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This Old Porch™

Down the Road BRMT | Ep. 12: What is Bluegrass?

By Stephanie Webb • Jul 13, 2017

It started in Kentucky but quickly caught on across the Blue Ridge Mountains. Back in the ‘40s and '50s, musicians started playing their old instruments in new ways with lots of giddy-up. From Earl Scruggs to Steep Canyon Rangers, North Carolina has laid claim to the top talents in blistering bluegrass music.

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down the road
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Down the Road BRMT | Ep. 11: Blues Guitarist Lesley Riddle Shaped Country Music

By Stephanie Webb • Jun 27, 2017
Blues Guitarist Lesley Riddle

Country music came into the American mainstream with the Carter Family, but A.P. Carter relied heavily on African-American blues guitarist Lesley Riddle of Yancey County, N.C. In 1927, Lesley met A.P. in Bristol, Tenn. and helped the Carters collect the songs across Appalachia that would become country music classics. Now Burnsville pays tribute to the blues musician with annual Riddlefest.

Down the Road BRMT | Ep. 10: Picking the Blue Ridge Blues

By WNCW Staff • Jun 20, 2017
Man playing instrument

When most people think of mountain music, banjos, ballads or bluegrass usually come to mind, but the Blue Ridge is home to a rich and distinctive blues tradition that dates back generations, and is still played today.

Down the Road BRMT | Ep. 9: How to Join a Music Jam

By Stephanie Webb • Jun 14, 2017
Jam Session Etiquette

In the Blue Ridge, you can find people gathered on any day of the week to play mountain music. Whether on a front porch or a festival ground, the most basic unit of mountain music is the jam session. Here’s a quick field guide to jam session etiquette, to help you get the most out of your tune time.

Click here to learn more about Jam Session Etiquette.