Storytelling can be found across cultures. It's been used to teach morals, share news, and entertain. In this latest episode of the Down the Road podcast, Laura Boosinger sits down with professional storyteller Connie Regan-Blake to share how storytelling jumped from personal circles (campfires, living rooms, and porches) to stages. Connie Regan-Blake is an award-winning storyteller, coach, and workshop facilitator. Among her many awards and accolades, she has received the Lifetime Achievement A...
Jun 27, 2025•9 min•Season 6Ep. 17
In this Down the Road episode, host Laura Boosinger interviews Brandon Johnson, the Executive Director of the Madison County Arts Council and the director of The Bluff Mountain Festival. Johnson explains how the annual festival began, when he became involved, and the importance of the music and community. To learn more about the Bluff Mountain Festival, visit BlueRidgeMusicNC.com and MadisonCountyArts.com . Songs featured in this episode: Brandon Johnson, "Nancy Rowland" Roger Howell, "Chinky Pi...
Jun 10, 2025•9 min•Season 6Ep. 16
Most folks don’t think of the piano as an instrument in traditional music, but that never stopped Jeff Little from playing throughout his musical career. His introduction to piano came at a very young age in his father's music store in Boone. Jerrell Little, Doc Watson, Wayne Henderson, and others gave Jeff the lessons he would use to carry him throughout his musical career. Listen to this episode of Down the Road to learn more about Jeff Little's story. Little is a notable player who travels wi...
May 22, 2025•9 min•Season 6Ep. 15
Jayne Henderson had no intention of working in the world of music. She went to school to study environmental law. However, the heart knows what it wants. After growing up with creativity in her blood and a family of luthiers before her, Jayne found herself crafting guitars side-by-side with her father, with a twist... she chooses the materials mindfully, using wood right in her backyard. Music featured: Doc Watson, "Tellin' My Troubles to My Old Guitar" Dream Guitars, Demo of Jayne Henderson's g...
May 14, 2025•8 min•Season 6Ep. 14
Arthel Lane "Doc" Watson (March 3, 1923 – May 29, 2012) is revered as one of the most influential and respected guitar players in the history of traditional music. Originally hailing from Deep Gap, NC, Doc was a self-taught harmonica, banjo, and guitar player. He is known for his work in multiple music genres, including bluegrass, folk, gospel, country, and old-time. In 1988, Doc Watson held the first MerleFest in honor of his late son, Merle Watson. Doc described the festival as 'traditional, p...
Apr 25, 2025•8 min•Season 6Ep. 13
Some of the most prominent musicians in North Carolina were co-workers. Furniture, paper, and textiles were products that originated from mills across the state in the early 20th century. However, music was also a byproduct of the mills, as individuals like Charlie Poole, Roy Hall, Tommy Magnus, and the Martin family met at work and played together after business hours.
Apr 23, 2025•8 min•Season 6Ep. 12
Wayne Erbsen has studied, played, taught, and written about traditional music for over 50 years. We talked to him about his new book, Southern Mountain Music: The Collected Writings of Wayne Erbsen, a collection of articles he wrote about legendary musicians from across the bluegrass and old-time music scenes. He started playing guitar and banjo in his native Southern California as a teen and arrived in Southern Appalachia in the 1970s. Go back into the Down the Road archives to Season 3, Episod...
Apr 10, 2025•9 min•Season 6Ep. 11
Dive into the golden age of country music as Down the Road remembers two North Carolinian entertainers who fell in love- Lulu Belle (Myrtle Eleanor Cooper) and Scotty Wiseman. They met when they were both working on the program National Barn Dance at WLS radio station in Chicago and married in 1934. Lulu Belle and Scotty went on to share songs and their lives, continuing to partner in music until 1958, when they retired to Avery County, NC. One of their most-known tunes is 'Remember Me.'
Mar 24, 2025•8 min•Season 6Ep. 10
Traditional North Carolina music and Appalachia has deep roots that belong to many family trees. In this episode, we uncover the musical history of the Shuffler Family. Music featured in this episode includes: Doc and Merle Watson, "Going Down This Road Feeling Bad" Earl Scruggs and Flatt and Scruggs, "Nine Pound Hammer" Valdese Quartet, "Just Over The Glory Land" The Stanley Brothers, "The Flood" Jim Shumate and John Shuffler, "Katie Hill" To learn more about the musical families of North Carol...
Feb 19, 2025•9 min•Season 6Ep. 9
Citizen Vinyl is Asheville's own vinyl record-producing facility. It lives in the former Citizen-Times newspaper building. The historic building was designed and built in 1938-1939, and it became the home for two newspapers and a radio station. In 2019, Citizen Vinyl moved into the first floor, mezzanine, and third floor to create spaces for recording and manufacturing space, as well as an event area with a small bar/cafe and shop. Listen to this full episode for the full history of the recordin...
Feb 19, 2025•8 min•Season 6Ep. 8
The Junior Appalachian Musicians program, more commonly known as JAM, is an after-school program for primarily grades 4-8, with some students carrying on afterward as mentors. The program began in Sparta, NC, with the Alleghany JAM in 2005 to bring music into the school systems and continue to educate students in traditional Appalachian music and instruments. Supported by the NC Arts Council and others, the program is now a successful non-profit program across seven states with 65 affiliates and...
Feb 19, 2025•10 min•Season 6Ep. 7
We had such a great time talking with Marc Pruett about his musical career that we found ourselves with a longer story. In this second episode, we look back at some of his early influences, the well-loved Bill Stanley’s BBQ, and the birth of Balsam Range.
Dec 13, 2024•9 min•Season 6Ep. 6
Marc Pruett is known for his spectacular three-fingered style of banjo playing and his winning smile! He's also one of the founding members of the bluegrass band, Balsam Range. Marc sat down to share some stories, discussing his life in Haywood County and his musical career that has led to different areas of the world.
Dec 05, 2024•10 min•Season 6Ep. 5
Most people know Andy Griffith as the loveable sheriff of Mayberry, the town based in Mount Airy, NC. Beyond the role, Griffith was a musician and entertainer who shared his knowledge and love of traditional music with his audiences.
Nov 12, 2024•9 min•Season 6Ep. 4
Donna Ray Norton and Melanie Rice are eight-generation ballad singers. Along with noted musician Sheila Kay Adams and other local singers, they host a monthly ballad swap at the Old Marshall Jail in downtown Marshall, NC. The event has gained notoriety as the only recurring ballad swap in the area, bringing awareness of the traditional music genre to a broader audience.
Nov 11, 2024•8 min•Season 6Ep. 2
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...
Nov 06, 2024•9 min•Season 6Ep. 3
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.
Nov 05, 2024•9 min•Season 6Ep. 1
Rare Bird Farm in the mountains of Madison County is an agricultural arts center that hosts performing arts, classes, workshops, and community events, all centered around the ideas of creativity, connection, and collaboration. While not a commercial farm, Rare Bird also raises animals, medicinal plants, and food. We spent some time with Mitchell Davis and Farrah Hoffmire or Rare Bird to learn more.
Apr 16, 2024•11 min•Season 5Ep. 20
An intersection of the natural and musical heritage of WNC can be found in the high mountains. Red Spruce ( picea rubens ) is prominent at altitudes above 5,000 feet in the Southern Appalachians. It’s also one of the primary tonewoods used in traditional construction of mandolins and guitars. For this episode, we spent time with conservationist Marquette Crockett and luthier James Condino to learn more.
Mar 26, 2024•12 min•Season 5Ep. 19
Traditional music in WNC is a cultural practice that expands into many ways to make a living. We most often think of performers, but for every live music event that takes place, there are folks behind the scenes crossing “I’s” and dotting “T’s” to make sure everything goes off without a hitch. One of the leaders in the event promotion industry is Claire Armbruster who owns and operates Planning Stages. We sat down recently with Claire to learn more about her, her experience, and the particulars ...
Mar 11, 2024•10 min•Season 5Ep. 18
Rhonda Gouge has done a lot. She’s been a fixture in the Mitchell County music scene since the 1970s, she can play at least a dozen instruments, she’s recorded multiple albums under her own name as well as with others, she’s performed with legendary musicians such as Red Wilson, she’s taught traditional music to more than 1,000 students, and in 2023 she was awarded the North Carolina Heritage Award. We sat down recently with Rhonda in her home teaching studio in the Ledger Community to talk abou...
Feb 13, 2024•16 min•Season 5Ep. 17
In Season One of Down the Road on the Blue Ridge Music Trails of NC, we introduced you to banjo stylist Charlie Poole. In Season 5, we're excited to bring you a reading of Louise Wright Price's children's book, Charlie & His Banjo: The Story of Charlie Pool .
Feb 13, 2024•9 min•Season 5Ep. 16
What do you get when an MD and Professor Emeritus of Pathology and Surgery takes up the banjo? An expertly conducted survey of 32 WNC banjo players! Dr. William Allsbrook, Jr. turned his skills and attention to such a project when he noticed just how many great banjo players lived in Haywood County. His study resulted in a book, Making Music: The Banjo in a Southern Appalachian County . In this episode, we dig into some of what Allbrook's book has to offer.
Jan 29, 2024•7 min•Season 5Ep. 15
Western North Carolina musical icon Betty Smith passed away on December 1, 2023. Betty was a performer of ballads and traditional songs for decades, but to say only this would be falling short of her large and living legacy. Throughout the course of her life, Betty also took on roles as an educator, an activist, an author, a playwright, and honorary doctorate recipient, and more. This episode looks back on a life of impact on and dedication to the people and life and WNC.
Jan 03, 2024•8 min•Season 5Ep. 14
Madison County is home to a centuries old ballad singing tradition which has attracted interest for over a century. In 1916, Englishman, Cecil Sharp traveled to Western North Carolina to hear the old ballads that were no longer being freely sung in England. A new album revives this Transatlantic connection. We sat down with Thomm Jutz, singer-songwriter and co-producer of Nothing But Green Willow: The Songs of Mary Sands and Jane Gentry , to learn more about the album and the ballad singing trad...
Nov 07, 2023•8 min•Season 5Ep. 13
Terry Roberts was born and raised in Asheville, NC. An award-winning author of five novels, much of Terry’s writing takes place in and around the mountains of WNC. Music finds its way into much of Terry’s work, including novels entitled A Short Time to Stay Here and That Bright Land. In our conversation with Terry, he shared his thoughts on particularities and the intersection of writing, music, and storytelling in the mountains.
Oct 26, 2023•11 min•Season 5Ep. 12
In Seasons 4 and 5, we’ve had the honor and privilege to bring you stories of the Blue Ridge Music Trails’ Fine Tuned project. This mentorship and collaboration-based professional development project has sought to foster development in WNC’s traditional music ecosystem. This episode explores the musical partnerships and the music they created with insight into the groups and selections from the tracks on the album. It’s time to talk about the actual music of Fine Tuned: Volume One!
Oct 11, 2023•8 min•Season 5Ep. 11
Plott-Tober fest is a new festival set to take place in Canton in 2023. This festival celebrates North Carolina's State Dog, the Plott Hound, as well as the German heritage of Haywood County. We spoke with festival organizer Bob Plott to learn more about the Plott Hound, German influence in Haywood County, and the festival itself, which will feature plenty of WNC traditional music.
Sep 25, 2023•9 min•Season 5Ep. 10
Music inhabits its purest form when people get together to make music with one another. In this spirit, the fiddlers’ convention is an essential element of the traditional music ecosystem in Western North Carolina. This episode is adapted from an article by music writer Derek Halsey revisiting a newspaper article from the Watauga Democrat published on June 14, 1928 covering a fiddlers convention in the town of Blowing Rock.
Sep 12, 2023•8 min•Season 5Ep. 9
The Cherokee Language Repertory Choir started in the spring of 2023. This choir uses the Christian Harmony shaped note tradition, but instead of singing it traditionally, in English, this choir sings in the Cherokee language. This effort revives a documented tradition of shaped note singing in the Cherokee community while helping to keep the Cherokee language a part of cultural practice in Western North Carolina. We spoke with organizers and a member of the choir to learn more.
Aug 07, 2023•18 min•Season 5Ep. 8
