Inside Appalachia

A new generation is learning the story behind "Brown Hill," a song by influential bluegrass band The Lost and Found. Also, data centers are changing the landscape, and one project is planning to plow over an extremely rare stand of seed-producing American chestnut trees. And, small food producers embrace digital technology for the humble farm stand. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

This week, data centers are rapidly expanding into rural parts of Appalachia, and folks say they are having trouble finding information about these projects. Also, artificial intelligence (AI) is disrupting human art – including fiber arts like crochet. And, folks are pushing back, like they always have — with song. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

This week, author Silas House returns with a sweeping new novel. Also, some folks say, you have to fake it 'til you make it, even if you're trying to establish a state park. And, the story of the first Mothman sightings as written by a small town journalist in 1966. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

This week, ballads tell stories about all kinds of real-life events, but after Hurricane Helene, one group of ballad singers felt some topics were still too raw. Also, the author of a book on ancient Ohio credits a former grad student with introducing him to the region’s mysterious earthworks. And, the legacy of Affrilachian poet Norman Jordan includes a summer camp for teens to study their heritage. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

This week, Barbara Kingsolver’s new novel takes on issues of class and classical music. Also, kudzu warriors band together to fend off invasive plants and take back the land. And, it’s pawpaw season. But a new bug could be harming the trees. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

Ballroom culture offers LBGTQ folks a chance to be as fabulous as they want to be. Also, the national media reports on the deaths of notable people, but small, hometown papers add a more personal touch. And, alpha-gal syndrome takes red meat off the menu, but what about ostrich? You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

This week, it’s not easy to find a place to play hockey in Appalachia, and if you happen to be young and ambitious, it can be harder. Also, rappers and musicians across West Virginia come together for a song challenge. And, farmers learn to turn unwanted sheep’s wool into home insulation. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

One thing about Appalachians, we can get competitive. We’re proud of our local food. Love a good hunt. And enjoy competition with friends. We learn the rules and celebrate our victories. But there’s more to competing than just winning or losing. This week, Inside Appalachia, we’ll meet competitors who are keepers of beloved Appalachian traditions.

Encore: Torn All To Pieces And Marina Waters, Inside Appalachia

This week, we remember the one and only Dolly Parton. Dolly was more than a musician or a celebrity. She used her musical success to help others. She started the Imagination Library, a free book program for children that included some of her favorites, like the Little Engine that Could. And Dolly’s kindness touched people from all walks of life. Today, we’re honoring Dolly Parton, Inside Appalachia.

This week, we reflect on Dolly Parton’s passing and her legacy in the region. Also, the Adaptive Climbers Festival at Kentucky’s Red River Gorge feels like home for climbers with disabilities from around the world. And, a new book spotlights Appalachian plants and encourages readers to get in touch with nature. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

This week, a new report finds the number of black lung cases is at its highest since the 1970s. The human cost is high. Also, the author of a new book says reintroducing nearly extinct animals back into the wild can boost damaged ecosystems, but they can't repair them. And, roadside attractions pay tribute to our enduring fascination with weird. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

This week, a Japanese Shinto garden took root in Southwestern Virginia because of family connections spanning geography and generations. Also, in Whitesburg, Kentucky a new mosaic uses recovered objects to honor the town’s people after the flood of 2022. And, the young adult novel “Verity Vox and the Curse of Foxfire” mixes historical fact with spooky Appalachian folklore. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

This week, having a very specific talent can lead to a dream job. It’s how cartoonist John Rose got his foot in the door to draw the comic strip Snuffy Smith. Also, there are dos and don’ts for treating poison ivy. And, a young, old-time musician wants to save her family’s lost ballads. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

This week, a new memoir explores the struggle to stay in Appalachia –and the struggle to leave. Also, an exhibit in Kings Mountain, North Carolina documents the contributions of the Catawba Nation to the American Revolutionary War. And grab some sunscreen as we make a visit to the Nelsonville Music Festival in Ohio. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

This week, after a disaster, can comics help set the record straight? Also, sifting through Hurricane Helene’s debris, one group tries to reunite keepsakes with their owners, including love letters. And a cafe in Virginia feeds the hungry and tries to destigmatize homelessness. For its outreach manager, whose brother lived on the streets for years, it’s personal. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

This week, we’re traveling to summer attractions across Appalachia. Like a bus that sits on a rock at the West Virginia confluence of the New and Gauley rivers. Also, one person’s weedy nuisance is another’s “golden” treasure. So says a North Carolina fiber artist. And we spill the tea on a classic roadside attraction. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

This week, before emancipation, Appalachia provided pathways to freedom for enslaved people trying to escape bondage. A new project identifies more than two dozen previously unknown underground railroad sites. Also, the Fly Around Music & Arts Festival in North Carolina was inspired by the hard work that followed Hurricane Helene. And, a ballad about floods recorded a generation ago still provides solace for people today. You'll hear these stories and more, Inside Appalachia.

This week, in the 1920s, Oscar Micheaux was an entrepreneur filmmaker in western Virginia. He became a world-renowned director and producer. Also, Kentucky’s poet laureate lives down the road from what has been called the country’s most lethal cryptid. Attempts to spot it have led to deaths. And, we talk soul food with Xavier Oglesby, who's passing on generations of kitchen wisdom to his niece. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

This week, some folks are working to preserve the memory of Bristol, Virginia’s Black Bottom, a largely African American community wiped out by urban renewal. Also, small food producers embrace digital technology for the humble farm stand. And Kudzu, it’s coming for us. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

This week, ballads tell stories about all kinds of real-life events, but after Hurricane Helene, one group of ballad singers felt some topics were still too raw. Also, the author of a new book on ancient Ohio credits a former grad student with introducing him to the region’s mysterious earthworks. And, the legacy of Affrilachian poet Norman Jordan includes a summer camp for teens to study their heritage. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

This week, we’re revisiting a show featuring storytellers out loud in front of audiences. Folks like five-time champion of the West Virginia Liars’ Contest, Bil Lepp. Also, musicians Anna and Elizabeth, whose storytelling used something known as a crankie. And, we’ll head to the International Storytelling Center in Jonesborough, Tennessee. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

This week, some of the stories on our show inspired college student art — including a vivid image of a bear smashing a clarinet. Also, a Hare Krishna community in West Virginia serves vegetarian food made in three sacred kitchens. And, COVID-19 exposed the contempt society has for marginalized people. One author says, these folks are anything but passive. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

This week, a new roleplaying game gives folks in the workplace a chance to be a mythical Appalachian monster. Southeast Ohio’s Nelsonville Music Festival celebrates its 20th anniversary in June. We talk with the founder about what keeps people coming back. And members of a Ukrainian Catholic church in Wheeling, West Virginia, make pierogies for their community every week. What makes them so good? You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

This week, Hurricane Helene devastated central Appalachia and disrupted the lives of people in recovery. In West Virginia, fur trapping continues, even in the 21st Century. And baseball is America’s past-time. One league is making the game more inclusive. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

This week, Appalachian Dungeon Fest spotlights the fantastical music of dungeon synth. Also, every year, the Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival stages a formal dance. Organizers rely on a manual that’s been passed down for generations. And, small dairy farms are closing across the country. Central Appalachia has been hit hard. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

This week — too often, people with mental health challenges or substance use disorder wind up in jail. But crisis response teams offer another way. Also, changes to the Endangered Species Act could benefit big business. They could also kill animals like the eastern hellbender. And, in troubled times, a West Virginia writer says to find peace in nature. We talk about her collection of essays. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

This week, historian Mills Kelly’s love affair with the Appalachian trail started when he was a boy scout. He was 12. Also, central Appalachia is known for exporting coal, but it’s losing people, too. And, Cuz’s Uptown Barbeque in southwestern Virginia fuses Asian ideas with Appalachian comfort food, like cheesy egg rolls. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

This week, in author Willie Carver Jr.'s new book, he reconsiders a negative childhood experience with a neighborhood girl who might have just been looking for a friend. Also, a southwestern Virginia community rang the alarm after more and more of its children were diagnosed with cancer. A local journalist is trying to unravel the cause. And, the city of Asheville has a new crusading reporter. He’s a puppet. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

This week, coal power can be expensive. Utilities run coal-fired power plants harder in the winter and summer when demand is high. Also, two films made in West Virginia shot to the top of Netflix’s streaming charts. The state wants to encourage even more movies to be made in West Virginia by helping keep production costs down. And an Eastern Kentucky pharmacist serves vegan food for the holidays. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

Our Common Nature is a podcast from WNYC. It features cellist Yo-Yo Ma and producer Ana Gonzalez, as they explore America and talk to folks like West Virginia coal miners. This week, we follow Yo-Yo and his team as they venture into Appalachia. And we talk with Gonzalez about meeting people where they are. You’ll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

This week, having a very specific talent can lead to a dream job. It’s how cartoonist John Rose got his foot in the door to draw the comic strip Snuffy Smith. Also, there are dos and don’ts for treating poison ivy. And, a young, old-time musician wants to save her family’s lost ballads. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

This week, a new book for young adults. Verity Vox and the Curse of Foxfire mixes historical fact with spooky Appalachian folklore. Also, over 15 years, a photojournalist documented an Ohio family. Now she’s a part of their lives. And an experimental guitarist records an album intended as a call to arms. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

We meet the woman behind the popular TikTok account “Appalachian Forager.” She makes jam from pawpaw and jewelry from coyote teeth. Also, we sit in on a master class in foraging for wild mushrooms. And, when a West Virginia pastor got assigned to a new church, folks tried to warn him. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

A new novel about two girls and an astronomy textbook draws inspiration from one of the quietest places in West Virginia. Also, author Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle talks about growing up as part of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. And, a Kentucky tattoo artist practices traditional tattooing and traditional music. He says, they’re not too different. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

When an award-winning Asheville chef decided to launch a restaurant, she returned to a rich community tradition. Also, the popularity of weaving waxes and wanes. At the moment, it’s having a renaissance. And, during Lent, Yugoslavian fish stew is a local favorite in Charleston, West Virginia. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

This week, in the 1920s, Oscar Micheaux was an entrepreneur filmmaker in western Virginia. He became a world-renowned director and producer. Also, Kentucky’s poet laureate lives down the road from what has been called the country’s most lethal cryptid. Attempts to spot it have led to deaths. And, we talk soul food with Xavier Oglesby, who’s passing on generations of kitchen wisdom to his niece. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

This week, during the Great Depression, Osage, West Virginia was a raucous river town. It’s sleepier now, but music is keeping the magic alive. Also, a poet remembers growing up in a secret city in Tennessee that was built during World War II. And, rock climbing is usually for warmer months, but some climbers have taken to climbing frozen waterfalls. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

This week, east Tennessee’s Amythyst Kiah. Her latest album contemplates the cosmos. Also, hair salons are important gathering places where Black women can find community. And, West Virginia poet Torli Bush uses story to tackle tough subjects.

This week, some of the stories on our show inspired college student art — including a vivid image of a bear smashing a clarinet. Also, a Hare Krishna community in West Virginia serves vegetarian food made in three sacred kitchens. And COVID exposed the contempt society has for marginalized people. One author says, these folks are anything but passive. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

This week, we take a look at how the U.S. government built a secret city in East Tennessee during World War II to work on the atomic bomb. Also, almost everybody has a favorite cup or coffee mug, but how far would you go to replace it? And, we hear from a cabinetmaker on the physicality of poetry.

This week, people continue to resist the Mountain Valley Pipeline. Some folks have complained to the company about noise from compressor stations. Also, why is Appalachia so prone to severe flooding? We spoke with a reporter whose team dug into the data to find out. And a good blanket will keep you warm on a cold night — but a handmade temperature blanket can convey a message to a loved one. You’ll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

What is Appalachia? We’re giving our entire Inside Appalachia episode over to this question this week, with stories from Mississippi to Pittsburgh. Appalachia connects mountainous parts of the South, the Midwest, the Rust Belt, even the Northeast. Politically, it encompasses 423 counties across 13 states — and West Virginia’s the only state entirely inside Appalachia. That leaves so much room for geographic and cultural variation. This week, we ask people from five Appalachian states if they feel like they’re in Appalachia.

This week — too often, people with mental health challenges or substance use disorder wind up in jail. But crisis response teams offer another way. Also, changes to the Endangered Species Act could benefit big business. They could also kill animals like the eastern hellbender. And, in troubled times, a West Virginia writer says to find peace in nature. We talk about her collection of essays. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

This week, a look back at 2025. We met some fascinating people, like Aaron Dowdy of country rock band Fust. Alos, central Appalachia continued to recover from Hurricane Helene. From the beginning, the recovery brought people together. And we made a trip to Hillbilly Hotdog to take on The Homewrecker.

This week, Inside Appalachia dives into the holidays. We go a-wassailing in Asheville, North Carolina. It’s kind of like Christmas caroling, with a kick. Also, family recipes bring generations together. But what happens when you’ve got grandma’s potato candy recipe, and it doesn’t have exact measurements? And, a new book explores the magical dark side of nature.

This week, when you’re the only doctor in a rural mountain county, you’ve got to think ahead to keep your practice going. Also, a West Virginia baker draws on her Finnish heritage to make a different kind of cinnamon roll. And if you bought a live-cut Christmas tree this year, there’s a good chance it came from Appalachia.

This week, a poet and musician draws inspiration from a distant family connection to the Grand Ole Opry’s Little Jimmy Dickens. Also, for 15 years, a Virginia library has been hosting a weekly Dungeons & Dragons game for teens. It can get wacky. And, a taxidermist in Yadkin County, North Carolina found her calling before she could drive a car.

This week, one thing about Appalachians: we can get competitive. We’re proud of our local food. Love a good hunt. And enjoy competition with friends. We learn the rules and celebrate our victories. But there’s more to competing than just winning or losing. In this show, we’ll also meet competitors who are keepers of beloved Appalachian traditions.

Our Common Nature is a new podcast from WNYC. It features cellist Yo-Yo Ma and producer Ana Gonzalez, as they explore America and talk to folks like West Virginia coal miners. This week, we follow Yo-Yo and his team as they venture into Appalachia. And we talk with Gonzalez about meeting people where they are.