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In 1975, Connie Regan-Blake teamed up with Barbara Freeman to travel and tell stories across the country. The women made a marvelous duo, strategically and creatively sharing stories from the past and present. Many Appalachian tales have roots in Irish, Scottish, and English history, dating back hundreds of years, while others were developed and shared in more recent times.

Jim Shumate was a fiddler who gained his notoriety in the 1940s when he played with some of the great musicians of bluegrass, including Bill Monroe & the Bluegrass Boys, Lester Flatt, and Earl Scruggs. He added his flair to the songs of the time, emphasizing ‘long-bow’ fiddling, a style which he discovered listening to Arthur Smith from the Grand Ole Opry.

John Boyle of Asheville Watchdog shared his Road to Recovery story when he was a guest on WNCW. John discussed businesses affected by Helene in Asheville, where owners either closed or restarted, even though the recovery took some time. John also shared some statistics regarding tourism in the region

Founder and Director, Heather Maloy of Terpsicorps Theater of Dance in Asheville, shared the exciting news about their new summer production, Appalachian Phoenix. The story, dance performances, and even the music score were inspired by every hero that made a difference following Hurricane Helene. Asheville performances are coming up July 24th through 26th at The Wortham Performing Arts Center.

Staff Reporter for Carolina Public Press, Jane Sartwell, sat down with WNCW to recap her recent story about how federal budget cuts in Washington, DC, were being felt by local programs across the state. Programs like HIV testing, well-water testing, and tobacco prevention. Several State Health and Human Services employees also lost their jobs.

Music runs through about everything Joe Hooten does in life. This full-time Social Studies teacher at Asheville Middle School decided he wanted to provide guitar lessons to interested students as well. Known for his own music and a part of the band Tin Roof Echo, Joe shared his desire to put a used guitar in the hands of each and every young teenage student who comes his way. He says it doesn't matter if the instrument has low value, is dusty or slightly damaged, they'll be used.

John Boyle, reporter and columnist with Asheville Watchdog, shared the progress and ongoing concerns related to Asheville's water system, which was wiped away by the impact of Helene. He also talked about how some victims of the storm, who lost their homes, were making their current homes within a compound in Swannanoa. This interview originally aired in December.

A native of West Virginia, Donna Marie Todd trained in classical vocal performance at the renowned Peabody Conservatory of Music with Metropolitan opera soprano Marilyn Cotlow and now writes and performs a unique combination of original story woven with artful song. She is a TEDx speaker, recording artist, singer, writer, teaching artist, and retreat leader. She is a multi-faceted artist who delivers perfectly crafted performances that combine her talents as a speaker, writer, storyteller, and singer. The combination of storytelling and singing has earned her the description of “The Singer of Stories.”

America has seen its fair share of outlaws throughout history. Musicians have sung their tales, immortalizing them in song from coast to coast and contributing to this country’s folklore. North Carolina has a page in outlaw history with the bootlegger Otto Wood. Listen to learn more about Wood and others and the songs they inspired.

Tropical Storm Helene devastated communities across Western North Carolina including Chimney Rock in Rutherford County, Swannanoa and Barnardsville in Buncombe, Crossnore in Avery, Old Fort in McDowell, Spruce Pine in Mitchell, and Hot Springs and Marshall in Madison to name a very few. This is not the first time that mighty waves of water have rolled through the region, causing devastation beyond comprehension. Singers and songwriters marked past events with songs, and it’s likely the same will happen now.