Something big happened in Asheville music in 1925.
A two-week recording session was held at the Vanderbilt Hotel. Musicians and groups performed traditional Southern Appalachian music. Afterwards, OKeh Records pressed and released a catalogue of records documenting a sound that many folks outside the region had never heard. The Asheville Sessions were revived in 2025 through a remastering and concert project.
We sat down with Dr. Ted Olson, professor of Appalachian Studies at East Tennessee State University, to discuss the significance of the historic sessions.
To learn more about the musical families of North Carolina, visit BlueRidgeMusicNC.com.
The Podcast
This podcast highlights bluegrass and old-time music stories, performers, and traditions across the mountain and foothills counties of Western North Carolina. These traditions and stories are the soul and spirit of the Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina.
The podcast is hosted and scripted by Laura Boosinger, musician, folklorist, and storyteller; and produced by Jaclyn Anthony and Joe Kendrick of WNCW-FM.
Episodes air every other week on WNCW-FM (88.7) at about 8:50 am on Tuesday mornings (at the end of NPR’s Morning Edition). New episodes will be published below as they are completed.