting vet Griffin House, avant-folk songwriter Vera Sola, and modern-pop string trio Twisted Pine. Find out where you can listen here.

Alsarah & the Nubatones can be heard later this month as part of the new fall season of Mountain Stage.

As we continue into autumn you’ll hear more great live performances by the likes of Steve Earle & The Dukes, Alsarah & the Nubatones, John Pizzarelli Trio, Catherine Russell, Devotchka and many more. View the entire Broadcast Schedule here.

We’ll also welcome our guest host Kathy Mattea four times in the upcoming season. You can hear Kathy hosting with Steve Earle & the Dukes starting September 13 and in October you’ll hear our all-lady lineup with Beth Nielsen Chapman, Erin Rae, Carrie Newcomer, Lillie Mae and Lisa Mednick Powell.

Meanwhile, you still have two chances to see Kathy guest host in person when we record on September 15 with Shawn Colvin, Lucy Kaplansky and more, and October 27 she helps us welcome Robert Randolph and the Family Band, Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams and Cris Jacobs. These shows will also be broadcast later this fall as part of our new season. Check out our entire Live Show Schedule for a chance to help us make radio here in the Mountain State.

Lucinda Williams made her first appearance on Mountain Stage on April 16, 1989.

Stations around the country will be entering on-air fund drives soon, and we made a special episode to help entice listeners to support their public radio stations. Our host Larry Groce dug deep into our archive to bring you “The Class of 1989.” This special edition features live sets from many influential artists who appeared on Mountain Stage for the first time that seminal year; Dr. John, Mose Allison, June Tabor, Lucinda Williams, David Grisman, Daniel Lanois, Rick Danko & Garth Hudson and Taj Mahal among them. We know you’ll enjoy the program and hope you’ll be motivated to renew or increase your membership.

Keep your eyes on our podcast feed for new episodes starting Tuesday, September 17, and be sure to sign-up for our e-mail newsletter for the latest updates on live shows and radio happenings. You can peek behind the scenes on our Instagram, Facebook and Twitter pages too.

Thank you for supporting Mountain Stage however you can, and we hope you’ll go out and hear some live music wherever you are, just as soon as you can.

LIVE SHOW NEWS: Justin Townes Earle, Adia Victoria added to May 19, Steve Earle to appear June 23

Mountain Stage is working through the Spring with an eye on the long Summer evenings, so here’s the latest updates on our upcoming Live Show Schedule. Ticket prices vary per event, and all shows are on sale now online and at Taylor Books in downtown Charleston.

On Sunday, May 19 we’ll be visited by two intriguing singer-songwriters both with new records to highlight. Justin Townes Earle will release The Saint of Lost Causes on New West Records May 24, before taking off to the U.K. for a better part of June.

Silences is the highly anticipated latest release from Adia Victoria, who made her first appearance on Mountain Stage in 2016. You can get a glimpse of that set via our VuHaus Channel, and experience the new material up close on May 19 at our home in the Culture Center Theater.