Our hearts are heavy over the sudden death of Ed Stokes, one of our Goin’ Across the Mountain hosts.
Dr. Edward Brittain Stokes, known more familiarly to WNCW and our listeners as "Eddie B" joined WNCW as a volunteer host of ARC Overnight in 2015. In recent years, he has hosted the second half of Goin' Across the Mountain from 3 to 7pm on Saturdays, where he enjoyed spinning great bluegrass and talking with listeners about the artists and songs.
We pay tribute by beginning the 3:00 hour of Goin' Across the Mountain this Saturday, August 28th by playing from a new bluegrass album by Stringbound, which Ed recorded recently with his wife Roseanna and other bandmates.
Eddie B Stokes grew up in Charlotte in a home filled with music: hymns, big band albums, and an endless stack of rock & soul 45s. With the release of Nitty Gritty Dirt Band's Will the Circle be Unbroken, he instantly became a devoted bluegrass fan and banjo picker. This led to starting a series of bluegrass bands: Morning Sky in the 80s, Heartwood in the 90s, and currently, StringBound.
Ed loved WNCW and being a host on air was one of the highlights of his life. He had a PhD in Physics, was an instructor of electrical engineering at UNCC, an inventor with 39 patents to his name, and most of all a good person whom we will miss tremendously.