Martin Anderson
Music Director & HostEschewing his mother’s taste for easy listening music early on, Martin Anderson was raised on his dad’s love for jazz, his brother’s Beatles/classic rock LP’s, and the bluegrass and Top 40 radio of the D.C. area. He began volunteering for the University of Delaware’s WXDR/WVUD eclectic overnight and morning mixes in 1989. Upon graduating with an American History degree, he moved to Eugene, Oregon, he spent the 90’s working in natural foods, environmental causes, and above all, public radio. He hosted various folk, world, Triple-A, and other shows at KLCC, and started a “Miles of Bluegrass” show at KRVM.
After two years working underwriting sales and various music and public affairs programs at KHSU in Arcata, CA, Martin joined WNCW in 2001 as your weekday morning host. He loves interviewing the many talented musicians who come to Studio B, stretching out with the many styles ‘NCW embraces, and reflecting listener requests, events of the day, and our beautiful Southern Appalachian landscape. As Music Director, he books our live sessions, and keeps in touch with the record labels and promoters that send us new music. When not at the station, he enjoys gardening, hiking, traveling, history, and raising his daughter on good music and more.
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It means “Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System” to those aware of electric and hybrid cars these days, but we will always associate it with the Acoustic Vibration Appreciation Society. Jay Sanders (bass), Jason Krekel (mandolin), Andy Pond (banjo), Cailen Campbell (fiddle), and Gaines Post (flute) were part of a pioneering group in the dynamic Western NC music scene back in 1999/2000, with an album produced by Aaron Price and Bill Reynolds. They spread to the wind following that, but we at WNCW have not forgotten them! And they’re back together for this week’s Earl Scruggs Music Festival in Mill Spring! They fit in perfectly at the infamous Green Acres Music Hall scene around Bostic back in the day, and perhaps Roland and they will touch on the upcoming Green Acres Music Hall expo at the Earl Scruggs Center next year. -
The good folks at Record Store Day (https://recordstoreday.com/Home) got to release a limited number of vinyl versions of this back in April; now it’s available for wider release. Here’s what they had to say about it: “Featuring twelve originals, Son Volt's return to the elemental strengths that have long defined their sound—restless guitars, melodic clarity, and songs rooted in the lived experience of American landscapes. Anchored by Jay Farrar’s steady, unvarnished voice, the record balances reflection and resolve, drawing lines between personal memory and the wider currents of history, change, and endurance. The songs move fluidly between stripped-down intimacy and full-band drive, blending folk-rock, country, and electric grit with the confidence of a band that knows exactly who they are. There’s a sense of forward motion throughout the album—never nostalgic for its own sake, but deeply aware of where it’s been. Lyrically, Farrar explores themes of connection, resilience, and place, finding meaning in both the ordinary and the unsettled. This album stands as another chapter in Son Volt’s enduring catalog: honest, grounded, and quietly powerful, reaffirming their role as one of America’s most consistent and thoughtful rock bands.” -
Admiral Radio, an award-winning folk/Americana act from South Carolina, is the creative partnership of Coty Hoover and Becca Smith. Named after their old wooden radio, this husband-and-wife team met while waiting tables in South Carolina’s Lowcountry. Inspired by the everyday, their songs explore life lessons, the quiet hustle of ordinary life, and the dogged optimism that drives it all. For this 5th new full-length album of theirs, the group has officially signed on with Too Fine Records, the new label by Triple 8 Management (Sierra Ferrell, Kaitlin Butts, Madison Cunningham). They have a string of upcoming shows in our area, beginning Tuesday, September 22nd in Studio B! They play September 23rd at The Evening Muse (Charlotte), September 24th at 185 King Street (Brevard), September 25th at Antlers & Acorns: The Boone Songwriter's Festival, and September 30th at the Albino Skunk Music Festival (Greer, SC). -
Before setting to work on her 4th album, I Am Both, the New York-based singer/songwriter Margaret Glaspy assembled a selection of songs that span from fictional vignettes to unguarded self-revelation to empathetic observation of the troubled world around her. Produced by Joe Henry, I Am Both brings Glaspy’s disarmingly direct vocals and eloquent guitar work to a cathartic form of folk-leaning indie rock. -
This band, based out of Portland, Oregon (but with Asheville ties too!) has this new album on Bloodshot Records, with themes of kicking old habits, letting go of control, interrogating motives, and fearless open hearts. And we’re sad to report they have announced it will be their last! They’ve stated that “after nearly 20 years of touring, we’ve had to be honest with ourselves about what it takes to sustain this band. Nearly every cost of being on the road—from fuel and flights to food and lodging—has gone up, while artists’ guarantees have remained largely static. At some point, you have to ask whether the way you’ve always done it still makes sense.” They play the Grey Eagle in Asheville on October 8th. -
Peak of the WeekTasjan’s latest album is an 11-song collection about the duality of the American underdog. The characters within these tunes are exotic dancers, cringe white guys, historic world explorers, ultra-wealthy people playing God, baby Jesus, eccentric women who have done life their own way, and dreamers. Each song takes an honest look at what it means to be some kind of underdog, all coming from a songwriter who has been called an underdog by others and who has at times identified himself in this way only to realize that in the end, every human being contains multitudes beyond the limited capacity we have to observe and truly know ourselves and each other. The late Todd Snider, a good friend of Aaron’s, played a pivotal role in shaping the album, offering guidance during a period when Aaron found himself questioning his creative direction. Snider’s presence can definitely be felt here. -
WNCW is sad to report the passing of one of our most revered icons, Dolly Parton. We'll certainly be including many of her recordings in our programming here, from her early work with Porter Wagoner, through her impressive solo career in Country and Bluegrass, and numerous collaborations with other favorites. Not to mention revisiting some of the films she starred in! "9 to 5", "Steel Magnolias", and "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas." Our hearts mourn for the loss of the Smoky Mountain Songbird, the Queen of Appalachia, The Book Lady... -
Tasjan’s latest album is an 11-song collection about the duality of the American underdog. The characters within these tunes are exotic dancers, cringe white guys, historic world explorers, ultra-wealthy people playing God, baby Jesus, eccentric women who have done life their own way, and dreamers. Each song takes an honest look at what it means to be some kind of underdog, all coming from a songwriter who has been called an underdog by others and who has at times identified himself in this way only to realize that in the end, every human being contains multitudes beyond the limited capacity we have to observe and truly know ourselves and each other. The late Todd Snider, a good friend of Aaron’s, played a pivotal role in shaping the album, offering guidance during a period when Aaron found himself questioning his creative direction. Snider’s presence can definitely be felt here.
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Following the critically acclaimed 2025 release American Cosmic Revival Vol. 1: Back At Home, this new album continues the series with a broader exploration of the music, stories, and enduring legacy of Cosmic American Music. Inspired by the enduring legacy of Gram Parsons, Gene Clark, The Byrds, The Flying Burrito Brothers, and the pioneers of country-rock, Miles From Nowhere expands beyond the International Submarine Band material featured on Vol. 1. Rather than simply revisiting classic recordings, the album brings together songs connected by a common thread of heartache, redemption, loneliness, resilience, and the search for home—capturing the emotional spirit at the heart of Cosmic American Music. The album features legendary pianist Earl Poole Ball, whose career spans Johnny Cash, Gram Parsons, The Byrds, and Buck Owens, alongside legendary pedal steel guitarist Jay Dee Maness, whose work with Gram Parsons, The Byrds, and the Desert Rose Band helped define the sound of Cosmic American Music and country-rock. -
Charley surprised everyone with this new release, recorded in Clovis, NM, back at the end of April, less than a month after he’d released his *other* new 2026 album Age of the Ram, on Island Records. Age of the Ram had wrapped up his trilogy of albums about the American West. Label contract disputes forced it to be pulled from circulation, but it's now available digitally again thanks to a new deal with Atlantic Outpost, which Charley considers a win: “Sometimes you need to fight. Goliath vs Goliath. On this 250th birthday for America, I’m reminded that freedom is something you continue to fight for. A war that never ends. Today, we win one battle. Clovis is out on the 4th of July weekend on Atlantic Outpost. Let’s ride.” Co-produced by Shooter Jennings. Charley performs in Charlotte on September 24th.
