Appalachian Vibes Radio Show

Appalachian Vibes Mini: JAM (Junior Appalachian Musicians)

The JAM (Junior Appalachian Musicians) program from Galax, VA are my featured guests this morning. Last weekend, December 10 2022 was the traditional Appalachian Christmas Festival in downtown Galax, VA. Elementary age kids stood bundled in their heaviest coats and mittens around a couple of mics singing and playing the old time and bluegrass music from Appalachian past, and inevitably Appalachia’s future. Appalachian Vibes is brought to you by Galax Tourism. Made possible by Virginia is f...

Appalachian Vibes: The Galax Episode

For the past few months I’ve been working with Galax Tourism to discover and uncover the treasures hidden in Galax, VA, a small Appalachian community in SW Virginia near the North Carolina boarder. This weeks episode follows my journey and personal reflection of the depth of art and culture that abides in one of Appalachia’s secret havens.  Appalachian Vibes is bright to you by Galax Tourism, made possible by Virginia is for Lovers. Galax Tourism: Building Our Future While Celebrating Our ...

Appalachian Vibes mini: The Loose Strings Band

The Loose Strings Band is an all women bluegrass quartet from Galax, VA. Comprised of Lindsey Nale  (mandolin),  Channing Combs (guitar), Grace Davis (bass) and Ashley Hultman (banjo). A few weeks ago I drove in a torrential down pour through mountainous curvy roads in my very well loved black Jeep Patriot to make it on time for the 11 o'clock service at Hillsville Church of the Brethren. The Loose Strings Band were performing during the service, and I sat down with them in a tiny room beh...

Appalachian Vibes mini: The Loose Strings Band

The Loose Strings Band is an all women bluegrass quartet from Galax, VA. Comprised of Lindsey Nale  (mandolin),  Channing Combs (guitar), Grace Davis (bass) and Ashley Hultman (banjo). A few weeks ago I drove in a torrential down pour through mountainous curvy roads in my very well loved black Jeep Patriot to make it on time for the 11 o'clock service at Hillsville Church of the Brethren. The Loose Strings Band were performing during the service, and I sat down with them in a tiny room beh...

Appalachian Vibes: The Loose Strings Band

Hello friends!My guests this week are the Galax, VA, bluegrass, Americana, all women quartet: The Loose Strings Band. They examine the songs off their upcoming EP, Realities, due to be released in 2023. We discuss the life experiences that inspired the album, from a song called "Galaxy", about their small town that feels like it's a million miles away from anywhere on earth,  to a mean girl experience that inspired the song "The Difference". Learn more about The Loose Strings Band: https:/...

Writer Shannon Watkins

Shannon Watkins is an column writer and journalist for the Galax Gazette. She shares her piece, Holy Goodness, a Moravian sugar cake recipe that comes from the Moravians that settled in Appalacahia. So, if your looking for a new (older) tradition to add to your Thanksgiving table, a Moravian sugar cake will be the perfect addition. Read Shannon's columns here: https://www.pmg-va.com/galax_gazette/ Happy Thanksgiving from Appalachian Vibes! Appalachian Vibes is brought to you by Galax Tou...

Colin Cutler and Dr. Bacon

Colin Cutler is an Americana, roots, guitar and banjo driven singer-songwriter based in Greensboro, NC. We discuss the  juxtaposition between his experience in the military as well as a musician who writes about violence in America and abroad. And Dr Bacon is an Appalcahin Funk rock band from Asheville, NC. Colin Cutler links:  http://www.colincutlermusic.com Dr. Bacon: https://www.drbaconband.com Appalachian Vibes is brought to you by Galax Tourism, made possible by Virginia is for Love...

Colin Cutler and Dr. Bacon

Colin Cutler is an Americana, roots, guitar and banjo driven singer-songwriter based in Greensboro, NC. We discuss the  juxtaposition between his experience in the military as well as a musician who writes about violence in America and abroad. And Dr Bacon is an Appalcahin Funk rock band from Asheville, NC. Colin Cutler links:  http://www.colincutlermusic.com Dr. Bacon: https://www.drbaconband.com Appalachian Vibes is brought to you by Galax Tourism, made possible by Virginia is for Love...

Appalachian Vibes: Lindsey Nale & Brandon Reeves

Lindsey Nale is a Galax born and raised bluegrass, Americana singer-songwriter . We discuss how she overcame depression after college, and the song she wrote that helped her though; and Brandon Reeves is an Atlanta based country, blues finger style guitar player/ singer-songwriter, we talk about quitting bad habits, bicycles, and finding his sound.  Lindsey Nale's featured song is called Night Owl. It's available on all streaming platforms.  Lindsey Nale links https://www.instagram.com/lna...

Appalachian Vibes Mini: Lindsey Nale

Lindsey Nale is a Galax, VA born bluegrass, Americana singer-songwriter who just released her first single, Night Owl. You may be familiar with the songwriter through her other various musical endeavors: she is the mandolin player and vocalist in The Loose Strings Band, and she is the director for JAM, Junior Appalachian Musicians, an inicitive dedicated to teaching kids in public school systems bluegrass and old-time music in SW VA and beyond. Night Owl is a song about the changes that oc...

Appalachian Vibes featuring Small Reactions

Small Reactions is a new age, soul, four piece that plays situational pop songs, with equal parts post-punk, drone and surf music. We discuss what the band has been through over the past few years with the covid crisis, songwriting and their latest album, New Age Soul. Small Reactions Links: https://smallreactions.bandcamp.com/album/new-age-soul https://www.facebook.com/smallreactions/ https://www.sofaburn.com/smallreactions https://open.spotify.com/artist/6cMEjRyZXD0Ugg2pzq3uCp https://ww...

Appalachian Vibes mini- Tom Barr (luthier) Barr's Fiddle Shop

Along the yellow and orange tree lined streets of downtown Galax Virginia; There sits Barr’s Fiddle Shop  in a building built in 1910, adjacent to the real birth place of country music, the historic Alderman’s Barber Shop. Oh, you thought Bristol, VA was the birthplace of country? Think again. The real birth place of country music, or "Hillbilly" music is in downtown Galax, VA. I visited the now music shop and adjacent barber shop where four musicians started their brand of hillbilly music. ...

Appalachian Vibes: Griffin Haley, Camry Harris & Willy Gurley from Fainting Goat Studios

Happy Sunday! Last week I took a trip to Fainting Goat Studios in Bedford, VA to meet indie Americana artist Griffin Haley, studio musician Camry Harris and the  owner and engineer of Fainting Goat Studios, Willy Gurley. Fainting Goat Studios was built in 2006 when Willy Gurley was in 6th grade. His dad took all the finances saved for Willy's future college career and constructed a studio in their back yard in rural Bedford, VA. What began as a hobby quickly became one of the most sought a...

Appalachian Vibes: Karlee Raye & Griffin Haley from Fainting Goat Studio

Hello friends! This week I took a trip to Fainting Goat Studios in rural Bedford Virginia to meet with a couple of indiepndednt artists from Appalachia.  Karlee Raye is a 19 year old country singer-songwriter from Forest, VA who launched her music business at 15 years old. We dive into her experiences playing in bars super young, and the family member that inspired her to write and perform music.  And Griffin Haley is an Americana singer-songwriter from Martinsville VA who found his true ...

Appalachian Vibes Mini: Matthews Living History Farm Museum

On this Appalachian Vibes Mini we explore Heritage Day at Matthews Living History Farm Museum down a winding road deep in Appalachia. Matthews Living History Farm Museum sits on 21 rolling acres in Galax, VA. With roaming Guinea Hogs, Gulf Coast native sheep,  Heritage Jersey cows, and a Jerusalem donkey, the homestead operates today as if it were the mid to late 1700's. Arwen Cayton, director of the MLHFM, discusses the history of the farm, how it came to be a living museum and the import...

Appalachian Vibes: Stories of the Stitch, FUNK YOU & Appalachian Horror stories

Hello friends,  This week we dive into the history of quilting in Appalachia with Stories of the Stitch, a quilt show at Matthews History Living History Farm Museum. Dozens of quilts hung from clothes lines, brightly woven fabrics blowing against the sky. Any quilter will tell you, quilts are more than a blanket to keep you warm on chilly evenings. They are one of the first forms of art in Appalachia, often commemorating a life event, like the story of a birth, a death, an injury, or a wedd...

Appalachian Vibes: Stories of the Stitch, FUNK YOU & Appalachian Horror stories

Hello friends,  This week we dive into the history of quilting in Appalachia with Stories of the Stitch, a quilt show at Matthews History Living History Farm Museum. Dozens of quilts hung from clothes lines, brightly woven fabrics blowing against the sky. Any quilter will tell you, quilts are more than a blanket to keep you warm on chilly evenings. They are one of the first forms of art in Appalachia, often commemorating a life event, like the story of a birth, a death, an injury, or a wedd...

Appalachian Vibes mini: Stories of the Stitch

‘Stories of the Stitch’ 2022 Appalachian Vibes Radio Show from WNCW By: Amanda Bocchi Stories of the Stitch, the 17th annual outdoor quilt show in Galax, VA took place this past weekend.  GPS will lead you the wrong way, best to follow the small wooden signs pointing the way down a winding road, through the hills of Appalachia to Matthews History Living History Farm Museum.  Dozens of quilts hung from clothes lines, brightly woven fabrics blowing against the sky. Any quilter will tell you...

Appalachian Vibes mini: Stories of the Stitch

‘Stories of the Stitch’ 2022 Appalachian Vibes Radio Show from WNCW By: Amanda Bocchi Stories of the Stitch, the 17th annual outdoor quilt show in Galax, VA took place this past weekend.  GPS will lead you the wrong way, best to follow the small wooden signs pointing the way down a winding road, through the hills of Appalachia to Matthews History Living History Farm Museum.  Dozens of quilts hung from clothes lines, brightly woven fabrics blowing against the sky. Any quilter will tell you...

Appalachian Vibes: High-Low Audio & Dave Tabler (Appalachian History Podcast)

Hello friends, This week my guests are the hip-hop and punk duo High-Low Audio from Bedford Virginia. We discuss the difficulty this duo has experienced breaking into one Appalachian Virginia music scene.  The duo is comprised of Elegy and Montae'Vious Dash, they met in high school and have since created No Society, a label that develops and represents artists who also do not fit in to the traditional Appalachian music scene in Virginia.  My last guest is Dave Tabler of the Appalachian hi...

Appalachian Vibes: The Snozzberries 2022

Hello friends,  This week my guest is  Ethan Heller, lead guitarist from the psychedelic circus, heavy jam band laced with wicked jazz lounge vibes from Asheville NC, The Snozzberries.  We discuss the trials and tribulations that brought this band from the innocent, carefree 4 piece in 2017 to a heavier, darker version of the band after their drummer passed away suddenly. Ethan discusses their newly evolved sound and their upcoming album, Return. Learn more about The Snozzberries and t...

App Vibes Mini- Dr. Bacon

S3E15 Appalachian Vibes featuring Dr. Bacon

Hello friends,  This week on Appalachian Vibes my guest is the funky, grass, soul and blues 6 piece from Asheville NC, I’m talking about dun dun dun....Dr. Bacon. I’m speaking with Myles Dunder; original member,  vocalist, saxophonist, and guitarist for this Swiss army knife of a band.  Songs featured in todays episode from Dr. Bacon's album 'Fast and Loose with the Essentials': Pancakes Mati Overtime Maybe Maybe Music my Soul Learn more about Dr. Bacon at: https://www.drbaconband.co...

Appalachian Vibes Mini: Disco Risque

Tuesday August 16 2022 You can catch an Appalachian Vibes Mini episode from WNCW every other Tuesday at 7:51 am! The next mini episode airs August 30 2022 at 7:51 am on WNCW, listen here: https://www.wncw.org Good morning folks, This weeks Appalachian Vibes mini episode features Disco Risque, a dance party comedy band from the hills of Charlottesville, VA. We discuss their upcoming album, Joke Squad and the inspiration behind "Draw Me Like One of Your French Girls" from their album Top of ...

S3E14 Appalachian Vibes: Disco Risque 2022 & Presley Barker

Good morning friends! This week on Appalachian Vibes my guests are the Charlottesville, VA rock-n-roll dance party band, Disco Risque. We catch up about their new album, Joke Squad dropping November 18 and how they incorporate their dream of becoming stand up comedians with their  music. You can learn more about Disco Risque at: discorisque.com *And* Presley Barker was on American Idol when he was a young teenager, now he is an 18 year old country singer and guitarist who got his start ...

S3E13 Appalachian Vibes: The Hooten Hallers & Amanda McCarthy

This week we focus on a band outside of Appalachia, St. Louis Vibes is where we’re headed today with the Missouri , rock n roll, pre WW2 inspired three piece: The Hooten Hallers. The Hooten Hallers toured 200 dates out of the year pre pandemic, and now they are “Back in Business” which is the title of their upcoming record release, dropping September 9th 2022. We discuss songwriting through addiction and the St. Louis music that brought their sound from a punk rock duo to their bass sax insp...

S3E12 Appalachian Vibes: Cody Christian

This week on Appalachian Vibes my guest is Cody Christian, the Powhatan, Virginia born Americana artist. In late 2021 Cody decided it was time to quit his job of 8 years at a ship yard when he was forced to choose between complying with his companies standards, or shaving his face. He constructed an email to all of the employees:  To whom it may concern: "After eight years of devoted employment I have concluded that I deserve to work in an environment where my beard is valued. I have accept...

Appalachian Vibes mini: Galax Fiddlers Convention & Presley Barker

 In less than one week, over 60,000 musicians and spectators  will descend upon the small town of Galax, Virginia,  for the 86th annual Galax Fiddlers Convention. Thousands of Contestants gather from around the world to compete for $20,000 in cash prizes. That's August 8-13 in Galax, VA.  Appalachian Vibes Radio Show from WNCW is listener nominated, you can nominate an artist by emailing Amanda at [email protected]. Appalachian Vibes Radio Show is created and produced by Amanda B...

Appalachian Vibes mini: Galax Fiddlers Convention & Presley Barker

 In less than one week, over 60,000 musicians and spectators  will descend upon the small town of Galax, Virginia,  for the 86th annual Galax Fiddlers Convention. Thousands of Contestants gather from around the world to compete for $20,000 in cash prizes. That's August 8-13 in Galax, VA. 

Appalachian Vibes Mini: Cody Christian

This week my guest is Cody Christian; the Powhatan, VA, Americana, country artist who made waves in late 2021 when he quit his 8 year job at a shipyard by sending a mass email to every employee that stated, I deserve to work in an environment where my beard is valued, I’ve accepted a position as a honky tonk man And I can’t seem to stop.” Adding, I wish you all the best of luck as you mismanage this company into inevitable bankruptcy. Don’t go chasing waterfalls.  I catch up with Cody Chris...

S3E12 Appalachian Vibes Mini: Cody Christian

This week my guest is Cody Christian; the Powhatan, VA, Americana, country artist who made waves in late 2021 when he quit his 8 year job at a shipyard by sending a mass email to every employee that stated, I deserve to work in an environment where my beard is valued, I’ve accepted a position as a honky tonk man And I can’t seem to stop.” Adding, I wish you all the best of luck as you mismanage this company into inevitable bankruptcy. Don’t go chasing waterfalls.  I catch up with Cody Chris...

S3E11 Appalachian Vibes: ShadowGrass, Dave Hedeman & The Gone Ghosts, Blushin' Roulettes

Hello you beautiful people, This week I'm featuring some unaired segments from recent guests. I never seem to have quite enough time to include the entire interview, so I'm sharing important, relevant, or fun parts of our interviews that didn't make it in the first episode. My first guest is  ShadowGrass, a bluegrass band from SW Virginia,  we continue our conversation from last weeks interview (S3E11). Learn more about ShadowGrass at https://shadowgrass.band/ My second guest is Dave He...

S3E10 Appalachian Vibes: The Manakooras & Shadowgrass

June 26 2022 This week on Appalachian Vibes my guests are The Manakooras,  a Surfxotica band from all over the southern states. Surfxotica encompasses surf and exotica music, a 1950’s obscure genre surrounding the Hawaiian craze. https://manakooras.bandcamp.com/track/tangaroa And Shadowgrass is a SW Virginia based band who forged their path winning fiddlers conventions across Virginia and North Carolina. https://shadowgrass.band/ Appalachian Vibes is listener nominated,  you can nominate ...

Appalachian Vibes Mini- The Blushin' Roulettes

This Appalachian Vibes mini features The Blushin' Roulettes, a swing, Americana, 5 piece from Asheville. I speak with Cas and Angie about the farm where they got their start in Northern California, ghostly happenings and a horse named Easter Lightening. Plus we get to hear their latest single, 9-5which was just released Friday June 17. Learn more about The Blushin' Roulettes on https://blushinroulettes.com/ Appalachian Vibes Radio Show from WNCW is listener nominated, you can nominate an ...

S3E10 Appalachian Vibes: Josh Daniel & The Blushin' Roulettes

Hello beautiful listeners, This week on Appalachian Vibes my guest is Josh Daniel a singer-songwriter from Charlotte, NC AKA Fernlandia, with an interesting journey. His music exploded during the pandemic when he committed to performing live on social media every day for 2 hours. His fanbase jumped from 5K to 40K (currently hovering closer to 50K) but for Josh, it's all about gratitude and humility. In my interview with Josh it beacame clear the story, or the other part of the story could ...

S3E9 Appalachian Vibes: Josh Daniel & The Blushin' Roulettes

Hello beautiful listeners, This week on Appalachian Vibes my guest is Josh Daniel a singer-songwriter from Charlotte, NC AKA Fernlandia, with an interesting journey. His music exploded during the pandemic when he committed to performing live on social media every day for 2 hours. His fanbase jumped from 5K to 40K (currently hovering closer to 50K) but for Josh, it's all about gratitude and humility. In my interview with Josh it beacame clear the story, or the other part of the story could ...

S3E9 Appalachian Vibes: Josh Daniel & The Blushin' Roulettes

Hello beautiful listeners, This week on Appalachian Vibes my guest is Josh Daniel a singer-songwriter from Charlotte, NC AKA Fernlandia, with an interesting journey. His music exploded during the pandemic when he committed to performing live on social media every day for 2 hours. His fanbase jumped from 5K to 40K (currently hovering closer to 50K) but for Josh, it's all about gratitude and humility. In my interview with Josh it beacame clear the story, or the other part of the story could ...

S3E8 Appalachian Vibes featuring Shabudikah & The Gone Ghosts

This week on Appalachian Vibes my guests are the soul-pop-funk band from Asheville, NC- Shabudikah and the alt-country outfit from Carrborro, NC-Dave Hedeman and the Gone Ghosts. Learn more about Shabudikah https://www.facebook.com/shabudikah/ Learn more about Dave Hedeman and the Gone Ghosts https://thegoneghosts.com/ Appalachian Vibes Radio Show from WNCW is listener nominated, you can nominate an artist by emailing Amanda at [email protected]. Appalachian Vibes Radio Show is...

S3E7 Appalachian Vibes featuring Tony Williamson

Hello beautiful people, It’s an honor to introduce my guest this week  he was a member of the famous Blue Grass Alliance during the late 70’s and 80’s with the likes of Sam Bush, Tony Rice, and Vince Gill, he was awarded the North Carolina Heritage Award in 2018 a few short years after Doc Watson. With a career spanning from the 1950’s to today, my guest is none other than the highly esteemed, influential multi genre mandolin player, Tony Williamson. We discuss his childhood, growing up ...

S3E6 Appalachian Vibes- Weekend Plans, Fanoplane and author Joan Vannorsdall

Hello beautiful listeners, This week on Appalachian Vibes my guests are the soul-jazz-funk band from Richmond, VA- Weekend Plans. They're kick ass. Check out their website here: weekendplansmusic.com Fanoplane is my second guest, NPR's darling Bob Boilen plays synth and Ted Zook is a classical guitarist in the experimental jazz ensemble from DC. They rotate players every time they gather, and the sound is always changing, nothing repeats. My last guest is Joan Vannorsdall, an Appalachian...

Appalachian Vibes Mini - Author, Joan Vannorsdall

This week's Appalachian Vibes Mini features Appalachian author and civic leader/advocate Joan Vannorsdall. As a writer for Blue Ride Country Magazine, she got an idea for a bi monthly column that begs the question, how are small towns in Appalachia reclaiming their identities after years of declining population and industry shifts? Joan travels to one of seven states in Appalachia every other month to investigate first hand how small communities in Appalachia are making a come back and how t...

S3E5 Appalachian Vibes-Cynthia Sue Larsen (Physicist and Author)

Good morning lovely people, I'm super behind on publishing this episode. I was Merlefest last weekend and I had the opportunity to introduce several of the artists, so I'm just getting to the show. I'm so excited about this episode.  Cynthia Sue Larson is the best-selling author of several books including Quantum Jumps, Reality Shifts, and High Energy Money. Cynthia has a degree in physics from UC Berkeley, an MBA degree, a Doctor of Divinity She has been featured in numerous shows inclu...

S3E5 Appalachian Vibes-Cynthia Sue Larsen (Physicist and Author)

Good morning lovely people, I'm super behind on publishing this episode. I was Merlefest last weekend and I had the opportunity to introduce several of the artists, so I'm just getting to the show. I'm so excited about this episode.  Cynthia Sue Larson is the best-selling author of several books including Quantum Jumps, Reality Shifts, and High Energy Money. Cynthia has a degree in physics from UC Berkeley, an MBA degree, a Doctor of Divinity She has been featured in numerous shows inclu...

S3E3 Appalachian Vibes- Robin Landsong's Singing Medicine

Hello lovely people, I am so so honored to share this episode of Appalachian Vibes. This week my guest is Robin Landsong,  a medicine singer with an incredible  story of how she became the trauma healer she is today. In 1977, an 8 year old Robin was walking home from school on the last day of the school year when she was kidnapped from her Virginia neighborhood, drugged and trafficked to Africa. Over the next three months she suffered immeasurable violence that lead to young Robin facing ...

S3E3 App Vibes mini Robin Landsong

Hello Lovely people, This week my guest is Robin Landsong, a Medicine Singer with the harrowing story of how she came to embody this gift. In 1977 Robin was 8 years old when she was abducted walking home from school in a Virginia suburb. She was quickly trafficked to Africa during the height of the Rhodesian War where Robin experienced brutality and violence resulting in two Near- Death Experiences. As she was called back to life by the Medicine Song of a rural Zimbabwean woman, it opened h...

S3E2 Appalachian Vibes-Yo Mama's Big Fat Booty Band, stories from Will Henson & Violet Bell

Good morning lovely people,  This week on Appalachian Vibes I chat with the founder of Yo Mama's Big Fat Booty Band, John Paul Miller, a half columbian guitarist whose mother first exposed him to the instrument as a small child by singing and playing to him on a classical guitar. Yo Mama's Big Fat Booty Band is a sexy funk band from Asheville, NC with 20 years in the industry. John Paul tells the tales of his years of traveling with the band and abroad. Bootyband.com Will Henson reads his ...

S3E1 Appalachian Vibes- Casey Noel, A Jordan & The Resonant Rogues

Hello lovely people, This is the first full hour episode of Appalachian Vibes on our new home WNCW! My guests this week are: Casey Noel, A Jordan and The Resonant Rogues. Casey Noel, the Costa Rican American roots, singer-songwriter and ex-professional ballroom dancer from Greensboro, NC. She reveals her latest single, "Playing God" a chilling song about the 17th century serial killer who claimed the lives of over 600 men in Italy with an undetectable poison she called Aqua Tofana. Casey ...

S3E1 Appalachian Vibes Mini- Resonant Rogues

Appalachian Vibes makes a triumphant return on our new home station-WNCW. WNCW stands for Western North Carolina's Window and serves Western North Carolina, Charlotte, and Greenville, South Carolina.  I am honored and excited for Appalachian Vibes to have a home on a station that is deeply devoted to their listeners, community and musicians.  You can hear an Appalachian Vibes mini episode every other Tuesday on WNCW's Morning Edition at 7:51 am. The next air date for an App Vibes Mini is Ap...

S2E25 Appalachian Vibes-Mac Traynham, Stuart Brown & Emily Musolino

Hello beautiful folks, It's Saturday night. Hope you're enjoying life and such. This week on Appalachian Vibes, Mac Traynham shares the magic of Floyd and how old time music is being passed down in Appalachia, Stuart Brown discusses the heartbreak he experienced as a child and how longing for his parents love helped him become someone who reached out in love to everyone in his life, and Emily Musolino takes us through the ups and downs of her relationship with her partners mother who has d...

S2E24 Appalachian Vibes- Will Overman, Catherine the Great, and Jared Stout