This week, ballads tell stories about all kinds of real-life events, but after Hurricane Helene, one group of ballad singers felt some topics were still too raw. Also, the author of a new book on ancient Ohio credits a former grad student with introducing him to the region’s mysterious earthworks. And, the legacy of Affrilachian poet Norman Jordan includes a summer camp for teens to study their heritage.
Songwriter Aaron Dowdy leads Fust, a group with deep Appalachian roots that’s based in Durham, North Carolina. Fust is part of a new wave of indie rock emerging from the Mountain South.
It’s distinguished by a Southern rock sound and lyrics drawn from observations about living in the region. Last year, host Mason Adams spoke with Dowdy after Fust released their album Big Ugly.
Photographer Michael Snyder Documents Allegheny Mountain Home
The cover of Alleghania: A Central Appalachian Folklore Anthology.
Courtesy of Michael Snyder/Bitter Southerner
Michael Snyder is a photographer and filmmaker who grew up in the Allegheny mountains on the border of Maryland and West Virginia. His work has been featured in National Geographic, The Guardian and The Washington Post. After living away from Appalachia for more than a decade, Snyder moved back to document what changed and what stayed the same. The result was the book Alleghania: A Central Appalachian Folklore Anthology.
Associate producer Abby Neff spoke with Snyder.
Hurricane Helene: One Year Later
Drone footage Friday Sept. 27 shows the town of Damascus amidst flooding from tropical storm Helene.
Photo Credit: Tyler Eugene/Radio IQ
It’s been more than a year since Hurricane Helene hit the mountains of Appalachia. The storm devastated parts of western North Carolina, East Tennessee and Southwestern Virginia. Communities are still rebuilding and recovering. Our partner station Radio IQ produced a documentary about how folks recovered and rebuilt after the storm. This is an excerpt from that special. Roxy Todd reported from southwestern Virginia.
Cicada Brood XIV In Appalachia
In the spring of 2016, a massive brood of cicadas emerged in northern West Virginia after 17 years underground. The event prompted one West Virginia University professor to study the composition of their wings.
Photo Credit: Pmjacoby/Wikimedia Commons
This past year saw another appearance by Appalachia’s noisiest critters: cicadas. Across parts of Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia, Brood XIV emerged in late spring and early summer. Although some folks are annoyed by cicadas, others find profound meaning. Louisville Public Media’s Justin Hicks reported.
A Trip To Hillbilly Hotdogs
The Homewrecker is a signature food challenge at Hillbilly Hotdogs in LeSage.
Photo Credit: Bill Lynch/West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Hillbilly Hotdogs in Lesage, West Virginia is a local institution and a bona fide tourist attraction that sees visitors from all over the world. In 2024, the hotdog stand’s signature menu item, “The Homewrecker,” suddenly became unavailable. This summer, producer Bill Lynch paid a visit to Hillbilly Hotdogs to hear about the return of the homewrecker and take the homewrecker challenge.
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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Fust, Jeff Ellis, Paul Loomis, Frank George and Blue Dot Sessions.
Bill Lynch is our producer. Abby Neff is our associate producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens.
You can send us an email: InsideAppalachia@wvpublic.org.
This week, ballads tell stories about all kinds of real-life events, but after Hurricane Helene, one group of ballad singers felt some topics were still too raw. Also, the author of a new book on ancient Ohio credits a former grad student with introducing him to the region’s mysterious earthworks. And, the legacy of Affrilachian poet Norman Jordan includes a summer camp for teens to study their heritage.
When Marion County attorney Scott Summers realized Grant Town was planning to tear down an historic building, he decided to see what he could do to stop it.
Indigenous people created hundreds of earthen monuments in what is now Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia. John E. Hancock, a professor of architecture and design at the University of Cincinnati, spent years studying these earthworks. He published a guidebook for visiting them. Inside Appalachia’s Bill Lynch spoke with Hancock about the book.
