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Host of the political podcast, Frogmore Stew, Grace Cowan sat down with WNCW to share new House Bill regulations and how one item might discourage voting. She joined More to the Story in late February, 2025.

Madeline Dierauf, a professional fiddler, can be described as a talented musician, an outstanding college student, and someone with a genuine soul. She's also a new and rare recipient of the Oxford University Rhodes Scholarship, that will enable her to continue her studies in England later this year. Madeline, a member of the all- female bluegrass band, The Wilder Flower, is also the daughter of WNCW Music Host, Roland Dierauf. This conversation originally aired in late February 2025.

WUNC K-12 Education Reporter, Liz Schlemmer joined WNCW to discuss the main reasons parents choose to place their children in private schools or select homeschooling over traditional public schooling. Liz also breaks down the effects of COVID and Charter Schools. This conversation originally aired in March 2025.

WNCW believes in how local, community, and public radio serve its listeners. So, when Cory Vaillancourt of Smoky Mountain News wanted to share his story about Senate Bill 315, which mandates that all new passenger motor vehicles manufactured or sold in the United States include AM radio receivers as standard equipment, we wanted to hear about it. This conversation originally aired in March 2025.

Asheville Theatre Alliance (ATA) Co-Founder, Jeff Cantanese was Paul's guest on this feature interview to share what ATA is all about. The non-profit group came together as a way to strengthen the Asheville theatre community as a whole. Jeff also shared details about an ATA podcast that just got off the ground. This conversation originally aired in March 2025.

Find out about The Weave Project and The Weaver Awards, which recognize and celebrate the weavers — those who weave their communities together — in Wilkes County. Local Weave Staffer, Greg Brady, gives the history and meaning of Weave, while award winner, Teacher Heather Williams, shares why she was recognized. This conversation originally aired in March 2025.

Today on the program, we're proud to present the story behind the King of Western Swing, Bob Wills. One of the most influential and iconic bandleaders and musicians of the 1930s-1950s, Bob came from a humble life of a poor sharecropping family, and was deeply influenced by old-time and breakdown fiddle through his Texas state champion family of fiddlers in his father and uncle. Bob also loved all the turn-of-the-century and 1920s black music, and this confluence of cultures would help him create the craze that became Western swing, and the details of his journey to get there will surprise you.

Happy release day! Today on our program, we’re delighted to release the first episode of Season 3, diving into the life of renowned songwriter, riverboat pilot, folklorist, song collector, music historian, accomplished fiddler and banjoist, clog & shuffle dancer, storyteller, and consummate entertainer, John Hartford. One of the most brilliant yet lesser-known musicians of the last century, John was the key figure in redefining Bluegrass and American roots music for future generations, the unofficial father of “newgrass”, who had a life that was anything but ordinary.

Today on our program, we present the story of one of the most iconic American Folk songs, born from the lineage of 16th-century ballads brought by immigrants from the British Isles, "Shady Grove". Often used in both dance and courtship, the timeless melody was the backbone for countless ballads and folk songs that made their way to North America and took root in the Appalachian and Ozark Mountain ranges. To date, "Shady Grove" has been estimated to have amassed over 300 stanzas since was first sung in the Cumberland Plateau region of Eastern Kentucky in the mid-nineteenth century. Story by Ryan Eastridge.