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Music inhabits its purest form when people get together to make music with one another. In this spirit, the fiddlers’ convention is an essential element of the traditional music ecosystem in Western North Carolina. This episode is adapted from an article by music writer Derek Halsey revisiting a newspaper article from the Watauga Democrat published on June 14, 1928 covering a fiddlers convention in the town of Blowing Rock.

The Peacock Performing Arts Center in Hayesville presents a wide range of programming. It’s Songwriters Series is a highlight of the lineup. Hosted by local songwriter Rob Tiger, the series brings some of the top songwriters in the field to Clay County. The Showcase functions as a songwriters round, giving some audience members a new way to experience uniquely crafted songs.

Plott-Tober fest is a new festival set to take place in Canton in 2023. This festival celebrates North Carolina's State Dog, the Plott Hound, as well as the German heritage of Haywood County. We spoke with festival organizer Bob Plott to learn more about the Plott Hound, German influence in Haywood County, and the festival itself, which will feature plenty of WNC traditional music.

The Cherokee Language Repertory Choir started in the spring of 2023. This choir uses the Christian Harmony shaped note tradition, but instead of singing it traditionally, in English, this choir sings in the Cherokee language. This effort revives a documented tradition of shaped note singing in the Cherokee community while helping to keep the Cherokee language a part of cultural practice in Western North Carolina. We spoke with organizers and a member of the choir to learn more.

The “Down the Road on the Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina” podcast highlights bluegrass and old-time music stories, performers, and traditions across the mountain and foothills counties of Western North Carolina. Hosted by Laura Boosinger and produced by Corrie Askew and Joe Kendrick of WNCW-FM, the podcast is a joint effort of the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area, the North Carolina Arts Council, and WNCW-FM.

In Seasons 4 and 5, we’ve brought you stories of the Blue Ridge Music Trails’ Fine Tuned project. This mentorship and collaboration-based professional development project has sought to foster development in WNC’s traditional music ecosystem. This episode explores the musical partnerships and the music they created with insight into the groups and selections from the tracks on the album. It’s time to talk about the actual music of Fine Tuned: Volume One

Two Charlotte topics were addressed in this interview with WFAE Politics and Government Reporter, Steve Harrison — Mecklenburg County's very low voter response to a primary election that involved incumbent Mayor Vi Lyle. As well as a group of dissatisfied employees at Charlotte Douglas Airport.

September was National Suicide Prevention Month. To bring awareness to suicide, WNCW featured Jeff Spiteri, a former victim of homelessness, who had lost all hope. Today, Jeff is an international speaker and author on suicide. We also spoke with Linda Schaffer, a psychiatric therapist, who provided insight into what her patients often go through. Both guests have ties to Western NC.

A shorter broadcast version of the full hour episode available on podcast platforms everywhere

Actor, salesman, entrepreneur, radio show host, author, minister, workshop facilitator, public speaker, trainer, Peace Corps Volunteer, storyteller, and pet-sitter. Larry has been all of these and found that the thing that ties them all together (yep – even petsitting!) is the importance of stories. Humor is a key ingredient, whether the story is for entertainment or a deeper purpose.