Inside Appalachia Folkways Project

Arts & Culture Zack Harold,

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,

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,

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,

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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Arts & Culture Zack Harold,

The Three Kitchens Of New Vrindaban

Folkways Reporter Zack Harold recently made a trip to the small town of New Vrindaban, in West Virginia’s Northern Panhandle. It’s a Hare Krishna community started in the late 60s. These days, the town is home to a few hundred permanent residents, but thousands of pilgrims visit each year. They come to worship in the temple — and to visit the opulent Palace of Gold. But those main attractions were a pretty small part of Zack’s trip. He ended up spending much of his time in the kitchen.

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Arts & Culture Traci Phillips,

Young, Gifted And Black: A Tradition Of African American Arts And Heritage In West Virginia

Affrilachian poet and playwright Norman Jordan is one of the most published poets in the region. Born in 1938, his works have been anthologized in over 40 books of poetry. He was also a prominent voice in the Black Arts Movement in the 1960s and 70s. He died in 2015, put part of his legacy is the Norman Jordan African American Arts and Heritage Academy in West Virginia. Folkways Reporter Traci Phillips has the story.

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