Storytellers, Inside Appalachia

This week, we’re revisiting a show featuring storytellers out loud in front of audiences. Folks like five-time champion of the West Virginia Liars Contest, Bil Lepp.

Also, musicians Anna & Elizabeth, whose storytelling used something known as a crankie.

And, we’ll head to the International Storytelling Center in Jonesborough, Tennessee.

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

In This Episode:

• The Crankie Comes To NC: What It Is And Why People Freak Out When They See One
• A Triangle Of Skunks
• Sweet Tea And Red Wine

The Crankie Comes To NC: What It Is And Why People Freak Out When They See One

In 2021, Inside Appalachia dedicated an episode to storytellers. And to their inventiveness. For example, have you ever heard of a “Crankie?”  

Crankies are cloth and cut-paper scrolls. They’re an old-fashioned way to share images that go along with stories. And you can pair them with music. Think a small, tiny theater, with someone turning a crank to show pictures.  

During their multi-year collaboration, musicians Anna Roberts-Gevalt and Elizabeth LaPrelle used crankies. They would turn them alongside their Appalachian ballad singing. Host Mason Adams saw Anna and Elizabeth perform at the Ferrum Folklife Festival in Virginia and remembers how the crankies let him follow the story, while their harmonies raised goosebumps.

This story was recorded back in 2013, when Anna & Elizabeth were still performing together. It was produced by Laura Candler for WUNC.

A Triangle Of Skunks

Bil Lepp is probably best known as the five-time champion of the West Virginia Liars Contest. The Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage called him, “a side-splittingly funny man.” Lepp lives in Charleston, West Virginia, and he’s one of our region’s most famous storytellers. Back in 2019, he told a story about summer camp and a family of skunks. He performed the story “Skunks” during a Mountain Stage performance at the West Virginia Culture Center.

Sweet Tea And Red Wine

Michael Reno Harrell is a professional storyteller from Burke County, North Carolina. When we spoke to Harrell in 2021, we asked him which story he wanted us to play. This was during the social distancing part of the COVID-19 pandemic, and he hadn’t seen some of his family in a while. So, he chose a story about his mom, his sister-in-law and his aunt Eloise. It’s called “Sweet Tea and Red Wine.”

The National Storytelling Festival is October 2-4, 2026, in Jonesborough, Tennessee.

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Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Joe Dobbs and the 1937 Flood, Dinosaur Burps, Michael Reno Harrell and Anna and Elizabeth. 

This episode was originally produced by Roxy Todd with help from Zander Aloi. Jade Artherhults was associate producer, and Andrea Billups served as executive producer.  

These days, 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.

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Inside Appalachia is a production of West Virginia Public Broadcasting.