Peak of the Week

There are few people working in the music business today that can say that they have worked in several of its eras. Rick Miller, Mary Huff and Dave Hartman are three who can, having started out in a time when radio airplay was the first step in becoming known outside of their hometown of Chapel Hill, NC. Back then, in the mid to late 1980s, getting your music in the hands of your fans meant you would make cassettes, 45s or LPs. At first, you would make them via the DIY route, sending those out to small regional record labels and select radio stations, usually radio stations in towns where you had some foothold by having played shows there and already being on that music scene’s radar. Once your band got airplay on radio (typically college radio), you would leverage that along with your successful shows to get picked up by an indie label, and keep going from there. Essentially, this is how Southern Culture on the Skids began. Many others did not make it past this era, but they did.

First Time Hunters is a true tale about not-so-experienced hunters and why all the children in Warnerville , NY first spelling word is “COW”.

Asheville Citizen Times City and County Reporter, Joel Burgess, returned to More to the Story for details about a Buncombe County deputy being on trial after video footage from a traffic stop. The video triggered the County's Sheriff's office to release the officer. Burgess also went over the latest concerning redistricting in N.C. voting that involves U.S. Rep. Madison Cawthorne and the new District 13. The interview originally aired November 17, 2021.

Known for the New York Times Bestseller The Beatles, Author Bob Spitz has now released Led Zeppelin: The Biography. Spitz's story shares how Led Zeppelin, including members Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, were not fans of the media and its criticism. They did it their way, through the good and the bad. This book is a true behind-the-scenes look at the band. Spitz was our guest for this Friday Feature on Nov. 10, 2021.

Located in Rutherford County, NC is the small, friendly town of Ellenboro. Ellenboro continues a long tradition involving popular music in the area with its annual Fiddlers and Bluegrass Convention. The event just celebrated its 30th anniversary. Event representative Ronald Hawkins dropped by WNCW on Nov. 12, 2021, just prior to this year's event.

David Holt grew up in Garland, Texas. He says, “I grew up in a family of informal storytellers, and there was plenty to tell about our wild and wooly Texas forefathers. Storytelling was just a natural part of family life for me. I never thought about telling stories in public until I began to collect mountain music and came across interesting and unusual anecdotes from mountain folks. I began to use these stories in concerts and realized the power storytelling holds."

Musical Performers continue to skip Nashville, New York, and LA for the musical diversity of Asheville and its many opportunities. Long before today's artists and music scene, Asheville already had a long and unique history of all types of music. That's why The Asheville Music History Walking Tour would be an adventure you might want to participate in. Tour Representative Alli Marshall talked with WNCW on Nov. 15, 2021.

The often challenging and often controversial process of redistricting North Carolina's voting maps was recently completed. With it comes changes to several districts and some new ones like District 13. Get the scoop from Smoky Mountain News Politics Editor Cory Vaillancourt who appeared on More to the Story on Nov. 10, 2021.

WUNC (North Carolina Public Radio) and Education Reporter Liz Schlemmer took part in this More to the Story to go over this year's ongoing teacher shortage. The teacher shortage connects to a supreme court case that goes back several years, Leandro vs. The State of North Carolina. The conversation first aired on Nov. 3, 2021.

David Weintraub, local filmmaker of over forty documentary films, with The Center for Cultural Preservation in Hendersonville, signed a deal with PBS to distribute four of his films to public television stations across the nation. David and the Center provide Western North Carolina history and events like no one else. This interview originally aired Oct. 29, 2021.