Gateway to the Smokies

In this episode of "Gateway to the Smoky Podcast," host Joseph Franklyn McElroy introduces listeners to Andrew Wakefield, a Asheville-based musician known for blending traditional and modern sounds into his music. Andrew shares his global influences, from a childhood in Korea to Southern and Appalachian music. They discuss Andrew's journey through various music genres, his current bluegrass focus, and the importance of live performance energy. The conversation also touches on the challenges of a musician's life, including constant travel and the need for creative space. Andrew highlights Chimney Rock as a must-visit in the Smoky Mountains and recommends Gypsy Queen for dining in Asheville. Listeners can learn more about Andrew's work and upcoming gigs through his website.

About this Episode:In this podcast episode, I interview Jennifer Cole, a successful chef who has won the competition show “Chopped” and has been cooking professionally for over 25 years. We discuss her career path, including working in Atlanta, New Orleans, Paris, and Spain before returning to her family farm in Haywood County. Cole emphasizes her interest in working with local farmers and using locally sourced ingredients in her cooking. The conversation also touches on topics such as the importance of creativity and understanding recipe rules as a chef, favorite ingredients like olive oil and heirloom beans, and the growing trend of farm weddings.Connect with Jennifer Cole:FacebookInstagramConnect with our host Joseph Franklyn McElroy:LinkedInBusiness Facebook PageWebsiteCheck out our Social Media:FacebookInstagramYoutubeTranscript:00:00: 27–00:01: 01 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  Hello. This is Joseph Franklyn McElroy here with the Gateway to the Smokies podcast. I have with me today my guest Jennifer Cole, who is a native of western North Carolina. And her family has actually been in Haywood County for generations. And she's had a successful career as a chef for over 20 years, including winning chopped on in season 8. Hello, Jennifer, how are you doing? 00:01:01–00:01: 02 Jennifer Cole:  Good, how are you? 00:01:02–00:01: 03 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  Yeah, cool. 00:01:04–00:01: 05 Jennifer Cole: Good to be here. 00:01:05–00:01: 11 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: How was that how was that? Was that exciting to win the season? Was it a difficult challenge? 00:01:11–00:01: 20 Jennifer Cole: Well, you know, it was a lot of fun. I think a lot of people didn't really expect an old gal to be able to win it. 00:01:20–00:01: 21 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Yeah. 00:01:21–00:01: 23 Jennifer Cole: Yeah, So it was a lot of fun. 00:01:24–00:01: 25 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: And what did you cook?00:01:25–00:01: 28 Jennifer Cole: Oh, God, it was a lot of stuff. Three different courses.00:01:29–00:01: 31 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:   Really? They give you the ingredients, say, make it.00:01:31–00:01: 40 Jennifer Cole: In a basket. It's actually one of the few TV shows. It's real. They actually give you a basket, and you don't know until you open it.  00:01:41–00:01: 44 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  Really? Wow. And then you have to figure out so can create and be able to fly. So creativity is very big.00:01:44–00:01: 45 Jennifer Cole: Very important.00:01:47–00:02: 13 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Well, when you reach out to us after moving here, I sort of gave you the challenge in a spot to come up with a guest chef menu here at the Homecraft at the Meadowlark Motel. And you did a really fantastic job. We had a lot of people show up. What were the three dishes were a moose. 00:02:13–00:02: 40 Jennifer Cole: I did a Mexican chocolate mousse is the dessert. For the appetizer, I did roasted beefs with field greens that I picked on my farm. That was with local trap that I cured overnight. And then for the entree, I did a red one braised local beef cheeks with goat cheese Ballinta. I mean, goat cheese risotto. 00:02:41–00:02: 53 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Wow. Yeah. That was really fantastic. That was good. Well, you said you've been cooking as a professional for 30 years. For 20. What was your first cooking job? 00:02:53–00:03: 18 Jennifer Cole:  Well, I put myself through college waiting tables and cooking. I was waiting tables, and they were short of line cooks, and they're like they asked for a volunteer among the wait staff. And so I was like, I'll go home. So started doing that. Also worked for a catering company in Chapel Hill. The Chapel Hill Catering Company, which still exists. And that's how I got started. 00:03:18–00:03: 27 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  Yeah. And then did you experiment with other careers for a little while or anything, or did you just go straight into cooking as a career?00:03:28–00:03: 45 Jennifer Cole:  Well, studying political science at Chapel Hill to go into law, and then decided the decided, there's a lot of lawyers out there. I want to do this. I like the instant gratification of seeing people's face light up when you let them try something new. 00:03:45–00:03: 46 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  Right. Yeah. 00:03:46–00:03: 57 Jennifer Cole:  So went to Atlanta and did an 18 month apprenticeship with a very well known at the time chef in Atlanta and started there. 00:03:57–00:04: 12 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:   Cool. And what do you think is more important in being a chef? Is it understanding the science and the rules of recipes or creativity?00:04:12–00:04: 20 Jennifer Cole:  Well, science and rules usually go more toward pastry or baking. You have to understand the rules so you can bend them. 00:04:20–00:04:21 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:   Right. 00:04:21–00:04: 26 Jennifer Cole:  And you have to be able to be creative to bend them. So a little bit of both. 00:04:26–00:04:45 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Cool. All right. I took one class, I think, in New York City. Was it Culinary Institute? And I think there was a question at one point said, what's your favorite ingredient? What's the best ingredient? Baking or butter? 00:04:47–00:04: 48 Jennifer Cole:  Well, I think olive oil. 00:04:48–00:04:52 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Olive oil, okay. There you go. Good. Olive oil.00:04:52–00:05:02 Jennifer Cole: I mean, I was in Spain for twelve years and that was beaten into my head. Butter is France, olive oil is Spain and southern Italy. 00:05:02- -00:05:05 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Okay. And it's better for you. 00:05:05–00:05:07 Jennifer Cole: Yeah, I mean, butter's a lot of fun. 00:05:07- -00:05:17 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Yeah, butters is a lot of fun. Yeah. Especially on biscuits. So you've lived in, you were here, you were in Atlanta, right? 00:05:18–00:05:40 Jennifer Cole:  I cooked in Atlanta for five years, and then I moved to New Orleans for a couple of years, and then I moved to Spain for twelve. I was in Paris for two, and then moved to New York when the economy tanked in 2008. And then moved back to New Orleans in 2015 and have just moved home to my family farm. 00:05:40- -00:05:44 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: That's fabulous. Of all those places, where did you have the most fun cooking? 00:05:44–00:05:49 Jennifer Cole:  I have fun cooking wherever I go. I mean, you got to have fun. 00:05:50 -00:05:56 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  Yeah. Well, it sounds like Madrid was the biggest experience, so that must have been very formative. 00:05:57–00:06:07 Jennifer Cole: Spain was very formative, and Spanish cuisine is amazing and diverse and regional. And you can find something new every day. But you can do that up here too. 00:06:08 -00:06:15 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  Of course. Both New Orleans and New York City are food towns. Right. 00:06:15–00:06:19 Jennifer Cole:  Frankly, in my opinion, new Orleans beats New York. 00:06:19 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  Really? 00:06:19–00:06:27 Jennifer Cole: Yeah. You got four full growing seasons. You got fresh produce all the time. 00:06:28 -00:06:30 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: That's good. You got great seafood, 00:06:30 -00:06:41 Jennifer Cole:  you got great seafood, you got great charcutory, you've got great local farms, which is very near and dear to my heart. So, all that.00:06:42 -00:06:49 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  Well, we're filming here at the Meadowlark so we'll get a little bit of background noise. I hope everybody doesn't mind. Hope you don't mind. 00:06:50 Jennifer Cole: I don't mind. 00:06:50 -00:06:54 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  So what inspires you to move back to Haywood County? 00:06:55 -00:07:16 Jennifer Cole:  Well, my family is from here. I own a farm with my two brothers, and we're not doing anything with it, so I wanted to move home. And while I am working as a chef, I also want to do some stuff on my farm. We got a lot of lands to play with. 00:07:17 -00:07:18 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Yeah. How many acres you got there?00:07:18 Jennifer Cole: 90,00:07:18 -00:07:24 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:   90 acres. Wow, that's a nice big farm. Was it farmed in the past? 00:07:25 -00:08:00 Jennifer Cole: When I was a kid, it was a tobacco farm. My grandfather always had cattle on it. We had pigs when I was a very small kid. And then when my dad took it over, turned it in more into a gentleman's farm and grew gardens and had goats and had a couple of Sicilian donkeys and turkeys and guineafall. And right now we are just playing with it, renting it out to a couple of different local farmers. 00:08:00 -00:08:34 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:    All right, so that's great, right? Yeah. There's a number of farms, I guess you would call them becoming gentleman farms at Haywood County. There's actually one that's out over in Crab Tree that is a bison farm. But they've also put in train cars as like, cabins that you can rent and they have a whole train thing. Is that something you'd be looking to do? Is that make yours into the destination as well? 00:08:35 -00:08:36 Jennifer Cole:  No, definitely not. 00:08:36 -00:08:38 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  Purely just a farm. Farm, farm. That's cool. 00:08:39 -00:08:55 Jennifer Cole: Although we do have somebody that's coming tomorrow to take pictures with, I think, like a bridal party on the farm. She has an agreement with my brother that as long as she gives us a heads up, she's welcome to do that also.00:08:58 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:Farm weddings? 00:08:59 Jennifer Cole: Yeah. 00:09:00 -00:09:01 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  You got some pictures? I guess. 00:09:01 -00:09:10 Jennifer Cole: I just want to know if they're on the property so I don't call the police. 00:09:10 -00:09:15 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  You mentioned pig farms. I don't remember a lot of those around here growing up. 00:09:15 -00:09:28 Jennifer Cole: It's usually for self-use. I mean, we would have pigs for us a year. Okay, I'm not talking a huge pig farm. 00:09:30 -00:09:46 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Well, it was strange. I was walking around with my kids in Asheville, in North Asheville, not too far from downtown. All of a sudden we passed around the corner and they were in the backyard. There was somebody that had a huge hog right in the backyard in Ashville. I was like, how are they doing that? They smell pretty bad, don't they? 00:09:46 -00:09:49 Jennifer Cole:  Actually, they don't. They don't smell as bad as chickens do. 00:09:49 -00:10:03 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Really? Chickens are pretty tasty smelling. I mean, how tasty is it? Like only when they don't smell too good. When they're not cooked organic odor. Cool. 00:10:03 -00:10:10 Jennifer Cole:  But in New Orleans, you have feral chickens running around all over. Yeah, it's very interesting. 00:10:10 -00:10:15 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  So you mentioned how you really want to work with local farmers. What's your vision there? 00:10:15 -00:10:45 Jennifer Cole:  Well, I'm as a chef, and I love working with local produce. I'm an avid forager and still a beginner, but still very interested in that. I can't wait until the farmers market in Waynesville opens in April. Looking forward to doing business with them personally and hopefully as a chef. 00:10:45 -00:11:03 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  Cool. There's a couple of people that have been on this podcast before. I'll introduce you to Ila Hatter, who's a well-renowned forager right? And you might find some interesting. And then there's Will Ritter, who is up in Madison County is doing heritage seeds. 00:11:03 -Jennifer Cole:  Oh, interesting.00:11:04 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Right? 00:11:06 -00:11:12 Jennifer Cole:  We have a couple of heirloom seeds that have been we had some beans that have been in my family for at least four or five generations. 00:11:12 -00:11:25 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  Right. Wow, cool. He'd probably lived to collect those and having the opportunity to share with you. Yeah, I love bold beans. The big long ones like that. Yeah. All right.00:11:26-00:11:27 Jennifer Cole: You grow them in your cornfield? 00:11:27 -00:11:48 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  Yeah, that's what I'm planning to have a little bit of corn and beans this year. Maybe you'll give me some of your beans. We'll see you here. Now, you're looking for besides building your farm, you're also looking to work with various restaurants or whatever that might want. 00:11:50- 00:11:58 Jennifer Cole: Some good for a good fit. Not only teach a good staff, and build a good staff, but learn from people. 00:11: -00:11:48 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  That's interesting. I mean, the reason we exist is to focus a little bit on the heritage of mountain culture foods. Mostly smokeys, but also other mountain cultures. And that seems to be your interest now. 00:11:50- 00:12:38 Jennifer Cole: Absolutely. I mean, I've been very lucky dealing with I mean, outside of Madrid, right behind Madrid, you have a huge mountain range, and there's a lot of classic dishes that are from up there that I had the pleasure learning from people not only as a chef but through friends and their mothers and their grandmothers. 00:12:38 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  And you were in Mexico, too? 00:12:38- 00:12:46 Jennifer Cole: I've been to Mexico, but oahuka, I haven't been to Wahaka yet. I'm supposed to go to Wahaka this summer. 00:12:46 -00:12:48 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  All right, cool. Because those are mountain cultures. 00:12:48- 00:12:49 Jennifer Cole: Yeah, for sure. 00:12:49 -00:12:59 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  We were talking about the Mexican foods that you were doing. Cool. Well, how can people find out more about you? 00:12:59- 00:13:03 Jennifer Cole : They can go on my Facebook or they can go on my Instagram. 00:13:03 -00:13:04 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  And what's your Facebook? 00:13:04- 00:13:17 Jennifer Cole : My Facebook is Jennifer Louise Cole. And my Instagram is what is my Instagram? I think it's Chef Jennifer Cole. 00:13:18– 00:13:23 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  Okay, cool. Was there anything else you would like to mention about shout out about things. 00:13:23- 00:13:30 Jennifer Cole: Meadowlark. You all should come in and go out and good music. I'm definitely coming tomorrow night. 00:13:30– 00:13:52 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  Oh, yeah. We got some Ananna Kay who's going to be doing some up-and-coming big-time artist in Nashville. And then we got your menu again tomorrow night with the beef cheeks and the mousse and the salad, and that's going to be great. It's been a good week, and people love the food. A lot of got great reviews. Good shoutouts from that. 00:13:52- 00:13:58 Jennifer Cole: We had a bunch of people in from Waynesville on Tuesday night and all loved everything, which is a lot of fun. 00:13:58– 00:14:08 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  It's a big table. Well, thank you for being on the podcast. All right. And we look forward to working with you some more. 00:14:08- 00:14:09 Jennifer Cole: Thank you. 00:14:10– 00:14:11 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  All right, bye, everybody. Bye. 00:14:11 00:14:12 Jennifer Cole: Bye y'all

Our special guest in this episode is Darren Nicholson.Darren Nicholson ended his relationship with Balsam Range and has launched out in new directions with his music.Darren shares all about his new music, what he's been up to, and how the major life-changing events in his life have shaped him into who he is today.------------------------------------------------------------------------------Transcript:00:00: 27--00:00: 55 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Hi, this is Joseph Franklyn McElroy with the Gateway to the Smokies podcast, talking about the people and culture of the Smoky Mountains where my family has been around for a couple of hundred years. And I own a business here called the Meadowlark Motel as well as a restaurant called Homecraft. And I'm pretty proud to be back in the area and meeting and greeting, and talking to some wonderful people, like my guest today, Darren Nicholson. How are you doing, Darren? 00:00: 56--00:00: 58 Darren Nicholson:  Doing great, Joseph. Thank you so much for having me on. 00:00: 58--00:01: 12 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Sure. Last time I had you on the previous podcast series and I did a whole intro. But why don't you do three sentences of what you think is your highlights of your bio? 00:01:14--00:01:20 Darren Nicholson:  I'm the world's foremost turkey hypnotist. 00:01: 20--00:01:21  Joseph Franklyn McElroy: There you go. 00:01:21--00:01:31 Darren Nicholson: I wear frilly leg warmers, and I have quite an impressive Beanie Baby collection. 00:01: 31--00:01:49  Joseph Franklyn McElroy: There you go. Let me tell you, I have to look at you quite a bit because you gave me a shirt with I think it was a picture of your album of you with a rose in your teeth doing a deep sort of lunge in your underwear, right? 00:01:50 --00:01:53 Darren Nicholson: Yes. It's a provocative pose for an early morning. 00:01: 53--00:02:14  Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  The problem is you put that on a T-shirt that's soft that my wife grabbed it and she wears it to bed about once a week. So I got to look at your face in a bone about once a week. 00:02:14 --00:02:58 Darren Nicholson: It's actually the evening before pill. It's not the morning-after pill. It's the evening before you put that on and make sure nothing happens in the bedroom. That was actually a graphic. A guy in Kentucky did that graphic. His name is Jonathan Carroll. He's a great graphic artist. He was nominated for an IBMA award this year for his graphic art. But he took me and it was the if you remember, the Seinfeld episode with George Costanza on the couch that pose in his underwear. It was basically kind of a spoof on that version of this. I still have a few of those left, believe it or not. I did not sell all of those. 00:02: 58--00:03:47  Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Well, for the folks out there who might not know, which I doubt, I think everybody's going to know. But Darren is one of the foremost musicians in American and bluegrass today, and he has a solo career, and he also has been a member of several bands. Most recently, he left Balsam Range, which is one of the top bluegrass bands in the world right now. I'm assuming that you were looking to pursue new opportunities and new opera things. So what is new with your career in that regard? And I guess you have a new bluegrass booze, right? 00:03:47 --00:06:26 Darren Nicholson: Yeah, got a brand new bluegrass record that I finished last year, actually. But the first single just came out on January 29. It's called Arkansas without you. And it's a host of hot young pickers and I'm really excited about the new bluegrass project. And so far the thing, it's got raised reviews. It's been a long time since Balsam Range. I've been in the studio, and my departure from Balsam Range is definitely not an end for me. It's a new beginning. I did 15 years. I was an original member, and I'm very grateful for those 15 years, but definitely got to a place professionally and personally where I wanted to do something different. Balsam Range, a lot of people don't realize, has always been well, not always, but for the last at least ten years has been a part-time band and so with every year, the dates have seemed to be doing less and less. And I think that's by choice. I think that's what they want to do. But they only did 30 dates last year. That was what was on the calendar, around 30 dates. And I did about 250 dates on my own, so I couldn't by the time it was the smoke cleared, I did about 290 performance dates last year. And so it got to it just got to a place in my career where instead of doing a couple of part-time things, the opportunity presented itself for me to play music full-time and focus on my full-time solo career. And to be honest with you, it was a no-brainer. I had to do it for my business, and then I had to do it for my mental health, too. It's hard juggling a schedule and setting a calendar because people would try to book me for the fall of next year. And I was constantly in limbo with their schedule and what they may or may not do. It was a difference in direction of my career. And it's nothing personal, it's nothing against them. They're going to continue doing what they do, and I wish them well. But I've got a singular focus. I'm a lot happier and it's a lot less stressful trying to juggle a bunch of things, so I'm in a much better place. 00:06: 26--00:07:07  Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  I remember last time we talked, I listened to quite a bit of your solo stuff, right?  There were some of the American, almost country music things that I really liked a lot. And you had a little bit of sort of bluesy parts to it and some real almost southern rock rifts and things like that. I thought, wow, you should be out there doing a lot on your own, which of course you were, but I think you keep rising higher, just mean yourself, right? 00:07:10 --00:09:58 Darren Nicholson:  That's it.  Well, that seems to be knock-on-wood, the direction things are going. And part of it is if you're always comfortable, that means you're not growing. And so I don't want to get into a place with my music where I'm doing the same sets all the time, or I'm just doing the same thing. I wanted to get outside the box, and get outside of my comfort zone. I'm writing songs. So the record you're talking about is called the man on a Mission. And that album, I had another guy produce it, Jeff Collins. And I had a whole cast of musicians that I don't normally use, and it forced me in a different direction. And that's what I wanted.  I wanted something new and organic to get me out of my comfort zone and push my own creativity and my own growth, to push my boundaries a little bit. And it was a great experience. And so with this new bluegrass record, I did the same thing, but in a different direction. I've produced several records on my own, and so I know what that sounds like. So I got a young guy, a guy I play a lot of music with named Colby Laney. He's from Marion, North Carolina, and he's probably the best acoustic guitar player on the planet. Or if he's not, he's one of the leading three. He's incredible. But I had him coproduce it with me and he brought this new energy and new life to my bluegrass recordings, and that's what I wanted. I picked all musicians I'm only 39, but all musicians who were younger than me and who were all more progressive players.  I did. And it just put me I'm still doing what I do. I play like I play, I sing like I sing. But with this other cast, with different musicians, it's going to have a different sound, and I want to keep doing that. There are musicians that I look up to, like Marty Stewart and Darryl Scott who marty Stewart will do a black gospel record, then he'll do a rock record, then he'll do a country record. But it's always good. But it's got a different feel. And in the last record he did, he had Mike Campbell from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. He had him produce it. And I like the even for seasoned musicians who have a style and an idea of music, it's good to get out of your comfort zone. And so that's what I do. 00:9: 59--00:10:47  Joseph Franklyn McElroy:   I agree. One of the things that surprised me in talking to you is that you really have an artistic mind. Right. There are a lot of artists that are really focused on the craft, and you are great at your craft. There's nothing to short you there. But you also get into the whole conceptual, artistic thinking as well, about the concept of what you're doing, the concept of what you're playing, like partnering with the younger players, I think it makes your work have a depth that is unique a lot of times. So I'm pretty excited about what you're doing. How do you think it'll change your live performances? 00:10:48 --00:013:37 Darren Nicholson:   It already has. Playing with Colby and just the last few years, it's reinvigorated my interest in music. And so for years and years, I would do shows and I would just show up and play, and I would go home or go do whatever. But during the pandemic, when I had some personal changes and some lifestyle changes, I've almost had this rebirth and this fire reignited in me for music. And so I find myself every day writing songs or getting my instruments out of the case and practicing at home. Plus, I play shows five or six days a week somewhere. I'm doing a lot of traveling, a lot of playing, but I'm really inspired to get better and being with young musicians with different ideas and new ideas to kind of get me out of my thing, I think it's important.  I love that saying, if you do what you've always done, you'll have what you've always had. And so I want to get out of my comfort zone a little bit. I want to grow my business. I want to grow my music. And the biggest thing for me is not about when I say grow my music, I don't necessarily mean I want my name in the Marquee Lights, playing in front of 10,000 people or playing arenas. I want to do more shows, and I don't care if the shows are for less people. I like the intimate listening rooms, and I like smaller crowds. I've been doing a lot of solo and due at shows, and a lot of this came out of the pandemic where I was doing house concerts and these smaller things, and it just clicked with me.  I'm like, man, this is how this music was intended. When I look at your background, what I see is I see people in these mountains, on their porches and in their living rooms playing music. That's how I grew up. And then when we started doing that during the pandemic, there's a connection that happens with the music that does not happen at a big theater show or a big arena. There's a connection that happens when you can almost reach out and touch the artist with the music that's so organic. And I'm like, that is what I want to grow into. I want to be the guy who takes music everywhere.  I want to share the joy and share music and share culture, and I want to be an ambassador for Western North Carolina music and for the culture that I love and make people happy in the process. 00:13: 38--00:14:09  Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  That's pretty fantastic. You mentioned songwriting. I saw on your Facebook the other day you had just written a song with Charles Humphrey III, who's also been on this show and is a friend of the gateway that smoked his podcast, and you sang it. It was really nice. So you're doing a lot of songwriting, and you talk about it quite a bit, but did you start playing first or songwriting first, and what inspired your interest in spotting songwriting? 00:14:10 --00:014:18   Darren Nicholson:  Well, are you talking about, would I get interested in just performing music first or songwriting? 00:14: 18--00:14:58  Joseph Franklyn McElroy:   Well, it's interesting the question is, I think some people in my craft, which is doing painting and things like that, some people become just interested, really drawing well, or really painting a rose and doing it really well, or other people have a purpose that they're doing it for. They want to communicate something, they want to say something and have meaning behind the craft. So what is your approach? 00:14:59 --00:017:15   Darren Nicholson:  Well, that is my approach to songwriting is I love songs that tell stories and songs that have a deeper meaning. I don't like songs that paint pictures. Like my grandpa's cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountain hills. We played there when I was a kid, like nostalgia songs and things like that. To me, anybody can write those. But when you start getting into deeper meaning, like talking about love or hope or inspiration or a message in a song or telling a story, basically turning a three and a half minute musical piece, it's basically like a three and a half minute sitcom. I think those kind of songs connect on a deeper level, and that's usually what I'm going for. We don't always do it. Sometimes we write silly songs, sometimes you're not going to change the world with every song. But those are the songs that I like, and that's what I'm trying to do with my songwriting, is write something that's meaningful to somebody. But for the song we wrote the other day, I put a really rough video out on Facebook, and it was not the greatest singing or playing, it was just really rough and raw. And to do that, it takes vulnerability. There are some artists who really hide behind going into the recording studio, you know what I mean? Once Pro Tools and everything's run through, they sound like a million bucks. But you don't ever see them sing live. You don't ever see them. You get on there with just them and their instrument and perform. And I think there's a vulnerability about that. If you can translate it well enough to convey the emotion.  I think people are connected to the wrongness of that on a certain level. And I be dang. I put that video out and I got a call from a national touring act. That's one of the biggest acts in bluegrass. And before the day was out, they're going in next week and recording that song. 00:17: 16--00:17:18  Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Oh, my gosh, 00:17:18 --00:017:20   Darren Nicholson:  We wrote that song two days ago. 00:17: 20--00:17:22  Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  That's fabulous. That's the way to do it. 00:17:24 --00:017:38  Darren Nicholson: They said, do you have a work tape of it? And I said, well, we just wrote it like 30 minutes ago, and I had a rough work tape of it on my phone. I sent it, that and the lyrics, and they called me right back and said, we're going to cut it next week. 00:17: 38--00:18:38 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  Wow, fabulous. There you go. My conversations with you. We're planning a performance, and this is my little pitch for the Meadowlark I'm weaving it in here, but the Meadowlark Motel has a speakeasy called the Skylark SpeakEasy. And we've been talking to you about it. We've been doing some great musical acts there and talking to you. You really had the idea of saying, I'll do some set of music, but then I want to have conversations with the audience and then I may even jam with some people that might show up. It seems to be that this sense of community and intimacy is central to what you do and why you left Balsam Range and why you're performing and you said small clubs and things like that.  I think one of the essences of what you're trying to be is a community and having intimacy with your community. 00:18:38 --00:020:42  Darren Nicholson:  It's an organic approach, but I think that's how you build long-term fans. And when I was talking about that vulnerability, like in that video, when you connect with people on a personal level, people would see me with Balsam range, and they only saw probably really about 5% of what I can do. If you want to get to know me and my personality and my ability, my talent, you would come to see me at a solo show or one of my other performances. And that's not for everybody. Some people don't like my music or my personality, and that's fine. They don't have to come. But for the people who do and come see me in that capacity, that's the way to build relationships. And I'm not really interested in making fans. I want to make friends and I want to perpetuate the kind of culture that I was brought up in. That very much is a sense of community. The technological world has created a place where people are missing a sense of belonging, and that's why they join these little groups, and that's why there's a division in politics and there's a division in social issues. Because anytime people are so disconnected in a way, it's way that they can feel a part of any kind of group, it's almost like, this is my family online, this is my tribe. And so I want to kind of do that with music. I want to make a place where people can come together with music.  And you don't have to worry about politics, you don't have to worry about social issues, you don't have to worry about enjoying music and just having fun. A night of entertainment. 00:20: 42--00:22:20 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:   I grew up in the smoking mountains here, and I get it really well. Recently, my family first got the Meadowlark Motel, my grandmother, first of my parents, and they hired maid who was with us for a long time, and us kids would actually work with her and clean and became good friends. She actually sort of babysitters and things like that. And then her sister was much younger than her, came and did some things here. Well, recently her sister showed back up here to come to the restaurant, and she saw pictures on the wall community. She came to talk to me, and her sister had died.  And the fact that we're celebrating the culture that was here and is still here, she started crying, and she started talking and being part of it, and other people communicate, but even with the people that you worked with, there was a sense of community and intimacy and understanding that existed here. And I really appreciate that. You are perpetuating. I can remember the old timers would get together in a basement and have a little party, right, and bring out their instruments and sing, and then people would start clogging and dancing. That sort of is a way of life and a way of being that you felt connected. And I understand what you're talking about. Right. Do you think the way you design this program that you're going to do with Meadowlark is stemming from directly from that culture? I think it does. 00:22:21 --00:023:45  Darren Nicholson:   It does. Yeah. And that's what I want people to get to know me especially. There are fans of Balsam Range who are like, why in the world would you leave why would you leave that band when they seem to be doing all these things? And it's like, well, this is a good opportunity. If people have questions about my career, like what I want to do, why I want to play music, why I want to do more shows, or why I want to do the things that I want to do, I can explain it to them, and then they don't have to keep guessing. I don't expect questions about Balsam Range, but they can ask me questions about my childhood, how I got into music, the music business, instruments, whatever.  I think when you have an evening like that with people, it's different than just buying a ticket, sitting in a seat, watching somebody play for an hour, and then going home and be like, hey, that was good. There's a connectivity that I think goes along with the music that is just as important. 00:23: 46--00:24:17 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:   Well, we've been having some weekly jams here on Sundays, five to seven people listening, and I'm hoping some of them old-time players we had this last Sunday old time, like 70 something, 75 something people show up and just started clogging, and they're, you know, singing and playing. I hope some of them come and take you up on the offer to jam with them at the end. That would be a major, I think, cultural moment. 00:24: 18 --00:024:45  Darren Nicholson:  So that's what it's all about. And I remember, like, players that I looked up to and players that I wanted to play. I remember when people like Steve Sutton or Mark Pruitt or Arvill Freeman were like, hey, man, get your manly. And Ralph Lewis would always take his Manlyn off and hand it to me, and that was a big deal. He's like, get up and play one with the band that meant so much to me, to a young budding musician. And it's like, man, that was a self-esteem builder. That was a motivator. And I also remember the musicians that were kind of like, who made me feel less than, too, you know what I mean? Who made me feel like, hey, you're not good enough to play with me or don't talk to me. And I do not want to perpetuate and I don't want to come across with that kind of attitude because I have zero tolerance for that. And I'm sure I've probably people the wrong way if I've been in a bad mood after a show or something. I've not lived my life perfectly, but I've never intentionally ever wanted to make someone feel bad or not make someone feel welcome. People remember how you make them feel. I love that. I love that about my musical heroes, Steve and Ralph. Those are the kind of things that I don't want to die. These old times. 00:25: 46--00:26:18 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: That's right. The reason I'm here, too, is because I don't want that culture to die. I'm trying to do my part also, my little tiny part, to try to perpetuate and progress it. It doesn't have to be these mummified things. It can be a thing that grows right. And I'm glad that you are helping grow that now. I was trying to keep this to about 30 minutes, so we're about at that time, what do you want to tell people? Shout out to people to find out more or look you up or what do you want to tell them? 00:26: 18 --00:027:29  Darren Nicholson:  Well, a couple of things going on. I've been working really hard on doing a benefit. It's going to do a lot to help the community. The Steve Sutton Fest is going to happen June 3rd at Silverado in Black Mountain, and proceeds are going to go to Haywood County schools, Buckham county schools, and the IBMA trust fund. That's going to be on June 3 at Silverado with Perpetual Groove being the headliner. But then also I have a brand new single out. It's called Arkansas without you. You can stream it anywhere. Spotify pandora apple Music Arkansas Without You I've got a brand new bluegrass record out with songs that I've written. And if you go to my website dear Nicholson Net, I've got about 120 dates on the books for next year and going to be going all across the country and probably we're going to do over 200 when the smoke clears the road dates, and going to be traveling out further, doing a tour out west. Going to Canada. It's a really exciting time, so I encourage people to come out and see some live music. 00:27: 30--00:29:00 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  Well, thank you very much for being on the show. I might mention that Darren also plays a lot here in the Smoky, especially in Hayward County. So if you can't find a place in the country, just come here and visit and stay at the Meadowlark Motel he might be here or he'll be some other great place here in town. There are a lot of wonderful music venues and things in Hayward County that are worthwhile and have a lot of authenticity. Right. Haywood County has not become a dramatically corporate tourist county. It's still pretty authentic in terms of the way of life and how people live here and how people enjoy music. So come on down to hear them out, either on the road or here. I'll just shout out if you can find out more about the Meadowlark Motel@ meadowlarkmotel.com and if you go slash homecraft, you'll find out about a restaurant, which is almost it's a mountain heritage food with a twist. My wife is from Trinidad, and we do a lot of Caribbean Trinidad spices and things like tomato gravy or cream corn. We just twisted a little bit. But you still taste the authenticity of these mountains in there. People are just raving about it. And we're getting great reviews online and some newspapers are great. And when you come here, you're going to get some Darren. All right. I hope I'll get a testimonial out of that. 00:29:00 --00:029:01  Darren Nicholson: I like your haircut.00:29: 02--00:29:57 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  It's the perfect haircut. The Gateway to Smokies podcast exists on Smokiesadventure.com. It has its own Facebook page, but all the episodes, the previous ones had a couple of different series, longer episodes, but these are going to be shorter but more fun episodes. And you can go there and find more about everything in the Smokies because it's also a great site for directories of things like places to stay, lodging all over the Smokies, not just Haywood County, and what to do, and attractions and things like that. So thank you all for listening. This has been the gateway to the Smokies podcast. You can go to Facebook.com, Gatewaytothesmokiespodcast, or you can go to Smokiesadventure.com to find out more about this. And I'll see you all next week. 00:29:59 --00:030:00 Hey, thanks for having me. Bye. 

Joseph Franklyn McElroy got a chance to interview our special guest this week, Jim Lauderdale. Jim won two Grammys, released 34 full-length albums, and took home the Americana Music Association's coveted Wagonmaster Award. But his forthcoming album Game Changer is convincing evidence that the North Carolina native is only continuing to hone his craft.Check out this episode to hear about how he's been making music, the strategies and techniques that help him stay inspired and focused on his craft, and what advice he'd have for other musicians in their own creative pursuits.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Also, we've got something special for all of you #music lovers, and it's a bit of a collaboration between Jim Lauderdale and friends. The #Songwriters Camp and Concert on August 12- 13,2022, will feature our own special guest Jim Lauderdale with Charles, Humphrey III, Darren Nicholson, Clay Mills, and Charles Chamberlain, who will be instructing on songwriting techniques and helping out with some live performances. This event is going to be jam-packed full fun, so be sure to check it out!https://meadowlarkmotel.com/event/songwriters-camp/#smokymountainsnationalpark #songwriter #northcarolina #maggievalley #podcast---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------TRANSCRIPT00:00: 27--00:00: 47 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Howdy. Welcome to the gateway to the Smokies podcast. This podcast is about America's most visited national park, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. In the surrounding towns, this area is filled with ancient natural beauty, deep-storied history, and rich mountain cultures that we explore with weekly episodes. 00:00: 48--00:01: 01 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  I am Joseph Franklin McElroy, a man of the World, but also with deep roots in these mountains. My family has lived in the Great Smokies for over 200 years. My business is in travel, but my heart is in culture.00:01: 02--00:01: 27 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: First a few sponsor messages and some events coming up. I want you to imagine a place evocative of motor courts of the past, yet modern and vibrant, with a chic Appalachian field. A place for adventure and for relaxation. Imagine a place where you can fish in a mountain heritage, trout stream, grill to catch on fire and eat accompanied by fine wine or craft beers.00:01: 28--00:01: 39 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Imagine a place with old-time music and world cultural sounds. There is no other place like the Meadowlark Motel in Maggie Valley, North Carolina. Your Smoky Mountain Adventure Starts with Where you Stay.00:01: 40--00:02: 07 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Another sponsor is Smokiesadventure.com. That's smokies plural. Adventure, singular. The Smoky Mountains and surrounding area is a vacation destinations for all seasons. Some of the nation's best hiking trails, waterfalls, outdoor adventures, and family entertainment can be found right here. Start your adventure by using Smokiesadventure.com to explore all the wonderful features of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.00:02: 08--00:02: 18 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: The trails, the waterfalls, the caves, cove, the elk, and more. Then check out all the awesome family attractions and entertainment you and your family can enjoy.00:02: 19--00:02: 35 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Find lodging, find places to stay. Find places to eat. Find where you can do outdoor life events like weddings and honeymoons. It's all at Smokiesadventure.com, which is the leading information portal for adventure experiences in the Great Smoky Mountains.00:02: 36--00:02: 54 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  So, events coming up at the Meadowlark, August 12 to 13th we're having a Songwriters Camp it's a songwriter's camp in concert with Grammy-winning artists Jim Lauderdale and Charles Humphrey III, along with award-winning artists such as Darren Nicholson, Clay Mills, and Charles Chamberlain.00:02: 54 --00:03: 10 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  It's a two-day event of interactive songwriting instruction for world-class musicians, and a demo tape will be produced for each participant. And there'll be a concert of songs from the Rogue Band on Friday night and a barbecue dinner and also our concert on Saturday night.00:03: 10 --00:03: 50 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  This is going to be a unique event like no other, and space will be limited to ensure individual tension is given to all participants. The price is $675 per person, including all the activities and demo tapes and concerts, and barbecue dinner. And then there's special pricing for rooms, and there'll be room packages as well. Call 828-926-1717 for details. And there's also a limited amount of concert tickets available for the general public, and those are available on Friday and Saturday nights, and they're $30 each. And again, you can reserve your spot by calling 828-926-1717.00:03: 50 --00:03: 56 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  Welcome to the Gateway to the Smokies podcast with my guest Jim Lauderdale. Hey, Jim. How are you doing?00:03: 56 --00:03: 57 Jim Lauderdale:  Great, how are you?00:03: 57 --00:04: 01 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  I'm doing good. We're huge fans of yours.00:04: 01 --00:04: 02 Jim Lauderdale: Thank you.00:04: 02 --00:04: 16 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  And all the artists are coming to that songwriter camp. I'm really thrilled that this came up. Was the songwriter camp your idea, Bob's idea? You guys came up with it together or what happened?00:04: 16 --00:04: 30 Jim Lauderdale:  I think Bob approached Charles Humphrey about it and then he asked me. And so luckily, timing-wise, it worked out00:04: 30 --00:04: 36 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  cool. Yeah. I see that you do another couple of other camps, like one out west somewhere, don't you? 00:04: 36 --00:04: 49 Jim Lauderdale: I did. I did Steve Polt's camp out in Joshua Tree in May. And I just did the Swannanoa gathering and November00:04: 49 --00:05: 05 Jim Lauderdale:  I Believe it is. I'll be at Jorma Calconin's Fur Piece Ranch. Cool. Yeah. But I enjoy it a lot. I really do. Yeah.00:05: 05 --00:05: 19 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Cool. I have a friend of mine I think is going to make it who's been doing music for a number of years but really wants to learn from some real professionals. I got some people that are fairly excited. It's an exciting thing, I think, for people to get to work with some great artists like yourself. 00:05: 19 --00:05: 39 Jim Lauderdale: It's exciting for me to see people it means a lot to people that are writing songs, and I think they're just as valid as somebody that's been doing it for a long time.00:05: 19 --00:05: 39 Jim Lauderdale: And so, it's great to see that enthusiasm and the ideas and to see where these songs can go, too well.00:05: 39 --00:05: 49 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  it's nice to bring it to Western North Carolina. You grew up with Westville, right?00:05: 49 --00:06: 19 Jim Lauderdale: I lived around the Piedmont area and then in South Carolina for a few years not too far from Greenville in due west. And I've been coming to Flat Rock every summer of my life since I was born and have continued to come here a lot. 00:06: 19 --00:06: 36 Jim Lauderdale: And then other times in North Carolina. Winston Salem and Chap Hill for school. So, yeah, North Carolina is my home. Yeah.00:06: 36 --00:06: 43 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Well, I'm glad that you're bringing the art of songwriting here. So, when did you get involved in writing songs? Did you start pretty young?00:06: 43 --00:07: 03 Jim Lauderdale:  I guess I was going through my last year of high school and the idea came to me when I was visiting Troutman, North Carolina, where I lived my first five years.00:07: 03 --00:07: 34 Jim Lauderdale: And so, this melody and a title came to me in a few lines here and there. It was kind of an old, tiny, like, string band type thing. I'd been doing bluegrass banjo for a few years, but that type of melody hit me first, and then I had some melodies I gave to one of my classmates when I was a freshman at the North Carolina School of the Arts.00:07: 34 --00:07: 55 Jim Lauderdale:  And he wrote some lyrics. And from there then I started writing on my own and doing a few demos produced by a guitar-playing friend of mine named Zan McCloud, who I knew in Chapel Hill.00:07: 55 --00:08: 33 Jim Lauderdale: I had a duo when I was in high school with a mentor named Rick Bowley who started a music store called Oxpo Music. And I would travel around with him to festivals and help him sell stuff, and we played as much as we could. And then I went off to college, and these songs were coming to me. So Zan took me to a place kind of out in the country there, outside of Chapel Hill fella named Steve Grandback, who later moved to Charlotte and opened up a studio.00:08: 34 --00:09: 08 Jim Lauderdale: And I thought, just doing three songs and six songs, I thought, well, hey, a record deal is going to come any day. I'll be touring all over the place. I'll have to quit school, but this is what I want to do. I was naive about that process. Like everybody, it took a while, but that's where my passion for songwriting started, really. 00:09: 08 --00:09: 21 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: I've always wondered. I've been a visual artist, and I've done a few things as a visual artist. I learned that there are different kinds of visionaries.00:09:21 --00:09: 42 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: There's, like, people that are haptic and there are people that are not haptic and non- haptic. Non-Haptic are people get the vision of the painting in their head, and then they just go create the vision, whereas a haptic artist gets the idea and sort of the sense of a painting, but then they have to work it with their hands.00:09:42 --00:09: 50 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Haptic, they got to do it. Is that similar to songwriting? Do some people get, like, just the whole thing in their head and just put it on paper and other people have to work it? 00:09:50 --00:10: 25 Jim Lauderdale: That's right. It's different, really, for everybody. For me, a melody usually comes first, sometimes along with the title, but sometimes just a melody. I know some people who write down whole songs on paper and don't have a melody, or else then a melody comes to them or kind of simultaneously. So, it happens a lot of different ways.00:010:25 --00:10: 36 Joseph Franklyn McElroy That's interesting. So, in a songwriter camp, how would you help the different types of creators with the different ways of doing their creating of songs? How do you help them?00:10:38 --00:12: 33 Jim Lauderdale: I kind of feel like because usually these camps, there's so much to kind of cover in a short amount of time. I like to do things kind of spontaneously. I don't really have much of a format I follow. And it's kind of like that with me. With writing songs, if I'm co-writing or writing alone, it just kind of is spontaneous. And so, I kind of have to evaluate those writers in front of me at that time and ask them what they need, what do they need to learn, or to help them. And it's funny. My friend Steve Polts was saying at the start of this camp we did a few months ago, it's like, I can't teach you how to write songs, but I can help facilitate them, we'll kind of go through certain very briefly personal experiences of like well, this happened to me one time and that's how I got out of this block or something like that to help them. But I really make it about them. Usually, people have things that question of places where they need to work through.00:12:33 --00:012: 43 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Now, does every songwriter really need to practice the discipline or can they come and go from it? How does the discipline work in the songwriting craft?00:12:43 --00:014: 03 Jim Lauderdale:  I think it happens in all different ways too. Some people are super disciplined and I try to be putting and everything I've got into it, but I don't have necessarily set times. Like I don't have a schedule where I go okay, I'm going to get up at eight, have a cup of coffee, right, for 2 hours. Some playwrights and novelists and people like that. It's like I get up at five, I write for 3 hours, that's it. And some people I've also written really late at night with co-writers. We will have tried to write at nine and then we kind of plugging along and then as I'm about to leave or something, somebody will say something and an idea comes out. And then you stay till two or three in the morning. If you're on a role, it's good if you can go ahead and capture that magic.00:14:03 --00:014: 15 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  Now, when you are just going about your life and living, do thoughts for a song come to you all the time and you write them down and put them into snippets? Do you save those?00:14:03 --00:015: 25 Jim Lauderdale: My song ideas do come to me quite often in conversation or hearing something or just the thought will come into my head. So, I record them on my phone, on an app, on a voice memo app and refer to them later. I go back to them sometimes if I'm then though just playing also something comes out and then you've got your guitar there. But a lot of times I'll just hum the melody. I'm kind of old school. Instead of doing everything on my phone or computer as far as writing out lyrics, I write them down with a pen on if I have a notebook with me or just a scrap of paper. Sometimes I've lost a movie about that. Was there really somebody lost it.00:15:25 --00:016: 15 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  Some creative piece and they spent the whole movie trying to find it? Yeah, it was a silly movie, I'm sure. But it's true. When you're in the visual arts is the same thing. You wake up in the middle of night and think you have solved the mystery of the perfect painting. You write down the thing and then you lose that piece of paper and you're searching for it forever. the creative process is really interesting. If you do voice memos, how do you remember what to search for to find the thing that you went?00:15:25 --00:017: 23 Jim Lauderdale: I labeled them. I labeled them like if it's a bluegrass song, I say BG. If it's a country song, I say c. If it's for donna the buffalo, I say donna. Songs from the road band SFRB. So different thing. If it's a soul thing, I'll say royal or soul. I do have a bunch of unfinished things. I've recorded a few albums at royal studios in Memphis, which was a great sole studio. If I have a studio booked in advance and I'm trying to write for that outright, like, for instance, blackbird for blackbird studio for those sessions. So, I'm not very organized, but at least I can reference those. Then when I'm flipping through the phone, trying to find something to have ready,00:17:25 --00:18: 00 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: I mean the human database is the most complex and sometimes also the most infuriating product. We own mine, trying to remember what it was you had thought of. Yeah.So, given that you're going to be working with some people in a collaborative manner here at the Meadowlark Motel August 12, 13th, but then you also write by yourself, what do you prefer? Do you prefer to write solo or with a partner or with a group?00:18:00 --00:18: 40 Jim Lauderdale:  When you're writing with somebody else, I feel like you always come up with something that neither one of you could do alone, necessarily. There's some different strength about that collaboration, but I still like to write alone to kind of challenge myself to do it because it's harder for me to write a loan. It's slower and sometimes more tedious, but I enjoyed both.00:18:40 --00:20: 07 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Cool. You've written with some really great people, and I know that you have a podcast with another legend, Buddy Miller. Have you written with him? Yes. We've got a radio show on Sirius X outlaw country on channel 60 called the buddy and gym show. We have written it's been a few years. The last time we wrote, we did a record together, gosh, I think it was eight years ago, and we wrote for that record, and before that, we'd written some things for his albums. He'd usually save a song or two and say we'd work backwards. Usually somebody gives me lyrics and I put a melody to them, but he gave me melodies and I put lyrics to them, and then he'd be under a deadline, too, so I put deadlines on myself also. But he would be like, hey, I've got to finish this record. How are those lyrics coming along? You have to deliver in those situations,00:20:07 --00:20: 10 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Especially professional and the legend.00:20:10 --00:20: 12 Jim Lauderdale: Yeah, absolutely.00:20:12 --00:20: 15 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: You have a reputation to meet now. 00:20:15 --00:20: 17 Jim Lauderdale: Yeah, that's right.00:20:19 --00:20: 25 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  Is there any other people that you have co-written with that are sort of favorite co-writers?00:20:25 --00:21: 32 Jim Lauderdale Yes. The man I've probably written the most songs with is Robert Hunter, who used to write with Jerry Garcia and wrote kind of just so many of the grateful dead songs. And we've probably written about 100 together. And sadly, Robert passed a few years ago, and I've written a lot with John Levanthal, great writer and producer, guitar player, and a lot with OD Blackman and several songs with Harlan Howard, who was one of my songwriting heroes, and also Melbourne Montgomery and Charles Humphrey that will be there at the camp. I really enjoy riding with him a lot.00:21:32 --00:21: 36 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: He's a good guy. I've had him on the sales.00:20136 --00:22: 38 Jim Lauderdal: He really is. He's a good he really is. He's really a really great writer. And we have a few things. I did a bluegrass record at Echo Mountain a few years ago here, and my concept of it was to have North Carolina bands and North Carolina artists do tracks with me for this record. And so, Charles and I have a couple of cowrites on that. And then I've got a song coming up on a country record that's coming out in August of Charles. And I wrote that original I was thinking it was going to be more acoustic and bluegrass, and then now it's kind of more of a western not western swing, but slight swing thing. Well, I guess you could call it a western swing. Swing to it, right? Yeah. So that's going to be great to work with him at this camp.00:22:38 --00:22: 42 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Is the swing a hard thing to get into performing?00:22:42 --00:22: 52 Jim Lauderdale: No, it's good. Not think it breaks up the other grooves you might be doing. I really like it a lot.00:22:52 --00:23: 16 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Yeah. The reason I asked is my wife is actually a Brazilian percussionist, a swing in that that you have to have or it's just no good. Right. She's done all right with that. It's an advocation, but she got to be on Saturday Night Live and that sort of thing. 00:23:17 --00:23: 18 Jim Lauderdale: Oh, that's awesome.00:23:18 --00:23: 20 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: That's a great hobby.00:23:20 --00:23: 25 Jim Lauderdale:  Yeah, that's terrific.00:23:26 --00:23: 29 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Which do you prefer? Do you prefer writing or do you prefer performing?00:23:29 --00:24: 15 Jim Lauderdale: I like them both. They both have their attractions and fulfilling things about them. It's a great feeling to write a song and then it's great in those circumstances when you're on stage and then you get to do those songs and interact with people, interact with the audience. And if you're playing in a band setting, those other musicians. So, I wouldn't be able to choose one from the other.00:24:16 --00:24: 18 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Have you done, like, over 30 albums? Is that right? 00:24:19 --00:24: 22 Jim Lauderdale This will be my 35th coming out in August.00:24:22--00:24: 23 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Wow. Yeah. What's the name of that one coming out in August?00:24:23 --00:24: 24 Jim Lauderdale Game Changer. 00:24:24--00:24: 25 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Game Changer. And00:24: 32 --00:24: 56 Jim Lauderdale: it's a country record. I consciously I kind of go in different cycles with records, whether it's country, bluegrass, kind of singer-songwriter, soul or blues rock, or whatever. And this is a consciously focused country record.00:24:56 --00:24: 58 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: That's fabulous. Of all your records, which one is your favorite?00:25:01 --00:25: 14 Jim Lauderdale: I can't decide. I mean, I really don't have a favorite because a lot of times the most current record is the favorite one.00:25:14 --00:25: 42 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  It said as the tea surpasses. People would ask the question, what's your favorite painting and they say, the last one. But I think there's a lot of truth to that. Yeah. When you hear a song or you see a song that you've written or listen to it, do you think, oh, I could improve it? There's something I should have done to improve it here? 00:25:42 --00:26: 10 Jim Lauderdale: Not really, no. I'm always if I hear somebody doing one of my songs, I'm just so elated that somebody else is doing, and I've never heard I've been asked before if I've ever been disappointed in a song offer, and I never have. It's always just real rewarding to hear somebody else's take on it.00:26:10 -00:26:14 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  Cool. Well, people come into the songwriter camp. What kind of things can we expect?00:26:17--00:26: 55 Jim Lauderdale: I think hopefully they'll walk away from that camp with a different take on their own writing and that they will be able to incorporate some of the tips and methods and things like that and suggestions and that. They'll walk out of there feeling more confident about their writing and their minds will be more open to things and their creativity, hopefully, will expand.00:26:55 -00:27:00 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: And will you give them insights on how to pursue a songwriting career and that sort of thing?00:27:00 --00:28: 59 Jim Lauderdale: I think first somebody's got to develop their catalog. They've got to have a body of work to and it doesn't have to be hundreds of songs or anything. You could have ten or 15 songs and go out there and try, but it's a process we won't get into because, see, the business part of things changes a lot all the time. But, basically my thing to people, and to myself, too, is that you have got to constantly challenge yourself. If you feel like, hey, this one song am I, this is it. This is going to change everything. It's going to change my life. This is going to open up the doors. That's terrific that you've got that song, but you've got to keep going and create another one and another one and another one. Not to just set that aside and go, well, Madison, but to build on what you're doing. And I feel like it might be naive or old fashioned or something, but I feel that when the songs are there, then those doors open. But it doesn't matter what kind of contacts you have or this or that. The songs have to be there. 00:28:59 -00:29:02 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Well, there's less than people write a good song, they can sing a good song, right? 00:29:02 -- 00:30:22 Jim Lauderdale Well, maybe, possibly, but sometimes it's mentioning that one song that somebody has. Some people have had careers, though, off of one song, but I think it's good to kind of be well rounded and have, let's say if you're outperforming, if you're a performing singer-songwriter, you've got to have a whole set of songs that you really feel are stand up to other people, other writers that you really like, and to your other good ones. And of course, that's a process. It doesn't happen all at once. It's like an art show. You've got to have a room full of art. You might have that one painting in the show. Yeah. And hopefully, those paintings in the room will be just as compelling.00:30:24 -00:30:31 Joseph Franklyn McElroy Your whole body of work. I know in other writing professions, there's writer's block. There's a writer's block in songwriting as well.00:30:32 -- 00:31:17 Jim Lauderdale: Oh, yeah, definitely. Yes. If we only had a series, we could do, Right? It would be a marathon. Yeah. I think that anybody that's riding something, will come across that rider block. That's one of the secrets I will talk about during this songwriter's workshop of how to break free of that rider's block.00:31:18 -- 00:31:19 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Oh, wow.00:31:21 -- 00:31:34 Jim Lauderdale I would say right now, but people will have to come to see that one time. 00:31:34 -- 00:31:43 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  That's the magic sauce, folks. Now you can learn, especially if you're starting out, you probably have riders block a lot.00:31:43 -- 00:32:45 Jim Lauderdale: Yeah, you do. But it takes practice and getting through growing as a writer, and you'll go through different steps and stages and things and just keepexpanding your abilities as time goes on. The more you do it, that 10,000. What is the expression when you do something for 10,000 hours, then you are good at something like that? Now you won't have to do that long, especially with the techniques people will be learning at this camp. They'll take a shortcut of 10 hours instead of 10,000.00:32:45 -- 00:33:06 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: There you, That's a big promise, man. I knew you had that big thing in you. Oh, that's great. And then you guys can have an all- star concert on the finale, right?00:33:06 -- 00:32:08 Jim Lauderdale: Yeah.00:33:08 -- 00:33:12 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: So, have you prepared to play this?00:33:012 -- 00:33:58 Jim Lauderdale: Yeah, we'll jam. I'm sure we'll talk about it before we get up there but on stage. But that's the cool thing about people can pick up. They can look at you while you're playing, or you can just say, Kia, this is like a one, four, five progressions. I'll kick it off. Whatever. It's fun to jam like that with people and hear what comes out.00:33:58 -- 00:34:25 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: So, it's going to be a fabulous time. I've got my whole family booked in at our motel, Meadowlark Motel, where it's going to be. That's great to be here because we're excited just to be around it. It's a two-day thing. It's two concerts. I imagine there'd be some jamming as well. Oh, yeah. Wonderful meals. I'm a cookie guy. Breakfast on Saturday morning.00:34:25 -- 00:34:28 Jim Lauderdale: Oh, nice. Yeah. Great. I'm a supporter of that. I'm a big breakfast guy. 00:34:28 -- 00:34:33 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Have your requests? What do you like for breakfast?00:34:33 -- 00:34:40 Jim Lauderdale: You know what? Whatever you have I'm sure will be delicious.00:34:43 -- 00:34:50 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Well, I can range from chicken fried steak to tomatoes with a smoked trout dip. Whatever slowed to you folk.00:34:50-- 00:34:52 Jim Lauderdale: Stop. You making me hungry.00:34:54 -- 00:34:56 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  So, what's next for you?00:34:56-- 00:35:23 Jim Lauderdale:  I am working on my follow-up to the Game Changer record, and that's coming out, and several bluegrass things right now. And I have a fair amount of gigs coming up starting in September until the rest of the year.00:35:24 -- 00:35:36 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Okay. Yeah. Cool. And are there any shoutouts you want to do? Any websites or anything you want to mention for people checking things out?00:35:36-- 00:36:02 Jim Lauderdale:  I guess my website is Jimlauderdalemusic.com and then all the social media things, I've got stuff on those. Yeah. So that's kind of got the current things that will be happening on there listed.00:36:02 -- 00:36:19 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: I will be sure to follow some of that. That is exciting for us. I want to thank you for being on this podcast and also thank you for doing this campaign.00:36:20-- 00:36:56 Jim Lauderdale: Guess I'll say one more thing about the camp. When you're a kid and you went camping and how much you enjoyed it and everything, this camp will make those times when you're a kid look like a Greek tragedy. This camp is going to be even though it's short, we don't have time these days to go to a summer camp for two weeks. We cram all the gusto in two days.00:37:02 -- 00:37:35 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: In a day and two- days, it'll be the center of your life for the rest of your existence. That's right. It'll be the sun about which your life repeats. Yes. Well, that's fabulous. We are about to change people's lives and looking forward to it. Well, thank you. This has been the Gateway to the Smokies podcast. You can find us@ facebook.com GatewaytotheSmokies and also smokiesadventure.com and there'll be this episode as well as other episodes on that website that you can find. Thank you much. And that's it.00:37:35-- 00:37:36 Jim Lauderdale: Thanks a lot.Bye!

We had the opportunity to sit down with Zeb “The Legend” Ross and his partner, Ashley Ross, of JCreek Cloggers on Gateway to the Smokies Podcast before their amazing performance in Meadowlark Motel.Enjoy this fun interview with the stars of JCreekCloggers! We talk about their unique dance style, how they began dancing together, touring around the world, how they became Viral on #Tiktok, and much more.#smokymountainsnationalpark #northcarolina #mountaindance #jcreekcloggers #podcast #mountainlife

WHAT WILL THE AUDIENCE LEARN?What does Agritourism mean for farmers, entrepreneurs, and residents in the mountains? Tune in to find out the answer to this question from our guest today, Laura Lauffer as we go on with our conversation with her.EPISODE SUMMARY:Joseph will interview our special guest, Laura Lauffer, Project Director of EmPOWERing Mountain Food Systems and Appalachian Regional Commission Power Project Center for Environmental Farming Systems sponsored by North Carolina State University – an organization whose objective is to offer financial, technical, and business support to regional farms and food-related businesses, while also being an advocate for agritourism. This conversation will cover the process of creating and implementing a business model that emphasizes community development, as well as the relationship between public policy and economic development in Appalachian communities.Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/empowermtnfood/Website: https://cefs.ncsu.edu/food-system-initiatives/emfs-empowering-mountain-food-systems/EPISODE QUOTE: “ Everybody's got a yellow squash in July, so maybe planta different kind of beet instead. You have to be smart.”  Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.SHOW NOTESSegment 1Lauffer is a native of North Carolina, her father retired when she was in elementary school. She gotta enjoy the tightly knit community of soldiers and their families. Whilst taking part in the Peace Corps she got to visit Zaire, a country in Africa.SEGMENT 2 In Zaire she was an extension agent. She would get seeds and extend them to farmers in the area to increase protein consumption as it was lacking in the people's diet. The Peace Corps also gave her the opportunity to learn the local dialect and also used French. She goes on to share that she earned a minor in Spanish in Montreal. Before starting a farm in Garner in Hohnston County she toured around Europe. She then became a Peace Corps recruiter in Grad school. Her area of expertise is food systems and economic development. She started a program at North Carolina Community College where she taught sustainability. She left the classroom and applied her skills in the field as a program director at NCA&T for regional food systems. Agritourism is tourism that is added to an existing farming operation.SEGMENT 3‍Using her website people can create appointments to get hooked up with different resources being offered by the program. One of the resources includes Advanced Business Services which helps local businesses that are advanced. The small business centers are partners that community colleges host to offer free business counseling. In agriculture, she is noticing carbon sequestration, which is recognizing farmers as a solution to climate change instead of as a factor of climate change.SEGMENT 4She uses storytelling to give people background and context to farms and agriculture including their purpose. The ideal farm-to-table program is where the farmer and chef are expressing creativity and have a relationship of understanding. An example is Silva Ilda, they change their many every week according to what's coming in fresh.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------TRANSCRIPT00:00:40.740 –> 00:00:57.240 Joseph McElroy: howdy this is Joseph Franklyn McElroy, welcome you to the gateway to the smokies podcast this podcast is about America's most visited National Park, the great smoky mountains National Park in the surrounding towns, this area is filled with H in that.00:00:59.460 –> 00:01:03.690 Joseph McElroy: Deep-storied history filters that we explore with the weekly episode.00:01:04.500 –> 00:01:11.850 Joseph McElroy: As I said, I'm Joseph Franklin McElroy man in the world, but also deep roots in these mountains by families living the great smokies for over 200 years.00:01:12.270 –> 00:01:20.160 Joseph McElroy: My businesses and travel, but my heart is a culture today we're going to talk about agritourism and farm to table with Laura lot left.00:01:20.910 –> 00:01:29.220 Joseph McElroy: The first, you know a few sponsors and things like that you know when you start planning a trip.00:01:29.790 –> 00:01:38.310 Joseph McElroy: After you decide where you're going to go usually the first things you do is, you choose a book your flight you book your place you're going to stay.00:01:38.820 –> 00:01:47.010 Joseph McElroy: As because you need to have a place to start your vacation adventure and then you can get done you get to work on it in Tenerife now I place.00:01:47.880 –> 00:01:52.740 Joseph McElroy: and finding a place to stay, I want you to imagine a place evocative of motor courts of the past.00:01:53.550 –> 00:01:58.920 Joseph McElroy: Modern and vibrant with a Chic Appalachian feel a place for adventure and for relaxation.00:01:59.520 –> 00:02:07.410 Joseph McElroy: Imagine a place where you efficient a mountain heritage trout stream grill to catch on fire and eat accompanied by fine wines or craft beers.00:02:07.800 –> 00:02:20.100 Joseph McElroy: So imagine a place with old-time music and world cultural sounds, there is no other place like Meadowlark Motel in Maggie Valley North Carolina your smoky mountain adventures start with where you stay.00:02:20.940 –> 00:02:27.720 Joseph McElroy: Now, one of the things that we can help you with is to help you build your itinerary once you decide that you're going to stay.00:02:28.080 –> 00:02:39.780 Joseph McElroy: and come to the smoky mountains for vacation state the middle art we actually have a site called smokies adventure calm, that you can actually do your research on to find out about.00:02:40.950 –> 00:02:46.920 Joseph McElroy: The best hiking trails waterfalls outdoor adventures and family entertainment that you can find here.00:02:47.910 –> 00:02:59.940 Joseph McElroy: And you can find a lot about the great smoky mountains National Park, you have the best trails the best waterfalls and what you can do in caves code, you find out about the history of the smokies and how to explore that.00:03:00.960 –> 00:03:04.290 Joseph McElroy: That smokies adventure smokies plural adventure com.ew-]0:03:05.490 –> 00:03:16.620 Joseph McElroy: For your research pleasure and then when you get here will be more than happy to sell to set you up with tours or other things to do, and of course, we have a lot of things going on here we have the metal dark smoky mountain.00:03:17.730 –> 00:03:20.070 Joseph McElroy: Historical Center here with lots of.00:03:21.150 –> 00:03:27.390 Joseph McElroy: Events coming about mountain heritage and music and culture, here in the mountains and I'll tell you about a couple of00:03:28.170 –> 00:03:39.810 Joseph McElroy: Recently there was a viral event on TikTok and Instagram with some cloggers and specifically one color flogger I live, right here and Maggie Valley, the valley Jonathan.00:03:41.490 –> 00:03:52.500 Joseph McElroy: And we're going to actually bring those cloggers here this weekend to the Meadowlark Motel to do performance the J creek cloggers and.00:03:53.100 –> 00:04:03.210 Joseph McElroy: And they are going to be here on Friday night on Saturday night and your father, going to be performing at 730 but previous to that you can have a free Barbecue.00:04:04.050 –> 00:04:20.730 Joseph McElroy: There is sort of an iconic dance group that has been forming for a number of years, but zip the legend Ross was just picked up on tick tock and Instagram doing some solo buck dancing that was reminiscent of a lot of.00:04:21.750 –> 00:04:31.440 Joseph McElroy: Urban dancing going on, and he became sort of a hero and he's actually got a nickname now in the army online things he says he's called the legend.00:04:32.550 –> 00:04:34.710 Joseph McElroy: Is he doing something called any call it, Chris walked.00:04:35.910 –> 00:04:42.750 Joseph McElroy: that's an urban culture but it's part of the clogging that he does here so so it's kind of cool.00:04:43.500 –> 00:04:56.850 Joseph McElroy: That that happened I don't think they've had I think they've had 100 million views it's crazy, so you know we invite you to come out and see it live on Saturday night July 30 here at the Meadowlark00:04:58.110 –> 00:05:11.160 Joseph McElroy: admission is free for the motel guests and for heritage club members and it's $20 for people that are just visiting it's called 8289261717 to find out information reverse to reserve your room.00:05:12.390 –> 00:05:22.320 Joseph McElroy: Now, another thing that on August six that we're doing a smoky mountain heritage Center is putting on starting a Cherokee heritage series and they're bringing in.00:05:23.910 –> 00:05:34.530 Joseph McElroy: What true Appalachian Appalachian treasure baby arch and Davey is a world-famous Cherokee tribal historic and storing and Ward winning craftsman.00:05:35.070 –> 00:05:43.410 Joseph McElroy: Traditional Cherokee crafts, especially mass and baskets and he's a beloved spokesman for the Eastern Cherokee tribe.00:05:43.980 –> 00:05:56.520 Joseph McElroy: And this will be on August six starting at six the Barbecue dinner and music and then there will be a whole presentation that you will find very interesting.00:05:57.240 –> 00:06:08.160 Joseph McElroy: Michigan is $20 for guest three for hotel guests in here to close my hair does club Members call eight to 89261717 to reserve your seat.00:06:08.820 –> 00:06:22.080 Joseph McElroy: One of the events coming up that I've been promoting for a while now is a songwriters camp I don't know if you've heard of Jim Lauderdale but he's a grammy award-winning artist I think 30 hit songs under his belt.00:06:23.340 –> 00:06:39.630 Joseph McElroy: That he's written for various artists or more he wrote a lot of George strait's songs he wrote king of the broken hearts might be one of the big ones that you know so and he's leading a crew of grammy award-winning artist here there's gonna be Charles Humphrey the third.00:06:41.370 –> 00:06:57.330 Joseph McElroy: And then there's gonna Be daring Nicholson of Balsam Range les mills and Charles Chamberlain it's like a dream team of songwriters and top musicians here at the metal art and it's a two-day event, where you have a meet and greet and have a.00:06:58.590 –> 00:07:08.910 Joseph McElroy: concert by the songs from the road band and Barbecue dinner and all star concept on a Saturday night and then you're going to have.00:07:09.660 –> 00:07:29.640 Joseph McElroy: An all day intensive workshop where you actually walk away with a DEMO tape of one of your songs and it's gonna be it's gonna be incredible it's a great way to meet and learn from some of the top in the business so call eight to 89261717 to reserve your space and to get a ticket.00:07:31.440 –> 00:07:42.810 Joseph McElroy: get a space for the workshop and the two concerts are also available to the public, just to come and enjoy the music so again eight to 89261717 to get your spot.00:07:44.940 –> 00:07:51.420 Joseph McElroy: So today we're going to be talking about tourism with lunch.00:07:54.810 –> 00:07:55.560 Joseph McElroy: it's with.00:07:56.670 –> 00:08:10.050 Joseph McElroy: Our guest his name is Laura laufer is and she is the project director of empowering mountain food systems at appalachian regional convinced Commission power project Center for environmental party farming systems.00:08:11.250 –> 00:08:13.260 Joseph McElroy: You can't say that a lot of times fast.00:08:15.000 –> 00:08:15.750 Laura Lauffer she/her: Natural.00:08:15.990 –> 00:08:26.670 Joseph McElroy: sponsored by North Carolina State University an organization, whose objective is to offer financial, technical and business support to regional farms and food related businesses.00:08:27.090 –> 00:08:35.820 Joseph McElroy: while also being an advocate for agritourism, she holds degrees from Western Carolina university nc State University speaks for language.00:08:36.180 –> 00:08:47.340 Joseph McElroy: And there's a webinar producer blogger and Community activists she resides in western North Carolina enjoys hiking and spending time with family or friends Hello Laura how are you doing.00:08:47.370 –> 00:08:49.710 Laura Lauffer she/her: hey hey guys.00:08:49.920 –> 00:08:51.270 Joseph McElroy: I pronounce your last name right.00:08:51.570 –> 00:08:52.140 Laura Lauffer she/her: Now offer.00:08:52.410 –> 00:08:56.730 Joseph McElroy: offer okay so we're very thrilled to have you here today.00:08:57.990 –> 00:09:02.400 Joseph McElroy: You know, we are, we are getting in into farm to table here it's of lr.00:09:03.480 –> 00:09:11.100 Joseph McElroy: we've actually put in a raised garden back in the back here and then yeah I went out to my old family farm wish I owned.00:09:12.120 –> 00:09:22.950 Joseph McElroy: A third of it and on my on my land grant visible where my grandfather farm I put in my first field and now i'm a farmer feeling so proud of myself.00:09:24.480 –> 00:09:31.140 Joseph McElroy: As I got a lot to learn, but I did, I do have some candy roasters and things like that.00:09:31.980 –> 00:09:43.200 Joseph McElroy: Growing there so i'm looking forward to this conversation because i'm sure you can teach me how I could do this much better so, but first I want to get a little bit of your background you're a native of fayetteville North Carolina right.00:09:43.890 –> 00:09:44.850 Laura Lauffer she/her: Yes, I am.00:09:45.030 –> 00:09:46.140 Joseph McElroy: yeah and then.00:09:47.160 –> 00:09:54.090 Joseph McElroy: You know I whenever I think of that area I automatically think it for broad were you were you an army brat by chance.00:09:54.660 –> 00:09:58.170 Laura Lauffer she/her: My dad was in the army, yes that's how I like to answer that.00:09:59.160 –> 00:10:01.530 Laura Lauffer she/her: I did I did grow up more closer to.00:10:01.530 –> 00:10:12.390 Laura Lauffer she/her: Fort bragg and my dad was career special forces, and it was a really wonderful wonderful way to grow up, it was a really nice Community there on base.00:10:12.660 –> 00:10:15.000 Joseph McElroy: So you got to stay in one place for your whole childhood.00:10:15.360 –> 00:10:16.200 Laura Lauffer she/her: I did.00:10:16.410 –> 00:10:17.400 Laura Lauffer she/her: My dad died.00:10:17.430 –> 00:10:24.330 Laura Lauffer she/her: yeah my dad I was a kind of a late comer as far as the in the order of children, so my dad retired.00:10:25.620 –> 00:10:35.070 Laura Lauffer she/her: When I was still in elementary school, but we stayed there because of the tight Community bond with all the soldiers families so well.00:10:35.340 –> 00:10:46.650 Joseph McElroy: yeah I was just recently out there, my son my 13 year old son is happens to be a power lifter and there was a there was actually a major power lifting event out there, so.00:10:47.880 –> 00:10:54.000 Joseph McElroy: You know I I it's interesting mixed bag place or some really beautiful places in some places that.00:10:55.590 –> 00:10:55.950 Joseph McElroy: But.00:10:57.030 –> 00:11:00.960 Joseph McElroy: All of North Carolina is it beautiful so.00:11:01.440 –> 00:11:04.080 Laura Lauffer she/her: yeah I used to consider myself a beach girl.00:11:04.500 –> 00:11:04.800 Laura Lauffer she/her: And then.00:11:05.280 –> 00:11:16.350 Laura Lauffer she/her: To the mountains and I was coming back from the beach a couple years ago and I, and I was so happy to come to the mountains, so I just decided, I was in North Carolina girl.00:11:16.740 –> 00:11:18.330 Joseph McElroy: There you go you got everything here.00:11:18.360 –> 00:11:18.630 yeah.00:11:19.890 –> 00:11:25.980 Joseph McElroy: We have a rain forest, we have snow ski mountains and we have a white this white sand beaches.00:11:26.790 –> 00:11:36.270 Joseph McElroy: You can't really beat that yeah so how did you end up going to Western Carolina university from high school and fayetteville.00:11:37.590 –> 00:11:40.860 Laura Lauffer she/her: Well, it was a circuitous route as you.00:11:41.910 –> 00:11:44.490 Laura Lauffer she/her: can imagine, and there was a boy involved in.00:11:44.490 –> 00:11:44.760 So.00:11:47.070 –> 00:11:47.760 Laura Lauffer she/her: yeah.00:11:47.850 –> 00:12:04.560 Laura Lauffer she/her: But I was very glad I ended up here, and so this was a sweet homecoming for me since I graduated there in 1988 and another boy I met and I took off to the Peace Corps from from cali so.00:12:05.970 –> 00:12:15.540 Laura Lauffer she/her: So 30 years later i'm back and really, really appreciating it more you know in my advanced age, the beauty.00:12:15.960 –> 00:12:28.770 Laura Lauffer she/her: Of the region, you know, back then, I you know we were hiking and kind of go into paradise falls and stuff like that, but this time i'm really, really enjoying the beauty of the of the region.00:12:29.340 –> 00:12:31.530 Joseph McElroy: Peace Corps where'd you go in the Peace Corps.00:12:32.010 –> 00:12:33.210 Laura Lauffer she/her: went desire.00:12:33.420 –> 00:12:33.990 Joseph McElroy: wow.00:12:34.140 –> 00:12:43.200 Laura Lauffer she/her: it's this country in the middle of Africa it's a probably the one of the most difficult posts, you can have honestly and.00:12:44.460 –> 00:12:50.970 Laura Lauffer she/her: It was an amazing experience and many volunteers don't have that experience anymore being.00:12:50.970 –> 00:12:52.140 Laura Lauffer she/her: So rural.00:12:52.920 –> 00:12:58.050 Joseph McElroy: Well, I gotta I want to hear a little bit more about the experience but we got to take a break right now and then.00:12:59.640 –> 00:13:01.950 Joseph McElroy: And then and talk a little bit more about that.00:13:02.040 –> 00:13:04.380 Joseph McElroy: and other than, of course, Western North Carolina.00:13:04.920 –> 00:13:05.520 Great.00:15:21.300 –> 00:15:36.300 Joseph McElroy: Howdy! this is Joseph Franklyn McElroy back with the Gateway to the Smokies podcast my guest is Laura Lauffer so Laura you are the peace corps and you were in Africa and what you were doing, and they have anything related to agriculture, what.00:15:37.080 –> 00:15:38.430 Laura Lauffer she/her: It did and.00:15:38.940 –> 00:15:53.520, Laura Lauffer, she/her: We were extension agents what most people know what extension agents do here is extend the research from the land grant university to farmers and enzyme air, which is now the Democratic Republic of Congo.00:15:54.630 –> 00:15:59.760 Laura Lauffer she/her: There was a Research Station but there were no agents, and so my husband and I.00:16:01.290 –> 00:16:08.040 Laura Lauffer s: would get seeds and extend them to farmers in the region, mostly corn and soybeans.00:16:08.550 –> 00:16:22.110 Laura Lauffer she/her: To try to increase the protein content of diets because malnutrition, was an issue there, so it was a lovely amazing experience, who lived in a mud hut with no plumbing and no electricity and only got around on bikes.00:16:22.560 –> 00:16:27.690 Laura Lauffer she/her: Oh, it was It made me appreciate all that we have.00:16:28.470 –> 00:16:38.670 Joseph McElroy: Well, that sounds like a fantastic experience I see that you spoke four languages, you know romantic languages and then this one called Chiluba00:16:39.210 –> 00:16:56.250, Laura Lauffer, she/her: Chiluba, yeah I was in a gas station in Raleigh once and the guy behind the counter was speaking to Buddha and I started speaking to him is like a so yeah it's a that's The great thing about peace corps is they, they teach you the local dialect.00:16:56.700 –> 00:16:57.390 Joseph McElroy: Oh wow.00:16:58.110 –> 00:17:04.440, Laura Lauffer, she/her: yeah so it was really great I think it'd be hard for me to carry on a conversation, and most of those languages.00:17:05.820 –> 00:17:16.530 Laura Lauffer she/her: I grew up spending a lot of time in Montreal and got a minor in Spanish, and then spoke French and spoke Chiluba are so it's a mix match in there.00:17:16.770 –> 00:17:19.290 Joseph McElroy: wow how long did you stay inside here?00:17:19.920 –> 00:17:20.640 Laura Lauffer she/her: Three years.00:17:22.410 –> 00:17:23.520 Joseph McElroy: becomes almost all right.00:17:24.150 –> 00:17:44.370, Laura Lauffer, she/her: yeah it was we stayed on we extended a little at the end and worked in the itinerary rain forest with john interests heart and they were doing research with the band booty tribe, which is also known as the pygmies way deep in the rain forest and.00:17:45.660 –> 00:17:53.490 Laura Lauffer she/her: It was an amazing experience, but we were ready to go and we hitchhiked across the continent it's something you can't do really anymore.00:17:54.780 –> 00:17:58.650 Laura Lauffer she/her: It was a true vagabond experience for some young people.00:17:59.460 –> 00:18:01.770 Joseph McElroy: And then you came back to the United States after that.00:18:02.370 –> 00:18:14.280, Laura Lauffer, she/her: We did we thought we would travel a lot more, but the Gulf War was going on in our family, you know, is ready for us to come back, but we toured around Europe for a little bit and then came back.00:18:14.640 –> 00:18:15.810 Joseph McElroy: And we're to settle settle.00:18:17.400 –> 00:18:29.850, Laura Lauffer, she/her: Actually, we stayed in wake county for a while, and then we moved out into the country and the head started our first little farm in garner and Johnston county.00:18:30.090 –> 00:18:30.510 Joseph McElroy: Oh wow.00:18:30.810 –> 00:18:45.000, Laura Lauffer, she/her: And, and I worked in Durham I've worked for Africa, new service until I went to Grad school and became a peace corps recruiter in Grad school at NC state, and that was really wonderful experience.00:18:45.300 –> 00:18:53.280 Joseph McElroy: And that's where you got even further into understanding at the Grad school you got into the agriculture-related studies.00:18:53.940 –> 00:19:04.410 Laura Lauffer she/her: no, mostly sustainability so I'm not an ag-technician food systems person and Community development and economic development.00:19:05.340 –> 00:19:18.540 Laura Lauffer she/her: So I'm not the I do have you know a little bit of knowledge, you know enough to get by on animal husbandry and crop production, but my area of emphasis is food systems and economic development.00:19:18.690 –> 00:19:27.870 Joseph McElroy: wow you know what are the, what are the only three pine-rated logic facility, the Western Asheville by the state of North Carolina in terms of sustainable yeah.00:19:28.110 –> 00:19:42.690 Laura Lauffer she/her: Fantastic yeah I taught sustainability for a while I started a program at Central Carolina Community College, where the few sustainability degrees in the state, and that was a wonderful experience.00:19:43.020 –> 00:19:48.180 Joseph McElroy: And then you worked as a program coordinator of local farms of food within see at antique00:19:48.960 –> 00:19:57.690 Laura Lauffer she/her: I did that's when I got I left teaching because I really was kind of tired of talking about sustainability so much in the classroom every day and I was.00:19:58.560 –> 00:20:14.310 Laura Lauffer she/her: missing the application in the field, and so I took a leap of faith and left teaching and was brought on for this regional food systems work at NCAA empty and their extension Program.00:20:14.760 –> 00:20:21.840 Joseph McElroy: cool and what is the regional food system work, what is it you do there?00:20:21.930 –> 00:20:28.980 Laura Lauffer she/her: Well, so one of the things that we like to focus on is helping farmers with their supply chain.00:20:29.910 –> 00:20:38.550, Laura Lauffer, she/her: If they want to diversify their source of funding, do they want to diversify markets this happened a lot during covid where.00:20:38.940 –> 00:20:56.730 Laura Lauffer she/her: You know the one-on-one marketing say at farmer's markets when a way, so we help folks establish their web presence, maybe, establish a pickup and so, for that they needed coolers, and so we had a program our funder came to us during cove it and said.00:20:58.050 –> 00:21:13.680 Laura Lauffer she/her: What, what do you need to do you know, because everything this of course it was not our plan to have a pandemic in this project, and so I went to the farmers, and I was like what what do y'all need most and it was cold storage so because they were like.00:21:14.190 –> 00:21:15.810 Laura Lauffer she/her: had to hold on to things a little bit.00:21:15.810 –> 00:21:30.960 Laura Lauffer she/her: Longer and have a different distribution method so um so supply chain is very important, you know, maintaining that quality and diversifying income so that's kind of a snapshot that's one of the things we do.00:21:31.710 –> 00:21:42.030 Joseph McElroy: So the new so you ended up then coming to Western North Carolina and leading leading be coming the project director of this up God awful lot.00:21:45.360 –> 00:21:48.600 Laura Lauffer she/her: it's empowering that with IT systems that says it all.00:21:50.040 –> 00:21:55.860 Joseph McElroy: Of that is an applicant Appalachian Regional Commission our project Center for environmental party system.00:21:56.430 –> 00:22:01.230 Laura Lauffer she/her: yeah you always have to mention your funders you know they like that and it's important.00:22:01.530 –> 00:22:01.920 Laura Lauffer she/her: So yeah.00:22:02.520 –> 00:22:09.210 Laura Lauffer she/her: We are funded by the appalachian regional Commission it's a over a million dollar grant over four years.00:22:09.810 –> 00:22:28.440 Laura Lauffer she/her: To do this work, and we also very importantly, got funding from the cherokee preservation foundation to work with cherokee farmers and cherokee food systems and my office is actually in the Qualla boundary of the eastern band of Cherokee so we've had the great pleasure to work with.00:22:29.760 –> 00:22:38.310 Laura Lauffer she/her: tribal government and and are our allies there to help Cherokee farmers and cherokee businesses grow.00:22:38.790 –> 00:22:43.980 Joseph McElroy: So you work do you do you work with pharmacy work with other businesses like restaurants groceries.00:22:45.120 –> 00:22:45.450 Joseph McElroy: yeah.00:22:46.650 –> 00:22:48.540 Laura Lauffer she/her: um so like during covid00:22:49.830 –> 00:22:58.650 Laura Lauffer she/her: Some restaurants transition to be the grocery stores, so I hope folks know about Guadalupe CAFE and downtown Silva00:22:58.770 –> 00:22:59.820 Joseph McElroy: Oh that's a great CAFE.00:22:59.820 –> 00:23:00.300 yeah.00:23:01.440 –> 00:23:04.590 Joseph McElroy: I look at like the multiple salsa salsa.00:23:04.830 –> 00:23:08.460 Joseph McElroy: yeah good you can bring a great day yeah.00:23:08.730 –> 00:23:16.110 Laura Lauffer she/her: yeah yeah yeah Jen is wonderful and she's always been super committed to local food systems and so.00:23:17.100 –> 00:23:21.570 Laura Lauffer she/her: And she was only doing take out but folks will come get their takeout they can get coffee.00:23:22.080 –> 00:23:41.520 Laura Lauffer she/her: butter cheese bacon and so, for that she needs more cold storage, and so we help with that, and then we also help with Yonder, which is a fabulous market up in Franklin, and so they during covid they transition from a from a restaurant to a.00:23:43.020 –> 00:23:48.870 Laura Lauffer she/her: Community supported agriculture, where they were selling bags of food and and a little grocery store.00:23:49.320 –> 00:24:06.030 Laura Lauffer she/her: So yeah absolutely so it's you know it's all along we'd like to work all along the supply chain were even work with Western Carolina university, we had an event there a few weeks ago, talking to their catering directors about buying local for events there.00:24:06.390 –> 00:24:10.500 Joseph McElroy: Well, so a little, so our little planet, the building a.00:24:12.090 –> 00:24:22.680 Joseph McElroy: Small essentially a small farm to help support our plans to make this restaurant would be something we could actually work a little bit with you on.00:24:23.190 –> 00:24:31.170, Laura Lauffer, she/her: Absolutely, I mean you're in Haywood county this project is only goes from Haywood to Cherokee county.00:24:32.310 –> 00:24:39.600 Laura Lauffer she/her: there's often not a lot of attention out here in this little piece of heaven, you know there, there is a lot of mountains west of Asheville.00:24:39.870 –> 00:24:40.200 Right.00:24:41.280 –> 00:24:45.510 Laura Lauffer she/her: And yeah yeah we love, we have some great partners in Haywood county.00:24:45.960 –> 00:24:46.710 Joseph McElroy: cool yeah.00:24:47.880 –> 00:24:49.890 Joseph McElroy: Totally yeah totally.00:24:51.660 –> 00:24:56.430 Joseph McElroy: Totally enamored by you know the concept of agritourism.00:24:57.750 –> 00:25:00.930 Joseph McElroy: And you how do you guys promote agritourism00:25:02.040 –> 00:25:17.490 Laura Lauffer she/her: Well agritourism what's really essential is that agritourism is tourism that is added on to an existing farming operation so it's not this case where.00:25:18.480 –> 00:25:35.520 Laura Lauffer she/her: Laura goes and buys a piece of land and puts up a beautiful barn and it's a wedding venue that is not agritourism so agritourism, is a working farm or you know farm production business where they're adding agritourism.00:25:36.330 –> 00:25:46.740, Laura Lauffer, she/her: To increase knowledge and, hopefully, of course, in increase revenue, and you know people are very interested to learn, you know where their food comes from.00:25:47.400 –> 00:26:08.670 Laura Lauffer she/her: And, and you know children love to go walk along or shear a sheep Jehovah raw farm and Haywood county has a fantastic agritourism operation, where you can stay in their cabin and she and use the wool from a shared sheep and make your own rug oh.00:26:09.480 –> 00:26:10.410 Laura Lauffer she/her: that's cool yeah.00:26:10.470 –> 00:26:12.750 Laura Lauffer she/her: So look up Jehovah raw form they are.00:26:13.440 –> 00:26:15.060 Joseph McElroy: All yeah you know.00:26:16.410 –> 00:26:17.670 Joseph McElroy: I was i'm a beekeeper.00:26:17.790 –> 00:26:27.300 Joseph McElroy: Without fantastic I actually learned it I did beekeeping a little bit when I was a kid here in the mountains back she learned to do be pretty good at it in the south bronx in New York City.00:26:27.570 –> 00:26:37.800 Joseph McElroy: Oh, my goodness, I would put bee hives and in Community arts and we were near the at the botanical gardens.00:26:38.190 –> 00:26:38.790 Joseph McElroy: I know.00:26:38.880 –> 00:26:43.530 Joseph McElroy: I got I got all sorts of interesting flavors, but do you work with beekeepers is that.00:26:43.980 –> 00:26:58.200, Laura Lauffer, she/her: yeah absolutely one of our first grants, we made was to Ferguson farms in haywood county and they are 100 year farm, there is a historical farm and Haywood county and.00:26:59.100 –> 00:27:11.880 Laura Lauffer she/her: They started beekeeping, excuse me in 2019, I believe, when we first started and their operation, they are now getting ready to add blanton to their farm.00:27:11.910 –> 00:27:25.440 Laura Lauffer she/her: yeah so you can go in and have a beautiful tent on the river and you know hang out in your tub and then go and get on a four-wheeler and go visit the horses and learn about beekeeping.00:27:26.640 –> 00:27:28.680 Laura Lauffer she/her: learn about you know beef production.00:27:29.100 –> 00:27:40.020 Joseph McElroy: I did a lot of education about beekeeping to kids in the bronx in the Community garden so i'm looking to start doing that, here too, because I enjoyed it.00:27:40.410 –> 00:27:48.060 Joseph McElroy: And I have you know I have, I have four year old twins now how am I have a 30-year-old son that four-year-old twins and.00:27:48.600 –> 00:27:54.390 Joseph McElroy: I think I look forward to being able to show them about these things so but I think, making it a part of a program I might even.00:27:54.960 –> 00:28:07.260 Joseph McElroy: You know, I think that I can do, because I figured out how to do it, the Community garden how to have a number of beehives here at the Meadowlark, because you can create beef like you know you create barriers that regulate wearing the bees fly.00:28:07.620 –> 00:28:09.840 Joseph McElroy: Right at the height and everything else, so you can get.00:28:09.840 –> 00:28:12.210 Joseph McElroy: them to fly above people for the most part.00:28:13.440 –> 00:28:20.340 Joseph McElroy: And so that you can have been very densely populated areas, and a lot of you know, and so people didn't know that but I got we got to take another break.00:28:20.400 –> 00:28:23.940 Joseph McElroy: Okay, and then we'll come back and talk more about what you're doing okay.00:28:24.330 –> 00:28:25.230 Laura Lauffer she/her: Okay, thanks.00:30:30.750 –> 00:30:39.090 Joseph McElroy: howdy this is Joseph Franklin McElroy back with the gateway to the smokies podcasts that my guest Laura Lauffer so Laura you know I.00:30:40.140 –> 00:30:56.880 Joseph McElroy: assume I'm a neophyte business person, and you know and it's trying to get into agritourism, and some of the agriculture, how does, how does, how does somebody approached your organization and find out about assistance and special programs and things like that.00:30:58.110 –> 00:31:01.980 Laura Lauffer she/her: Well, just Google empowering mountain food systems and.00:31:03.150 –> 00:31:12.030 Laura Lauffer she/her: You will come up in our homepage will come up and on the right, there's a little purple button that says apply here, and that will take you.00:31:12.510 –> 00:31:30.510 Laura Lauffer she/her: straight into our portal and then you have an appointment with me and I talked to folks about what they're up to and I hook them up with the different resources that they have we have a really cool program right now it's called Advanced business services that are helping.00:31:31.800 –> 00:31:36.660, Laura Lauffer, she/her: Local businesses who are kind of advanced, so we just helped.00:31:37.830 –> 00:31:44.940 Laura Lauffer she/her: Oh valley view farms she's a verbal culture operation, do you know what permaculture is.00:31:44.970 –> 00:31:46.140 Joseph McElroy: No, I have no idea.00:31:46.350 –> 00:31:48.210 Laura Lauffer she/her: permaculture is worm farming.00:31:48.600 –> 00:31:51.270 Joseph McElroy: Oh wow for me, but yeah.00:31:51.480 –> 00:32:04.980 Laura Lauffer she/her: yeah and she has an amazing worm farming operation, and so we assisted her with her new logo and her sign she has classes at her farm she's actually teaching a class Mary Ann Smith.00:32:06.240 –> 00:32:09.480 Laura Lauffer she/her: August 2 and clay county.00:32:10.200 –> 00:32:11.640 Laura Lauffer she/her: So she's at the haywood.00:32:12.000 –> 00:32:21.300 Laura Lauffer she/her: county historic farmers market every Saturday selling worm castings which is worm poop and it's just some of the most rich.00:32:23.010 –> 00:32:38.100 Laura Lauffer she/her: fertilizer you can use you really need to only use a very little so anyhow so that's a an example of a client we just helped and we're helping bear waters brewing there and Maggie.00:32:39.060 –> 00:32:48.750 Laura Lauffer she/her: They want to expand purchasing local products and so will be helping them with some refrigeration so that they can refrigerate more local products.00:32:48.840 –> 00:32:54.630 Joseph McElroy: Oh fabulous now do you offer do you offer education classes things training things like that.00:32:55.290 –> 00:33:03.390 Laura Lauffer she/her: that's mostly left to extension and one of our key partners in this project is the small business centers.00:33:04.230 –> 00:33:18.450 Laura Lauffer she/her: Every Community college in the state hosts a small business Center offering free business counseling and so, because this is an economic development project we really focus on that business side of of agriculture.00:33:19.290 –> 00:33:30.360 Laura Lauffer she/her: And we partner with with each small business Center so there and haywood county we partner with haywood Community college and Ashley swagger to have classes there.00:33:31.380 –> 00:33:37.470 Laura Lauffer she/her: But extension, and you know you're so fortunate here we've got mills river Research Station.00:33:38.220 –> 00:33:54.990 Laura Lauffer she/her: nearby and the mountain horticulture Research Station is on raccoon road there and haywood county and just they you know, keep keep in touch with them and their calendar and your local extension office so that's that they do that technical training piece.00:33:55.470 –> 00:34:00.720 Joseph McElroy: yeah that's that's cutting this nice i've been i've been noticing that there are some things out here we go cuz.00:34:01.980 –> 00:34:11.910 Joseph McElroy: I know pretty much what to do with beekeeping, but in terms of actually you know what the neck how to evolve a farm is now is not something i've ever done before.00:34:13.260 –> 00:34:13.650 Laura Lauffer she/her: yeah.00:34:13.710 –> 00:34:24.420 Laura Lauffer she/her: Well, you gotta you gotta come up with a marketing plan, like any good business, you know, come up with your dear cost benefit analysis and figure out if you're making money or losing money and.00:34:26.250 –> 00:34:28.260 Laura Lauffer she/her: And kind of go from there.00:34:28.530 –> 00:34:35.970 Joseph McElroy: Well, I think my my challenge is, I mean i've been doing a lot of marketing, so my challenge, though, is actually, how do you grow the best stuff.00:34:37.290 –> 00:34:38.190 Joseph McElroy: Right yeah.00:34:38.280 –> 00:34:39.840 Laura Lauffer she/her: Well, you start with good soil.00:34:39.930 –> 00:34:42.600 Joseph McElroy: Good soil and the worm sounds like a good addition.00:34:42.630 –> 00:34:44.070 Laura Lauffer she/her: yeah yeah.00:34:44.280 –> 00:34:50.130 Joseph McElroy: yeah i've been using I think mushroom based stuff or or beef of based stuff right.00:34:50.520 –> 00:34:57.510 Laura Lauffer she/her: Nice nice yeah we're we're blessed with fantastic wild mushroom foraging in this region.00:34:58.320 –> 00:35:04.650 Joseph McElroy: So you've mentioned a few agriculture agritourism business examples around the area.00:35:05.760 –> 00:35:10.710 Joseph McElroy: I think there's also another one, you probably know about darnell farms over swaying county.00:35:10.800 –> 00:35:21.090 Laura Lauffer she/her: Right yeah yeah the Dardanelles are fantastic partners in our in our work and I always highlight them when I do teach a marketing class because.00:35:21.480 –> 00:35:33.330 Laura Lauffer she/her: You know I encourage anybody to go to the darnell farm is Facebook page because they do live video all the time and and one of the best ones I saw was on.00:35:34.440 –> 00:35:42.330 Laura Lauffer she/her: They went out in the field picked a tomato sliced it put it between two pieces of wonder bread with semantics and.00:35:42.330 –> 00:35:44.640 Joseph McElroy: Probably good old southern Mayo and.00:35:45.150 –> 00:35:47.700 Laura Lauffer she/her: It was just running down his.00:35:47.700 –> 00:35:48.330 Laura Lauffer she/her: hand and he.00:35:49.350 –> 00:35:50.700 Laura Lauffer she/her: And he was loving it.00:35:51.060 –> 00:35:54.960 Laura Lauffer she/her: You know just folks just lined up for miles to count on your sandwich.00:35:55.230 –> 00:35:59.280 Joseph McElroy: I eat a tomato sandwich about every every other week I love it to me.00:36:01.080 –> 00:36:09.210 Joseph McElroy: So I put mine on yeah wheat bread, I put spinach on the right, you know i'm a little bit more elaborate still but the basis of it is still tomato mail on.00:36:10.350 –> 00:36:10.620 Joseph McElroy: yeah.00:36:11.700 –> 00:36:24.840 Laura Lauffer she/her: yeah they're fantastic Community members, they support a lot of food pantries they're great place to work, and it really is a fun event venue with live music or river.00:36:25.950 –> 00:36:31.500 Laura Lauffer she/her: Picking pumpkins and strawberries and hayride so that that is a lot of fun and.00:36:33.420 –> 00:36:36.810 Joseph McElroy: So uh so any other places that you think.00:36:37.140 –> 00:36:38.790 Laura Lauffer she/her: highlight that are really great yes.00:36:38.910 –> 00:36:40.650 Laura Lauffer she/her: Yes, there's a new one.00:36:41.040 –> 00:37:00.420 Laura Lauffer she/her: And I just found out today i'm a with from appalachian sustainable LIFE project, which is a sister organization they're having a farm tour this year that will have a few stops and haywood county and they're going to go to smoky mountain manga least talk about a mouthful.00:37:01.740 –> 00:37:09.150 Laura Lauffer she/her: So the manga least a pig is the cutest pig it's a pig with with tight tight curly hair.00:37:09.540 –> 00:37:09.780 Joseph McElroy: But it.00:37:09.840 –> 00:37:15.030 Laura Lauffer she/her: Has like the highest fat content, the large chefs love it.00:37:15.120 –> 00:37:27.930 Laura Lauffer she/her: love it love it so but during cove it, you know things changed for them and they lived on a beautiful piece of land with the river and people wanted to Camp so like well let's try camping.00:37:28.410 –> 00:37:29.310 Laura Lauffer she/her: And so they.00:37:29.850 –> 00:37:38.820 Laura Lauffer she/her: I believe their platform is hip camp hai PC emp is kind of like an airbnb for farmers who have land.00:37:39.090 –> 00:37:39.450 Laura Lauffer she/her: So you.00:37:39.510 –> 00:37:51.900 Laura Lauffer she/her: roll up in your camper you roll up with your tent and you have this beautiful experience on a farm So yes, smoky mountain manga Lisa and you can buy some amazing pork chops while you're there.00:37:52.320 –> 00:38:10.380 Joseph McElroy: Oh that's that's pretty cool yeah i'm looking at putting some yeah some cabins are clapping out and I earned us now, because now, I have the whole facility to do all the management and all that so yeah It makes sense, where do you see the future of tourism in the next few years.00:38:11.670 –> 00:38:22.200 Laura Lauffer she/her: I think i'm ECO tourism for sure i'm talking about sustainability and one of the really exciting things that's happening.00:38:22.680 –> 00:38:28.230 Laura Lauffer she/her: In agriculture is carbon sequestration is you know, recognizing farmers.00:38:28.860 –> 00:38:40.800 Laura Lauffer she/her: As a solution to climate change, and not a problem for climate change, and so you know going and seeing you know what are these sustainability measures, you can take with your cattle.00:38:41.490 –> 00:38:47.700 Laura Lauffer she/her: and your pastures, how can we, you know, can you know use practices that.00:38:48.390 –> 00:39:00.210 Laura Lauffer she/her: create a better habitat for birds and pollinators things like that so i'm hopeful that consumers will will want to do that and take your children to see you know you and.00:39:00.780 –> 00:39:10.080 Laura Lauffer she/her: I took some nutrition students to interview some farmers and they had no idea that I think that potatoes grew into ground.00:39:10.350 –> 00:39:19.500 Laura Lauffer she/her: Or that you know I know the first time I saw how Brussels sprouts sprouts grew I was like oh wow that's kind of cool that they grow on a stock.00:39:19.770 –> 00:39:32.640 Laura Lauffer she/her: yeah um yeah it's fun and you know we have these beautiful rivers and all of this, recreation, so what I would like to see is folks combine you know come out.00:39:33.360 –> 00:39:44.700 Laura Lauffer she/her: enjoy the River enjoy the mountains and leave maybe leave some of your resources behind leave some of your money behind with a local farm that conserves that beauty that you love to see.00:39:45.210 –> 00:40:01.110 Joseph McElroy: Right, I think it's a great idea for children, you know that used to be the children were a big mainstay of tourism here and haywood county but because he had the ghost town in the sky, but you know now research shows that hey the predominance demographic now comes out as over 45 right.00:40:01.410 –> 00:40:02.820 Laura Lauffer she/her: yeah the motorcycle people.00:40:03.000 –> 00:40:12.510 Joseph McElroy: The motorcycle people and you got the pet friendly crowd you've got the hikers and you got but, in general, there there there it's an older demographic now so but.00:40:13.230 –> 00:40:23.430 Joseph McElroy: Since coven we're starting to see families come out and I think having things like agritourism, where they learn a lot of stuff go going from penny.00:40:23.850 –> 00:40:37.890 Joseph McElroy: petting sheep to you know, seeing how things grow to you know camping I think those are all great visions for do for really vital revitalizing tourism across the board.00:40:38.490 –> 00:40:40.110 Joseph McElroy: I also I also saw that you.00:40:40.320 –> 00:40:48.450 Joseph McElroy: You encourage diversity i've been doing a lot of work involving women in pursuing the field So how do you do that, and what do you do for them.00:40:49.410 –> 00:40:59.250 Laura Lauffer she/her: I really don't have to do anything for them, they are leaders in the field, and they are dynamic savvy business people.00:41:00.990 –> 00:41:16.200 Laura Lauffer she/her: So they don't really require any extra attention any extra programming I just you know I work to serve them the way I serve anybody else I did write an article for smoky mountain news a couple years ago about.00:41:17.310 –> 00:41:29.160 Laura Lauffer she/her: You know the dynamism of women in agriculture in the region and katie from katie's orchard Patricia Taylor told a story about being with a few women that went to the apple meetings.00:41:30.030 –> 00:41:38.490 Laura Lauffer she/her: You know, years ago, and that the male apple farmers are kind of like looking at her about speaking up and she's like i'm here to learn.00:41:39.270 –> 00:41:50.640 Laura Lauffer she/her: And and she's an amazing amazing farmer, I absolutely recommend you go by katie's orchard in canton and you can pick apples and pears and blackberries and blueberries and.00:41:51.180 –> 00:42:08.730 Laura Lauffer she/her: Get jam and honey and so that's another another great asset at katie and so she she's a leader, she counsels other farmers and yeah women, women are natural leaders, and so they don't need me for much.00:42:09.120 –> 00:42:19.350 Joseph McElroy: But sometimes they have unique challenges I mean maybe not as much as they used to, but like my grandmother when she moved here back in the 40s 50s he became like the first one is broker.00:42:20.130 –> 00:42:29.880 Joseph McElroy: State of North Carolina but they would let her open her own bank account to her husband came in and open it yeah is there any unique challenges that women face down the an agritourism.00:42:30.570 –> 00:42:40.650 Joseph McElroy: No oh good all right cool all right, well, we have to take another break and then we'll come back we'll finish up with you know some some things you want to make people aware of.00:42:41.070 –> 00:42:42.420 Laura Lauffer she/her: Okay excellent Thank you.00:44:43.980 –> 00:44:54.780 Joseph McElroy: howdy this is Joseph Franklin McElroy back with a gateway to the smokies podcast my guest is Laura Laufer so Laura, you know my business that's funded my.00:44:55.560 –> 00:45:07.050 Joseph McElroy: This move them into the back end of my childhood home and this motel and things originated in marketing and you know, a big part of what we do is content storytelling.00:45:07.590 –> 00:45:14.010 Joseph McElroy: And and and we've built the Meadowlark you know we tripled revenue tripled things through storytelling essentially through.00:45:14.430 –> 00:45:27.420 Joseph McElroy: The mountain heritage is the common theme throughout what we do so, I noticed that you emphasize storytelling in your agritourism businesses as a way to build it what, what do you, what do you tell them.00:45:28.470 –> 00:45:40.440 Laura Lauffer she/her: Absolutely, I mean that's what you know you clinch folks with you know this goat is named Beatrice after my grandma because my grandma was hard-headed and this goat.00:45:40.740 –> 00:45:52.950 Laura Lauffer she/her: is hard-headed and that's why we call her Beatrice well how is she hard-headed well she's hard headed to because she figured out how to get out of the fence, and you know, and you just go on and tell that story about.00:45:53.850 –> 00:46:04.350 Laura Lauffer she/her: About unique things about your farm and, like you, you know you're talking about your grandmother, you know, especially if it's a heritage farm let folks know you know how long.00:46:04.710 –> 00:46:14.460 Laura Lauffer she/her: Has this been here, this is why we're here, this is why we do that, and you know it can be as simple as the story of where your food comes from you know, like.00:46:14.880 –> 00:46:32.970 Laura Lauffer she/her: Oh, you enjoy bread, do you know that bread comes from wheat, and this is where we grow wheat in western North Carolina and wheat can also be used for this, and so so contextualizing agriculture so folks understand what it means to their everyday life.00:46:33.990 –> 00:46:39.120 Joseph McElroy: that's cool that's cool they know I that's yeah that's what we tell people.00:46:40.320 –> 00:46:47.970 Joseph McElroy: When they're wanting to do things in social media like tick tock and stuff like that and Instagram it's all about telling a narrative right.00:46:48.750 –> 00:46:58.680 Joseph McElroy: about telling the story yeah and so that's you know that's the way to help people a lot I think in terms of get their story out there.00:46:59.790 –> 00:47:09.600 Laura Lauffer she/her: We say on when folks do social media on Facebook, that it should be the content should be 80% storytelling and 20% selling.00:47:09.900 –> 00:47:13.710 Laura Lauffer she/her: You know, you know it's like oh here's pictures of.00:47:14.340 –> 00:47:30.150 Laura Lauffer she/her: You know, we want the best picture of your child eating a strawberry from our strawberry patch you get thousands of pictures of kids with strawberry all over their face and people love it and then you say Oh, by the way, you know still pick in until dark until August it.00:47:30.480 –> 00:47:38.130 Joseph McElroy: You know cool so um, how do you define the ideal farm to table Program.00:47:38.700 –> 00:47:41.160 Laura Lauffer she/her: Oh that's a good one um.00:47:42.450 –> 00:47:52.650 Laura Lauffer she/her: When the chef works with the farmer, before anything goes into the ground, and so you know say chef is reading.00:47:53.790 –> 00:48:04.470 Laura Lauffer she/her: So fancy culinary you know fine dining magazine, and he sees this beautiful ready CIO and he's like I want that you know, on my plate, it looks beautiful.00:48:04.800 –> 00:48:16.710 Laura Lauffer she/her: So he and his the farmer that he works with they sit down with maybe the Johnny seed catalog and and they're talking about it and they're like okay well i'll try it i'll plant simply, you will see how that goes.00:48:17.190 –> 00:48:27.060 Laura Lauffer she/her: And it is a relationship like that it's it's truly creativity on both ends and you know the chef has to have some.00:48:28.050 –> 00:48:41.850 Laura Lauffer she/her: expectations and understanding of the challenges of disease water, you know things that happen that some things can go wrong, but it's truly truly a relationship, you know the chef is visiting the farm.00:48:43.080 –> 00:49:02.670 Laura Lauffer she/her: The farmers going in to have a great meal at the restaurant, so that is absolutely the ideal where the the chef's menu like here in Silva El de is a fantastic example they changed their menu every couple of weeks to what's what's what's fresh and what's coming in the door.00:49:03.570 –> 00:49:11.160 Joseph McElroy: that's I mean yeah the when you're doing the farming you'd have to you have to you have to deal with the dynamics of what's available.00:49:11.700 –> 00:49:15.390 Laura Lauffer she/her: yeah well everybody's got yellow squash in my.00:49:16.740 –> 00:49:24.270 Laura Lauffer she/her: Maybe plant, you know, a different kind of beat instead so you have to be smart like that.00:49:24.690 –> 00:49:28.230 Joseph McElroy: Right or come up with unique recipes for yellow squash.00:49:29.070 –> 00:49:30.510 Joseph McElroy: yeah yeah.00:49:30.720 –> 00:49:32.160 Laura Lauffer she/her: I think they're out there somewhere.00:49:32.640 –> 00:49:37.110 Joseph McElroy: Well i'm i'm loving yellow squash soup cream soup.00:49:38.880 –> 00:49:39.390 Joseph McElroy: it's good.00:49:41.010 –> 00:49:42.000 Joseph McElroy: So, but.00:49:47.160 –> 00:49:47.460 Joseph McElroy: You.00:49:48.720 –> 00:49:49.050 Joseph McElroy: You.00:49:50.970 –> 00:49:55.710 Joseph McElroy: You sorry I lost my place in my my questions here so.00:49:57.240 –> 00:50:02.760 Joseph McElroy: So you have a website right what's the website again you just say Google is easiest way.00:50:03.120 –> 00:50:06.570 Laura Lauffer she/her: yeah empowering mountain foods.org I believe.00:50:06.840 –> 00:50:16.620 Laura Lauffer she/her: Okay i'm done and there's two other websites I wanted folks to be aware of that, I hope we can put on the Facebook page one is the visit nc farms APP.00:50:17.190 –> 00:50:26.400 Laura Lauffer she/her: So this is an APP sponsored by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and in haywood county it's sponsored by cooperative extension.00:50:27.090 –> 00:50:37.230 Laura Lauffer she/her: And bunkum county it's sponsored by soil and water and in Jackson county it's funded by the tourism development authority and so.00:50:37.620 –> 00:50:47.730 Laura Lauffer she/her: You download this APP and wherever you're driving in North Carolina you can you know type in you know alpaca farm or strawberries, and it will come up.00:50:48.090 –> 00:51:02.730 Laura Lauffer she/her: With the map hours what's available, so the visit nc farms APP and then the other one i'm super excited about, especially for your out of town folks is vacation or supported agriculture and.00:51:04.260 –> 00:51:08.880 Laura Lauffer she/her: I put that link in the chat so I don't quite remember that I hope i'm not messing this up.00:51:09.390 –> 00:51:20.400 Laura Lauffer she/her: So P one provisions visit and see smokies and so hopefully we can put that in the in the stream and what's so exciting about this is before you get to town.00:51:20.910 –> 00:51:32.670 Laura Lauffer she/her: and say you're staying in a cabin and you would like a bag of fresh freshly picked produce from a farm right down the road and.00:51:33.450 –> 00:51:45.780 Laura Lauffer she/her: And haywood county it's mark mcdonough at mighty know mark and Danielle at mighty known and Christine Christine braswell of outlaw acres so these two farmers are supplying.00:51:46.890 –> 00:51:58.200 Laura Lauffer she/her: Visitors with a beautiful bag of produce eggs and flowers and it's there for them to pick up at bear waters brewery in bosu wine shop in waynesville when they get to town.00:51:58.740 –> 00:52:01.980 Joseph McElroy: So those are the waters with the cannon or the one advantage.00:52:02.280 –> 00:52:03.150 Laura Lauffer she/her: The one in Maggie.00:52:03.480 –> 00:52:04.530 Joseph McElroy: Really yeah.00:52:04.860 –> 00:52:13.500 Laura Lauffer she/her: yeah so yeah we met with Kevin he's really excited to support us he's a big supporter of of local farmers.00:52:14.010 –> 00:52:17.520 Joseph McElroy: piggy backs have to have that list so they'd have this produce while they're here.00:52:17.760 –> 00:52:19.080 Joseph McElroy: yeah what to say.00:52:20.160 –> 00:52:20.430 Laura Lauffer she/her: yeah.00:52:21.000 –> 00:52:24.630 Joseph McElroy: Well, you know we have Kevin tier two middle of we should talk to bear waters and.00:52:24.840 –> 00:52:37.770 Laura Lauffer she/her: Absolutely yeah you will send you the link and when some for all your folks who are coming in August, you can go ahead and send them the link and say hey do you want to pick up a bag of produce here you go.00:52:38.340 –> 00:52:39.420 Joseph McElroy: Oh that's a great yeah.00:52:39.510 –> 00:52:46.800 Laura Lauffer she/her: It is it's a it's happening it's been happening at nc state sponsored program it's been happening on the coast, for five years.00:52:47.250 –> 00:52:48.300 Joseph McElroy: and pay for it right.00:52:48.720 –> 00:52:49.230 Joseph McElroy: Oh yeah.00:52:49.500 –> 00:52:52.170 Laura Lauffer she/her: Oh yeah I believe it's $45 a bag.00:52:53.310 –> 00:53:10.170 Laura Lauffer she/her: And you get your own you know kick insulated pooler carrier and haywood county and Jackson county are pioneers in western North Carolina it's been happening on the coast, for five years, so we were really appreciative.00:53:10.560 –> 00:53:16.740 Joseph McElroy: Well it's great I mean anybody out there, doing airbnb should seriously seriously think about this, you can wait.00:53:17.490 –> 00:53:18.810 Joseph McElroy: For your clients right.00:53:18.840 –> 00:53:21.000 Laura Lauffer she/her: yeah I can I can hook them up.00:53:21.300 –> 00:53:21.690 Joseph McElroy: yeah.00:53:22.020 –> 00:53:29.040 Laura Lauffer she/her: We just met with some airbnb owners last week and they're very, very excited about this.00:53:29.310 –> 00:53:34.380 Joseph McElroy: Well, oh yeah I mean I like the idea I like the idea is, we could put in our cabin.00:53:34.710 –> 00:53:38.340 Joseph McElroy: yeah we actually go pick it up for them and have it there when they arrived.00:53:38.400 –> 00:53:40.290 Laura Lauffer she/her: yeah that'd be great right down the road.00:53:40.500 –> 00:53:46.530 Joseph McElroy: You know, right down the road from us so cool so everybody out there Miller moto soon gonna have produce available in the rooms, where you go.00:53:49.290 –> 00:53:52.980 Joseph McElroy: cool any other any other thing you want to shout out before I close up.00:53:53.910 –> 00:54:06.270 Laura Lauffer she/her: Just you know go to your local farmers market check them out um when you go and eat out at a restaurant ask them do you have any local products on your menu.00:54:07.170 –> 00:54:25.920 Laura Lauffer she/her: This really is up to, we as consumers to drive the markets to these farms, I mean we we drive around the smokies we see these beautiful venues, and some of them are venues that are beautiful because farmers are being conservation minded and keeping land and production.00:54:26.250 –> 00:54:28.560 Laura Lauffer she/her: So, so I say eat your view.00:54:29.160 –> 00:54:32.190 Joseph McElroy: yeah cool well Thank you so much for being on my show.00:54:32.250 –> 00:54:37.560 Joseph McElroy: it's planning, I want to talk further I will go to your website do the application to come talk to you.00:54:37.830 –> 00:54:42.330 Laura Lauffer she/her: yeah we have a little bit of funding left we're really excited about it.00:54:42.330 –> 00:54:43.080 Joseph McElroy: So oh.00:54:43.950 –> 00:54:55.140 Joseph McElroy: yeah Thank you so this is the gateway the smoke these podcasts were streamed live on facebook@facebook.com slash gateway to the smoke these podcasts every Friday every.00:54:55.920 –> 00:55:04.350 Joseph McElroy: Every Tuesday at six to seven it's also in the talk radio dot nyc network, which is a network of live podcasts every day.00:55:04.920 –> 00:55:17.670 Joseph McElroy: ranging from help for small business to sell help to pet help to any number of subjects and it's very dynamic, because every podcast is live, so I recommend you take a look at what are the offerings they have and it's.00:55:18.300 –> 00:55:22.020 Joseph McElroy: it's it's a good network, you can also find all the old.00:55:22.740 –> 00:55:32.370 Joseph McElroy: episodes for this organized long transcripts on the smokies adventure COM site you go there and there's a link at the top, for the gateway to the smoke these podcasts and.00:55:32.910 –> 00:55:44.820 Joseph McElroy: I look forward to you coming and listening to us again next week I think we're about to take a month off so it'd be rerun for a month and a half until September but I'll be back in September with new shows and new.00:55:45.300 –> 00:55:50.850 Joseph McElroy: New people to talk to as well, some old friends and old subjects to go over again.00:55:51.870 –> 00:55:54.630 Joseph McElroy: So until next time, thank you for listening.

WHAT WILL THE AUDIENCE LEARN?Learn about folk culture and heritage with Evan Hatch, Executive Director of Folkmoot USA. Listen to this episode, as he dedicated this to all folks who carry forward their heritage through music, dance, and song!EPISODE SUMMARY:What's the Folkmoot USA all about? Discover all about the Folkmoot USA with Evan Hatch on our podcast! Tune in as Joseph interviews Mr. Hatch, an expert folklorist with almost two decades of experience as a Grammy Award-winning record producer, event production coordinator, vernacular artist, documentary filmmaker, and recorder of oral history, as well as holding high-level management experience with some of the most prestigious cultural organizations in the Southeast. Hatch is currently the Executive Director of one of the oldest and most popular educational centers and festivals in the Southeast—Folkmoot – with headquarters in Waynesville, N.C. He holds degrees from both UNC and Ole Miss and resides in Waynesville. He's going to tell us all about the Folkmoot USA, including what it is and how you can get involved! He will also share what makes this festival so unique, as well as how he got involved in this industry and how he got started. Don't miss this episode! LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evanhatch22/ Website: https://www.folkmoot.org/‍EPISODE QUOTE: “If you want to get to know your future ancestors I would definitely talk about going to my website, Narrate Project, which is a business I;'m still running and still love to do.” Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here. SHOW NOTESSEGMENT 1Originally from North Carolina, 1980 to 2000. His father was in the military so they traveled a lot as a family and in his retirement, they settled in North Carolina. He returned to school in 1996 to find his career interest. He recalls his teachers as brilliant and experts with interesting backgrounds. High/ popular culture has caused the folk culture to be looked down upon.SEGMENT 2He won a Grammy for Best Album Notes in 2008 and goes into detail behind the inspiration of his work for that award. Bill Monroe was inspired by black artists and he praises musicians who are not racists and truly care about music and collaborations. He gets hired to do extensive interviews with families' loved ones, so they can hold onto their legacy through his work. Ethan gives a shout-out to Folkstream.net, which has the best documentaries of folks from the 1950s. The festival that he had the most fun organizing is The National Folk Festival in Nashville.SEGMENT 3Folkmoot has been around for 38 years as a festival and the organization has been around for 50 years. The meaning of Folkmoot is “meeting of people '' and the creator, Dr. Border was inspired by the European folk festivals. The Folkmoot Friendship Center is taking part in renting out a historic school's classrooms which date back to 1935 and was founded by WPA. People can use it as galleries and workspace. Soar Academy also provides outdoor school.SEGMENT 4Since the Folkmoot Summer Fest will be smaller they are enabled to invest in Fal and Spring programming. Hatch has been able to turn something many views as a hobby into a career.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------TRANSCRIPT00:00:37.020 –> 00:00:39.900 Joseph McElroy: howdy welcome to the gateway to the smokies.00:00:39.900 –> 00:00:48.630 Joseph McElroy: podcast this podcast is about America's most visited National Park, the great smoky mountains National Park in the surrounding towns.00:00:49.350 –> 00:00:57.780 Joseph McElroy: This area is filled with ancient natural beauty deep storied history and rich mountain cultures that we explore with weekly episodes.00:00:58.530 –> 00:01:12.720 Joseph McElroy: I am Joseph Franklyn McElroy man of the world, but also with deep roots in these mountains my family is living the great smokies for over 200 years my businesses and travel, but my heart is in culture today we're going to talk about.00:01:13.890 –> 00:01:23.550 Joseph McElroy: Folkmoot USA and beaten with the Executive Director Evan Hatch reversed a few sponsor messages and some events coming up.00:01:25.380 –> 00:01:32.700 Joseph McElroy: I want you to imagine a place evocative of the motor court of the past, yet modern and vibrant with a chic Appalachian feel.00:01:33.450 –> 00:01:44.910 Joseph McElroy: a place for adventure and for relaxation imagine a place where you can have fish and mountain heritage trout stream grill the catch on fire and eat accompanied by fine wine or craft beers.00:01:45.420 –> 00:01:57.690 Joseph McElroy: Imagine a place of old-time music and world cultural sounds, there is no other place like the Meadowlark Motel Maggie Valley North Carolina your smoky mountain adventure starts with where you stay.00:01:58.920 –> 00:02:09.690 Joseph McElroy: Another sponsor is smokies adventure.com that smokies plural of interesting either the smoky mountains and surrounding area is a vacation destination for all sees.00:02:10.290 –> 00:02:17.760 Joseph McElroy: Some of the nation's best hiking trails waterfalls outdoor adventures and fans of family entertainment can be found, right here.00:02:18.300 –> 00:02:25.410 Joseph McElroy: start your adventure by using smokies adventure calm to explore all the wonderful features of the great smoky mountain National Park.00:02:25.920 –> 00:02:37.050 Joseph McElroy: The trails the waterfalls the cage coven the elk and more then check out all the awesome family attractions and entertainment you're retired family can enjoy.00:02:37.410 –> 00:02:44.940 Joseph McElroy: Fine lodging find places to stay find places to eat find where you can do outdoor life events like weddings and honeymoons.00:02:45.600 –> 00:02:53.220 Joseph McElroy: it's all at the smokies adventure calm, which is the leading information portal for adventure experiences of the great smoky mountains.00:02:53.910 –> 00:03:17.310 Joseph McElroy: So events coming up at the Meadowlark on this coming Saturday, July 23 at 6pm we're having smoky Blue Rain it's a trio of Len Graham Fillmore name is Jackson their brand of Americana music is infectious blend folk light rock blues jazz touch of traditional country.00:03:18.360 –> 00:03:30.990 Joseph McElroy: They met through a mutual friend and that and that first group know realize that they had something special so come on over to the metal or motel and there's also a Barbecue and and and another find.00:03:32.640 –> 00:03:41.490 Joseph McElroy: Things to enjoy starting at 6 pm and the mission is free for hotel guests and imperatives club members and it's just $10 for everybody else.00:03:42.060 –> 00:03:56.610 Joseph McElroy: So rsvp is required for the Barbecue dinner so call eight to 89261717 for tickets and come enjoy some food and bbq now some of you might know that there was recently a.00:03:57.750 –> 00:04:01.320 Joseph McElroy: A viral event on tick tock or.00:04:02.700 –> 00:04:20.520 Joseph McElroy: cloggers from Western North Carolina especially specifically down on Jonathan creek here in a wood county went viral and got seen by like 100 million people's names ED and he's part of the J creek cloggers and so they're coming to the metal Arc motel on July 30 at 7:30 pm.00:04:21.960 –> 00:04:22.680 Joseph McElroy: We have.00:04:23.790 –> 00:04:31.200 Joseph McElroy: two great mountain heritage events put on by the metal Arc smoky mountain heritage Center and also include an evening at dinner and dancing.00:04:32.460 –> 00:04:50.640 Joseph McElroy: begins with the bbq had six and then the performance of the jquery cloggers at 730 and that's that includes music, they will perform a bunch of examples of traditional mountain dancing as well as teaching the audience several fun dance steps there's going to be.00:04:52.200 –> 00:05:00.420 Joseph McElroy: interactive performance or everybody will get to dance and then there'll also be a short talk by Kim Ross who was on the show here a few weeks ago.00:05:00.810 –> 00:05:17.130 Joseph McElroy: On the history, and traditions of mountain dancy so Dr you grab your partner and come on by admission is free for hotel guests and parents come Members as 20 bucks for people that are not a standard hotel just call eight to 89261717 to reserve your spot.00:05:18.180 –> 00:05:31.200 Joseph McElroy: And then, a big event we got coming up August 12 or 13th is a songwriters can, and this is a, this is a serious one, this is a Grammy award-winning songwriters you got Jim Lauderdale who's written.00:05:31.680 –> 00:05:42.240 Joseph McElroy: hits many of George strait's it he wrote that song king of the broken hearts and then you got Charles Humphrey The third is another grammy award winner, along with the.00:05:42.900 –> 00:05:49.860 Joseph McElroy: Award-winning artists, such as their Nicholson clay mills and Charles chambers.00:05:50.460 –> 00:05:58.860 Joseph McElroy: And you know Darren Nicholson one of the main musicians and balsam range as big around these parts so it's going to be a fantastic event.00:05:59.220 –> 00:06:08.910 Joseph McElroy: it's going to be a two-day event of interactive songwriting instruction so there'll be both candles but they're also be working individually with all the arts.00:06:09.840 –> 00:06:21.210 Joseph McElroy: world-class musicians and they'll get a DEMO tape producer one of your songs they're also a concert on a Friday night by the songs from the road band.00:06:22.620 –> 00:06:34.290 Joseph McElroy: Which is Charles Humphreys band, and then a Barbecue dinner and all-star concert with all those artists, on Saturday night, this is a unique event like no other and space will be limited, ensure that everybody gets attention.00:06:35.370 –> 00:06:52.860 Joseph McElroy: So the songwriter campus 678 $75 a person includes all the activities and DEMO tape and everything else, and you also can get yourself a room at the middle like motel if you're coming from out of town and it also includes dinner and breakfast and things like that.00:06:54.210 –> 00:07:06.810 Joseph McElroy: If there's also a limited number of tickets available for just coming to the concerts either on Friday or Saturday night so call eight to 89261717 to get your ticket and reserve your space.00:07:08.730 –> 00:07:21.360 Joseph McElroy: Somebody knows a lot about events Now is our guest tonight his name is David hatch he's an expert folklorist with almost two gay two decades of experience as a grammy award-winning.00:07:21.720 –> 00:07:28.950 Joseph McElroy: record producer event production coordinator vernacular artists documentary filmmaker and recorder of oral history.00:07:29.370 –> 00:07:37.170 Joseph McElroy: As well as holy high-level management experience with some of the most prestigious cultural organizations in the southeast.00:07:38.070 –> 00:07:47.790 Joseph McElroy: hatches Evan hatches is currently the executive director, of one of the oldest and most popular educational centers and festivals in the southeast folks.00:07:48.300 –> 00:08:05.040 Joseph McElroy: With headquarters, right here in haven county in Waynesville North Carolina he holds degrees from both unc and old mess resides and waiting for, where he enjoys cooking camping photography, and reading and is limited spare time I don't know how he has a spare time how you doing.00:08:06.360 –> 00:08:09.510 Evan: I'm good Joseph thanks for having me here thanks for making me sound like.00:08:10.590 –> 00:08:15.480 Joseph McElroy: A listen when you do accomplishments it doesn't take much does that make you sound good because you are.00:08:17.460 –> 00:08:20.850 Joseph McElroy: So you said you're only been here for three and a half weeks and welcome a wood county.00:08:21.090 –> 00:08:23.490 Evan: Right three and a half months but it.00:08:24.000 –> 00:08:25.410 Evan: might mean a half yeah.00:08:27.180 –> 00:08:28.200 Joseph McElroy: it's all right well.00:08:28.860 –> 00:08:38.250 Joseph McElroy: Well I'm so excited that you gotta know this new job both books as I used to do some great things, but first I want to talk a little bit about your background.00:08:38.610 –> 00:08:42.180 Joseph McElroy: sure how you've worked, both in North Carolina and Tennessee Where are you originally from.00:08:43.050 –> 00:08:45.750 Evan: I'm actually from North Carolina I grew up in North Carolina.00:08:46.830 –> 00:08:55.230 Evan: Graham North Carolina's my hometown and I was raised there from let's say 1980 and.00:08:55.710 –> 00:09:10.290 Evan: to 2000 you know, and so I was born in California actually moved around my dad was in the military for a little while and then he retired and we settled down in a small town North Carolina Graham write down and try.00:09:11.220 –> 00:09:18.360 Joseph McElroy: it's right yeah I spent a number of years in the Durham wait for Jerry Raleigh Durham area.00:09:19.920 –> 00:09:22.950 Joseph McElroy: Though you know a middle stage is also a lovely place.00:09:24.240 –> 00:09:27.510 Evan: 20 minutes from there, but yes, I spent a lot of time there myself yeah.00:09:27.720 –> 00:09:28.980 Joseph McElroy: yeah no i've.00:09:29.460 –> 00:09:29.910 Evan: grown it.00:09:31.860 –> 00:09:36.360 Joseph McElroy: How did your love for folklore cultural history music begin and.00:09:38.280 –> 00:09:43.710 Evan: Good question man, and you know, sometimes I've asked myself that over and over and over again, you know I would say.00:09:45.210 –> 00:09:53.640 Evan: um I went I started college a little bit too early and I had too good of a time in my first couple of years.00:09:54.660 –> 00:10:03.090 Evan: After I decided to kind of get serious went back to school and in 1996 and I started taking classes.00:10:04.380 –> 00:10:16.200 Evan: In what my parents said just try stuff find out what you like see what you enjoy and I started taking classes and folklore and American studies and I found.00:10:16.680 –> 00:10:26.430 Evan: I really enjoyed these classes, because my teachers were brilliant they were so smart and they were so entertaining and they had just like.00:10:26.850 –> 00:10:36.270 Evan: They got to study things that I just thought were super cool and one teacher who was an expert on coney island in the 19 you know, in the heyday and.00:10:39.270 –> 00:10:49.860 Evan: wow yeah another Professor Robert Cantwell wrote a book called ethno mesas and also we're about a bluegrass break day, so these books, although.00:10:50.400 –> 00:11:10.320 Evan: Very academic and above my head, it was just cool to be able to study you know stuff that I thought that you know that the common every day the things that surround us all the time and the history of the folk you know I find that to be really, really fascinating I am.00:11:11.520 –> 00:11:15.990 Evan: You know it's hard to look at it's not really a correct way of looking at it, but if you look at.00:11:17.280 –> 00:11:20.700 Evan: Culture saying you want to look at it through the lenses of.00:11:21.780 –> 00:11:31.140 Evan: Music you got you to know your high culture, which is very you know very respected and academic and if you look at music, you can say that's simple.00:11:32.310 –> 00:11:48.330 Evan: If you're looking at pop music, you could say well that's lady gaga or and then you can start looking at folk music and it's you know it's traditional fiddles that's what you know people have been playing for years and years for fun and.00:11:49.380 –> 00:11:59.490 Evan: And for living and for you know and just to be bearers of culture and I just find that stuff absolutely fascinated often seem that people respected high culture.00:12:00.810 –> 00:12:02.190 Evan: And that.00:12:03.300 –> 00:12:11.400 Evan: There is some sort of inherent coolness and outsiders do not have to look at folk culture and I.00:12:12.300 –> 00:12:12.930 Joseph McElroy: Would you say.00:12:13.050 –> 00:12:15.060 Joseph McElroy: What do you say hi culture is actually.00:12:16.110 –> 00:12:23.220 Joseph McElroy: it's it's more of a just fashion choices necessarily as a quality choice, I mean I think a lot of folk.00:12:24.840 –> 00:12:39.870 Joseph McElroy: folk what we consider folk entertainment is actually quite high quality but it's you know the fashion, is you know Jen driven by you know decisions and not necessarily even in the nature of the music and.00:12:40.920 –> 00:12:42.810 Joseph McElroy: arts things like that right.00:12:42.840 –> 00:12:53.190 Evan: The total Joseph that stuff combines right you think Aaron Copeland the great American composer he was writing about American folk subjects you think of Ricard Wagner little ride of the valkyries.00:12:54.390 –> 00:13:00.930 Evan: he's a silly wrote a symphony but he wrote it about a German folk tale, so all this stuff online forms one.00:13:02.070 –> 00:13:06.090 Joseph McElroy: All right, well, we got we were hitting our first break already so um.00:13:06.570 –> 00:13:07.620 Evan: yeah yeah.00:13:07.710 –> 00:13:10.590 Joseph McElroy: yeah I I talked to us but.00:13:12.420 –> 00:13:17.310 Joseph McElroy: So we will come back we'll talk more about your background and get away with stuff you're doing today to.00:13:18.000 –> 00:13:18.630 Evan: That sounds great.00:13:19.680 –> 00:13:20.190 Evan: Thanks Joseph00:15:36.450 –> 00:15:52.260 Joseph McElroy: howdy this is Joseph Franklin McElroy back with the gateway to the smokies podcasts and my guest Evan Hutch so Evan so you ended up graduating from Carolina and then a paid your masters at Ole miss.00:15:52.350 –> 00:15:53.370 Joseph McElroy: And then you had.00:15:53.880 –> 00:16:05.790 Joseph McElroy: have had a successful two-decade career that's actually spanned a lot of variety of interesting fields and hopefully, we'll get into a little bit of that, but the one that jumped out to me, you know, being an artist.00:16:06.900 –> 00:16:20.700 Joseph McElroy: And performer myself, is that you, you were involved with spring fed records and you want to Grammy Award for producing an album so tell me about the spring federal records and how you became involved and what was the Grammy awards.00:16:22.140 –> 00:16:40.920 Evan: moved to Tennessee in 2002 we started a record label over at the art Center Camden county the idea was to highlight some of the hillbilly music, that was the pro country that led to the beginnings of bluegrass music and old-time music so.00:16:42.030 –> 00:16:48.690 Evan: We took a lot of historical recordings that were in archive stuff that hadn't been heard, except by you know.00:16:49.230 –> 00:16:58.800 Evan: Musicologists are people who recorded them and years and worked closely with the families to reissue those records and clean them up on audio.00:16:59.100 –> 00:17:08.190 Evan: offered really strong liner notes, so that people could kind of understand their history of the recordings, the first thing we did was uncle Dave making at home, he was the.00:17:08.850 –> 00:17:16.620 Evan: King of the hillbillies he was the first superstar of the grand Ole opry and one of the greatest entertainers ever country music.00:17:17.820 –> 00:17:22.470 Evan: We also did a really strong Corey with salmon Kirkwall key who are.00:17:23.610 –> 00:17:33.840 Evan: Co conspirators are co creators with uncle Dave making and one of the first brother do those on the grand Ole opry and all those guys I understood showmanship you know kind of that still goes through.00:17:34.650 –> 00:17:43.800 Evan: That still go through country music today that kind of joking, and the costume where and and and you know people really engage with the audience as entertainers.00:17:44.310 –> 00:17:44.880 Joseph McElroy: You also.00:17:45.990 –> 00:17:48.480 Joseph McElroy: Get the legendary blues man john heard on there wasn't.00:17:48.660 –> 00:17:53.400 Evan: We didn't that's correct, yes, and that was actually a recording that was made in 63.00:17:54.300 –> 00:17:55.830 Evan: long after john hurt.00:17:56.130 –> 00:18:03.930 Evan: finished his recording career and this crazy dude from Bob Hoskins excuse me, Tom Hoskins.00:18:04.410 –> 00:18:16.110 Evan: drove all the way down from Washington DC and he was going to go pay his respect john hurts grave site and when he found up wound up in Avalon Mississippi he found Mr hurts still very much alive.00:18:17.520 –> 00:18:17.970 Evan: and00:18:18.300 –> 00:18:21.870 Evan: hit record, and that is, those recordings from 63.00:18:21.990 –> 00:18:28.680 Evan: From that john, hurt says wow you have a chance to a second career went back and started playing folk festivals.00:18:29.220 –> 00:18:30.060 Joseph McElroy: that's fabulous.00:18:31.290 –> 00:18:33.630 Evan: was pretty lucky to do that work with a family.00:18:34.200 –> 00:18:37.830 Joseph McElroy: And you have other iconic what you had other iconic black artists on there right.00:18:38.280 –> 00:18:47.940 Evan: yeah so the one that we won the Grammy for is called john work three recordings that culture john work with third was a classically trained composer.00:18:49.020 –> 00:18:59.280 Evan: But at the same time it's 1930s and 1940s, he worked at Fisk University, he also really appreciated folk music the brilliant thing about john work is that.00:19:00.060 –> 00:19:10.440 Evan: He was a like a trust classically trained composer so he can hear music and then write it down a notation so it didn't have to be recorded, but he could write it down.00:19:10.890 –> 00:19:19.050 Evan: So he did all these studies of a folk music can eat record and frazier and Patterson is a black string band country string band and nashville.00:19:19.500 –> 00:19:30.450 Evan: He recorded blues music in Georgia and sacred heart sing in northern Alabama just stuff that people, no one ever heard about he then came to be known, he was picked up.00:19:31.620 –> 00:19:47.010 Evan: befriended by Alan lomax who some of your viewers are probably know the right folklorist and together they recorded the Co houma county study in Mississippi and the Center of that study was a gentleman named mckinley Morgan field.00:19:48.090 –> 00:19:49.920 Evan: Who was later, known as muddy waters.00:19:50.490 –> 00:19:52.830 Evan: wow yeah somebody.00:19:55.410 –> 00:19:55.830 Joseph McElroy: Was.00:19:55.860 –> 00:19:59.910 Evan: very flattered to be recorded by these gentlemen, he said, well these guys want to hear me.00:20:00.690 –> 00:20:16.080 Evan: Maybe i'll grow up Chicago and become muddy waters and that's what he did so that was a 1942 record was made some of the end all those recordings were john works, and so we reissued those cleaned up the sound recordings and.00:20:17.160 –> 00:20:24.450 Evan: get some really extensive liner notes Bruce number of that wrote those that's what we won that grammy for best liner notes best.00:20:24.450 –> 00:20:26.340 Joseph McElroy: album what were you did you win the grammy.00:20:27.150 –> 00:20:29.550 Evan: oh eight I guess you could say.00:20:30.240 –> 00:20:42.990 Joseph McElroy: All right, so uh I don't know I don't have all your career milestones in chronological order, but you had you were an assistant director of an organization called black and global roots, can you tell me about that.00:20:44.850 –> 00:20:54.060 Evan: Yes, I worked with Dr CC conway CC is she's a professor at appalachian state and is one of the leading experts on.00:20:55.110 –> 00:21:05.430 Evan: The banjo and black culture and so she actually is one of the first people to trace those roots of the the banjo as it came from Africa and started to influence American music.00:21:06.390 –> 00:21:12.180 Evan: Actually, she is, I think, probably the most in most senior we're putting together the Carolina chocolate drops so she.00:21:13.440 –> 00:21:14.940 Evan: hosted them at the.00:21:16.080 –> 00:21:25.920 Evan: Black banjo gathering and appalachian state a few years ago and kind of put them all together and they went off to become the Carolina chocolate drops.00:21:26.580 –> 00:21:39.420 Evan: So what she wanted to do a data conway wants to do is to give venues and give audiences to underrepresented folk performers so so she would.00:21:39.900 –> 00:21:50.700 Evan: We be playing concerts and being able to pay, working artists to give them an audience they wouldn't usually here and that range from blues to cajun zydeco to.00:21:51.870 –> 00:21:56.550 Evan: Country music but mostly from underrepresented artists yeah and that was.00:21:57.030 –> 00:22:06.900 Joseph McElroy: It wasn't the introduction of the banjo really brought up the custom element to say a scratch iris ballad during and really created bluegrass.00:22:07.950 –> 00:22:15.240 Evan: I would say, so I mean I know the bill Monroe created bluegrass is definitely learned a lot that he learned from black musicians for sure.00:22:16.530 –> 00:22:31.020 Evan: And I think that's the coolest thing about musicians right is that they are kind of the first anti racist they don't care what color you are they don't care where you're from as long as you can play music you speak a common language and that gets passed a lot of stuff you know.00:22:31.740 –> 00:22:42.840 Joseph McElroy: Oh yeah so I was looking at a new, I was looking at your linkedin profile and you've been until you know you ever had a company called Mary what is nary.00:22:43.800 –> 00:22:44.280 well.00:22:45.420 –> 00:22:50.760 Evan: That was a probably ill conceived business that I started during during the coven.00:22:52.890 –> 00:22:55.740 Joseph McElroy: What better time to create a business that feel.00:22:56.280 –> 00:22:56.850 Evan: Like everybody.00:22:58.260 –> 00:22:58.650 Evan: Every.00:22:58.980 –> 00:23:04.230 Evan: Every feeble minded person I know started the business now i'm just kidding it's been a really great.00:23:04.770 –> 00:23:06.090 Joseph McElroy: run my business went to die.00:23:08.430 –> 00:23:19.080 Evan: Well yeah so we had lots of time and essentially it's all history business so families or people hire me to do extensive interviews with their loved.00:23:19.110 –> 00:23:28.470 Evan: ones, so that those interviews wow there are well researched and you know and deeply conducted then.00:23:29.010 –> 00:23:38.730 Evan: By doing that interview and recording that and essentially gives the legacy to the family, so that they can hold on to those recordings somebody.00:23:39.150 –> 00:23:50.220 Evan: yeah loved one before they pass away and the idea came, you know there's everybody always has a story about I wish i'd listened to my grandmother I wish I had saved.00:23:50.880 –> 00:24:00.390 Evan: Her last storytelling or I wish i'd say that last phone message, and if you don't it's too late and it happens to everybody so try not to wait.00:24:01.710 –> 00:24:14.580 Joseph McElroy: Now I I felt that you know I I recorded I did video tapes my grandmother and her brother, you know just a year so before she died because I i've always felt that need yeah.00:24:15.060 –> 00:24:22.530 Evan: Yes, it did it i'm glad this everybody's got a story to tell everybody's got knowledge to pass on.00:24:23.340 –> 00:24:33.180 Joseph McElroy: Now I don't know this term Bob you know plot who works with me, you know put together some information, he said, this is called vernacular art Is that correct.00:24:34.290 –> 00:24:41.580 Evan: um yeah I think that's a really good way of looking at it, I think that term to me, you know, because the vernacular as a as a as a way of speaking.00:24:42.120 –> 00:24:57.390 Evan: And that's what this artwork does is it a you know it puts it in a Community puts it in a place, but it also it's how it's how it's a common language that people share and that's communicated so yeah I think vernacular what's fair and good way this fabulous.00:24:58.500 –> 00:25:10.710 Joseph McElroy: Now shift yeah The more I look at your your your your history of us just a lot of things, I mean you are also been an event festival director and coordinator.00:25:11.910 –> 00:25:17.190 Joseph McElroy: Right and then you create a document documentary film on southern music what was that.00:25:18.240 –> 00:25:24.420 Evan: um well, let me say I did a couple of we did do a couple of documentaries.00:25:25.500 –> 00:25:28.230 Evan: And just I think your viewers my liking if I could plug.00:25:29.790 –> 00:25:34.830 Evan: Great website called folk streams.net.00:25:35.130 –> 00:25:35.580 Joseph McElroy: Oh it's.00:25:36.690 –> 00:25:53.730 Evan: The best collection of folk documentaries made from the 1950s forward and they're all available for free just for streaming on that website, you will find the coolest vernacular art forms on there anything from music to basket tree to.00:25:54.780 –> 00:26:01.050 Evan: You know pottery to dance, you know so all that stuff guys covered very well.00:26:02.790 –> 00:26:14.850 Evan: a couple of music documentaries that we made were they were again those three issues, so one my favorite I guess was Raul mash and that was a.00:26:16.290 –> 00:26:31.410 Evan: Sol Sol Korean and blame Dunlap had produced in the 1970s, a portrait essentially a video portrait of hamper mech be who is Tennessee's popcorn Sutton.00:26:32.040 –> 00:26:42.810 Evan: Essentially, he was like the greatest moonshot are the most famous moon shatter in Tennessee history, not to mention a fine balance Center he was a great.00:26:43.290 –> 00:26:58.080 Evan: roaring baritone acapella ballad singer and that movie raw mash which is available and folks streams, is basically a 30 minute portrait of hamper but also how to make moonshine from start to finish.00:26:58.650 –> 00:26:59.160 wow.00:27:01.350 –> 00:27:11.430 Joseph McElroy: That sounds good, thank you for the reference for that i'm gonna go i'm gonna go to that site start doubting my my new passion for vernacular art.00:27:13.230 –> 00:27:14.610 Evan: Do you like it.00:27:15.330 –> 00:27:26.730 Joseph McElroy: yeah and you've done a lot of festivals, he did the local fast and hillsborough and some others, what is the most notable or fun festival that you helped to originator develop.00:27:27.330 –> 00:27:36.750 Evan: Tom and it was it was a total failure, but it was the best festival I ever did it was a national boat festival in Nashville Tennessee and.00:27:38.070 –> 00:27:45.180 Evan: We didn't have like people we did it on Labor day weekend, not a great idea or nationals of free music town so.00:27:45.660 –> 00:27:50.310 Evan: Not everybody came out to it, because you can see, you know you can see, free music everywhere in nashville but.00:27:50.970 –> 00:28:10.740 Evan: content was amazing and we did the history of the music business, so we had tour buses, we had flatt and scruggs tour bus that people could tour, we had a modern tour bus we had hair cutters and hat show France costume makers like man well was out there, it was an amazing show.00:28:11.040 –> 00:28:11.580 Evan: wow.00:28:12.060 –> 00:28:24.120 Joseph McElroy: really well i'm i'm i'm impressed and, but I want to do now is take a break and then we'll come back and talk about your new position and what you're doing with the folks who ne ne we can.00:28:24.900 –> 00:28:25.980 Evan: Thanks Joseph sounds good.00:30:32.220 –> 00:30:39.240 Joseph McElroy: howdy this is Joseph Franklin McElroy back with the gateway to the smokies podcasts and my guest Evan Hatch, So Evan,00:30:39.780 –> 00:30:44.760 Joseph McElroy: I've been we've been talking about your career and some of the things we didn't get into but they're incredible is that you're.00:30:45.120 –> 00:30:52.740 Joseph McElroy: A director of programming in a forest folk art Center in Tennessee and then you were the director of programming for procedures organizations like the North Carolina.00:30:53.130 –> 00:31:09.150 Joseph McElroy: folklife life Institute, but what's exciting to me and those of us around the game with his focus is that you're now taking on a new role as the Executive Director of folk I'm sure you're excited about that.00:31:11.100 –> 00:31:17.430 Joseph McElroy: And, and for the sake of our audience may not know about it, can you tell us what Folkmoot is?00:31:18.510 –> 00:31:19.890 Evan: yeah you know.00:31:21.030 –> 00:31:30.450 Evan: I feel challenged by this task because there are so many people in this in this county and Haywood county you know so much more than I ever will about it.00:31:30.870 –> 00:31:35.880 Evan: And because I've taken this job three months ago it's become my job to talk about it.00:31:36.570 –> 00:31:47.580 Evan: My understanding of folkmoot is that it is a festival that has been around for 38 years and the Organization has been around close to 50 gentlemen named.00:31:48.270 –> 00:32:02.730 Evan: Dr. Borders, who was a surgeon here and Haywood county was a great lover of folk music and took some trips to Europe and experienced some folk festivals at the old English folk festivals.00:32:03.510 –> 00:32:07.200 Evan: which were also named folkmoot over there and then I felt moved.00:32:07.710 –> 00:32:22.980 Evan: As an old English term for a meeting of the phone so essentially it means folk meet that's what people come together they exchange ideas they exchange culture and dance and music probably some beer to I wouldn't be surprised.00:32:25.980 –> 00:32:34.230 Evan: So after seeing that he realized Dr border realizes that it's not that dissimilar from what's going on here and.00:32:34.620 –> 00:32:42.510 Evan: You know, in the great smoky mountains, there are people who play music who get together we share this dance through you know.00:32:43.320 –> 00:32:55.500 Evan: folk code culture, they get together they sing on front Porches they practice religion together they dance together and he thought that this was.00:32:55.950 –> 00:33:05.760 Evan: The parallels between English culture European culture and other folk cultures around the world was just all the same, and so it was a great opportunity to get all these folks together.00:33:06.660 –> 00:33:21.240 Evan: To you know to do this to bring the world to Main Street in Waynesville so 1984 was the first festival he had six-seven groups, I think, from around the world, Europe.00:33:21.900 –> 00:33:36.930 Evan: Asia, Africa, and South America, who came here and stayed with local audience day with local audience members and got together and dance for one another, they all realize.00:33:37.980 –> 00:33:43.800 Evan: stuff's all on the phone we all experienced this it's not that different it doesn't matter what color your skin is it doesn't matter.00:33:44.970 –> 00:33:50.550 Evan: What language do you speak there are things that cross all, yeah and that's the coolest thing about folk culture than.00:33:51.180 –> 00:34:08.790 Joseph McElroy: I was you know I got to see that the one I think I think in the first year back then yeah I love food for many years yeah I just I was just graduated from Duke and coming back and got the experience it before I head to head off to my career.00:34:09.960 –> 00:34:12.870 Evan: More than I do that's what were the two.00:34:13.230 –> 00:34:24.480 Joseph McElroy: I grew up with it yeah so I mean now I mean I think back then, it was just in Haywood County right is, I think I think it was at the stamping grounds right the first few.00:34:26.280 –> 00:34:28.770 Evan: yeah you stamping ground was historic.00:34:28.800 –> 00:34:31.170 Joseph McElroy: For performances it.00:34:31.470 –> 00:34:39.690 Joseph McElroy: started out the software now, which is about you know about three quarters, I mean less than half a mile away from the metal Arc where I'm sitting right now.00:34:40.170 –> 00:34:42.810 Joseph McElroy: So it was easy for me to walk up there and go to.00:34:45.600 –> 00:34:52.290 Joseph McElroy: But now, what is it it's in cities, all over the smoky reasons and as far east as hickory is that still the truth, the case.00:34:52.950 –> 00:34:57.540 Evan: A little bit changed, as you may know, Koba changed everything and.00:34:58.890 –> 00:35:07.590 Evan: So the festivals, in the past, the idea was to bring dancers from around the world to bring them to Waynesville as a central point.00:35:07.860 –> 00:35:23.430 Evan: And then to take that culture, cultural Gatorade and spread it out, you know hickory you know even down in the South Carolina but all you know counties all around North Carolina and Tennessee and those things so.00:35:24.660 –> 00:35:36.120 Evan: it's gotten hard to bring in international groups, especially since covid and so the festival over the years, became smaller just by necessity.00:35:36.570 –> 00:35:46.140 Evan: So this year we're focusing strictly on Haywood county and a lot in Maggie that so half of the festival is going to be down here in.00:35:46.590 –> 00:36:00.450 Evan: In Waynesville downtown and also the food friendship Center and hazelwood and then the other two performances are going to be at the magic valley festival ground which is probably another half a mile away from the song.00:36:01.590 –> 00:36:03.510 Evan: Beautiful as we just out there today.00:36:04.380 –> 00:36:12.120 Joseph McElroy: But actually very close to each other we're only half a mile from the festival grounds so we're all in with you guys on that yeah.00:36:13.380 –> 00:36:17.430 Joseph McElroy: yeah yeah you got to staging ground here, if you want to take advantage of it.00:36:19.170 –> 00:36:23.250 Joseph McElroy: yeah worry, we got a nice little pavilion for small three cursor shows.00:36:24.360 –> 00:36:25.320 Evan: To get an idea.00:36:25.680 –> 00:36:31.200 Joseph McElroy: yeah right yeah no I mean that I'm always a big believer in creating tastes before you create something.00:36:31.800 –> 00:36:42.030 Joseph McElroy: Do the big one, because it gets people all involved in stuff like that, but yeah This must be a logistical nightmare, because you bring in all these people from all over the world, and you have to house them.00:36:43.350 –> 00:36:44.760 Joseph McElroy: How do you manage all that.00:36:45.510 –> 00:36:56.940 Evan: So, again this year wasn't too hard, well, it is it, no it's a logistical nightmare that's fair, I think I have it easier than a lot of the festivals, in the past, and the fact that.00:36:57.390 –> 00:37:04.830 Evan: We don't have a lot of international groups, this year, so we haven't had to get folks to help with visas or anything like that we have.00:37:05.250 –> 00:37:14.670 Evan: International groups from within the US so we've got an Irish group coming from Chicago we've got a bit and swelling group coming from Miami we have.00:37:16.200 –> 00:37:30.270 Evan: A Ukrainian group promo and they're going to be driving down from Wisconsin all authentic you know of their country, but people who are just living here in the US now practicing it.00:37:32.070 –> 00:37:38.340 Evan: We also are going to be running a big old hotel that weekend, we have a lot of people staying with us at the folkmoot friendship Center.00:37:38.400 –> 00:37:44.190 Joseph McElroy: Oh that's right you guys got a big old building there right, so you can set up some campground sort of thing in there right.00:37:45.030 –> 00:37:55.230 Evan: we've actually got some books, probably a little better than army style last got a great big cafeteria here we're going to be feeding everybody trying to use local produce.00:37:56.250 –> 00:38:02.070 Evan: local food makes sure that everybody gets good, healthy meals before they go out and dance and perform so.00:38:04.080 –> 00:38:06.690 Evan: yeah everybody stay in here it's going to be a hootenanny.00:38:07.350 –> 00:38:12.930 Joseph McElroy: When you go international good I put in a plug for wife she has a travel agency, they do all that stuff.00:38:14.610 –> 00:38:16.110 Joseph McElroy: Oh yeah big time.00:38:16.890 –> 00:38:17.610 Evan: right there.00:38:17.640 –> 00:38:26.670 Joseph McElroy: that's great services that just do that all that's All they do is manage that the story I tell is that when we first got together, we wanted to go to.00:38:28.110 –> 00:38:40.500 Joseph McElroy: All of a sudden, we decided like at the beginning of the week, they wanted to go down to cartoon to mardi gras well essentially mardi gras it's called a carnival and that.00:38:41.280 –> 00:38:42.360 Joseph McElroy: Right, where she's from.00:38:42.390 –> 00:38:43.140 Evan: 20 years ago.00:38:43.410 –> 00:38:53.910 Joseph McElroy: yeah and turns out my passport is expired, but she arranged everything and within three days I get everything I was.00:38:54.990 –> 00:39:02.640 Joseph McElroy: Within you know from the moment of the decision to be another plane going down there were three days so but anyway.00:39:03.810 –> 00:39:04.620 Joseph McElroy: things can be done.00:39:06.300 –> 00:39:15.330 Joseph McElroy: But let's talk about we're talking about yeah I'm interested in funding your nonprofit, but this has to be costly and where's your funding coming from.00:39:16.950 –> 00:39:25.770 Evan: Well it's got you know the Organization has changed over time and one of the things that I am very proud of.00:39:27.750 –> 00:39:35.220 Evan: And I've grown up in this we don't see too many nonprofits that are entrepreneurial or as entrepreneurial as we are.00:39:35.730 –> 00:39:45.210 Evan: So that's how I learned a long time ago that nonprofits need to generate income to survive their business, just like any other business.00:39:45.840 –> 00:39:57.810 Evan: So some things that we're doing here at the folk move friendship Center, which is a 40,000 square foot historic school digging in 1935 built by the WPA Thank you, Roosevelt.00:39:59.490 –> 00:40:19.470 Evan: We have a large selection of school rooms former classrooms that are being rented out by some very talented artists, so we have really great rates, where people can come in rent the space use it as a gallery but also use it as a.00:40:20.640 –> 00:40:36.780 Evan: As a workspace or workshop, if you will, so we've got weaver's painters, we have glass artists costumes and and jewelers who rent space here and that helps to bring in income for us to.00:40:36.840 –> 00:40:45.420 Joseph McElroy: keep this building, but don't you ever been when i've got a tour of that place of a couple years ago and they were going to put it, a huge coffee shop there was somebody who do that, that that happened.00:40:46.080 –> 00:40:47.040 Joseph McElroy: Or to Coca Cola.00:40:47.220 –> 00:40:48.330 Joseph McElroy: Coca Cola and.00:40:48.330 –> 00:40:49.950 Evan: no idea what happened sounds like a good.00:40:49.950 –> 00:40:51.270 Joseph McElroy: idea Oh, they were gonna.00:40:51.300 –> 00:40:55.920 Joseph McElroy: They had planted has there been some remember, they were put into this like big coffee.00:40:57.060 –> 00:41:04.380 Joseph McElroy: shop and look it was gonna be really interesting there's a there's some place there that's a big open space, probably the previous cafeteria.00:41:05.640 –> 00:41:07.080 Joseph McElroy: Absolutely yeah so.00:41:08.700 –> 00:41:09.120 Joseph McElroy: yeah.00:41:09.450 –> 00:41:13.440 Evan: Well, another cool thing about is one of our renters is the soar Academy.00:41:13.800 –> 00:41:28.140 Evan: Which is experiential outdoor education group similar to say an outward bound, but actually that school is based here at folkman friendship Center so half of our building is a school nine months out of the year.00:41:28.920 –> 00:41:43.230 Evan: For kids who are you know the benefit from outside of classroom educational so they're all out in the woods learning survival and you know learning how to cook for themselves and learning how to you know.00:41:43.830 –> 00:41:57.360 Evan: To go to Costa Rica and speak Spanish and experiential education is where it's at you know really great program that they're here to and they use our cafeteria so that's, the problem is that that's why we don't have a coffee shop is they use that.00:41:58.470 –> 00:41:59.100 Joseph McElroy: I see.00:41:59.730 –> 00:42:00.030 Evan: That there.00:42:01.980 –> 00:42:17.280 Joseph McElroy: You got a lot of wonderful stuff going on, and you know, one of the things that I do is i've become something of an expert memorable tourism experiences and that's how i've you know def triple the size of the the meadowlark motel and what we're doing yeah focusing on.00:42:17.550 –> 00:42:26.670 Joseph McElroy: Just how do you how do you stimulate flash flashbulb memories that people keep coming back and it creates brand loyalty and revisit intention.00:42:27.270 –> 00:42:36.690 Joseph McElroy: there's a whole part of that academic studies about cultural and heritage, tourism, which I think you should be aware of, because there is.00:42:37.080 –> 00:42:46.680 Joseph McElroy: A way to really trigger that to bring people back again and again again and i'm gonna send that to you because I think what you're doing it's it's actually perfect.00:42:48.810 –> 00:42:49.140 Joseph McElroy: So.00:42:49.590 –> 00:42:50.310 Evan: The partnership.00:42:50.910 –> 00:42:55.170 Joseph McElroy: yeah well hey i'm always looking for the angle, you know what I mean.00:42:59.010 –> 00:43:08.130 Joseph McElroy: So we got to take another break and then we'll come back finish up with you know things that you might want to talk about things that you've learned about Western North Carolina while you've been here.00:43:08.670 –> 00:43:11.610 Evan: it's cool man, thank you, Joseph sounds good yeah.00:43:14.280 –> 00:43:14.880 www.TalkRadio.nyc: hey everybody.00:43:14.910 –> 00:43:25.500 www.TalkRadio.nyc: Its cami D, the nonprofit sector can actually coming at you from my attic each week here on talk radio dot nyc I host the program will advocate for nonprofits in Caucus.00:43:26.790 –> 00:43:37.620 www.TalkRadio.nyc: And it's my focus on helping to amplify their message tell their story listen each week at 10am Eastern standard time at 11am Eastern standard time right here on talk radio dot nyc.00:43:41.310 –> 00:43:44.040 www.TalkRadio.nyc: You may have 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together to learn educate and advocate join us live every Wednesday at 2pm and talk radio dot nyc.00:44:40.560 –> 00:44:47.040 www.TalkRadio.nyc: To talk radio nyc at www talk radio dot nyc now broadcasting.00:45:12.270 –> 00:45:20.370 Joseph McElroy: howdy this is Joseph Franklin McElroy back with the gateway to the smokies my guest Evan hat so Evan.00:45:22.260 –> 00:45:27.930 Joseph McElroy: Talking about you just getting your feet underneath here three months three and a half months into your new position.00:45:28.440 –> 00:45:39.600 Joseph McElroy: but can you become the great progress and prognosticator tell me what's going to happen, the rest of this year in 2023 and beyond, if you've been able to form a vision of the future of the phone booth.00:45:40.950 –> 00:45:47.130 Evan: A that's a great question, you know as far as vision.00:45:47.820 –> 00:46:03.090 Evan: I have to defer to the board of directors on that they set the vision for the organization and they've done a great thing, and that is to make this Center the folk new friendships Center an inclusive organization for the arts and cultural exchange it's simple.00:46:04.380 –> 00:46:12.900 Evan: that's simple well simple but it's not easy one, so several ways that we're going to be doing on by making this photo booth.00:46:13.500 –> 00:46:27.180 Evan: Summer fest smaller festival then that's going to enable us to do some different kinds of programming in the fall and spring, so we can do other short smaller festivals, with different things could be beer could be food, it could be.00:46:28.890 –> 00:46:37.950 Evan: It could be strictly dance, it could be, you know a number of things any ideas i'm happy to hear about in addition we've got the.00:46:39.000 –> 00:46:46.770 Evan: We have monthly concerts through folk mood live, and those are here at the Queen auditorium 235 seat.00:46:47.100 –> 00:47:02.010 Evan: theater right here at folk move friendship Center actually we've been working with a friend of yours, Mr Bob plot, but the other mountain memories, which are themed shows where storytellers and musicians come together explore.00:47:02.820 –> 00:47:16.560 Evan: You know tributes to pass musicians, or you know themes such as you know, it could be civil war history of food or anything but really great idea that came from Bob plot, and my plane, really, really strong stuff.00:47:18.060 –> 00:47:25.200 Evan: I know that August is going to be really busy i've got an incredible Ethiopian string band coming in September 3.00:47:26.250 –> 00:47:36.270 Evan: That are not to be fooled with her name is quote unquote we have country music songwriters nights and we on August 23.00:47:37.470 –> 00:47:46.410 Evan: Forgive me, I may not have that date right, but all those all those things are going to be lined up we're going to be doing some great holiday performances it's basically stay busy.00:47:48.660 –> 00:48:01.950 Evan: keep the lights on and keep the money coming in and then write grants for special projects that you know we really want to see happen it's just staying busy it's like that duck you know it doesn't look busy on the top but underneath his pattern.00:48:02.370 –> 00:48:12.090 Joseph McElroy: I mean you got me you got a beautiful facility, and I mean you got a great history, and you know I know that there's been some cutbacks and.00:48:12.750 –> 00:48:18.210 Joseph McElroy: You know, in certain political organizations here and in the in the area, but.00:48:18.990 –> 00:48:37.020 Joseph McElroy: i'm 100% behind building to helping you guys build that up because it's a great cultural resource that people should get the opportunity to take advantage of it yeah and i'm 100% behind you, I think it's a fabulous same.00:48:38.160 –> 00:48:39.270 Evan: thing going to man.00:48:40.020 –> 00:48:41.310 Joseph McElroy: hey listen.00:48:41.460 –> 00:48:42.390 yeah metal.00:48:43.590 –> 00:48:58.890 Joseph McElroy: The Middle Arc is yeah it's it's about you know celebrating the mountain heritage and creating memories for people yeah and yeah and starting adventures and but you know i'm an artist, as well as a businessman.00:49:00.420 –> 00:49:02.610 Joseph McElroy: Oh yeah I actually you know this, if you.00:49:02.610 –> 00:49:13.470 Joseph McElroy: Can if you come to the speakeasy you'll see a lot of my artwork on the walls my early artwork from when I was a student there's a lot of you know, because it's a speakeasy there's a lot of news.00:49:14.940 –> 00:49:16.440 Joseph McElroy: But yeah but.00:49:18.840 –> 00:49:32.550 Joseph McElroy: I was as a painter but you know where I got this unknown I created I created on I created online performance art, where you physically and interact with computer and and doing it and i'm actually in some museums, for that.00:49:33.180 –> 00:49:33.390 Evan: Oh.00:49:34.350 –> 00:49:50.700 Joseph McElroy: that's fantastic oh yeah yeah so but yeah back in the audience late 90s and audio doing that it was great I got a lot of attention, but it didn't make a bit of money, because nobody knew how to buy a digital PR for this thing, so I ended up becoming a businessman.00:49:51.900 –> 00:49:58.320 Joseph McElroy: I still do a lot of interesting art stuff like that, but it's now an APP is an avocation not a vocation.00:50:00.060 –> 00:50:00.960 vocation was.00:50:02.580 –> 00:50:03.060 Joseph McElroy: that's.00:50:03.390 –> 00:50:12.960 Evan: that's what I thought folklore was to essentially I try to make a living out of what other people consider a hobby so it may not be the smartest thing in the world, but I think.00:50:12.990 –> 00:50:14.610 Evan: A link what content.00:50:15.810 –> 00:50:23.160 Joseph McElroy: Well, I think I think you know, I think that cultural institutions and hospitality has share thing where.00:50:23.610 –> 00:50:28.200 Joseph McElroy: You can actually express your creativity right and the things that you're interested in.00:50:28.770 –> 00:50:38.640 Joseph McElroy: yeah so I'm expressing my creativity, through hospitality, you know, in terms of how you design the rooms, how you design you know, the thing the amenities, and things you're giving people so.00:50:39.240 –> 00:50:49.050 Joseph McElroy: You know so you've been here Bo and Haywood county now for about three months, and besides folk mood what's your favorite?00:50:50.010 –> 00:50:57.930 Joseph McElroy: Somebody coming visit here what you, what do you recommend them go do or go eat or something that you think is a good tip for somebody new coming here.00:50:59.310 –> 00:51:16.770 Evan: Man I'm shameless self-promotion I love pumpkin beers great Mexican food I first had in Asheville amazing stuff the magic galley I've been there, I can't stop myself I keep going back and eating their fresh seafood.00:51:17.040 –> 00:51:26.130 Evan: seafood place yeah really great, and of course the Haywood county smokehouse hey we smoke glasses remarkably good place as well.00:51:28.620 –> 00:51:34.380 Evan: You know I would say sit on a porch somewhere and watch the sunset it's probably the best thing you can do in this county.00:51:35.580 –> 00:51:40.620 Evan: You know and or get up really early and have some coffee and watch the sunrise get either one.00:51:41.790 –> 00:51:42.150 Evan: and00:51:42.210 –> 00:51:42.540 Evan: that's.00:51:42.570 –> 00:51:50.850 Evan: Probably my favorite thing to do, since I've been here just sit down and take a breath.00:51:53.130 –> 00:51:58.410 Joseph McElroy: The relaxation, the people sit back and just enjoy the natural beauty here people love that.00:51:58.950 –> 00:52:10.410 Joseph McElroy: I mean a lot of it, you know we have a lot of front Porches here right because we're classically and motel so that's a lot of people just come just to sit out and have a party on the stoop.00:52:12.450 –> 00:52:13.830 Joseph McElroy: yeah we're just looking at it out and.00:52:14.580 –> 00:52:15.990 Joseph McElroy: talk with friends and.00:52:16.290 –> 00:52:22.320 Joseph McElroy: sit in a rocking chair and enjoy the country limited try this you know.00:52:24.240 –> 00:52:29.160 Evan: Gathering spot the stoop or the porch that's anyway and share.00:52:30.150 –> 00:52:38.010 Joseph McElroy: That well you know what you know growing up that was it the how the cupboard porch out front with rocking chairs sometimes people would couch the couch out there.00:52:39.210 –> 00:52:53.040 Joseph McElroy: And then enjoying life so is there some shout out some things you have to recognize our ways you want people to look you up or look at what you're doing or what what what're the things that people can find out more information.00:52:54.150 –> 00:53:04.770 Evan: Well, if you want to get to know your future ancestors I would definitely talk about going to my website and narrate project, which is a business I'm still running and still love to do.00:53:05.820 –> 00:53:22.770 Evan: Just this week, I interviewed a former provost at the University of North Carolina who has lived an absolutely fascinating life and just got able to talk to people and learn about them, I tell you there's wisdom all around folks it's around everybody and.00:53:24.000 –> 00:53:25.470 Evan: it's a great way to get to know your people.00:53:27.180 –> 00:53:31.710 Evan: shout out we love orchard coffee downtown.00:53:33.000 –> 00:53:38.760 Evan: run by one of our board members Cabo tice good folks down there, I wanted to say hello.00:53:39.960 –> 00:53:43.470 Evan: All the people I've met you know in this area.00:53:44.760 –> 00:53:56.160 Evan: I guess you know Bob plot being one of them, the gentleman and a scholar and really good, as you know, good gentleman work with I guess my biggest shout out would be to the staff.00:53:56.700 –> 00:54:13.110 Evan: Here at folk mood USA beth Harvey Mike McClain Jody Nichols Vivian pompous and Brett Pinkston all of who are just incredible people to work with.00:54:13.530 –> 00:54:13.950 Joseph McElroy: And so what's.00:54:14.760 –> 00:54:16.470 Joseph McElroy: what's the website, by the way.00:54:17.070 –> 00:54:18.150 Evan: folks move.org.00:54:18.660 –> 00:54:20.040 Evan: Okay sounds good.00:54:21.030 –> 00:54:22.050 Joseph McElroy: Facebook page too.00:54:22.860 –> 00:54:37.590 Evan: yeah there's Facebook I'm not a social media person I'm sorry yeah there's definitely you can search Facebook and hit folk maybe the USA all that stuff on social media is fantastic and that's all because of beth Harvey and the work that she does.00:54:38.790 –> 00:54:51.390 Evan: You know, it helps to be surrounded by people who are smart engaged engaging and dedicated yeah really helpful.00:54:51.750 –> 00:54:57.150 Joseph McElroy: Well, I wanna, thank you for being on the show today it's been a real pleasure, we should definitely have more conversations after this.00:54:59.040 –> 00:55:08.580 Joseph McElroy: Okay cool hey this podcast is on fate is on the talk radio dot nyc network, which is a live network of podcasts.00:55:08.910 –> 00:55:09.540 Evan: I recommend you.00:55:09.930 –> 00:55:16.710 Joseph McElroy: Take a look at everybody take a look at it and find some there's small business there are all sorts of things.00:55:17.370 –> 00:55:29.790 Joseph McElroy: it's also streamed live on facebook@facebook.com slash gateway to the smokies podcast right and it's the all the episodes are on.00:55:30.480 –> 00:55:42.060 Joseph McElroy: smokies adventure calm you'll find a link at the top of the gateway to smoke this podcast and you will also see the transcripts and other related information there on each of the different episodes.00:55:43.170 –> 00:55:48.180 Joseph McElroy: I actually run another podcast on this network called wise content creates wealth, which is about a.00:55:48.990 –> 00:56:03.570 Joseph McElroy: Marketing and things like that if you're if you like, that that's on Fridays from noon until one, but this podcast is every Tuesday from six to seven, and I look forward to seeing you next week and everybody bye bye.00:56:04.860 –> 00:56:05.640 Evan: bye Thank you.

Guest: SARAH BRYANWHAT WILL THE AUDIENCE LEARN? Tune in as you'll learn about how folklife preservation is manifested in building community and cultural engagement through the rich culture of North Carolina.EPISODE SUMMARY: In today's episode, Joseph is joined by our special guest Sarah Bryan, who is the Executive Director of the North Carolina Folklife Institute, an organization that for more than four decades has been dedicated to the preservation, appreciation, and understanding of folklife heritage and culture in North Carolina. Sarah will share with us the importance of preserving cultural heritage, the amazing work that NC Folklife does in the community, and what it's like to be a writer and a musician.https://sarah-bryan.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahbryannc/https://twitter.com/sarahbryan‍EPISODE QUOTE: “ That makes it all the more essential for organizations like both of ours to create these opportunities whenever we can to help young people find out about traditions in their communities.”  Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.SHOW NOTESSEGMENT 1Bryan spent most of her childhood in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. She can trace back her lineage all the way back to colonial times in both Carolinas. She fondly describes her mother as a busy historical fiction writer.SEGMENT 2She got a lucky break with the NC Folklife Institute shortly after her graduation form grad school. Her first job was in the Arts Directory. Bryan was also a fiddler player starting in her teens. She got the opportunity to play on stage with Chris Brashear. Bryan goes into detail about her bumpy and exciting experience performing with him in front of a live audience.SEGMENT 3Bryan was one of the co-authors for African American Music Trails of Eastern North Carolina. It was about the history and tradition of black music in the 80s in North Carolina. She is currently co-authoring a book about historical Southern traditional pottery. Despite being a vegetarian she interviewed Mr.Stami and Mr.Monk from Greensboro and Lexington about barbecue pits at their restaurants. Bryan's favorite festival is Mount Airy Fiddlers Convention.SEGMENT 4She aims to educate younger members of the community to find out about traditions through elder artists and storytellers. One of the programs providing that support is the Junior Appalachian Musicians. The Blue Ridge Heritage Trail is a project Bryan hopes to revisit to give artists the ability to promote themselves.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------TRANSCRIPT00:00:37.980 –> 00:00:45.720 Joseph McElroy: Welcome to the gateway to the smokies podcast this podcast is about America's most visited National Park.00:00:46.170 –> 00:00:58.980 Joseph McElroy: The Great Smoky Mountain National Park and the surrounding towns there's areas filled with ancient natural beauty a deep storied history and rich mountain cultures that we explore with weekly episodes.00:00:59.520 –> 00:01:10.830 Joseph McElroy: I'm Joseph Franklyn McElroy man of the world, but also deep roots in these mountains my family is living the great smoky for over 200 years my business is in travel, but my heart is in culture.00:01:11.610 –> 00:01:18.420 Joseph McElroy: Today we're going to talk about the North Carolina folklife it's to with director Sarah Brian but, first a few messages.00:01:19.710 –> 00:01:29.640 Joseph McElroy: Imagine a place evocative of the motor court of the past a modern environment with a Chic Appalachian feels, a place for adventure and for relaxation.00:01:30.210 –> 00:01:39.090 Joseph McElroy: Imagine a place where you can fish in a mountain heritage trout stream grill the catch in a fire accompanied by a fine wine or craft beers.00:01:39.570 –> 00:01:52.500 Joseph McElroy: Imagine a place with old-time music and world cultural sound, there is no other place like the Meadowlark Motel Maggie Valley North Carolina your smoky mountain adventures start with where you stay.00:01:54.210 –> 00:02:06.720 Joseph McElroy: The smoky mountains and surrounding area is a vacation destination for all sees some of the nation's best hiking trails waterfalls outdoor adventures and family entertainment to be found, right here.00:02:07.500 –> 00:02:18.240 Joseph McElroy: start your adventure by using smokies adventure calm smokies plural adventure calm to explore all the wonderful features of the great smoky mountains natural part.00:02:18.750 –> 00:02:25.110 Joseph McElroy: You know, get trail maps and find out about waterfalls and kids coven elk, and much more.00:02:25.590 –> 00:02:35.220 Joseph McElroy: And then check out all the awesome family attractions and entertainment, you and your entire family can enjoy and all of the smoky mountain and surrounding areas.00:02:35.790 –> 00:02:43.110 Joseph McElroy: The goal of smokies adventures become the leading information portal for adventures and experiences and the great smoky mountain.00:02:45.000 –> 00:02:46.350 Joseph McElroy: There are some events coming up.00:02:47.850 –> 00:03:02.190 Joseph McElroy: Well, first one, I will talk to you about his music and it's called smoking BLU Ray and it's on July 23 third at 6 pm it's a blue smoky blue rain is a trio of led by.00:03:04.890 –> 00:03:19.230 Joseph McElroy: With the three music great musicians land Graham Fillmore and Amos Jackson, their brand of American amuses music is an infectious blend of folk light rock blues jazz that touch traditional country.00:03:20.130 –> 00:03:24.930 Joseph McElroy: They met through a mutual friend and from the very force nope realize that they had something special.00:03:25.980 –> 00:03:36.210 Joseph McElroy: So we're going to have that event on on a Saturday night on July 23 at the pavilion on the back porch pavilion is the back end and the back.00:03:37.020 –> 00:03:48.120 Joseph McElroy: recreation area, the metal art motel we have a sort of a wonderful performance venue and we're also going to free Barbecue and.00:03:48.870 –> 00:04:01.770 Joseph McElroy: And and and there'll be music after the show to up until whatever the night provides so admission is free for hotel guests and heritage club members and it's $10 for all others.00:04:03.090 –> 00:04:13.680 Joseph McElroy: As you need to do an rsvp so call eight to 8926171 second one seven to get your tickets again eight to 89261717.00:04:14.790 –> 00:04:35.340 Joseph McElroy: Now some of you have heard about tick tock and and and and Instagram especially tick tock and a local guy here named Zeb who's part of the Jay Jay creek cloggers is gone viral with hundreds of millions of views, for his clogging style.00:04:37.230 –> 00:04:50.730 Joseph McElroy: And so the Meadowlark Smoky Mountain Heritage Center in the Meadowlark Motel proudly announced a heritage event that features an evening of dinner and then dancing from the legendary J Creek Cloggers.00:04:51.390 –> 00:05:01.740 Joseph McElroy: featuring Zeb Ross on Saturday night July 30 and started again the Night starts with a delicious Barbecue dinner at six and then column.00:05:02.160 –> 00:05:15.390 Joseph McElroy: cook culminates with a rollicking performance by the jquery clockers at 7:30 pm they will perform multiple examples of traditional mountain dancing as well as teach the audience several fun dance steps.00:05:16.380 –> 00:05:25.890 Joseph McElroy: group leader Kim Rasa was here a week or so go on on our podcast and will also give a short talk on the history and traditions, of a mountain man.00:05:26.490 –> 00:05:33.720 Joseph McElroy: grab your partner and come and join us for a memorable fun-filled classic mountain heritage evening of dining and dancing.00:05:34.230 –> 00:05:41.100 Joseph McElroy: admission is free for hotel guests and heritage members and $20 per person for folks not staying in a hotel.00:05:41.550 –> 00:05:58.320 Joseph McElroy: Could you know, give us a call at 828-926-1717 to reserve your room or just to get a ticket to the dinner and dance this week's classic old old mountain type dancehall stuff and you can have a great time and then it'll be put up on tick tock maybe we'll go viral good.00:06:00.060 –> 00:06:05.340 Joseph McElroy: Now the big news is on August 12 through the 13th there's going to be a songwriters camp.00:06:05.760 –> 00:06:20.580 Joseph McElroy: That features Grammy award-winning artist Jim Lauderdale and Charles hunter the third law with Ward winning artists, they are Nicholson clay mills and Charles Chamberlain it's a two-day event of interactive songwriting instruction.00:06:21.810 –> 00:06:32.820 Joseph McElroy: With world-class and you'll get a DEMO tape produced for your participation for your what you write what you perform and then also be a concert.00:06:33.330 –> 00:06:49.620 Joseph McElroy: By the song from the road band on Friday night and then again a Barbecue dinner and an all star concept with all those artists, on Saturday night, this is an event like you'll never get your life to Jim lauderdale we wrote, most of the hits first artists like Jim George strait and.00:06:50.640 –> 00:07:00.540 Joseph McElroy: Charles Humphrey is a grammy award-winning himself and has done some major songs it's just it's going to be incredible you can learn a lot, the price is 675.00:07:00.960 –> 00:07:10.470 Joseph McElroy: per person includes all the activities that DEMO tape and the concerts and the dinners and everything else, and under special rooms available for you you're not from the area.00:07:10.830 –> 00:07:29.220 Joseph McElroy: And you can call 8289261717 to get the details to get yourself a room get yourself a ticket and come on and there's just also for people just want to come to concerts there are concert tickets available as well again call eight to 89261717.00:07:31.260 –> 00:07:36.870 Joseph McElroy: So today we're going to talk about the new North Carolina Folklife Institute and the Director of that is Sarah Bryan.00:07:38.550 –> 00:07:39.120 Joseph McElroy: And it's.00:07:40.410 –> 00:07:50.550 Joseph McElroy: The folklife institute's organization that for more than four decades has been dedicated to the preservation of appreciation and understanding of folklife heritage and culture in North Carolina.00:07:51.300 –> 00:08:05.100 Joseph McElroy: Sarah is an accomplished writer author and musician she was also the editor to notable old-time music publications and enjoys collecting old 78 rpm lps and supporting animal welfare.00:08:05.790 –> 00:08:18.390 Joseph McElroy: she's a tar heel basketball and New York mets baseball fan she lives in Durham North Carolina with her family and then it has a pack of dogs and cats to support her efforts hello, Sarah how you doing.00:08:18.510 –> 00:08:20.370 Sarah Bryan: hey I'm doing good, how are you.00:08:20.760 –> 00:08:31.410 Joseph McElroy: Fine I'm doing good hey listen I'm not going to hold it against you, that you're a tar heel born and bred but yeah since I went to do, but you do live in Durham so you gotta live in enemy territory right.00:08:31.500 –> 00:08:35.550 Sarah Bryan: I live about three blocks from campus so I have to represent extra hard for the.00:08:35.550 –> 00:08:36.450 Sarah Bryan: target was the air.00:08:36.570 –> 00:08:38.730 Joseph McElroy: All right, which is the West campus.00:08:38.820 –> 00:08:42.150 Joseph McElroy: escape and so you're like near downtown right.00:08:42.240 –> 00:08:44.400 Sarah Bryan: yeah yeah quite close yeah it all sounds.00:08:44.790 –> 00:08:47.970 Joseph McElroy: cool there has become a little bit of a foodie town right, just like national.00:08:48.240 –> 00:08:55.770 Sarah Bryan: It really is It reminds me a lot of Asheville yeah and just a huge number of people moving here every year.00:08:56.220 –> 00:08:56.850 Joseph McElroy: Oh yeah.00:08:57.420 –> 00:08:58.110 Sarah Bryan: Look asheville.00:08:58.410 –> 00:09:05.160 Joseph McElroy: After Duke I lived in Durham for about seven years and I enjoyed it very much you know it's a cool little town.00:09:06.240 –> 00:09:06.930 Joseph McElroy: you're busy north.00:09:06.960 –> 00:09:10.470 Joseph McElroy: Carolina you want to go across the whole state, you know I say Wilmington.00:09:12.000 –> 00:09:16.650 Joseph McElroy: Durham and then national and then, of course, Maggie valley for the small town experience.00:09:17.730 –> 00:09:18.150 Sarah Bryan: sure.00:09:18.570 –> 00:09:25.440 Joseph McElroy: Alright cool we're especially excited to talk to you about you, your role in the North Carolina folklife Institute.00:09:25.860 –> 00:09:39.600 Joseph McElroy: As you, as we have we share many of the same core beliefs and with the Heritage Center and at the motel first let's learn a little bit more about you, you and you have an interesting background and amazing resume.00:09:41.160 –> 00:09:47.340 Joseph McElroy: So you were born in myrtle beach South Carolina has How was it like being born in a beach town.00:09:48.690 –> 00:09:52.860 Sarah Bryan: Yes, but most of my childhood myrtle beach and.00:09:54.000 –> 00:09:56.850 Sarah Bryan: You know when you're born into play, or I was, I was actually.00:09:58.170 –> 00:10:11.490 Sarah Bryan: We moved there when I was two weeks old, but my father's family going back many generations is from that little part of South Carolina and myrtle beach in particular, and I think when you grow up in a place like that you kind of don't know how weird it is.00:10:11.910 –> 00:10:20.550 Sarah Bryan: yeah I know, I have a friend who is a childhood friend, we were talking years after we both left myrtle beach about.00:10:21.420 –> 00:10:31.680 Sarah Bryan: What it's like to be from somewhere like that, and she pointed out that it gives you kind of an altered sense of reality if you grow up like down the street from Ripley's, believe it or not.00:10:34.320 –> 00:10:36.750 Sarah Bryan: giant fiberglass octopus statues.00:10:37.650 –> 00:10:46.830 Joseph McElroy: Oh, you know growing up in a little tourist and I sort of get an idea of what she did you know, and you know from Duke we always went to myrtle beach after yeah for the spring break it was like.00:10:47.310 –> 00:10:55.800 Joseph McElroy: You know how how how bad can replace be when yeah you can take a back road and find all you can eat seafood place in the middle of nowhere.00:10:58.380 –> 00:11:01.110 Joseph McElroy: And you paid a paid as you went in because they.00:11:02.190 –> 00:11:04.260 Joseph McElroy: expect you to just stay there till your fault.00:11:06.090 –> 00:11:12.870 Joseph McElroy: But you also spend some time and grew up the Carolinas in Virginia beach Virginia what were those.00:11:13.560 –> 00:11:31.200 Sarah Bryan: yeah well I'm most of my family going back you know since early colonial times have been in the Carolinas both Carolinas and um when I was about nine we moved up to northern Virginia, which is where my mother grew up and.00:11:32.340 –> 00:11:35.370 Sarah Bryan: I missed the Carolinas badly when I lived there.00:11:35.520 –> 00:11:46.770 Sarah Bryan: Especially in the springtime but because you know just that little bit of geographical distance makes all the dust all the difference in a climate when the flowers come out and when it gets warm.00:11:47.640 –> 00:11:54.360 Sarah Bryan: It was a great place to spend my teens and my college years, so I feel fortunate to have been up there.00:11:55.080 –> 00:12:04.770 Joseph McElroy: With your parents surely must have influenced your love of history writing your mom is a distinguished author publisher story or own right, what can you say about that.00:12:05.970 –> 00:12:19.140 Sarah Bryan: yeah my mom is a wonderful writer her name is Christina freeman Brian and she is she has had an interesting career just 72 now and lives with me and my husband here in Durham and.00:12:20.310 –> 00:12:22.680 Sarah Bryan: yeah she went to Carolina and.00:12:23.700 –> 00:12:39.600 Sarah Bryan: studied originally to be a medievalist medieval Latin is her specialty from college and but has done all sorts of things over the years, she ran a school for several years and myrtle beach.00:12:40.830 –> 00:12:44.160 Sarah Bryan: Montessori school that I went to as a small child and.00:12:45.300 –> 00:12:46.440 Sarah Bryan: has written.00:12:47.610 –> 00:13:02.250 Sarah Bryan: A lot of really wonderful historical fiction about the civil war era about Jamestown colony about the Lincoln assassination plot and.00:13:02.730 –> 00:13:10.650 Sarah Bryan: She she's an amazing researcher fun to just incredible depth of information right, so these great books and.00:13:11.070 –> 00:13:22.260 Sarah Bryan: Then just move right to the next project she's so excited about the next thing to learn about so she has the stack of manuscripts, so I hope someday she'll be shopping to publishers because the world needs to see them.00:13:23.040 –> 00:13:28.710 Joseph McElroy: that's great, but we got to take a break down but we'll come back talk a little more about your personal history and then get into your job.00:15:45.570 –> 00:15:52.200 Joseph McElroy: howdy this is Joseph Franklyn McElroy back with the Gateway to the Smokies Podcast and my guests Sarah Bryan.00:15:53.910 –> 00:16:00.870 Joseph McElroy: So, so you know I like to have my craft beers on this show Now I will tell you.00:16:02.400 –> 00:16:11.400 Joseph McElroy: about the one I'm doing now, but, first, it was mentioned, I was at the wicked weed brewery nationally that day and they got a really great IPA call freak in page or advise you to go there.00:16:11.820 –> 00:16:15.600 Joseph McElroy: But I just discovered when we have at the Meadowlark it is not at local beer, but.00:16:16.080 –> 00:16:31.110 Joseph McElroy: yeah I don't necessarily just dismiss that you know, even though this area is 50 breweries there are people that make good beer elsewhere and I'm liking, this one it's a double IPA called never better by Coronado brewing company in California.00:16:33.330 –> 00:16:41.370 Joseph McElroy: But anyway, hey Sarah glad to have you back you know we were talking about your mom with your dad was a professional of American literature.00:16:42.000 –> 00:16:50.610 Joseph McElroy: But it was also I thought this is interesting we're now doing a miniature golf course designer including, including Mr the elaborate on the grand strand right.00:16:51.360 –> 00:17:00.360 Sarah Bryan: that's true yeah yeah my father dance Brian was his name, he went by the nickname party, which is a long story.00:17:02.100 –> 00:17:04.560 Sarah Bryan: Was the origin part of her in the Bible.00:17:06.540 –> 00:17:21.000 Sarah Bryan: yeah he was from myrtle beach grew up there, and his father and grandfather had been involved in developing the area early on, and particularly in building, so the golf courses, they are the big golf courses and.00:17:22.500 –> 00:17:34.380 Sarah Bryan: Starting around the 1950s I'd say late 50s early 60s, he started working on his own miniature golf courses with his father.00:17:36.360 –> 00:17:49.890 Sarah Bryan: put him in charge of an old golf driving range they had there, and he had the idea to make it sort of a jungle environment miniature golf course and that's where that.00:17:50.970 –> 00:18:10.680 Sarah Bryan: The head deal was born with him and he and partners through the years developed the jungle golf style of miniature golf courses, so if you've been to myrtle beach, you know what they look like it's the big mountain of dirt a middle of the lot with tropical plants waterfalls.00:18:13.230 –> 00:18:19.830 Sarah Bryan: jungle animals, which includes somehow savannah animals I don't know why, and so that that.00:18:21.000 –> 00:18:21.870 Sarah Bryan: That has.00:18:23.070 –> 00:18:27.630 Sarah Bryan: Over the course of his life that really took off from the late 50s to Stephen.00:18:29.640 –> 00:18:31.710 Joseph McElroy: He did a couple of value values didn't.00:18:33.060 –> 00:18:37.740 Sarah Bryan: You know I am not sure I think he did this before my time he did one in Boone.00:18:38.190 –> 00:18:41.250 Sarah Bryan: yeah and in the 70s early 80s there's one.00:18:41.310 –> 00:18:46.920 Joseph McElroy: that's there's one that has been around for a long time and I don't think that's a jungle-type golf, but there is one.00:18:47.940 –> 00:18:50.760 Joseph McElroy: That is more of a general type thing and so.00:18:51.090 –> 00:18:59.640 Joseph McElroy: He probably looks actually I when I first saw it back 20 years ago, or something like that I said wow that looks more like a myrtle beach.00:19:02.490 –> 00:19:05.400 Joseph McElroy: thing so but it's become part of the fabric here, you know.00:19:06.120 –> 00:19:06.510 So.00:19:08.040 –> 00:19:17.280 Joseph McElroy: And you're actually come from a diverse home you grew up and speak Spanish your family's confused compete Cuban dispense right.00:19:18.360 –> 00:19:21.240 Sarah Bryan: my mom is half Cuban.00:19:21.630 –> 00:19:27.420 Joseph McElroy: yeah, and I assume you have a real admiration for cultural diversity.00:19:29.970 –> 00:19:47.340 Joseph McElroy: That we love for exploring you know for folklife and in Florida, for you know, being a writer and musician in and you got your what your BA degree in American studies from George Washington university an ma degree in folklore unc I won't hold that against.00:19:49.980 –> 00:19:51.090 Sarah Bryan: call the truth for that.00:19:51.630 –> 00:20:04.530 Joseph McElroy: yeah but in 2005 you actually you join the North Carolina folklife institute so is that sort of the first big career move for you read what's up before that.00:20:05.070 –> 00:20:11.340 Sarah Bryan: That was an incredibly lucky break for me, I was not long out of Grad school and.00:20:12.300 –> 00:20:28.920 Sarah Bryan: North Carolina folklife Institute, which at the time was directed by Beverley Patterson who's a wonderful folklorist in Chapel hill she in the folklife institute we're working with the Blue Ridge national heritage area on developing their traditional artists directory.00:20:29.430 –> 00:20:40.560 Sarah Bryan: And she brought on to newly hatched folklorist which were me and Mark Free to you probably know, from when you use a prominent musician and arts leader in the area.00:20:41.100 –> 00:20:53.070 Sarah Bryan: But we were both you know in and just out of school at the time, this was long ago and yeah my first job was on the artists directory and so basically.00:20:53.670 –> 00:21:04.470 Sarah Bryan: The folklife institute turned us loose mark was in the northern counties and I was from like Madison and bunk and counties to the State Law and and.00:21:05.580 –> 00:21:17.130 Sarah Bryan: And, and the cherokee quality boundary area and it was a wonderful job I mean we just explored, each of us separately explored the counties in our.00:21:18.090 –> 00:21:25.860 Sarah Bryan: assigned region go around ask people who the traditional artists are in some cases, they were.00:21:26.400 –> 00:21:37.110 Sarah Bryan: You know, prominent people with you know well known careers and their and their art form and in other cases, that would be you know, an elderly person who'd retired from a career and something not at all.00:21:37.890 –> 00:21:46.890 Sarah Bryan: art or music related but you know kept up their art form just on their own at home because I love doing it, nobody you know.00:21:48.540 –> 00:21:54.840 Sarah Bryan: haven't had much publicity before but we got the right profiles of all of these folks and it was incredibly fun.00:21:55.530 –> 00:22:05.760 Joseph McElroy: Well, you, you must have loved it, because by 2017, which is a fairly short period of time he became executive director of that that that really esteemed organization.00:22:07.020 –> 00:22:12.570 Joseph McElroy: So I guess that was a That was a lot of hard work right.00:22:13.980 –> 00:22:15.120 Sarah Bryan: Hard work that really fun.00:22:17.070 –> 00:22:19.860 Sarah Bryan: The all the projects were involved in, or just.00:22:21.060 –> 00:22:23.130 Sarah Bryan: Oh it's such a pleasure to work on.00:22:24.180 –> 00:22:38.790 Joseph McElroy: Well, but you also here's The interesting thing you know, and you know found out that you, you became an old time fiddle player during that time, too, so you had to have time to practice right, but you were doing a lot of good work so.00:22:40.500 –> 00:22:43.260 Joseph McElroy: Have you played with any great Western North Carolina fiddler's.00:22:43.830 –> 00:22:48.930 Sarah Bryan: Well let's see I actually started playing old-time fiddle when I was in my teens.00:22:49.020 –> 00:22:49.470 Joseph McElroy: I really.00:22:49.980 –> 00:22:51.960 Sarah Bryan: yeah and actually I've been.00:22:52.080 –> 00:23:10.620 Sarah Bryan: In northern Virginia and yeah but have have continued playing all along yeah moving to North Carolina has I came back down here for Grad school in 2001 of the great things about that was proximity to so many wonderful musicians.00:23:10.800 –> 00:23:11.430 Joseph McElroy: Well that's great.00:23:11.460 –> 00:23:16.470 Joseph McElroy: yeah so did you get to play with any or did you get did you have any mentoring from some of them.00:23:16.830 –> 00:23:22.950 Sarah Bryan: yeah yeah there it's it's hard to narrow down there's so many amazing fiddler's in the year I was.00:23:23.970 –> 00:23:26.400 Sarah Bryan: If I had to pick one fiddler to.00:23:28.740 –> 00:23:41.850 Sarah Bryan: To mention, in particular, who have a friend who have been lucky enough to play with at times, but not nearly enough not nearly as much said, like is Paul Brown, who lives in Winston Salem.00:23:42.990 –> 00:23:47.700 Sarah Bryan: He is wonderful fiddler banjo player singer.00:23:49.470 –> 00:23:55.830 Sarah Bryan: Has the style that I wish I could play and very sort of sweet and rambunctious at the same time.00:23:56.970 –> 00:23:58.050 Sarah Bryan: And he also.00:23:59.580 –> 00:24:07.500 Sarah Bryan: he's he's been this great conduit between generations, because when he first moved to the Mount airy area.00:24:08.910 –> 00:24:17.280 Sarah Bryan: He got to know Tommy jerel or honesty's Fred copper Malta, you know the sort of Pantheon of great musicians in that area.00:24:18.330 –> 00:24:20.550 Sarah Bryan: And he's really served as a.00:24:21.840 –> 00:24:37.680 Sarah Bryan: champion of them over the years, so now, I mean for a lot of us who were not able to know those people through Paul we've gotten to know not just what great musicians, they were, but what interesting and knowledgeable people they were.00:24:39.780 –> 00:24:51.480 Joseph McElroy: Well that's yeah that's you know that's a life-enriching experience to work with people that have such tremendous depth and they're trying to actually pass it on to you too, and so.00:24:51.960 –> 00:25:02.190 Joseph McElroy: yeah I think that is probably very, very profound for you, you know I also know that you were on garrison keillor's prairie home companion that goes out.00:25:03.720 –> 00:25:23.610 Sarah Bryan: that that was a an exciting experience, not in all the right ways, so I have severe stage fright and which complicated that experience, because it was in front of a you know alive theater audience prairie home companion was going to be in Durham and.00:25:24.690 –> 00:25:32.220 Sarah Bryan: And the show invited you know, several old-time musicians in the area to be part of it, and of course I couldn't turn that down.00:25:34.050 –> 00:25:39.720 Sarah Bryan: But once I once I got there the stage right kicked in and.00:25:41.280 –> 00:25:49.710 Sarah Bryan: They before the show they we were backstage and Chris for sheer who's the band fiddler was the band fiddler those days.00:25:51.330 –> 00:25:53.850 Sarah Bryan: For the show was showing me and the other.00:25:54.990 –> 00:25:59.490 Sarah Bryan: guests fiddler's this tune that we were going to play when you know when our segment came on.00:26:00.510 –> 00:26:10.020 Sarah Bryan: And because I was starting to think about what it was gonna be like a few minutes when there is these hundreds of people looking at me and billions of people listening.00:26:10.740 –> 00:26:24.240 Sarah Bryan: my mind went blank and I couldn't learn the two, and he was showing us it was as soon as he played it, it was gone so that was that was the first tune what we're going to play that evening and.00:26:25.350 –> 00:26:35.490 Sarah Bryan: Because, as soon as they started I realized I didn't remember what you just showed us, I was like i'm you know sort of holding the bow a little bit above the strings of pretending to play.00:26:37.980 –> 00:26:41.340 Sarah Bryan: outside of Andy Griffith when barney's in the choir.00:26:41.340 –> 00:26:41.760 To.00:26:43.110 –> 00:26:57.000 Sarah Bryan: sing it was like that, but that, so the sound the sound engineer was you know kept he was listening and it kept thinking that my microphone is not working, so he came out at one point, and was like tinkering with it and.00:26:57.990 –> 00:27:03.000 Sarah Bryan: While he was standing there he realized that I wasn't playing and you sort of like wink to give me a thumbs up and.00:27:03.660 –> 00:27:18.990 Sarah Bryan: went off stage, but then the next tune that we were to play was soldiers joy, which is my favorite all time fiddle tune, and the one that, like all fiddler's pretty much know so I really wanted to play on that one but at that, point my microphone was off.00:27:20.790 –> 00:27:22.350 Sarah Bryan: pretending to play before.00:27:24.090 –> 00:27:33.720 Sarah Bryan: But the crisper shear and the other fiddler Kenny Jackson who's a really great North Carolina fiddler um you know they didn't need a third fiddler between them so.00:27:36.060 –> 00:27:39.000 Joseph McElroy: Oh that's so you you play, but you did.00:27:45.030 –> 00:27:46.740 Joseph McElroy: Okay well that's a good story.00:27:48.630 –> 00:27:50.190 Joseph McElroy: At least you got asked to be on there.00:27:53.220 –> 00:27:58.860 Joseph McElroy: So you've also become a writer, a great writer, and you have two books out right and.00:27:59.550 –> 00:28:07.920 Joseph McElroy: So when we come we got to take a break down, but once you tell us about the two books and then we're going to talk about some of the you know the stuff in the mountains in western North Carolina that you know that.00:28:08.220 –> 00:28:08.550 Great.00:30:15.150 –> 00:30:24.420 Joseph McElroy: Howdy, this is Joseph Franklyn McElroy back with the Gateway to the Smokies podcast and my guest Sarah Bryan who's the Executive Director of the North Carolina Folklife Institute.00:30:24.870 –> 00:30:32.670 Joseph McElroy: So so Sarah you're a writer you've got a couple of books out one coming out soon, what were the What are those titles and what they're about.00:30:33.330 –> 00:30:38.160 Sarah Bryan: Thanks um there, there are two titles of co-written.00:30:39.300 –> 00:30:49.680 Sarah Bryan: I was one of the three co-authors, along with Beverly Patterson and Michelle Lanier, who is now the Director of historic sites for North Carolina.00:30:50.160 –> 00:30:59.250 Sarah Bryan: I'm a book called African American music trails of Eastern North Carolina and that came out of a North Carolina Arts Council project of the same name.00:31:00.570 –> 00:31:07.080 Sarah Bryan: about the historic and living black music traditions in Eastern North Carolina counties.00:31:08.700 –> 00:31:16.560 Sarah Bryan: And you know just the incredible impact musicians from there have had it hasn't always been more widely recognized.00:31:17.040 –> 00:31:17.580 Sarah Bryan: That was.00:31:18.690 –> 00:31:24.000 Sarah Bryan: 2014 2015 my husband Peter Hoenig and I.00:31:25.500 –> 00:31:31.410 Sarah Bryan: co-wrote and co-compiled a collection for us to digital.00:31:32.490 –> 00:31:53.880 Sarah Bryan: Just a great label out of Atlanta, it was a TC set up the CDS were 78 from Peters collection of mostly old-time mountain music and blues and the book was antique anonymous photos of southern early southern life from my own collections.00:31:54.390 –> 00:31:55.980 Sarah Bryan: cool that that was.00:31:57.870 –> 00:32:02.670 Sarah Bryan: 2015 and that's out of print but it's still I believe the music is still downloadable.00:32:02.940 –> 00:32:03.330 Joseph McElroy: It was.00:32:04.740 –> 00:32:09.420 Sarah Bryan: It was called leap, can we light name for him a.00:32:11.130 –> 00:32:15.630 Sarah Bryan: Pre-war southern music and photographs I believe was the subtitle.00:32:16.050 –> 00:32:17.490 Joseph McElroy: cool and then you're writing one now.00:32:18.240 –> 00:32:32.520 Sarah Bryan: Yes, yeah I'm co-writing with potter and historian from Randolph county and help you, we are working on a history of southern traditional pottery which is.00:32:33.870 –> 00:32:41.190 Sarah Bryan: A huge story and we're you know, having fun figuring out how to fit that all into one book.00:32:42.690 –> 00:32:45.060 Joseph McElroy: yeah pottery trails all over the north.00:32:45.060 –> 00:32:45.540 Carolina.00:32:47.310 –> 00:32:47.970 Sarah Bryan: Especially.00:32:49.620 –> 00:32:59.520 Joseph McElroy: Well cool well, you also writing and the and the editor for the old time arrow, which is an about old music is also an old-time dancing.00:33:00.720 –> 00:33:17.490 Sarah Bryan: It is yeah yeah the old time, Harold the musician and field recorder Alice Gerard founded in 1987 when she was living in Gala and yeah it's about traditional old-time music, particularly in Appalachia but also.00:33:18.570 –> 00:33:24.570 Sarah Bryan: Other parts of the self, and you know wider traditions elsewhere that are relatable to music.00:33:25.380 –> 00:33:29.880 Joseph McElroy: Other parts are there any memorable stories you wrote about the smoky mountains areas.00:33:30.690 –> 00:33:34.200 Sarah Bryan: Oh gosh well not that I've written myself, but I would.00:33:35.580 –> 00:33:46.320 Sarah Bryan: There have been some great articles about Western North Carolina effect our current issue has a cover story about beach mountain musicians from.00:33:47.220 –> 00:34:00.840 Sarah Bryan: From the Whataburger every county line area and the old fiddler the universe to hicks is the cover girl she's a great musical matriarch from beach mountain.00:34:01.560 –> 00:34:03.750 Joseph McElroy: cool Any with Haywood County?00:34:05.010 –> 00:34:06.360 Sarah Bryan: yeah let me.00:34:08.580 –> 00:34:20.040 Sarah Bryan: we've definitely covered Haywood county stories, there was we had an article sometime back about the Soco gap clockers was that the name of the.00:34:20.520 –> 00:34:22.320 Joseph McElroy: Joe Sam Queen00:34:23.460 –> 00:34:23.700 Joseph McElroy: yeah.00:34:23.820 –> 00:34:24.690 Sarah Bryan: yeah yeah and.00:34:24.780 –> 00:34:26.940 Sarah Bryan: They danced at the White House and Roosevelt.00:34:27.780 –> 00:34:30.210 Joseph McElroy: yeah we have him on the show a few weeks ago yeah.00:34:31.080 –> 00:34:32.640 Sarah Bryan: yeah that's a great tradition that's.00:34:32.730 –> 00:34:34.470 Sarah Bryan: been going on for generations.00:34:35.490 –> 00:34:48.030 Joseph McElroy: cool so I love that you know that you work with this Folklife institute, I mean it's there's a lot of the value and objectives, promoting the preservation appreciation of understanding.00:34:48.600 –> 00:34:56.880 Joseph McElroy: The folklife heritage and culture in North Carolina yeah we're spoken we're focused on the smoky mountains area but it's the same sort of passion.00:34:58.440 –> 00:35:09.150 Joseph McElroy: I saw that you had one interesting program documenting the early bbq pitch, so I gotta go find this because I'm getting into I've been a big fire based.00:35:10.170 –> 00:35:19.830 Joseph McElroy: cook for a while and I've been getting more and more of that tell me about that what would you find out that that's fascinating about Barbecue pits early on.00:35:20.280 –> 00:35:21.360 Sarah Bryan: That was a project.00:35:22.440 –> 00:35:29.490 Sarah Bryan: Oh gosh probably eight or 10 years ago that the previous director Joy Salinger's launched and.00:35:31.080 –> 00:35:35.400 Sarah Bryan: The part that I was able to play was going to interview to00:35:36.990 –> 00:35:49.500 Sarah Bryan: founding fathers of the western Barbecue tradition, Mr. Damien Mr mountain Conan Greensboro and one and Lexington and I didn't tell either of them that I'm a vegetarian.00:35:51.120 –> 00:35:53.070 Sarah Bryan: It was lovely being in their restaurants it00:35:53.070 –> 00:35:54.120 Sarah Bryan: smelled great.00:35:55.680 –> 00:36:00.360 Sarah Bryan: Barbecue home for my family and yeah just lovely.00:36:00.480 –> 00:36:03.690 Joseph McElroy: You could do some wonderful things with vegetables and smoke, you know.00:36:04.320 –> 00:36:08.970 Joseph McElroy: yeah there's a recipe that comes out of the middle of the state that I love of US it's.00:36:10.170 –> 00:36:23.550 Joseph McElroy: This African American chef I forget her name right now I'll post it at some point that as smoke beats and then she makes cornbread beats so you think it's it's fabulous oh yeah and burnt sugar.00:36:23.700 –> 00:36:24.750 Sarah Bryan: Smoke oh wow.00:36:26.130 –> 00:36:36.990 Joseph McElroy: Oh it's incredible yeah so there's a lot of vegetables that are really enhanced by the grill experience yeah people know you know about doing just about some things but there's a lot more that you could do.00:36:38.220 –> 00:36:42.660 Joseph McElroy: Any programs cooking programs on mountain cooking or Cherokee cuisine00:36:43.590 –> 00:36:47.730 Sarah Bryan: yeah yeah absolutely that's where you're really.00:36:48.930 –> 00:36:52.620 Sarah Bryan: Love being involved in programs about Appalachian.00:36:53.670 –> 00:36:54.810 Sarah Bryan: Food in particular.00:36:55.830 –> 00:37:07.110 Sarah Bryan: Yeah we've had some classes, through a program called in these mountains, which is sponsored by South Arts in Atlanta, and have had to have several food-related courses.00:37:08.400 –> 00:37:16.680 Sarah Bryan: right before the pandemic began, we were working with Nathan Bush, who is a Cherokee herbalist and00:37:18.480 –> 00:37:29.010 Sarah Bryan: artist and language specialist and his mother, Mrs. Anita Bush is also a really renowned herbalist and so he was given a great class.00:37:29.910 –> 00:37:41.070 Sarah Bryan: Going into the woods and the area, and you know, showing which plants are edible which you got to stay away from which have different you know medicinal properties and.00:37:42.000 –> 00:37:51.150 Sarah Bryan: More recently, and in fact, going on now we're sponsoring an online class called mountain battles and it's taught by William Ritter00:37:51.570 –> 00:37:52.140 Joseph McElroy: Oh William,00:37:52.890 –> 00:37:53.490 Sarah Bryan: know there again.00:37:53.910 –> 00:37:55.020 Joseph McElroy: we're able to show you.00:37:55.080 –> 00:37:56.250 Sarah Bryan: Oh good good.00:37:56.370 –> 00:38:10.110 Sarah Bryan: yeah yeah yeah William from Mitchell county and he is teaching it's a great class we've only had two so far as and it's going to go into you know the summer and early fall and we are still taking.00:38:10.890 –> 00:38:27.870 Sarah Bryan: Taking students can still register anyone 13 and up and it's a free class just about you know heritage Appalachian crops cooking baking stories having to do with food songs having to do with food.00:38:29.370 –> 00:38:38.970 Joseph McElroy: We know here to here we've built our first guard here, right at the motel, we also put a field in at a farm and what we have.00:38:39.930 –> 00:38:47.850 Joseph McElroy: we're starting to really get into you know like I don't know if you've heard of candy roasters we got a whole bunch of candy restaurant or probably even better, believe it or not.00:38:49.080 –> 00:39:05.100 Joseph McElroy: And we're planning on doing a lot of those big breads and things like that, for those who don't know, can you rosters are like the pumpkin or squash family they're giant but oh long you know and they only really grow well the bounce but they're really sweet really fantastic.00:39:06.390 –> 00:39:19.410 Joseph McElroy: So I love that you're doing this kind of stuff and yeah we're gonna we're going to actually open a restaurant focus on merited mountain heritage food with a lot of traditional things and.00:39:19.680 –> 00:39:21.600 Joseph McElroy: And we just I don't know if you know Illa hatter.00:39:21.930 –> 00:39:22.950 Sarah Bryan: yeah yeah.00:39:23.040 –> 00:39:24.000 Joseph McElroy: He was just here.00:39:25.050 –> 00:39:29.100 Joseph McElroy: the day before yesterday, she did a program here and we had over 30 people show up.00:39:29.430 –> 00:39:40.680 Joseph McElroy: right here and learn how to forage and use it to make meals, a day so it's something that people are very interested in and it's great to look up that program you guys are doing.00:39:40.890 –> 00:39:42.660 Sarah Bryan: Definitely yeah join us, please.00:39:42.840 –> 00:39:54.480 Joseph McElroy: yeah another big thing that you're involved with this festival productions right documenting and talking about what's going on, do you have any favorite festivals in the western part of the state.00:39:55.230 –> 00:40:04.530 Sarah Bryan: Oh gosh yeah that's what it'd be hard to narrow down my favorite old-time festival in the world is Mount airy fiddler's Convention and.00:40:05.580 –> 00:40:17.610 Sarah Bryan: yeah I haven't gone for the last couple of years because of just pandemic strangeness but yeah I've been coming to that since I was about 20 and just fabulous.00:40:19.320 –> 00:40:26.280 Sarah Bryan: festival it's one of these events, where the old-time musicians from all over the world really come together and.00:40:26.670 –> 00:40:35.760 Sarah Bryan: meet the people who grew up in the traditions and you know are carrying it on from home and vice versa it's just it's wonderful.00:40:36.540 –> 00:40:56.700 Sarah Bryan: Another one I love and I'm not certain if it's still happening in the fading voices festival and takes place in snowbird the Cherokee Community near Robin school and it's Cherokee Gospel music and wonderful.00:40:57.720 –> 00:41:06.720 Sarah Bryan: Quartets mostly from the eastern band of Cherokee Indians in North Carolina and Tennessee and also from the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma.00:41:09.570 –> 00:41:19.020 Sarah Bryan: Court that's will come from air to this festival and just incredibly beautiful music in this really, really beautiful little mountain cove and snowbird.00:41:19.800 –> 00:41:21.300 Sarah Bryan: wow that's still going on.00:41:22.320 –> 00:41:27.000 Joseph McElroy: look it up, you know, one of the most successful I thought you know the hospitality00:41:28.140 –> 00:41:46.830 Joseph McElroy: thing I actually saw in Barbados, was a Gospel Gospel brunch on Sunday, and it was huge, it was a big fantastic success people, it was all you know really sort of old time you know Gospel music this surprising place to have it is hugely successful.00:41:47.310 –> 00:41:49.050 Joseph McElroy: For the idea of doing that here.00:41:50.460 –> 00:41:57.360 Joseph McElroy: But you know he didn't you didn't the folklife it's two to one point put on the first statewide folk fest folk festival.00:41:57.930 –> 00:42:11.880 Sarah Bryan: That was our origin actually founded in 1974 to help the actually as an arm at that time of the folklife program with the North Carolina Arts Council and they were putting on.00:42:12.330 –> 00:42:23.250 Sarah Bryan: A statewide folklife festival here in Durham and it was sort of the lead up to the bicentennial so you know, there was a renewed interest in American traditions of all kinds.00:42:23.760 –> 00:42:26.460 Sarah Bryan: And that festival and 74.00:42:27.780 –> 00:42:41.220 Sarah Bryan: It just it's incredible looking back at who all was there as a Tammi Terrell Elizabeth cotton Willard Watson just yeah just some of the most wonderful let's kill on artists.00:42:41.880 –> 00:42:45.210 Joseph McElroy: Have you been involved with the phone booth two senators festival here at Haywood county.00:42:45.780 –> 00:42:49.260 Sarah Bryan: We haven't, but I would like to do great work.00:42:49.770 –> 00:42:52.650 Joseph McElroy: Alright cool I'll get that Bob did it he does pretty well.00:42:53.820 –> 00:43:00.810 Joseph McElroy: Well hey listen, we got to take a break and then we'll come back and talk continue talking about yeah folk folklife here in the mountains.00:45:02.610 –> 00:45:12.180 Joseph McElroy: Howdy, this is Joseph Franklin McElroy back with the gateway to the smokies podcast and I guess Sarah Brian so Sarah you know, one of the reasons I.00:45:13.260 –> 00:45:20.520 Joseph McElroy: You know started doing the mountain heritage stuff here and got involved with this, because I really believe in the importance of community education.00:45:21.120 –> 00:45:36.600 Joseph McElroy: And you know and getting you to know things right, where the Community can be involved with it and even online, you know inner interactions, what do you think about the importance of that and also the importance of oral history documentation that comes out of communities.00:45:38.280 –> 00:45:47.490 Sarah Bryan: I think I think it's an essential part of all of our lives and yeah Community arts and oral history and.00:45:48.510 –> 00:45:54.600 Sarah Bryan: far too few people nowadays experienced that, and you know, in a full way um.00:45:55.980 –> 00:46:03.180 Sarah Bryan: I'm not one of those people who thinks that you know the old days were better across the board, but, but I do think that the.00:46:05.130 –> 00:46:08.190 Joseph McElroy: closeness there's a lot of you there's a lot of beauty in it there's.00:46:08.190 –> 00:46:09.120 Sarah Bryan: Absolutely.00:46:09.360 –> 00:46:09.870 Joseph McElroy: There was also.00:46:10.320 –> 00:46:16.290 Joseph McElroy: A hardship and ugliness in there, but you're trying to preserve the beauty and letting the nastiness go away.00:46:16.620 –> 00:46:29.310 Sarah Bryan: Exactly exactly, and I think that that closeness of community is something that a lot of ways, many of us have lost and also more so over the last two and a half years with the pandemic.00:46:30.510 –> 00:46:43.320 Sarah Bryan: But then that makes it all the more essential for organizations like both of ours to create these opportunities whenever we can to help.00:46:44.070 –> 00:47:00.210 Sarah Bryan: Especially young people find out about traditions in their communities get to know elder artists or you know story storytellers people who know the Community history and yeah the more opportunities there are, the better.00:47:02.130 –> 00:47:06.780 Sarah Bryan: That makes me think in particular about the jam programs the junior Appalachian musicians.00:47:07.140 –> 00:47:07.710 Joseph McElroy: that's a great.00:47:08.310 –> 00:47:15.270 Sarah Bryan: yeah yeah I mean that's sort of a stellar example of creating new.00:47:16.560 –> 00:47:17.760 Sarah Bryan: Learning environments.00:47:19.230 –> 00:47:36.090 Sarah Bryan: Where you know, a young person 100 years ago may have been able to go to the next door neighbor or her next door neighbor and learn the banjo and that those links don't exist as a strong layer as frequently now so creating these.00:47:37.500 –> 00:47:47.190 Sarah Bryan: classes, essentially for young people to learn has been an amazing contribution to old-time and bluegrass music because now there's this whole.00:47:47.880 –> 00:47:59.370 Sarah Bryan: generation of young just incredibly good musicians, who are graduates of the jam program and you know counties throughout the Appalachian South and.00:48:00.510 –> 00:48:02.010 Sarah Bryan: You know, thank goodness for.00:48:02.250 –> 00:48:12.720 Joseph McElroy: For what you've actually cultivated network so that they can interact and learn from each other and prevent also promote artists and created a handbook for artists to promote them so sorry about that.00:48:13.770 –> 00:48:16.560 Sarah Bryan: that's, this is a good chance for me to.00:48:17.580 –> 00:48:24.450 Sarah Bryan: Tell listeners, please watch this space, because the artist's handbook is actually being revised, as we speak.00:48:26.790 –> 00:48:30.900 Sarah Bryan: The North Carolina Arts Council and Evan had to folk mode.00:48:32.310 –> 00:48:36.150 Sarah Bryan: Evan when he was with the North Carolina folklife so it was actually the.00:48:37.710 –> 00:48:58.800 Sarah Bryan: First person who started this project and yeah it's an online handbook in PDF format of ideas resources for traditional artists to get the word out about what they do, essentially to help them make a living if that's what they want to do with their art form.00:49:00.390 –> 00:49:07.710 Sarah Bryan: find opportunities to learn and to and to teach and pass it on so that's being revised, and you know things change so quickly.00:49:08.550 –> 00:49:20.220 Sarah Bryan: Especially in terms of technology that you know it needs to revision pretty quickly so that's what we're working on now, and hopefully it'll be back up in a new form in a few months.00:49:21.420 –> 00:49:30.720 Joseph McElroy: You know that's you know I guess the work of things like the blue Ridge heritage trail is all part of that work to give artists the ability to promote themselves.00:49:30.810 –> 00:49:37.020 Joseph McElroy: Absolutely, and in the state is that the statewide directory of artists as well, or is that a different.00:49:38.820 –> 00:49:42.330 Sarah Bryan: that's a different a different project and.00:49:43.410 –> 00:49:57.960 Sarah Bryan: One that I that also like for us to return to and revitalize it's it got started in with artists from Warren Vance and Halifax counties and sell to North Carolina and.00:49:58.770 –> 00:50:09.270 Sarah Bryan: yeah directory was very much like the blue Ridge national Heritage Area's traditional arts directory, you know modeled after that aimed for us a statewide.00:50:12.510 –> 00:50:13.020 Joseph McElroy: And you know.00:50:14.430 –> 00:50:14.790 Joseph McElroy: You know.00:50:17.100 –> 00:50:25.830 Joseph McElroy: yeah I love that the other there's a sensitivity to promote the diversity of what was what built, these are communities it wasn't just.00:50:26.160 –> 00:50:37.830 Joseph McElroy: Scotch Irish settlers and you've mentioned some charity works how about the Africa Fo Appalachians and fluids in the western part of the state and you were those documenting those are.00:50:38.880 –> 00:50:39.660 Joseph McElroy: Those anywhere.00:50:40.500 –> 00:50:41.700 Sarah Bryan: yeah yeah I think.00:50:43.320 –> 00:50:55.830 Sarah Bryan: I mean, of course, black Appalachian communities have always known that they were there themselves, but you know, those of us from other backgrounds, have not, you know, known as much as we should have about them and.00:50:57.630 –> 00:51:03.540 Sarah Bryan: there's one person whose research, especially excuse me I'm gonna have to pause for a second and call.00:51:05.490 –> 00:51:22.410 Sarah Bryan: The person who's done some really wonderful work in Southwestern North Carolina is Miller Woodford she's the founder of an organization called one doesn't do care and she's written a wonderful book which I happen to have here if I can hold the screen.00:51:23.550 –> 00:51:35.610 Sarah Bryan: it's called when all god's children get together a celebration of the lives of music African American people in far Western North Carolina, yeah and it talks about communities, particularly in.00:51:37.050 –> 00:51:39.840 Sarah Bryan: Making Cherokee clay counties.00:51:41.070 –> 00:51:53.220 Sarah Bryan: And Franklin area especially is very old African American communities that have wonderful rich histories and traditions and she's helping you know, bring a spotlight to that.00:51:54.780 –> 00:51:56.160 Joseph McElroy: wow well.00:51:58.620 –> 00:52:10.680 Joseph McElroy: This is all important work there are so many other things that you do you know when we're getting to the end here, you know I like to ask my guests, what are your some of your favorite places in western North Carolina Where would you recommend people go.00:52:12.030 –> 00:52:14.010 Sarah Bryan: Oh wow oh.00:52:18.480 –> 00:52:19.620 Sarah Bryan: gosh I mean.00:52:20.670 –> 00:52:22.020 Sarah Bryan: it's so hard to.00:52:23.190 –> 00:52:23.640 Joseph McElroy: focus.00:52:24.900 –> 00:52:27.240 Sarah Bryan: On a weekend I love haywood county um.00:52:27.570 –> 00:52:41.430 Sarah Bryan: Let me see Oh, there is a it right north of you are right, right up the road from you, one of my favorite views in all of North Carolina is on the road between Maggie Valley.00:52:41.790 –> 00:52:49.950 Sarah Bryan: And Cherokee if you're driving towards Cherokee look out to the right there's this incredible beautiful view of soco gap.00:52:51.240 –> 00:52:53.490 Joseph McElroy: is called the most photographed view and.00:52:54.420 –> 00:52:56.790 Sarah Bryan: that's the one that's got the little viewing tower and.00:52:57.990 –> 00:52:59.040 Sarah Bryan: It deserves that.00:53:01.170 –> 00:53:03.480 Joseph McElroy: i've been there since before I was born.00:53:06.900 –> 00:53:21.540 Joseph McElroy: Well it's been a pleasure, having you on the show we have to call it quits davin what's, what do you what would you like people to go to find out more information or looked up your books or read something really important things for them to find out more about you.00:53:21.990 –> 00:53:30.360 Sarah Bryan: Well, I would love for them to visit our website for the folklife Institute, which is nc folk Lol K dot O rg and see folk.org.00:53:30.990 –> 00:53:44.130 Sarah Bryan: And also, if they're interested in old time music old time music, in particular, old time harold.org they find a lot about appalachian and particular of Western North Carolina music.00:53:45.060 –> 00:53:50.250 Joseph McElroy: cool What about you, you get books, you get some things wherever they find out about that do you have a Facebook page or anything like.00:53:50.580 –> 00:53:52.470 Sarah Bryan: yeah you can find me on Facebook for sure.00:53:53.070 –> 00:53:54.300 Joseph McElroy: Alright fabulous.00:53:55.410 –> 00:54:00.870 Joseph McElroy: Well, thank you again, we might have to have another show, because you got a lot to talk about fabulous.00:54:01.560 –> 00:54:02.430 Sarah Bryan: fun, thank you.00:54:03.210 –> 00:54:21.120 Joseph McElroy: So this, this is the gateway to the smokies podcast you can watch this podcast live on facebook@facebook.com slash gateway to the smoke these podcasts we also have all the episodes recorded and with transcripts on smokies adventure calm.00:54:22.260 –> 00:54:30.060 Joseph McElroy: there's a link at the top, to bring you to all the different episodes that you can review we're also on the talk radio dot nyc network.00:54:30.390 –> 00:54:38.190 Joseph McElroy: Where they also stream the the audio live as well as on their Facebook stream and I advise you to take a look at all of the.00:54:38.760 –> 00:54:46.410 Joseph McElroy: podcasts on this network because it's a network of live podcast which I think is very interesting you get a lot of.00:54:46.980 –> 00:54:53.310 Joseph McElroy: The spontaneity and and extensive I think vibrancy by listening to things that are live.00:54:54.300 –> 00:55:03.840 Joseph McElroy: And they range from small business to self help to travel to stuff about New York City and and and other other parts of the world.00:55:04.620 –> 00:55:10.710 Joseph McElroy: So go there, if you get a chance, I also have another podcast for wise content creates wealth on that.00:55:11.400 –> 00:55:20.970 Joseph McElroy: On that network it's about marketing and Ai So if you get a chance to take a look at that and i'll see you next week again for another fine podcast.00:55:21.270 –> 00:55:29.790 Joseph McElroy: Always on Tuesdays from six to seven the gateway to the smoke these podcasts and appreciate you all for listening today and i'll see you then.

KIM ROSS OF THE J CREEK CLOGGERSThis week's episode explores the world of Appalachian dance, and why it is so important to keep the culture alive.The Gateway to the Smokies Podcast is proud to introduce our special guest today, Kim Ross. Kim has roots firmly entrenched in the Southern Appalachians. A native of Snowflake Virginia, not far from the historic Carter Family Fold and the birthplace of country music on the Tennessee- Virginia border, Kim grew up loving old-time music, Appalachian culture, and especially traditional mountain dancing. Today she resides with her family in Waynesville, N.C., and perpetuates her family legacy by managing and dancing with the iconic J Creek Cloggers. Kim Ross will discuss the rich history and culture of the Southern Appalachian region while sharing the stories of their ancestors and their passion for mountain dance music.Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063452415685Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.SHOW NOTESSEGMENT 1Kim Ross grew up in Snowflake, Virginia. When she hit her teenage years she started to visit Carter's Fold. She remembers seeing people from Ireland, etc. to be a part of this historical event. The Carter family is preserving a lot of history such as Johnny Cash's rocking chair.SEGMENT 2Her father was a tenant farmer, meaning that his family didn't own the land. He would flat-foot dance to make money for his family growing up. Ross recalls that she also caught on to flat footing as a child with no lessons. Zeb and Levi Ross were her kids and she taught them traditional dance to preserve culture. Ross started the J Creek Cloggers, the J is short for Jonathan Creek. The people she works with include teenagers who genuinely care about learning. The audience is taught traditional steps, butt dancing, and flat footing. These steps stretch out into cultures such as the Cherokee, Scottish, and Irish.SEGMENT 3A popular video of her son Seb on tiktok. Jason Jordan approached them whilst they were dancing to record Seb. As a consequence, their Instagram blew up and Ross got to explore other social media platforms. They have had the opportunities to shoot music videos with up-and-coming artists and appeared in commercials. Hillbilly Crypt dancing became a coined term for Seb's dancing. Ross praises his unique look with a mullet and smile being a part of his viral success. Ross encouraged him to find his unique dance moves to keep up with the freestyle tradition.SEGMENT 4She connects her dancing with her pottery as both deal with movement. She also got her kids to do pottery at Good Earth in Hazelwood. For photographs, she loves to go to Devil's Courthouse and any of the local places such as Jonathan Creek.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------TRANSCRIPT00:00:37.080 –> 00:00:37.740 Joseph McElroy: howdy.00:00:38.130 –> 00:00:47.340 Joseph McElroy: This is Joseph Franklyn McElroy Welcome to the gateway to the smokies podcast this podcast is about America's most visited National Park.00:00:47.670 –> 00:00:54.300 Joseph McElroy: The great smoky mountain national park and the surrounding towns, this area is filled with ancient natural beauty.00:00:54.660 –> 00:00:59.850 Joseph McElroy: A deep-storied history and rich mountain cultures that we explore with weekly episodes.00:01:00.240 –> 00:01:12.210 Joseph McElroy: I am Joseph Franklin McElroy, a man of the world, but also deep roots in these mountains my family's lived in the great smoky mountains, for over 200 years my business is in travel, but my heart is in culture.00:01:12.720 –> 00:01:21.030 Joseph McElroy: Today we're going to talk with Kim Ross about the J creek cloggers viral sensation the first a few messages and some events.00:01:21.630 –> 00:01:31.980 Joseph McElroy: Imagine a place evocative of motor courts of the past and modern and vibrant with a chic Appalachian feel a place of adventure and relaxation.00:01:32.670 –> 00:01:42.030 Joseph McElroy: Imagine a place where you can fish in the mountain heritage stream grill the catch on fire enjoy it with fine wines and craft beers.00:01:42.510 –> 00:01:57.900 Joseph McElroy: Imagine a place with that old-time music and world cultural sound, there is no other place like the Meadowlark Motel in Maggie Valley, North Carolina your smoky mountain adventures start with where you stay.00:01:59.400 –> 00:02:12.030 Joseph McElroy: and other sponsors smokies adventure.com that's smokies plural adventure si.com the smoky mountains and surrounding areas of vacation destination for all these.00:02:12.630 –> 00:02:20.280 Joseph McElroy: Some of the nation's best hiking trails waterfalls outdoor adventures and family entertainment can be found, right here.00:02:21.030 –> 00:02:31.410 Joseph McElroy: start your adventure by using smokies adventure complex for all the wonderful features of the great smoky mountains National Park, the trails the waterfall cave cove and.00:02:31.800 –> 00:02:43.260 Joseph McElroy: An elk and more the checkout all the awesome things you can do here like that family attractions family entertainment great restaurants it's become a foodie heaven and.00:02:44.040 –> 00:03:02.250 Joseph McElroy: That your entire family can enjoy, and if you have outdoor life events you want to do like an outdoor wedding or an interesting honeymoon a romantic getaway check out smokies adventure.com they're leading information portal portal for having fun of them smoky mountains.00:03:03.270 –> 00:03:04.290 Joseph McElroy: So events coming up.00:03:05.910 –> 00:03:15.720 Joseph McElroy: In two weeks on Julya 9 we have wildcrafting and mother nature's natural garden program with legendary I look at.00:03:16.860 –> 00:03:32.730 Joseph McElroy: It starts at 10 am on July 9 and the fee and the features, the island who's a legendary white wild fasting expert renowned author filmmaker instructor include quick tour guide for the great smoky mountain National Park field school.00:03:34.170 –> 00:03:42.360 Joseph McElroy: She is an expert on edible plants, but this know herbs or anything pertaining to wildcraft orgy an Appalachian.00:03:43.440 –> 00:03:51.120 Joseph McElroy: Plants and trees and the flowers, she has been featured on TV print radio and all sorts of things.00:03:52.770 –> 00:03:59.970 Joseph McElroy: And she is an iconic female that will soon be featured of the smokies will soon be featuring one of our themed rooms.00:04:01.140 –> 00:04:05.520 Joseph McElroy: She is will be presenting their beloved program called mother nature's natural garden.00:04:05.940 –> 00:04:19.980 Joseph McElroy: Which is about forging and natural herbs and things that are in these mountains and then she's gonna lead a short tour of on the grounds of the metal or motel and there are surrounding areas to forage for.00:04:20.760 –> 00:04:34.350 Joseph McElroy: A nature's bounty and to make something of that, and you can learn how to find great things in your own backyard, then the event culminates with the bbq supper and music by Michael real tree and his friends on Saturday.00:04:35.160 –> 00:04:43.260 Joseph McElroy: Efficient dimension is just 20 bucks for a person for for those who are not guests, but guests and inheritance club Members are free.00:04:43.620 –> 00:05:06.720 Joseph McElroy: So that's July 9 that starting at 10am be sure to call eight to 89261717 to get your space now on July 30 this is relevant to this program you guys got to come, but we're going to have the J creek cloggers the viral sensation here dancing from 7:30pm to 9pm at the pavilion.00:05:08.280 –> 00:05:14.850 Joseph McElroy: And it's it's a it's a great town heritage event and will also include the Barbecue dinner.00:05:15.960 –> 00:05:25.200 Joseph McElroy: and on Saturday night, starting at if you come early at six and then the dancing and musical started 730.00:05:25.830 –> 00:05:31.740 Joseph McElroy: It will they will provide the J street Congress will perform multiple examples of traditional mountain dancing.00:05:32.220 –> 00:05:42.690 Joseph McElroy: As well as teaching the audience several fun dance steps we group leader Kim Ross is will be now will also give a short talk on the history and tradition to mountain dancing.00:05:43.140 –> 00:05:49.320 Joseph McElroy: grab your partner and come and join us for a memorable fun filled up with dining and dancing.00:05:49.800 –> 00:06:06.390 Joseph McElroy: The mission is free for hotel guests, as it always is, and heritage club members and $20 per person for people that just want to come and have a night out of the night out and do some mountain heritage again call eight to 89261717 to get your spot.00:06:07.650 –> 00:06:20.610 Joseph McElroy: And then also reserve a room, if you want to stay overnight, and then August 12 through the 13th we're having a great songwriters cramp camp here and it's going to feature some grammy award-winning artists.00:06:21.300 –> 00:06:29.160 Joseph McElroy: Jim Lauderdale there was a legendary songwriter who wrote a lot of George strait's hits and Charles Humphrey the third.00:06:29.610 –> 00:06:38.430 Joseph McElroy: who's another grammy award-winning winner, along with other award-winning artists like Darren Nicholson balsam range playbills and Charles Chamberlain.00:06:38.670 –> 00:06:46.230 Joseph McElroy: it's an event, if you're interested in writing songs you cannot get a better education than these guys are going to be able to give you.00:06:46.680 –> 00:06:55.350 Joseph McElroy: it's a two-day event of interactive story writing instruction with world-class musicians and they will also help you produce a DEMO tape.00:06:55.710 –> 00:07:02.340 Joseph McElroy: and have a takeaway of a DEMO tape and then you have some concert by songs from the spread ban on Friday night.00:07:02.760 –> 00:07:07.980 Joseph McElroy: And then, and then a Saturday night there will be a Barbecue dinner and an all-star concept of all these guys.00:07:08.910 –> 00:07:20.970 Joseph McElroy: Making it a unique event like no other and space is very limited, so the price is 7675 per person for the education and DEMO tape and the fun.00:07:21.840 –> 00:07:32.310 Joseph McElroy: And there are also tickets available for just the concerts call eight to 89261717 to get your space reserve a room or just reserve the.00:07:32.670 –> 00:07:38.820 Joseph McElroy: position of the camp and come and really experienced something that you're not going to find many times in your life.00:07:39.600 –> 00:07:51.450 Joseph McElroy: So today we were talking about the jquery cloggers well, we have the founder of the J Creek Cloggers Kim Ross Woody has firmly entrenched the southern Appalachian.00:07:52.020 –> 00:08:02.400 Joseph McElroy: a native of snowflake Virginia not far from the historic Carter family fold and the birthplace of country music of the Tennessee-Virginia border.00:08:02.670 –> 00:08:09.570 Joseph McElroy: Kim grew up loving old times using Appalachian culture and especially traditional mountain dance.00:08:10.110 –> 00:08:24.870 Joseph McElroy: Does he resides with the family in Waynesville North Carolina and perpetuates her family legacy, by managing dancing with the iconic J Creek Cloggers. How are you doing Kim? Thank you yeah yeah oh yeah it's been an exciting time.00:08:26.220 –> 00:08:27.240 Joseph McElroy: it's been overwhelming.00:08:28.890 –> 00:08:38.010 Joseph McElroy: Well we'll get into the viral sensation but let's find a little bit about your background I like to find out more about our guests, and you know their history and their love for Appalachian.00:08:38.580 –> 00:08:45.510 Joseph McElroy: trail I grew up as you said and stuff like Virginia, which is about two hours from here across the Kingsport Tennessee LAN.00:08:45.960 –> 00:08:54.270 Joseph McElroy: Scott county Virginia Southwest Virginia part home to mother, my bell card or she was actually born in Scott county and Nichols build Virginia.00:08:54.780 –> 00:09:04.170 Joseph McElroy: And everybody knows them ap and Sarah Carter mother, my bell went on, of course, with the music and the recordings in Bristol.00:09:04.620 –> 00:09:15.180 Joseph McElroy: But the historic Carter family fold is in Hilton's Virginia and it started in the 70s, they preserve the old style and bluegrass music and it's all acoustic.00:09:15.840 –> 00:09:26.850 Joseph McElroy: Nothing, you know can be plugged in they want the real deal stringed instruments and you'll see some of the finest flat foot and but dancing they come from all over the world.00:09:27.360 –> 00:09:30.600 Joseph McElroy: Just to come, this one place, which is practically a huge barn.00:09:31.350 –> 00:09:38.490 Joseph McElroy: Yes, and it can hold I think about 2000 people every Saturday night, they have a live show with different bands.00:09:38.850 –> 00:09:46.680 Joseph McElroy: Either bluegrass were all the time, but if you look up Carter family followed on the Internet you'll see there so show schedule that's and stuff like.00:09:47.340 –> 00:09:59.880 Joseph McElroy: That and he'll do in the same town in Georgia snow like was part of that and Nicholas bills part of that counter mother Michael Carter this why what was your temples go for it I'm not sure I think.00:10:01.050 –> 00:10:11.760 Joseph McElroy: The houses were at one time, but it says the elevation we go a little more snow the houses, I was told was painted white he and then the purity of the people that like.00:10:13.980 –> 00:10:23.070 Joseph McElroy: it's not yeah I love snowflakes I still go back and visit when I can, and all the roads that you've got like bobsled road Jingle bell road, so you know.00:10:25.830 –> 00:10:31.860 Joseph McElroy: frosty road some kind of the main sport is a little bit of a tourist destination, or is it just out of the way it.00:10:32.760 –> 00:10:41.100 Joseph McElroy: sounds like not as much, but if you go on up into Nichols feel they have a famous restaurant it's just a little restaurant commentating anybody come from all over.00:10:41.490 –> 00:10:54.840 Joseph McElroy: to eat some other home cooked meals so that's our job easier right right yeah yeah yeah so this Carter folded you go there, often as a child, I did once I hit my teens teenage years I did a lot and.00:10:55.350 –> 00:11:03.840 Joseph McElroy: The people there are just found fun people and then to see the others come from Ireland, China, Japan everywhere, just to be a part of.00:11:04.380 –> 00:11:08.670 Joseph McElroy: The Carter family history because Johnny cash, of course, Mary Jean Carter.00:11:09.270 –> 00:11:22.350 Joseph McElroy: So you have that involvement, he did come to the Carver folds he actually had a house a stadium barfing did you get to see it, I did actually I got to see his last performance, to my knowledge, was at the Carter vote before he passed away and I.00:11:23.490 –> 00:11:33.840 Joseph McElroy: know that Johnny cash actually came to us oh wow my grandmother, the first woman broker real estate broker to spend the state of North Carolina.00:11:34.320 –> 00:11:42.570 Joseph McElroy: Actually, showed him around and showed improperly, wow right yeah I don't know why to use it was probably interesting as a ghost town with sphere, and we had a.00:11:43.050 –> 00:11:51.150 Joseph McElroy: Number of movie stars come here and started doing stuff and they were doing some lots of entertainment at the time, so that's probably why was it I don't know the full story, but I do.00:11:52.050 –> 00:11:58.770 Joseph McElroy: tell me that they were very down to earth and john jr I know he when he was younger before he had married.00:11:59.490 –> 00:12:07.530 Joseph McElroy: My friend and I actually were on the floor dancing when we were talking and he got out, he was shuffling around you know, having a good time, but they were very down-to-earth people.00:12:08.130 –> 00:12:11.370 Joseph McElroy: But I can't say enough about the Carter folks are trying to preserve.00:12:12.300 –> 00:12:22.860 Joseph McElroy: Joe and Jeanette the original ones that had built the quarter fault, have passed away and she admits daughter Rita is running it now oh cool but it's wonderful because they're preserving.00:12:23.640 –> 00:12:37.440 Joseph McElroy: You know old-time music bluegrass music, the history behind that Johnny cash is rocking chairs up there in the cabin so there's a lot of history, I have a museum, what about the middle of nowhere yeah out the middle of nowhere practically what I call a cow pasture.00:12:38.580 –> 00:12:43.200 Joseph McElroy: Well, this will go take a break now okay all right we'll come back we'll talk about your history alright sounds good.00:14:59.010 –> 00:15:12.510 Joseph McElroy: howdy this is Joseph Franklin McElroy back with the gateway to the smokies podcast my guest Kim Ross. so Kim so you started learning to dance pretty young, right? well, I grew up in a family that danced with my dad.00:15:13.050 –> 00:15:19.320 Joseph McElroy: was actually a tenant farmer his family was growing up, so they didn't own the land, but they work the land for people and Nicholas bill.00:15:19.740 –> 00:15:22.620 Joseph McElroy: And he was one of the best flat photos I've ever seen.00:15:23.100 –> 00:15:30.540 Joseph McElroy: They actually would put him up on the box I've heard the stories as a child and people would throw nickels and he would make money for his family that way.00:15:30.750 –> 00:15:46.890 Joseph McElroy: So I grew up flat footing and just grew up in a family, I never had lessons didn't know that there were certain names for movements yeah just and then of course going to the Carter fall just was a big influence that was a big yeah identify with that you know that.00:15:48.060 –> 00:15:58.680 Joseph McElroy: You know, we had the playhouse here, we had rabid Fairchild is here, yes, so I would yeah I grew up going to the playhouse just learned to do some I think.00:15:59.700 –> 00:16:06.450 Joseph McElroy: I told you before I can't even do the double-tap but I know how to you know shuffle around pretty good.00:16:09.840 –> 00:16:11.040 Joseph McElroy: New York City, I can take it.00:16:15.780 –> 00:16:25.260 Joseph McElroy: But there are some pretty bad, so there was no, no, but that was good, you know but.00:16:26.580 –> 00:16:44.790 Joseph McElroy: You actually moved here today, which is about 30 some years ago, I was just you know was sharing and just wanting to see different places and I'm in the medical field, so I got on at St joseph's hospital there and Asheville and I went to a street Vance Joseph queen was called.00:16:46.620 –> 00:16:56.850 Joseph McElroy: Say wow and I met the boy's Father there at the street dance a long time ago and state, of course, and had two children and homeschool right.00:16:57.210 –> 00:17:08.670 Joseph McElroy: They heavenly fire off and during the homeschool in tongues but didn't from start to finish, I wanted them to learn, you know about dance and music they actually play the music they had a band too.00:17:09.330 –> 00:17:23.760 Joseph McElroy: And about 13 years ago I started my dance team, of course, and it was from my end plus preserved and what I call traditional freestyle dance right to carry it on and teach my kids and educate them, otherwise I think it's going to be a lost art if we don't know.00:17:24.900 –> 00:17:36.330 Joseph McElroy: yeah well that's what we're going to promote it here because I believe it is very much yeah so so 30 some years ago, you came here and gotten started to get an immersive dance culture, yes.00:17:37.470 –> 00:17:48.420 Joseph McElroy: And you know what side you know I love Haywood county and bulk edit have live yeah Friday nights when an angel has live screen during the war bogs.00:17:48.990 –> 00:17:59.130 Joseph McElroy: an actual have the shindig on the great and then I know we can't have taken in the park on Friday night yeah yes wide variety so let's be.00:18:00.240 –> 00:18:05.100 Joseph McElroy: dancing in the streets and being made, I think it is and it's great.00:18:05.730 –> 00:18:18.570 Joseph McElroy: yeah especially postcode but now people want to get out and they're enjoying it and the one thing that my team does is actually teach with the audience out and teach them these routines some of the footwork and I love it yeah love it.00:18:19.470 –> 00:18:32.580 Joseph McElroy: So I know that you're immersed in the history of this now right yeah that's how you did a podcast on the history of the plugin Haywood county yeah can you give me like the one-minute spiel about.00:18:35.550 –> 00:18:38.790 Joseph McElroy: The dance things really started here in Haywood County and the end.00:18:39.780 –> 00:18:43.530 Joseph McElroy: and Joe same Queens family was big for that to you know big into that part.00:18:43.740 –> 00:18:56.460 Joseph McElroy: And in 1939 FDR was in an office king and Queen of England was on the way to Canada you want it to catch him to talk about Germany he and when he got them there and I think it's been there only visit your ever.00:18:56.940 –> 00:19:09.030 Joseph McElroy: And he brought in the concrete girls all-female string band and soco get bloggers or from a wood county you so they represented up their dance for the King and queen he fed them dots.00:19:09.780 –> 00:19:15.540 Joseph McElroy: And they later said it was the picnic that one the war because they did ally with us later with Germany.00:19:16.920 –> 00:19:24.540 Joseph McElroy: You know I've always said Haywood county is huge, you know the dance team competitions and the team started here and then basketball marlins for with.00:19:25.080 –> 00:19:33.480 Joseph McElroy: You know in Asheville with the shindig and the smoky mountain folk festival, and then the team dances competitions and then go into the White House what more could you.00:19:34.050 –> 00:19:41.940 Joseph McElroy: know and we're trying to preserve that because it was freestyle bands, which means that works all unique 80s and 90s, we had a lot of the World Championship yes.00:19:44.730 –> 00:19:51.270 Joseph McElroy: Yes, stomping around oh yeah are there on Saturday Saturday nights it used to be six days a week.00:19:53.040 –> 00:20:04.140 Joseph McElroy: yeah that was pretty amazing, but now kozel which is 90 now so he's probably I guess yeah yeah yeah and he still keeps single one and.00:20:04.980 –> 00:20:07.770 Joseph McElroy: Inside of that building beautiful place to go Nice.00:20:08.640 –> 00:20:21.360 Joseph McElroy: cool yes, so you started the J Creek Cloggers, yep, which is short for Jonathan creek which runs right in the back of the motel all the way down what's called down the gravel.00:20:21.840 –> 00:20:38.130 Joseph McElroy: yeah so in perspective, but people aren't 40 it's the exit 20 Maggie Valley exit you can come off and Jonathan creek runs a whole thing and then console into it, but most of us for from that area when I started the team 13 years, so we well you know I grew up.00:20:39.150 –> 00:20:46.260 Joseph McElroy: There too yeah pretty proud of that creaking yes yeah it was most of it so.00:20:47.340 –> 00:20:59.820 Joseph McElroy: What do you said you want to preserve the culture, but it was there any kind of catalyst that said just do this well I just you know, preserving the culture it's also a good social means because I was homeschool my children.00:21:00.570 –> 00:21:12.480 Joseph McElroy: You know, and to see now that we've grown from six to eight people when I started to 35, 40 people and a lot of them are teenagers to upset their electronics aside.00:21:15.120 –> 00:21:28.950 Joseph McElroy: and learn the culture, learn the dance and be educated on it and they want to do it so yeah oh yeah yeah I think that dances become popular in our culture, again, it is yeah I'll sudden now you know.00:21:29.820 –> 00:21:37.980 Joseph McElroy: Each routine has a meaning when you do ride some laughs and other things there's a meaning behind that teach that to the people on the team, but you know I.00:21:38.880 –> 00:21:49.410 Joseph McElroy: I thought was interesting looking at yeah I haven't seen you live, yet, but you're gonna be here till July it's already I'll be there yeah and you can teach my little three and a half-year-olds to call.00:21:51.270 –> 00:21:53.940 Joseph McElroy: audience, we want to evolve it yeah.00:21:54.420 –> 00:22:01.290 Joseph McElroy: So, but you get the audience directly involved by teaching them to additional steps yes.00:22:01.500 –> 00:22:09.120 Joseph McElroy: teaching them about history of each of the styles right we do because there's been advance and there's flat foot and the clogging board actually the.00:22:09.330 –> 00:22:14.370 Joseph McElroy: Queen of England coin that she was over you're visiting she said that looks a lot like clogging.00:22:14.670 –> 00:22:22.830 Joseph McElroy: So the clogging sort of got coined by her, but I started out flat foot, which I still do it's an old style of what what is difference between flat.00:22:23.520 –> 00:22:27.750 Joseph McElroy: Keep your with flat, but you keep your feet two inches from the floor, no more.00:22:27.990 –> 00:22:39.900 Joseph McElroy: Right it's mostly your lower body that works your legs and very little movement from your upper body, whereas, but thanks to this more exaggerated it's a lot of movement and you bring your feet, more than two inches off the floor.00:22:40.920 –> 00:22:44.100 Joseph McElroy: sort of what lessons, they have does is more what we call advances.00:22:44.730 –> 00:22:54.150 Joseph McElroy: flat foot and come out of the Scottish Irish I think yeah I think it's a mixed even the Cherokee yeah movements, like us, and then you get back in the mountains, you can even tell.00:22:54.510 –> 00:23:02.580 Joseph McElroy: People who are from canton by the style of dance versus people from cloud or wines what's really cool so it's just my style the town's every.00:23:04.770 –> 00:23:12.750 Joseph McElroy: Word networks created a sort of style here right yeah yeah he was famous for putting the water put on his head thanks to with other phone.00:23:16.050 –> 00:23:23.310 Joseph McElroy: did a great job with that yeah wow wow so so you know.00:23:26.160 –> 00:23:31.050 Joseph McElroy: You see, you already explained how clogged came about right, I have is that why.00:23:31.620 –> 00:23:42.270 Joseph McElroy: because she said that is not why it is with coins that you know as far as the movement was similar to what they did I think in England, but we have our own style but but but Nancy.00:23:42.870 –> 00:23:46.740 Joseph McElroy: You know I tell people that we have people on the team that strictly flat foot.00:23:47.160 –> 00:23:53.730 Joseph McElroy: We have people that strictly but Vance we have people that combine the two yeah so it's really nice because we're freestyle which means we're not.00:23:54.000 –> 00:24:04.110 Joseph McElroy: we're not in unison with our footwork but we're in the same seat now there's other stuff called stop this what is that i'm not sure I think that's just more word right but do a lot of stop and.00:24:05.580 –> 00:24:05.910 Joseph McElroy: Make sure.00:24:07.410 –> 00:24:17.220 Joseph McElroy: everybody's got different names for things I knew clog dancing I knew I knew flatfooted wasn't as much prevalent when I was growing up target above it but they.00:24:18.240 –> 00:24:29.190 Joseph McElroy: do about it and there are so many names that may not somebody says, but whatever and i'm like I didn't grow up with names I just grew up dancing you know, everybody has coined little movement so.00:24:29.700 –> 00:24:39.450 Joseph McElroy: there's multiple names out there for stuff so you started this 13 years ago, which means you got into the mix right yes and you've been I guess then you've been.00:24:40.230 –> 00:24:43.830 Joseph McElroy: you've been performing all over North Carolina the various festivals like phone.00:24:44.250 –> 00:24:54.870 Joseph McElroy: Number yeah all over we've we've been to the library dice frankie Griffin down male married we go into Virginia dance Tennessee South Carolina and that's before anything went viral.00:24:55.440 –> 00:25:00.060 Joseph McElroy: We were you know going around and week we were different color we don't have to say you.00:25:00.600 –> 00:25:12.300 Joseph McElroy: are more traditional kind of outfits and lots of color wow cool yeah So what is it what is your what are your favorite festivals, what are the ones you recommend people go see oh wow there's some.00:25:13.290 –> 00:25:20.220 Joseph McElroy: I know we have one coming up and deals are actually that I love it's coming up, I think, July 15 and then the Mount airy one that.00:25:21.750 –> 00:25:25.770 Joseph McElroy: was a close deals, for I think it's just the arts and crafts festival, and they have a slayer.00:25:26.670 –> 00:25:40.110 Joseph McElroy: And it's I believe it's July 15 will be in pigeon forge this coming weekend all right, and we have a big thing coming up July that I'm excited about the first time ever we're doing it it's on the side, or they wanted three a meet and greet.00:25:41.310 –> 00:25:52.800 Joseph McElroy: stomping grounds cool you get to make the team have pictures my with us and get out and dance with it, what time is that 123 o'clock 123 yeah look come at 10am to go.00:25:54.210 –> 00:25:54.870 Joseph McElroy: learn how to.00:25:57.390 –> 00:25:59.460 Joseph McElroy: go over there, they come back for bbq.00:26:01.290 –> 00:26:02.220 Joseph McElroy: i'll be ready to eat.00:26:03.990 –> 00:26:12.780 Joseph McElroy: that's a damn and everybody, we got a fabulous day for you, I tell you one of the other festivals that was awesome is Darnell farms, I don't know if you're familiar.00:26:13.230 –> 00:26:22.800 Joseph McElroy: But Oh, my goodness, I have strawberry festival yeah and will be at the watermelon festival coming up so there's just too many tonight oh yeah there's the apple for school but.00:26:23.490 –> 00:26:30.000 Joseph McElroy: When we did the riot fest points go, Scott, the smoky mountain festival I think it's coming back this year, like oh really yes.00:26:31.740 –> 00:26:38.670 Joseph McElroy: Yes, fabulous yeah we do have a lot of them yeah you ever want to come to a county where you get festival down.00:26:41.700 –> 00:26:49.530 Joseph McElroy: Which is great it's great so yeah so and as any venues, you have to stop the ground right oh yeah stomping grounds.00:26:50.250 –> 00:26:57.360 Joseph McElroy: But any other venues in western North Carolina that you think are just fabulous Well, I do have one into Andrews to Jamie's picking green.00:26:58.200 –> 00:27:12.660 Joseph McElroy: yeah it's not as well known, I don't think, but they have awesome music a fiddle player and he saw insider day that's too, so we don't get to go out with all difficult stomping ground yeah and wherever the mile high end as I love going there to.00:27:16.530 –> 00:27:17.970 Joseph McElroy: play out to be.00:27:19.650 –> 00:27:22.380 Joseph McElroy: with you to take another break we'll come back talk about the.00:29:31.140 –> 00:29:37.650 Joseph McElroy: howdy this is Joseph Franklin McElroy back to the gateway to the smokies podcast my guest Kim Ross.00:29:38.160 –> 00:29:47.400 Joseph McElroy: So you know Kim, you know I'm impressed by you know you don't do you don't necessarily do this for a living, but to do for hash yes and you've been involved.00:29:47.940 –> 00:30:01.050 Joseph McElroy: You know, sharing knowledge sharing a passion for this dance of this music and I think that's fabulous I think you're doing a lot to distill that dispel the dumb hillbilly sharing.00:30:01.980 –> 00:30:03.780 Joseph McElroy: Maybe what you can play hillbilly Jim right.00:30:04.650 –> 00:30:14.850 Joseph McElroy: I believe it's July 23 it'll be out of here at the bag valley fairgrounds and will be there, I think it's six o'clock Vance and I'm really excited yeah This is our first time being disobedient.00:30:15.510 –> 00:30:41.550 Joseph McElroy: hillbilly jams, a great event huge stars come to hear people say oh yeah lots of man, will be dancer I think for about an hour, but recently right now that hillbilly myth has been hit dispelled, are you guys became essentially world famous due to to a video of your son said yes.00:30:43.320 –> 00:30:50.790 Joseph McElroy: dancing with the J creek Cloggers and went viral tell me about that Okay, so we were at Darnell farms of bras and city and mark.00:30:52.080 –> 00:30:57.120 Joseph McElroy: doing our thing just dancing as usual and somebody approached Jason Jordan, I think, was his name.00:30:57.600 –> 00:31:12.960 Joseph McElroy: I product to say we didn't know him is from Georgia visiting he said, can I feel you all and we're used to being filmed all the time, so I filmed and about a week later, you know I got woke up in the middle of night and said, your sons went viral and I thought Oh, is he sick.00:31:15.000 –> 00:31:20.520 Joseph McElroy: Now, and they're like no check out chick talk I said I don't know what it is don't know what instagram me.00:31:21.630 –> 00:31:31.320 Joseph McElroy: So I got a tik tok account, I saw it I'm like Oh, my goodness that's not the music that we were we were banjo and fiddle and they put it to the Hochstetler, yeah you know which was cool.00:31:31.890 –> 00:31:42.870 Joseph McElroy: Man, this is really neat and somebody named eggs Tyrone on instagram I finally got an account in April and it's like i've been looking for you guys he put i'm a thug by trick Daddy.00:31:45.720 –> 00:31:56.580 Joseph McElroy: You know and i'm like Oh, my goodness, so two months and we're at 120 7000 followers on instagram and millions upon millions of hits all these videos.00:31:56.970 –> 00:32:12.300 Joseph McElroy: And it's just been it's been almost overwhelming I had to bring on the sand, because I know nothing about other than Facebook only social media ever well that's what we grew up with, I mean we were there, the thousand so that's our demographic yeah.00:32:15.210 –> 00:32:15.600 Joseph McElroy: well.00:32:16.680 –> 00:32:20.940 Joseph McElroy: I did have to kick 50,000 years but you pay for you, you got 100 million.00:32:24.150 –> 00:32:39.570 Joseph McElroy: On me oh yeah and they just keep coming yeah we've shot several music videos with epic coming artists smile yeah fan in commercials products are being sent to us mail, you know to draw on and yeah yeah it's been it's been really good.00:32:40.650 –> 00:32:49.800 Joseph McElroy: and your your son said he's got it has become an icon and you got a new dictate what is that the legend calling the ledge oh really yes.00:32:51.060 –> 00:33:02.910 Joseph McElroy: coin that Charles run from American song Kelly clarkson snoop dogg it on TV came and shot a video with us to his new book good song and he coins their village.00:33:03.540 –> 00:33:18.030 Joseph McElroy: where it came from, and everybody on social media just started calling me back so therefore which the legends he does not have instagram everybody keeps asking he's under the J creek clovers because that's who he is he's a machinist trade.00:33:20.160 –> 00:33:20.550 Joseph McElroy: know.00:33:21.600 –> 00:33:23.520 Joseph McElroy: 1012-hour shifts through the way.00:33:24.960 –> 00:33:33.120 Joseph McElroy: yeah he's loving it and you guys have a you have coined a firm called term called the hillbilly Chris walken what is that.00:33:34.440 –> 00:33:41.250 Joseph McElroy: They had mentioned some of them had reached out to like Well he see dance Center he's Chris walken i'm like i'm sure you know he's been dancing.00:33:41.550 –> 00:33:50.820 Joseph McElroy: But um I guess in different environments that's what they call it, because he does, do you know funny stuff with his feet, is what I call it, we call it a spaghetti.00:33:51.840 –> 00:34:02.160 Joseph McElroy: all over the place, so we call it the hillbilly quick quick walk yeah well, I saw a video of him doing it, he said he called it, he said it looks like a broken ankle it does.00:34:02.700 –> 00:34:13.200 Joseph McElroy: That, but then he comes out and does with his feet yeah and it's just like he's floating on air, and if you notice his upper body movement doesn't move if legend that would be the flat foot part of.00:34:13.620 –> 00:34:19.500 Joseph McElroy: Phase one more but that's another step and he said the secret was he's actually I was totally yeah yeah.00:34:23.370 –> 00:34:26.730 Joseph McElroy: Having the wallet and then his smile is just infectious.00:34:27.750 –> 00:34:35.250 Joseph McElroy: You know so it's just all rolled into one and it went and you've gotten to perform on stage with superstars like like Caroline killing Charles.00:34:36.540 –> 00:34:50.580 Joseph McElroy: And then brandon being came he has a new hit out called blue collar squalor and he did the whole video here in South stopping really yes wow he's got a new one come out I think don't take my land coming out Monday next week you.00:34:52.020 –> 00:35:03.690 Joseph McElroy: Have you finished still say security router right we have we have we already had bookings before we went viral will not turn those down we've had multiple offers that we're going to fulfill everything we have.00:35:04.110 –> 00:35:13.830 Joseph McElroy: we're all about preserving tradition, will you you booked here after you do that yeah because we're Maggie Valley yeah yep because we're in your homes that.00:35:14.190 –> 00:35:23.460 Joseph McElroy: We really appreciate, yes, we have that date, open to work really well yeah I think we've got an event earlier that day and then of course the so.00:35:24.090 –> 00:35:33.180 Joseph McElroy: It went well, but we, you know we're all when I call blue-collar workers, all of us have real jobs from roofers to the machine is to medical field and.00:35:33.870 –> 00:35:43.620 Joseph McElroy: We just do this because we love it we want to preserve I think it's considered Americana nail what we yeah it's it's because you do, because you.00:35:54.990 –> 00:35:56.520 Joseph McElroy: want to stir.00:35:57.540 –> 00:35:58.140 Joseph McElroy: The sickness.00:36:00.360 –> 00:36:11.610 Joseph McElroy: fun to watch these in these I think they're called means mimi's I didn't know that means he's an all kinds of stuff now yeah it's hilarious that's a poor kid I wouldn't be starting next.00:36:12.570 –> 00:36:21.390 Joseph McElroy: week when he does interviews he's like I was dancing and my mom was failing because I didn't start until I gave birth to both of my kids but i'm probably when he was six or seven.00:36:21.690 –> 00:36:35.850 Joseph McElroy: took an interest, and then, when he was a teenager when I started to really immerse yourself in it and I told him what I knew, but I said, you need to find your own unique style with your footwork that's what makes us unique and we're freestyle dancers, and he did.00:36:37.260 –> 00:36:41.940 Joseph McElroy: Under the DNA just that you know he came up with his own little thing that he wanted to do when.00:36:42.510 –> 00:36:58.260 Joseph McElroy: You see a lot of that during what we call our rise and shine which means our show off a portion of our routine that's when you get to go out there and do your thing in front yeah we know when I was in New York, you know back in the day it's different now but back in the day, you know.00:36:59.430 –> 00:37:06.360 Joseph McElroy: Men didn't really get a lot of places the United States didn't get updates shops right yeah and I grew up buck dance right.00:37:07.470 –> 00:37:11.880 Joseph McElroy: People do I would say, you know I from haywood county where men are not afraid to give up.00:37:14.880 –> 00:37:20.190 Joseph McElroy: And we have we find that, as we go that people are really first they're not sure like want to get up.00:37:20.730 –> 00:37:27.450 Joseph McElroy: They see other people might just be and they have a blast I don't want to sit back down well you know they're they're just they're having fun and that's what it's all about.00:37:27.810 –> 00:37:37.890 Joseph McElroy: And how does a typical show go where you teach people started out he can perform which we on track, we usually do at darnell farms, we have a two hour show, but most of our shows are an hour long.00:37:38.490 –> 00:37:46.200 Joseph McElroy: So we go out their performance I speak a little bit and other performance and then we get the audience involved in my husband's professional square dance color.00:37:46.590 –> 00:37:53.160 Joseph McElroy: So he'll get them out teach them the circle ups and then I do a little educational talk and then we ended with a performance.00:37:53.490 –> 00:38:06.030 Joseph McElroy: So they get fully immersed in everything we do and plus I get to meet all of the dancing yeah all of us and we're just we always called our social circle of friendship, I want everybody to come out there and it could be as kids as young this.00:38:07.440 –> 00:38:17.340 Joseph McElroy: One of the children that started with me was two years old, and she said, think 12 or 13 now yeah cuz I got i've got a 30 year old son I should get him here dance.00:38:18.030 –> 00:38:32.250 Joseph McElroy: But I do have three and a half year old twins right and anya my daughter is already like do ballet she loves the class, but he said he likes to do that just freestyle that's good yeah goodness a perfect day yeah.00:38:32.970 –> 00:38:35.010 Joseph McElroy: Good for they're not bash for anything.00:38:35.190 –> 00:38:41.970 Joseph McElroy: And one thing about the team i'll say is we come from all walks of life with Italy everything else we leave it at the table and we cut.00:38:42.060 –> 00:38:53.190 Joseph McElroy: The fellowship the music and dance, we made it work for 13 years yeah just just having a good time enjoying laugh together well it's good that you have do you have any videos or or or.00:38:53.910 –> 00:39:03.120 Joseph McElroy: recordings or anything that you're done yourselves yeah we have somebody on the team vicki that actually records much to bark performances and so their own Facebook.00:39:03.480 –> 00:39:09.600 Joseph McElroy: jquery Congress instagram jquery cloggers tick tock tick tock are so there's plenty of videos out there.00:39:10.410 –> 00:39:20.100 Joseph McElroy: But people have been taken them and Devon over so a lot of the basic you here is not even what we're dancing to which it's been fun they paid us from everything to heavy metal to ballet music.00:39:21.960 –> 00:39:23.370 Joseph McElroy: Now, with this viral event.00:39:24.810 –> 00:39:36.810 Joseph McElroy: is how have you been handling I mean I was overwhelmed at first, because I was on page one 3000 comments, a day great message and everything else we grew so fast.00:39:37.500 –> 00:39:53.880 Joseph McElroy: role in my niece from kingsport Tennessee maddie is getting her degree in media to help with instagram my son's wife is doing the merchandise part and so you know I have people on the team their help, and so we were handling it now, but it was overwhelming I was ready to flush month.00:39:55.980 –> 00:39:56.370 Joseph McElroy: Although that.00:39:58.380 –> 00:40:08.070 Joseph McElroy: Is do you have a couple of negative yeah but not bad, no not bad at all, you know it's being I was amazed, because I wasn't sure you know.00:40:08.700 –> 00:40:19.560 Joseph McElroy: But no it's been I would say 99% positive you know you're always gonna have a few that come out, so I something they're like you know he's got a big belly well when we start thinking.00:40:20.160 –> 00:40:26.160 Joseph McElroy: within two weeks, the last probably 20 pounds once we get back on tour they have nervous like oh he's looks and white male.00:40:35.460 –> 00:40:39.480 Joseph McElroy: hey we can that's exactly it in a place here that, is there a carb heavy.00:40:42.600 –> 00:40:59.880 Joseph McElroy: yeah fine dining plates about this big oh yeah so i've been very blessed conceal the big one does videos what does pictures on the dance team they know nicer time so we've got the you know perfect mix now how is this newfound fame.00:41:01.350 –> 00:41:10.470 Joseph McElroy: But he's got to be very good son, he is now that people notice, you know they can run up and they want pictures made and he's had to learn how to balance that.00:41:10.680 –> 00:41:21.120 Joseph McElroy: Because you know, some people want to talk for 20 minutes we have performance coming up once it's done you're going to have to learn how to be nicely talk to them and they're telling you better performance and you can come back and talk a little later.00:41:21.630 –> 00:41:29.970 Joseph McElroy: But he wasn't sure how to handle everything its beginning and then he's just decided i'm just i'm nobody special as well, your special while.00:41:31.950 –> 00:41:35.880 Joseph McElroy: So, but he's doing well on the teams doing a lot of people recognize the team.00:41:37.320 –> 00:41:44.340 Joseph McElroy: yeah now i'm just the team incorporated in a separate set does it to know they're all.00:41:45.900 –> 00:41:54.960 Joseph McElroy: they're all unique yeah everybody's got their own unique footwork so we have several teenagers, we have excellent dancers, on the team he just happened to be the one I guess the.00:41:56.280 –> 00:41:57.180 Joseph McElroy: Music was right.00:41:58.710 –> 00:42:07.830 Joseph McElroy: yeah yeah so they've all week which we have we're very family oriented and that's the way we've stayed nothing's really changed with us as a team we're still.00:42:08.220 –> 00:42:19.950 Joseph McElroy: The good people we always worried, you know enjoying laughs, but it has to affect yeah some vision of what your performances are going to be out your contents going to be, we know there.00:42:20.850 –> 00:42:25.530 Joseph McElroy: That there's bigger stuff on the horizon, that I can't talk about yet so we're gonna you know we're going to.00:42:26.130 –> 00:42:35.580 Joseph McElroy: Probably buckle down a little bit on exactly what we're going to be doing and nothing's going to change with the performances, but maybe just make sure the flow is there, you know.00:42:36.120 –> 00:42:49.080 Joseph McElroy: Asking questions that he asked me what do you expect How long are the you know, is it an hour performance, what would you like to see how would you like us to dress you know, sometimes we're an overall for the meal sometimes bluejeans yeah.00:42:50.100 –> 00:42:52.830 Joseph McElroy: yeah and overalls New York City.00:42:55.470 –> 00:43:03.180 Joseph McElroy: And the women's in dresses and criminal yeah yeah oh yeah all right we're gonna take the last break here and then come back and talk a little bit about.00:43:05.070 –> 00:43:06.060 Joseph McElroy: Like that all right.00:45:07.440 –> 00:45:15.960 Joseph McElroy: howdy this is Joseph Franklyn McElroy back with the gateway to the smokies podcast my guest Kim Ross.00:45:16.560 –> 00:45:29.220 Joseph McElroy: You know you're a dancer and your transcript medical transcriptions yes, I read that you also had a pottery business for what did I had Ross pottery I was in the grove arcade and Asheville and did a lot.00:45:30.210 –> 00:45:42.480 Joseph McElroy: Of videos of all places, and it was called mountain made I think it's still there, she does local you know to the within I think 100-mile radius or something in North Carolina but yeah I loved it I did.00:45:43.590 –> 00:45:53.220 Joseph McElroy: a freeform style and then the wheel and loved it, but when this went viral I have not had time and I sold all my quick weeks ago.00:45:54.390 –> 00:45:55.740 Joseph McElroy: So you went all in.00:45:58.620 –> 00:46:05.730 Joseph McElroy: And just run in the regular login team, and now the disciplines went viral it's just you know I'm spending seven hours a day.00:46:06.330 –> 00:46:14.070 Joseph McElroy: Since the barrel thing just trying to keep up with the messages, but how did the you know the haptic experience of.00:46:14.550 –> 00:46:23.850 Joseph McElroy: Making pottery how did that translate it to answer vice versa, is there were there and I grew up over regards maybe so just from you know.00:46:24.510 –> 00:46:29.520 Joseph McElroy: The form, I don't know because I'm all about movement and pottery is all about.00:46:30.060 –> 00:46:37.590 Joseph McElroy: So some of my stuff, especially with the color variations, I had a very colorful person, you can tell them outfits are where when I plug.00:46:37.950 –> 00:46:50.190 Joseph McElroy: But my pottery would have it could be yellow-orange purple blues i'll mix everywhere, but yeah I would say just the movement of the pottery and again homeschooling the boys, I put them into pottery classes we've met good Earth.00:46:50.490 –> 00:46:59.640 Joseph McElroy: hazelwood I don't think that studios there anymore yeah Bob was a great teacher i'm left handed so he had a little bit of a harder time teaching me.00:47:00.900 –> 00:47:17.160 Joseph McElroy: I don't think like other people, you know, but I loved doing the pottery and again it was another avenue for the voice, you know, then they had their little band and dancing but yeah I sold everything we know I had to we had corey plot here Bob Smith oh yeah great.00:47:18.600 –> 00:47:30.600 Joseph McElroy: And you did a class half-day on pottery and my three year old twins came here and they actually paid attention for an hour and a half Oh, my goodness, can you imagine, can you imagine three or a.00:47:31.050 –> 00:47:40.740 Joseph McElroy: Day actually they're involved paid attention listening even asking questions getting a little pots and stuff like that I thought it is something that seems.00:47:41.460 –> 00:48:00.690 Joseph McElroy: Right yeah it is you know and it's part of the earth always say you know a lot of them get the claim it's local from bucks county Water plays out there, so but yeah I loved it, but I was ready to La yeah I can't do everything in place, so, if you look over here it's all good oh yeah.00:48:02.100 –> 00:48:05.430 Joseph McElroy: If you can find some of her binary somewhere it's now a collector's edition.00:48:06.480 –> 00:48:06.840 Joseph McElroy: yeah.00:48:09.030 –> 00:48:19.080 Joseph McElroy: So, so you know we we yeah this is this podcast is also just about get the smokies stuff in general, I like that, yes, talk about other things that they enjoy I know you like.00:48:19.590 –> 00:48:26.190 Joseph McElroy: I love it we go what sunburst not a lot and pink beds graveyard fields different places, my husband.00:48:26.790 –> 00:48:35.340 Joseph McElroy: Even we even get off and just don't even follow a trail he he was very young he's 65 now, but he knows all about up in that area and then.00:48:36.300 –> 00:48:48.480 Joseph McElroy: phishing attacks photographer to so I still do some photography just the family, my family and then, when we come out, we like to go to the pan your restaurant over there in class oh really yeah.00:48:50.460 –> 00:48:55.830 Joseph McElroy: that's a long time, oh yeah I really like the plan your you know yeah it's been around long.00:48:57.540 –> 00:48:58.740 Joseph McElroy: Enough peanut butter, milkshake.00:49:01.020 –> 00:49:01.800 Joseph McElroy: shake from sonic.00:49:03.570 –> 00:49:03.930 Joseph McElroy: Yes.00:49:07.380 –> 00:49:14.940 Joseph McElroy: yeah well is there, what if I wanted to take my twins out, you know there's only three and a half, they can't walk along well what would be the best family.00:49:15.720 –> 00:49:21.990 Joseph McElroy: Like to take your mom well like I said i'm begging the sunburst because there's a pull off right there is the campground.00:49:22.350 –> 00:49:29.970 Joseph McElroy: and pull in right there or to the left or the road and walk right down to the water it's a while, and then to the right of the campground.00:49:30.240 –> 00:49:38.640 Joseph McElroy: it's an easy walk to this just you know it's flat, so I would suggest there i'm sure yeah i'm just i'm real familiar with the place and love it by campfire.00:49:38.910 –> 00:49:45.510 Joseph McElroy: And being a photographer What would you say is one of the best places to go take photos oh wow like devils courthouse.00:49:45.870 –> 00:49:57.900 Joseph McElroy: sunburst again i've done and just any of the local places Jonathan Craig any of the waterways soco Scott gorgeous visa here too, so yeah just anywhere, the most photographed view in the stoke.00:49:59.070 –> 00:50:03.000 Joseph McElroy: there's an old there's old place there's still the old sign up there, that was yeah.00:50:04.170 –> 00:50:09.840 Joseph McElroy: The client actually has a beautiful oh yeah you down through the valley so yeah but.00:50:10.830 –> 00:50:22.200 Joseph McElroy: it's pretty you know it's there's so many places here that are just beautiful, you know I love up on pot like way up on the mountain and we have a gorgeous view sometimes we'll plan to fall back and everybody else was.00:50:23.160 –> 00:50:33.930 Joseph McElroy: yeah so we're getting close what is what's the future for the jquery floaters ah, I don't know we're taking it day by day we've had lots of our first from TV shows to.00:50:34.110 –> 00:50:41.190 Joseph McElroy: All kinds of stuff and we sit down, either as a team or a family and discuss each thing, some people just want their some people want the whole team.00:50:42.510 –> 00:50:43.200 Joseph McElroy: So we'll say.00:50:44.640 –> 00:50:45.300 Joseph McElroy: goodbye for.00:50:47.370 –> 00:50:54.390 Joseph McElroy: yeah sometimes I just want him just because I guess the legends they have went viral right.00:50:55.140 –> 00:51:04.860 Joseph McElroy: So we just take it day by day, you know yeah we're just taking our time not rushing in reading thing don't want to make any mistakes because we're still a family will stay that way yeah yeah that's good I mean.00:51:05.130 –> 00:51:10.410 Joseph McElroy: I was saying before you nobody's prepared for viral now I was back into dad one of the first five.00:51:10.860 –> 00:51:19.170 Joseph McElroy: videos and you're never prepared for it and then afterwards, you know you feel like he didn't leverage right, so you feel guilty.00:51:19.620 –> 00:51:31.890 Joseph McElroy: But i'm telling you right now, no matter what happens just enjoying the moment we are we're here and there's no way to be prepared for it and there's no way to figure out how to leverage it the leveraging it's like it happened by luck, a lot of.00:51:32.970 –> 00:51:41.370 Joseph McElroy: Meaning skill like met skill right and whatever you do with it is really just about as long as you're having fun.00:51:42.510 –> 00:51:49.890 Joseph McElroy: Are you can't put $1 sign on friendship or family i've always said that I would rather have my friends and family, the money any day.00:51:50.970 –> 00:51:55.920 Joseph McElroy: You know i'll walk away from some it's going to cause a problem, but you always have that in your pocket say, well, we were.00:51:57.420 –> 00:51:57.930 Joseph McElroy: People that's.00:51:58.980 –> 00:51:59.610 Joseph McElroy: worthwhile.00:52:00.630 –> 00:52:11.550 Joseph McElroy: For a while, maybe some of the education and you know, we had never heard of or seen it from other countries are all heard of suburban kids are learning how to plug do the hillbilly coupon.00:52:13.980 –> 00:52:19.290 Joseph McElroy: started it's great So how can people find out more about Okay, they can call me i'll get.00:52:21.000 –> 00:52:36.750 Joseph McElroy: Eight to 87340873 we're on instagram tick tock Facebook is Jay creek cloggers that's the letter J and then Casey rw JC see at gmail COM okay there's a couple of ways, you can.00:52:38.910 –> 00:52:46.560 Joseph McElroy: And we're on Instagram and Facebook all that's on there too yeah I don't forget July 30 there near la mota.00:52:47.640 –> 00:52:49.530 Joseph McElroy: dancing and teaching a little bit.00:52:50.910 –> 00:52:58.530 Joseph McElroy: And I'll be here, trying to put on a good foot and I'll get my little twins out there, and he might be my wife old state, we want everybody.00:52:59.550 –> 00:53:00.780 Joseph McElroy: We do a lot of fun.00:53:02.010 –> 00:53:02.400 Joseph McElroy: Right.00:53:04.710 –> 00:53:13.710 Joseph McElroy: Oh, my goodness, social dance music is very fun all right I'm ready for it yeah okay cool moment to thank you so much for being on the show.00:53:15.330 –> 00:53:24.990 Joseph McElroy: Congratulations on your thyroxine it always works blah oh yeah yeah and I look forward to your event on the 30th and maybe again in November right?00:53:25.380 –> 00:53:28.860 Joseph McElroy: yeah we'll be back at our school, yes, and this is the.00:53:29.370 –> 00:53:41.640 Joseph McElroy: gateway to the smoke these podcasts you can watch live every Friday night every I mean every Tuesday night from six to seven@facebook.com slash gateway to the smokies podcast.00:53:42.150 –> 00:53:52.590 Joseph McElroy: We are part of the talk radio dot nyc network, which is a network of live podcasts that range from self-help to travel to small business.00:53:52.860 –> 00:54:01.560 Joseph McElroy: To any number of things and I think it's a worthwhile network to listen to its very grassroots very, very rich content.00:54:02.130 –> 00:54:09.510 Joseph McElroy: On the ground, information that the tool finds very interesting whether you're traveling to the smokies or traveling to New York City.00:54:09.930 –> 00:54:22.110 Joseph McElroy: It has some information that I think is this is worthwhile I actually have another podcast on this network called wise content creates well, which is a marketing podcast and that's on Fridays from.00:54:23.070 –> 00:54:30.060 Joseph McElroy: 12 until one thought that'll probably be transitioning out because near future she's kept some of the old episodes because.00:54:30.360 –> 00:54:43.980 Joseph McElroy: It has a lot of the Ai stuff going on now I've interviewed many of the Ai people out there and they can even learn a bit about what's going to happen content machine intelligence about artificial intelligence, which I think is good for everybody.00:54:45.390 –> 00:54:58.710 Joseph McElroy: And it's been a pleasure talking here today with you guys and I will see you next week with another great show from six to seven on Tuesday night with the gateway to the smokies podcast Thank you very much.

Guest: RICHARD HURLEYIn this episode, you'll learn from our guest today some of the great advice for musicians and musicians-to-be and we are glad to have him on the show today! We're pleased to introduce our special guest today, Richard Hurley, a Canton, N.C. native, and UNC grad who is a veteran of the U.S. Navy, a former radio DJ, and a renowned award-winning songwriter and musician. He is active in community work, serving on various boards and as an emcee for Folkmoot, Shindig on the Green, the Mountain Dance & Folk Festival, and the Bascom Lamar Lunsford Festival, while also promoting area musical events along with his own musical projects –Cataloochee, and My Mountains, My Songs. He now resides in Asheville, N.C. In this podcast episode, he will discuss the North Carolina mountain music scene, his involvement in the community, his first (and second) music project as well as upcoming events in the area. https://richardhurleymusic.com/Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.SHOW NOTESSEGMENT 1August 1963 WBTL station was when it opened. He worked there during college promoting rock and country to other younger people. He got to do MC gigs in which he picked skills from people around him. Florida Boys and Old Kingsmen were some of the music they played. He admits to being naive when starting off playing, but now has a collection of guitars. He had the opportunity to work with JFK's personal naval aid. In the Navy, he got influenced by the chief of naval operations, and so he wrote a song on guitar and got it recorded. His song was inspired by Zumwalt (chief) and his z-grams, he got to meet up with him as Zumwalt thanked him in person and over letter for the song.SEGMENT 2In 1981 he made a record called The Ballet of Old Fort. He worked with the Crow Brothers, Raymond Fairchild, and Arnold Freeman. He used to casually play it for people and got encouragement to record it. Jimmy Haney and he worked as disc jocks. He was one of the speakers at Fairchild and stated “there's only one Raymond Fairchild''. They both had a close friendship and also looked up to each other as artists. Eddie Swan worked for Regal Media, he recorded people like Ben Skill, David Wilcox, and Brian Sutton over the span of his 50-year career. He had a homemade washtub bass and he used to carry it to a tomato festival in Canton with his brother to play there.SEGMENT 3His first project is called “My Mountain, My Songs”. He started it with a throwback, Old Fort. He received an award from the North Carolina Society of Historians for the historical value of his album. One of his songs was about the Coal Mountain Bomber Crash. He also sang about the floods of ‘04.SEGMENT 4He's been taking part in volunteer activities. Shindig on the Green starts this Saturday at the courthouse 7-10 pm. Mark Pruit took part in that event. Bearshare started in 1979, it was a great festival. His website has places to purchase his albums. Towards the end, a child breaks into the podcast recording to blow a raspberry at Hurley.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------TRANSCRIPT00:00:41.040 –> 00:00:48.600 Joseph McElroy: Howdy, Welcome to the Gateway to the Smokies Podcast, this podcast is about America's most visited National Park.00:00:48.960 –> 00:01:01.410 Joseph McElroy: The Great Smoky Mountain National Park and the surrounding towns. This area is filled with ancient natural beauty, a deep-storied history, and rich mountain cultures that we explore with weekly episodes. 00:01:01.890 –> 00:01:12.990 Joseph McElroy: I am Joseph Franklyn McElroy, a man of the world, but also with deep roots in these mountains. My family has lived in the Great Smokies for over 200 years. My business is in travel, but my heart is in culture.00:01:13.650 –> 00:01:24.330 Joseph McElroy: Today we're talking about Songs and then Cataloochee Valley by Richard hurley but first, let's talk about our sponsors.00:01:25.590 –> 00:01:34.470 Joseph McElroy: Imagine a place evocative of motor courts of the past, yet modern and vibrant with a “Chic Appalachian” feel. A place for adventure and for relaxation.00:01:35.130 –> 00:01:44.040 Joseph McElroy: Imagine a place where you can fish in a mountain heritage trout stream, grill the catch on fire, and eat accompanied by fine wine or craft beers.00:01:44.850 –> 00:01:57.420 Joseph McElroy: Imagine a place with old-time music and world cultural sounds. There is no other place like the Meadowlark Motel in Maggie Valley, NC – your Smoky Mountain Adventures Start with Where You Stay.00:01:58.770 –> 00:02:04.080 Joseph McElroy: and others sponsor smokiesadventure.com that smokies plural adventure singular.00:02:04.740 –> 00:02:19.200 Joseph McElroy: The Smoky Mountains and surrounding area is a vacation destination for all seasons. Some of the nation's best hiking trails, waterfalls, outdoor adventures, and family entertainment can be found right here.00:02:19.890 –> 00:02:30.780 Joseph McElroy: Start your adventure by using SmokiesAdventure.com to explore all the wonderful features of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park: trails, waterfalls, Cades Cove, and more.00:02:31.200 –> 00:02:37.680 Joseph McElroy: Then check out all the awesome family attractions and entertainment you and your entire family can enjoy.00:02:38.100 –> 00:02:51.930 Joseph McElroy: And if you look at it, have a life event somewhere like a wedding or a honeymoon and we got you covered there go to smokies adventure.com is one of the leading information portals for adventures and experiences and the Great Smoky Mountains.00:02:53.370 –> 00:02:57.390 Joseph McElroy: So welcome you can see we're sitting in the basement of the Meadowlark Motel00:02:58.620 –> 00:03:05.730 Joseph McElroy: At the Speakeasy where we have underground speakeasy and we're gonna have some upcoming events at the Meadowlark Motel will tell you about.00:03:06.120 –> 00:03:19.920 Joseph McElroy: On July 9 we're having a wildcrafting and mother nature's natural garden program with the legendary Illa hatter it starts on Saturday, July 9th at 10 am with the program featuring.00:03:21.210 –> 00:03:30.570 Joseph McElroy: legendary wildcrafting expert, renowned author, filmmaker, instructor, and tour guide for the GSM National Park's elite GSM Field School educational programs, Illa Hatter.00:03:31.260 –> 00:03:42.090 Joseph McElroy: she's an is an expert on edible plants, medicinal herbs, and anything pertaining to wildcraft foraging and Appalachian plants, trees, and flowers.00:03:42.420 –> 00:03:56.190 Joseph McElroy: She has been featured on a variety of national television shows, videos, and books, and has worked as an advisor for multiple movies and television shows. she is an iconic female a smoky soon-to-be featured in one of our name theme groups.00:03:57.900 –> 00:04:13.350 Joseph McElroy: She will be presenting her beloved program Mother Nature's Natural Garden and leading a short tour of the grounds identifying nature's bounty that can be found in our own back yards.00:04:14.520 –> 00:04:20.640 Joseph McElroy: And then there'll be a free Barbecue supper and music by  Mike Ogletree and friends Saturday evening.00:04:21.210 –> 00:04:26.760 Joseph McElroy: $20 per person per night guests and it's free for motel disappeared as club members.00:04:27.540 –> 00:04:46.140 Joseph McElroy: Now a big event coming For those of you who want to learn how to write songs is August 12 and 13th we're having SONGWRITERS CAMP AND CONCERT WITH GRAMMY-WINNING ARTISTS JIM LAUDERDALE AND CHARLES HUMPHREYS III, ALONG WITH AWARD-WINNING ARTISTS DARREN NICHOLSON, CLAY MILLS, AND CHARLES CHAMBERLAIN.00:04:48.690 –> 00:04:54.420 Joseph McElroy: You won't get an opportunity like this very often in your life if you're wanting to really balancing.00:04:54.690 –> 00:05:01.140 Joseph McElroy: hanging out with grammy award-winning artists it's a two-day event of interactive songwriting structures with world-class musicians.00:05:01.440 –> 00:05:13.260 Joseph McElroy: a demo tape produced for each participant, a concert by the Songs From the Road Band on Friday Night, and a BBQ dinner and all-star concert on Saturday night.00:05:14.010 –> 00:05:24.150 Joseph McElroy: This is a unique event, no other place there's nothing, nothing else like it, and it will be a space will be limited to make sure that every participant gets into the.00:05:25.680 –> 00:05:31.110 Joseph McElroy: Attention the price is 675 dollars per person including all activities and the DEMO tape.00:05:31.440 –> 00:05:51.840 Joseph McElroy: The concerts and the dinner and everything else and their special room packages available for those that want to stay overnight at the meadowlark motel so call 8289261717 for details and the reserve your space and the reserve room again 8289261717 to get your place.00:05:52.860 –> 00:05:58.260 Joseph McElroy: there are also limited tickets available, just for the concerts and you can get those as well.00:05:59.850 –> 00:06:03.420 Joseph McElroy: Today, I have a great guest his name is Richard Hurley.00:06:05.010 –> 00:06:08.400 Joseph McElroy: He's a Canton, N.C. native, and UNC graduate I won't hold against.00:06:11.970 –> 00:06:21.270 Joseph McElroy: Is a vendor to the US day my friend, yeah he's a former radio DJ and renowned award-winning songwriter and musician.00:06:21.840 –> 00:06:34.710 Joseph McElroy: is active in Community work in service and serving on various boards and as an MC for food shindig on the green the mountain dance and folk festival, and the basket l'amour longsword festival.00:06:35.130 –> 00:06:47.010 Joseph McElroy: while also promoting area music events, along with his own musical projects will talk which we'll talk about Cataloochee and my mountains my song he resides in Asheville North Carolina my new home.00:06:50.820 –> 00:07:01.740 Joseph McElroy: So let's jump into something exciting, you are a DJ or w pto, and can we just spend about 17 years they tell us that actually a.00:07:02.430 –> 00:07:09.420 Joseph McElroy: station opened in August of 1963 there's already one station there that started in 1954.00:07:09.810 –> 00:07:16.080 Joseph McElroy: And the guy who made fresh they won't have a country station, because there was no kind of crustacean camp, so the open web GL.00:07:16.500 –> 00:07:27.660 Joseph McElroy: August of 63 what I wanted to have a high school kid that could bring in the hospital audience, so I got the gig has to be asked this jockey and that's back when Lou I for.00:07:28.740 –> 00:07:39.630 Joseph McElroy: us back in the dark ages, but I work there you're in college and before all the service in 1970 so was there off and on and had a great time and.00:07:40.410 –> 00:07:48.480 Joseph McElroy: learn a lot and got to play a lot, a lot of old country music at that time, some Gospel music rock music listening music play with it at all, it.00:07:49.140 –> 00:08:01.020 Joseph McElroy: was quite a fun time in my early career, yes, and how was it was help you in your career-defining experiences where your performance ability to do a performance there did yeah.00:08:01.560 –> 00:08:11.400 Joseph McElroy: It led me into doing some MC gigs which I carried on time I'm an MC stuff so yeah it was helpful in that regard and.00:08:12.810 –> 00:08:22.290 Joseph McElroy: You know, having to work there are a lot of people that came through that well you kind of pick up something from everybody you're exposed to in the music business like that so yeah it was quite helpful, then.00:08:22.560 –> 00:08:34.320 Joseph McElroy: Then, when I started doing shows later on the 80s and a lot of these old records I'd played back in the 60s were songs I learned back then, of course, I was influenced by a lot of those artists in the country and.00:08:34.680 –> 00:08:43.950 Joseph McElroy: The Kingston Trio, and some of the folks to hit 1958 when the case, the tree okay mouth Tom ui that just changed the world because I love it.00:08:44.820 –> 00:08:58.110 Joseph McElroy: It made this country teammate all the char key so so that is kind of what got me started running into that my folks got me Wendy when I was about 12 and I learned to play that and I bought a 10 hour day guitar for buddy mind.00:08:58.650 –> 00:09:04.170 Joseph McElroy: And that's kind of how I got to start making music and you got it you started, playing on the radio.00:09:04.680 –> 00:09:12.660 Joseph McElroy: Some early on to write a little bit i'd written a song about the know smothers market there and cam oh I just had his father's on.00:09:13.590 –> 00:09:24.960 Joseph McElroy: The smothers the sun yeah is that resembles they have here on the show granddaddy yeah and so, and that was mathers have a at the grocery store back man.00:09:25.470 –> 00:09:35.400 Joseph McElroy: And I wrote a song called Underwood it was like under what don't you wish we could anyway, we my brother's nice to play some of the only played at the Cannes first and made a festival.00:09:36.900 –> 00:09:45.930 Joseph McElroy: The new old why gone now when I recorded that just to you know they track tape back then, which both your sprinkler so, can you play that song.00:09:50.310 –> 00:10:00.420 Joseph McElroy: ready to record the, yeah Those are all good experiences, did you click Gospel to play Gospel on the air Yesterday we had a program called the Gospel care of and it's like 11 to 12.00:10:00.930 –> 00:10:08.850 Joseph McElroy: That I can just come in at nine, it was cold country star time in the guy named Jimmy hey Andy was a big influence on me early on, see behind there's a local musician he's.00:10:09.210 –> 00:10:20.250 Joseph McElroy: been gone number of years, but he was a he's an award-winning folk singer in fact team is the national focusing champion, I think it was 1950 or there abouts and a big influence on me, because he used to come to the grammar schools.00:10:20.610 –> 00:10:30.780 Joseph McElroy: And play programs us wow i'm going to be that one of these days, so that was kind of started Jimmy used to sign on six gutter 999 to 11 of.00:10:31.170 –> 00:10:40.860 Joseph McElroy: Country music and 11 to 12 Gospel man i'd come back to and go to two 330 with the country music and not go the easy listing is 330 to sign off.00:10:41.790 –> 00:10:52.890 Joseph McElroy: But it has to the rock the rock show was like 330 to 630 or something likely no experience I asked about the Gospel and I am one of the one of the.00:10:53.430 –> 00:11:11.550 Joseph McElroy: You know i've traveled a bit and one of the most popular brunches I ever saw was actually in Barbados yeah they had a Gospel brunch right they have run some even have a good old Gospel music right yeah people love that I would say that would probably go well, here too, yeah.00:11:13.770 –> 00:11:27.120 Joseph McElroy: Gospel me to certainly been popular in the south, for years and years yeah no he's play a lot of the old groups that you know the old Florida boys and the old kings cream local group and people like that.00:11:28.080 –> 00:11:39.120 Joseph McElroy: Number number of those great and there were some local people are bigger than the Gospel music did quite well Francis play lock and dam was a locally that's a big hit here and Haywood county back in the 60s there.00:11:40.860 –> 00:11:43.500 Joseph McElroy: But what was the what how did you learn to play.00:11:44.730 –> 00:11:51.090 Joseph McElroy: I got a Mel Bay 50-cent book shows the three chords C D E, F, and G.00:11:51.720 –> 00:12:05.880 Joseph McElroy: And the other progressions and I just kind of picked it up, but I was so naive, but that i'm embarrassed to say this, but i'm going to tell you to know, I was so naive I didn't have another you know but it's a play on territory, I didn't realize you had to change strings.00:12:07.740 –> 00:12:19.950 Joseph McElroy: Okay, once you know it doesn't matter you get a string I didn't even know that I learned later on, but that's how long did you almost entirely learn to do today, did you have some mentors are learning almost.00:12:22.110 –> 00:12:36.630 Joseph McElroy: All the gifts little G one gifts in the problem of 50s model for about I think I paid $25 for a buddy of mine and I eventually I got an Aston Martin guitar years later, that you know goes collects the guitars.00:12:38.400 –> 00:12:54.210 Joseph McElroy: that's pretty cool so you went off to your high school, then you went off to unc first are going to go the baby first went to usc usc usc yeah I started at usc I tell people is back when the tar heels we're still playing woman gym.00:12:56.250 –> 00:13:04.020 Joseph McElroy: Dean Dome that was before carmichael born with a we're playing a little again music Cunningham, was a senior housing right right so.00:13:04.800 –> 00:13:11.580 Joseph McElroy: that's how I got started when I would come home from school breaks, I would go back to the station and do vacation relief stuff like that and.00:13:12.060 –> 00:13:17.940 Joseph McElroy: I worked at Campo networks, the mail can't mill one summer season seven which is great experience paper.00:13:18.900 –> 00:13:29.040 Joseph McElroy: Paper data that helped me with my career later I got an extreme rarity coming so then after you and see you another baby yeah it was it was during the.com era where I.00:13:29.400 –> 00:13:36.330 Joseph McElroy: went out and did had one job interview, and they said come see us when you're through the starters, nobody would argue you got the service.00:13:37.350 –> 00:13:45.900 Joseph McElroy: So I ended up going to the program that required drilling for a year and then I went in on D for two years and then another three year obligation but.00:13:46.410 –> 00:13:52.620 Joseph McElroy: I was fortunate, I was on the USS wash, which is an aircraft carrier and we were in the North Atlantic up there.00:13:53.370 –> 00:14:06.390 Joseph McElroy: Doing maneuvers and but i've had the privilege to work with JFK personal naval eight so that was quite an experience I learned a lot from those guys and that all all those experiences help you later in life, you know I got it.00:14:07.500 –> 00:14:20.790 Joseph McElroy: cool and that was that was also the start of some my songwriting is in the navy the navy because i've got a memo zoom Lol Chief of naval operations back and he was loosening up the navy, let the skies where.00:14:22.380 –> 00:14:28.770 Joseph McElroy: He would come out these see grams, you know for some walls, the grams, and so I wrote a song called the balance is a graph.00:14:30.090 –> 00:14:47.970 Joseph McElroy: The Admiral heard about it, he called me to stay room and i've already guitar on our platform he wanted to send it to zoom wall record a little fork and say yeah little real real three inch screen record it you send it to zoom wall and month or so later I get this letter for.00:14:50.580 –> 00:14:56.760 Joseph McElroy: letter their little list of the guy says, you know, dear petty officer hurley Thank you so much for your song about.00:14:58.620 –> 00:15:05.910 Joseph McElroy: And he and I connect about seven years later, when he was out, and I was it came to Asheville to bait nuclear-armed with some retired general.00:15:06.360 –> 00:15:13.560 Joseph McElroy: And I walked up to him after the speech I said, George space, I do not remember the side of the road song about you and he said yeah I said on that side.00:15:15.570 –> 00:15:25.500 Joseph McElroy: Of the thought, he just met john, okay well cool well, we have to take a break now Sir so then we'll come back we'll talk more about your career in business and then in music, thank you.00:17:40.830 –> 00:17:47.430 Joseph McElroy: howdy this is Joseph Franklyn McElroy back with the Gateway to the Smokies podcasts and my guest Richard Hurley.00:17:47.880 –> 00:17:57.960 Joseph McElroy: So Richard after the navy, you had a long career as an HR manager for square D how's that good company well I just got real lucky because I come home.00:17:58.770 –> 00:18:08.460 Joseph McElroy: About three months before i'm supposed to get out of service and put an application and I had a cousin worked over there, and he put in a good word for me, I went into.00:18:08.940 –> 00:18:16.560 Joseph McElroy: That time I called personnel supervisory like backwards personnel manager personnel his word I started out the second seat and moved up.00:18:17.010 –> 00:18:28.140 Joseph McElroy: For years later I guess the first seat and and but my own volition, I wanted to stay in Nashville yeah so I thought Tom to I might have to move, but it worked out and it's great company they trade as well.00:18:28.590 –> 00:18:37.920 Joseph McElroy: And it was very giving kind of very caring complete and coming to the law united way and give a lot give a lot of bucks to the Community and various organizations out there.00:18:38.820 –> 00:18:57.540 Joseph McElroy: So I had a wonderful career cool did you get to play music, while you're while you're in that career not not in that role ticket I was out playing places i've crossed I did a record not team at one a coma valuable for mountain yeah remember that record a really.00:18:59.130 –> 00:19:08.730 Joseph McElroy: good idea as a 45 and dude legendary greatest of all banjo player Raymond Fairchild light on and Raymond I go back way back.00:19:09.540 –> 00:19:17.670 Joseph McElroy: The guy got Mr freeman has gone also and then the programmers who are popular good a tour with Raymond he's played with picking the brain.00:19:18.120 –> 00:19:29.040 Joseph McElroy: So i've written the song battle for mountain i've seen at parties and people see all the record that so as last time and then one day I said i'm not gonna turn around 10 years from now, and say what If so, I.00:19:29.730 –> 00:19:46.980 Joseph McElroy: called her brain is that would you got me and he said sure be led to some are also we got together having to be August 12 at one i've been coached now when you go to that studio do you're rehearsing before you go in there because that's money yeah right.00:19:49.980 –> 00:19:54.900 Joseph McElroy: Back stuff order ish will be asked our our weekly break door.00:19:55.650 –> 00:20:03.480 Joseph McElroy: And i'm sweating bullets and walk in that studio is following our with now on the studio and they said, like three Max back in those days now.00:20:03.870 –> 00:20:14.520 Joseph McElroy: According whole different ballgame instead of like three months and I kicked off on the guitar right and they jumped in this music, it was just fabulous and they just made that song so.00:20:15.540 –> 00:20:27.270 Joseph McElroy: It was 45 rpm so we took pto course never wc and w devotees but they all start playing on a call, so I saw him through angles markets, not so.00:20:27.870 –> 00:20:35.370 Joseph McElroy: pressed a couple of thousand problems, so I get a few hundred bucks but it kind of summer here when I was a kid yeah I also you know was looking.00:20:35.820 –> 00:20:39.240 Joseph McElroy: yeah well I don't know a while back, I was looking at what rate and fairchild.00:20:40.050 –> 00:20:48.030 Joseph McElroy: That record came out with him being on air yeah Yes, he was something else, but he he helped me out with that and it's all my first albums.00:20:48.510 –> 00:20:59.220 Joseph McElroy: Are all the songs on my to our songs i've written and the first album my mountains my songs I put that on air as a bonus track all the other tracks are things that we recorded so.00:20:59.790 –> 00:21:09.270 Joseph McElroy: cool yeah Bob Plott, you know, is the GM of the Meadowlark Smoky Mountain Heritage Center and he also helps put together.00:21:09.570 –> 00:21:17.610 Joseph McElroy: Some of the information of your questions and he mentioned that you mentioned one of them already rent Fairchild and when the other big musical influence was.00:21:17.940 –> 00:21:28.020 Joseph McElroy: Jimmy haney yeah I mentioned Jimmy a little bit earlier that we'd work together is discharged and he was like say when I was very school didn't come around to schools and play.00:21:28.500 –> 00:21:36.510 Joseph McElroy: ramin here's the store matt Ryan, that when Raymond was very before he became Raymond Fairchild famous like he was.00:21:37.200 –> 00:21:43.080 Joseph McElroy: He was working around these parts and he had done a wreck he'd done his first record old similar record was and.00:21:43.920 –> 00:21:56.910 Joseph McElroy: my brother came home with that record now listen to that man, this is just difference it's just it was like a snake charmer he just he had he had a way of playing songs that just drew me in.00:21:57.360 –> 00:22:08.040 Joseph McElroy: So I got some maintenance management time to evaluate he'd give me copies of his records without playing them on my program and then occasionally he another guy we have breakfast down.00:22:08.310 –> 00:22:17.460 Joseph McElroy: Little restaurants can either bottomless pit of on the show and play for 20 minutes or so, so that was how my friendship with Raymond started way back when.00:22:18.240 –> 00:22:30.120 Joseph McElroy: But, but he was he was really something else, and then, when he went to the brand debut the grand Ole opry and 78 he invited me to go live in essence up with down lana pick your brother.00:22:31.020 –> 00:22:39.030 Joseph McElroy: Already about for went over to the national we got to go backstage and all that one written bill Monroe balls hot dogs that would.00:22:40.980 –> 00:22:46.290 Joseph McElroy: Go out there Raymond walked out there and start playing and they had never heard it.00:22:47.700 –> 00:22:51.330 Joseph McElroy: encores of standing ovations yeah Raymond Fairchild00:22:53.160 –> 00:22:56.190 Joseph McElroy: Or, he was His grace banjo I think grace man.00:22:58.350 –> 00:23:05.160 Joseph McElroy: You could do it yeah and then, when he played here in the valley you remember the matter with me about the Opera House yeah like there.00:23:05.520 –> 00:23:16.650 Joseph McElroy: For years and was there, so yeah yeah but every time I would go in case, yet they see in his wife sure we had that business for number of years for writing and passed in October Tina thing was.00:23:17.070 –> 00:23:26.550 Joseph McElroy: Every time I go in the shadows he'd see me in the audience and so on his old friend is richer heard he used to play my record, so they played he played my record so much that they fired.00:23:28.530 –> 00:23:40.800 Joseph McElroy: Their more banjo players just ran and fell out there yeah true, of course, I had to build a service that is a That was a good story, and you can you got you did is you, with the right.00:23:41.790 –> 00:23:54.240 Joseph McElroy: Top right, I did I was asked to speak and I much some other people, but I was extremely flattered to be part of the one of the speakers that spoke there yeah it's up the stomping ground appear Maggie badly.00:23:55.440 –> 00:24:02.850 Joseph McElroy: And part of my comments, where I said, you know there's only one Elvis there's only one hank liam's there was only one Raymond fair to.00:24:04.140 –> 00:24:12.960 Joseph McElroy: One of my many comments talking about on a great person he was a good family man, he was a loving father and husband and just a great guy.00:24:13.560 –> 00:24:26.400 Joseph McElroy: But he had a gift he had to give a few few they have yet so the way he played that manager, I heard that he's a you know i've been from a value of them, and I have seen him a couple times and I think my dad.00:24:27.720 –> 00:24:28.770 Joseph McElroy: Daniel and i'm sure.00:24:30.660 –> 00:24:36.510 Joseph McElroy: yeah but you know my understanding was he was a great friend, but he was also a little cantankerous.00:24:40.170 –> 00:24:47.520 Joseph McElroy: He raised his music good yes very busy i'll tell you one thing is the Raymond was noted for.00:24:51.150 –> 00:24:52.800 Joseph McElroy: Aware of was.00:24:53.970 –> 00:25:03.510 Joseph McElroy: You know, some towns that have been leaner audiences than others and goes, you know, whatever reason, traffic or whatever, if there was one person that audience about ticket Raymond well and say that.00:25:03.870 –> 00:25:11.730 Joseph McElroy: will be 500 or whatever we're going to play them a good show he whether he play a whole show for one person, but the only matters i'm sorry cancer, he.00:25:12.210 –> 00:25:18.480 Joseph McElroy: said that person management and 500 miles to your show we're going to plan the show that's right he's very caring shorter guy.00:25:19.350 –> 00:25:35.280 Joseph McElroy: Very caring yeah he was the one guy, yeah well yeah we know we're talking about your records that's real Famous people on those records, but there are other Famous people to work with I've got some pretty heavy hitters all my albums.00:25:36.780 –> 00:25:56.130 Joseph McElroy: yeah but they they're people that I work with a guy named at swan yeah and regal music regal media it's a medical media.net website, but but he's he's been in business about 50 years he's reporting people like Ben scale and he's reported recorded David Wilcox.00:25:57.300 –> 00:26:09.330 Joseph McElroy: Brian sudden the great brown certain he's recording squire parsons that great deal and land song right dollars per summit be recorded that and he's worked with a lot of the great spirit.00:26:10.590 –> 00:26:14.370 Joseph McElroy: Anyway, yeah I got to work in an ad and Prince mountains together.00:26:15.600 –> 00:26:17.760 Joseph McElroy: Well, you got some some great ones.00:26:18.930 –> 00:26:27.030 Joseph McElroy: But before we get there, you know what I wanted to do understand you know your your songwriting right and you did some great songs i've read that.00:26:27.570 –> 00:26:37.110 Joseph McElroy: I was looking at, we listened to one and i've seen some of the others and and you're playing a guitar but you play anything else I don't really i'm not play I took a few.00:26:37.530 –> 00:26:46.110 Joseph McElroy: banjo lessons from mark pruitt the grading where he's on one of my hours to market and Martin our friends from way back, but I never could quite get into the banjo so I just like.00:26:47.430 –> 00:26:52.470 Joseph McElroy: I heard you got the the walk handmade watch the bass bass yeah so.00:26:53.610 –> 00:27:04.200 Joseph McElroy: what's that everybody should probably seen, or at least nothing prompts and you'll watch the bass bass so most folks have are not familiar he's turning on tobacco really be go watch.00:27:04.860 –> 00:27:14.250 Joseph McElroy: The one i'm not is over 70 years old, oh yeah sequence and during the home that middle of it and you take an old broomstick and just run a quarter size core.00:27:14.730 –> 00:27:21.450 Joseph McElroy: And you put it on and you hold the stick down the edge of your pocket, and that gives you a base, and it goes because of the tub and I was.00:27:22.440 –> 00:27:38.820 Joseph McElroy: awkward so you could have a vibrant right, so my brother's not playing at this tomato festival years going can't so I carried on part of my act and I tell people I said don't worry I get beaten up your audience the basement and then key is Spanish Oh, because.00:27:40.230 –> 00:27:54.990 Joseph McElroy: that's what that's that's a real fun part of my program and I always preface it by saying that don't worry this tub is is over 70 years old and literally the stick and string have been on there since 1969 oh my gosh it's been British.00:27:57.240 –> 00:27:59.730 Joseph McElroy: Is the shirt but don't worry it'll be okay.00:28:01.140 –> 00:28:02.430 Joseph McElroy: Yes, that's the fun part.00:28:03.510 –> 00:28:12.360 Joseph McElroy: Well, you know I don't know if you ever walked out white wines mainstream you know they have all sorts of sculptures on there yeah what i'm one of the sculptures as a duo.00:28:12.750 –> 00:28:22.680 Joseph McElroy: musicians are there 10 foot tall oh yeah I want them to watch oh yeah you see there, so people you definitely should make a pilgrimage there.00:28:24.180 –> 00:28:31.740 Joseph McElroy: is surprising people don't realize how long a sound that that will make and that's why people develop a years ago they didn't have money to go out and buy things that.00:28:32.370 –> 00:28:50.400 Joseph McElroy: improvised just like my good friend, David holds things on my album you know, David term Doc Watson about 14 years and David plays he plays a number of different instruments on his show when we're doing live shows he played paper bag and plays spoons like bones slugger.00:28:51.900 –> 00:28:56.220 Joseph McElroy: ization improvisation music over the years of development me.00:28:57.780 –> 00:29:02.190 Joseph McElroy: Well, we have to take another break now, when we come back we'll talk about some of your out straight.00:31:08.700 –> 00:31:18.690 Joseph McElroy: howdy this is Joseph Franklin McElroy back with the Gateway to the smokies podcasts and My guest Richard Hurley, so Richard you've got two albums out right?00:31:19.440 –> 00:31:29.760 Joseph McElroy: Can you tell me about your first project was what my mountains by sounds so project called my mountains my songs and I can hold it up to the camera and those people watch it there.00:31:32.640 –> 00:31:46.470 Joseph McElroy: We started out with the old for the song which I mentioned I've written back in the quarterback in 81 I thought well Okay, this is 2013 just a few years later I bought a new cut a record over 30 years or so yeah all right yeah like it's in.00:31:47.520 –> 00:31:50.430 Joseph McElroy: Your cadence or is this musical okay yeah.00:31:53.190 –> 00:32:04.590 Joseph McElroy: I have written a bunch of songs over the years and just take them back in the files and whatnot so I'm sad pull them out and see what we can do with them, so I called a that holds a date I'm thinking about doing an album 20.00:32:05.760 –> 00:32:12.990 Joseph McElroy: Some recommendations well, you need to call josh to go forth josh go forth his genius musician the literature Madison county.00:32:13.620 –> 00:32:19.140 Joseph McElroy: He played all mile they played the lead guitar the rhythm guitar banjo the base the mandolin and fiddle.00:32:19.680 –> 00:32:29.940 Joseph McElroy: Allah and woven together oh wow so so that's how this thing started and we put these 15 songs on here with the old for a song being a bonus track, one of the.00:32:30.300 –> 00:32:41.580 Joseph McElroy: One of the ones you look at the reward thing here that North Carolina society of historians actually gave me a reward the reward for the historical significance of the project.00:32:42.330 –> 00:32:51.450 Joseph McElroy: And there's a song on here about the cold mountain bottom and crash oh yeah a lot of people saw the coal mountain movie, in the end, it was written by Charles Fraser.00:32:51.840 –> 00:32:57.300 Joseph McElroy: Franklin who has connections back to my hometown Cantonese model from their reason anyway.00:32:58.260 –> 00:33:08.640 Joseph McElroy: So the thing, most people don't realize, is that all Friday the 13th September 46 a beat 25 bomber was coming from Detroit to Tampa.00:33:09.180 –> 00:33:25.800 Joseph McElroy: And crashed into the topical mountain Mr bell about 150 feet, they call the Tower at that time in Bristol Tennessee, and so they wanted to go visual So be careful because of kind of nasty and rainy down there the next thing you know lamb youngest general near a core to sergeants to kernels.00:33:27.060 –> 00:33:29.250 Joseph McElroy: Imagine what that was like Crusoe big.00:33:30.360 –> 00:33:41.310 Joseph McElroy: yeah so a lady named George ron's cannon is deceased now she wrote a book about it and back about I guess was in 2012 I saw this book in the movies books here and label.00:33:41.820 –> 00:33:51.270 Joseph McElroy: And I got to look at so Now I know some of these and I read the book and I remembered hearing about it because, as a kid my late brother point over there and mountain across from where I grew up so that's that.00:33:51.840 –> 00:34:03.990 Joseph McElroy: that's plane crash okay fine my scoutmaster you talk, Okay, but it never text on the hack up there, so I went up the mountain couldn't find confining it crashed evidence is all in picked oh.00:34:05.130 –> 00:34:10.890 Joseph McElroy: Really, I wrote the song, so I got doors to a guy named.00:34:14.460 –> 00:34:22.080 Joseph McElroy: Having everything or guy helped me out down the road Moody help me out with this make sure my atma factor accurate.00:34:22.740 –> 00:34:34.290 Joseph McElroy: So, then, we recorded that song and Doris simplest thing to the north county historical society and they basically this whole thing because I got some other historic going on about the slides ago for over a year and i've got some other.00:34:34.770 –> 00:34:44.460 Joseph McElroy: songs similar and they gave you the historical and okay yeah I want to know why people get that but it's still a nice it's nice to get it yes.00:34:45.930 –> 00:34:49.980 Joseph McElroy: it's not a participation prize it actually does work.00:34:51.540 –> 00:34:53.370 Joseph McElroy: yeah exactly exactly.00:34:54.660 –> 00:34:58.830 Joseph McElroy: So you have you gotta go you gotta know saw you got a real a.00:34:59.340 –> 00:35:07.080 Joseph McElroy: Real it's real work, so you got a good thing, so this one, this one came out 13 and josh these musics is famous for singing swan the engineer, I mean he knows what he's doing.00:35:07.950 –> 00:35:21.060 Joseph McElroy: His fifth year so fast forward to 2021 I came out of this album fleet song Cataloochee, which is you know you know music to my heart to them now you alleys.00:35:21.510 –> 00:35:25.650 Joseph McElroy: Post account Lucy Lucy bow they've got the elk and everything else so.00:35:26.160 –> 00:35:26.760 Joseph McElroy: So tell us.00:35:27.000 –> 00:35:35.130 Joseph McElroy: Tell us the story of this one, the backstory is that there's a guy named Steve what he's a friend of mine, and he is a descendant of the old woody family, the life back in capital h.00:35:35.190 –> 00:35:43.800 Joseph McElroy: er and Steve one time there nationally known each other for years, he said, I said I understand you're having your big reunion coming up having here like first second weekend in August.00:35:44.100 –> 00:35:49.920 Joseph McElroy: Is yeah why don't you come about gifts, so now let's do that because I never been reading i've been Cataloochee00:35:50.310 –> 00:36:02.130 Joseph McElroy: So I went to the reunion and he got monitors church service there and during the shirts or is he going to do some politicians, then introduced me and said somebody might know Richard you know to pay with boy write songs just.00:36:02.760 –> 00:36:05.370 Joseph McElroy: said, I think he already song that Kevin did you, what do you all.00:36:08.460 –> 00:36:09.360 Joseph McElroy: feel blackmailing.00:36:11.250 –> 00:36:12.090 Joseph McElroy: wrote a song about.00:36:13.890 –> 00:36:25.710 Joseph McElroy: This research on it and the song and then he asked me to come play it, so I went back and played what that was 19 in August of 19 I played it live at church service oh that's Nice.00:36:26.310 –> 00:36:35.370 Joseph McElroy: I don't mean this to sound right people got emotional I got it I got emotional I don't know which one i'm Scott materials.00:36:36.900 –> 00:36:46.710 Joseph McElroy: emotional standing there and then I said i'm going to have to record it so we record it and got us some different players on this, some of the phone you got some great people on this.00:36:47.280 –> 00:36:53.670 Joseph McElroy: I mean, these are credible yeah TIM CERT and Darren Nicholson, both with balsam range or on their tone increases.00:36:54.150 –> 00:37:01.620 Joseph McElroy: percussionist that works these kind of movement else's grammar need work to Glen Campbell waylon are not waiting merle haggard and.00:37:02.010 –> 00:37:12.060 Joseph McElroy: James Taylor some of those guys and then, of course, David holds on Bobby hicks won a grammy with ricky skaggs the same time that mark did and RON said another little boy.00:37:12.600 –> 00:37:19.470 Joseph McElroy: So he's a 10 time grammy award actually bring to get him to help us out thanks to my buddy so we got some.00:37:20.010 –> 00:37:31.260 Joseph McElroy: Pretty heavy hitters not a dedicated this album to my old friend Ray M and fairchild there you go but he's got the cattle he song and it's got a number of other so there's one song on there you got the legend of losing weight.00:37:32.400 –> 00:37:39.600 Joseph McElroy: This week, there is Buddhism, can you give us a short version of what that is not sure what is a boogeyman.00:37:40.110 –> 00:37:44.100 Joseph McElroy: is actually a story that goes back in the legend goes back in the 1800s.00:37:44.370 –> 00:37:54.150 Joseph McElroy: And up like Logan which used to be on a champion paper back in the old days you had a little boogeyman cave in there is big picture of the boogeyman which is now in the in the downtown teflon.00:37:54.630 –> 00:38:05.010 Joseph McElroy: Remember yeah so patch mathers was the Mayor of can now he was he's been Mayor of can he called me up so we're going to the festival about food too much come in and see if I said to.00:38:05.430 –> 00:38:17.400 Joseph McElroy: And I said we'll go around song about it, so we wrote record a song called the legend of the blue, and it's all about the history of the book eight foot shaggy and eight foot tall and Shay you catch you move from.00:38:18.570 –> 00:38:21.480 Joseph McElroy: That it was it was that a big thing in canton.00:38:22.710 –> 00:38:36.570 Joseph McElroy: Where there was a bigger because he doesn't really remember, since he was in 1616 2016 so the legend came up with us from played the song, I wrote the song for that festival it only had that one year didn't.00:38:37.650 –> 00:38:46.920 Joseph McElroy: see that didn't happen after that, but you know the songs the songs on there and there's a guy named Dave Johnson place about 20 different instruments it's quite.00:38:47.400 –> 00:39:02.220 Joseph McElroy: Another local board down so that old for somewhere plays a mean plays everything he did all the music God and it came out pretty well and there's The thing is that when when i've given this to folks to original head is a single the kids get into this any kid.00:39:04.590 –> 00:39:11.850 Joseph McElroy: I guess it's the sound of the name boom oh yeah with it, but the story was a he had a penchant for two things he liked to go.00:39:12.390 –> 00:39:20.400 Joseph McElroy: He would hide out in the Bush is he was he was he was haven't counted version of victory right yeah see it out our leads there and he'd see the girls and their.00:39:21.240 –> 00:39:30.720 Joseph McElroy: Different pools, and then he said, the thing was he likes to go out and found all these precious stones and he had a cave and he'd go take them to that came storming or liquid jugs to fill them up many chat.00:39:31.620 –> 00:39:41.880 Joseph McElroy: Those two things so one day is how man is this young girls she's in the cooler swim and she sees the Buddha in their eyes walk and they fall in love.00:39:42.690 –> 00:39:49.470 Joseph McElroy: They get married and they go back to the mountains, but he still had to go out look for all these precious stones so she would get it out.00:39:51.870 –> 00:40:01.650 Joseph McElroy: Get lonely and share the harder for him and he had a holler back to the power till they came together and her name is Andy okay therefore came the word good man.00:40:04.440 –> 00:40:07.860 Joseph McElroy: that's Barclays really knows he's a hooter.00:40:10.050 –> 00:40:19.470 Joseph McElroy: So that's all in the song the legend wow that's that's a little tears a boogeyman yeah drinking booze and talking about losing this guy this.00:40:20.850 –> 00:40:23.160 Joseph McElroy: is given given oh i'm going to yeah.00:40:24.240 –> 00:40:29.370 Joseph McElroy: What is some of the other favorite songs is the one I think I think about the question.00:40:30.030 –> 00:40:45.780 Joseph McElroy: I think about some of the historic stuff is vascular marlins for Dino that name and he was he was the the minstrel the appalachians he was born on the campus plus now Marshall university and he started our mountain dance folk festival in 1928 and actual.00:40:47.010 –> 00:40:55.800 Joseph McElroy: Madison county ashbury it's the longest running folk festival in America well in America have you been on the board of that too right well i'm on the advisory.00:40:56.310 –> 00:41:06.510 Joseph McElroy: Playing there, and you see there yeah i'm involved with it for years and years but pete seeger came down to learn about the banjo from Boston the marlins for.00:41:07.020 –> 00:41:20.220 Joseph McElroy: pete seeger many of fans who know the music fans know he had that long neck banjo story was he got that from Boston oh so i've got a tribute to baskin here on on my album that I want other songs.00:41:21.480 –> 00:41:27.300 Joseph McElroy: i've got one on this placement about is called god's special children and it's about special needs kids oh.00:41:28.530 –> 00:41:34.950 Joseph McElroy: I was doing some volunteer work already worth and Center over ashfall which should help special needs kids and.00:41:35.250 –> 00:41:40.950 Joseph McElroy: A lady i've worked with came in and she said, well, you did so i'm going to volunteer what are you doing here she's talking pick up my son.00:41:41.460 –> 00:41:52.020 Joseph McElroy: And this was years actually both retired and our flashback and remember she has a son named our special needs kid adding them in the next mourners Christmas Eve.00:41:52.530 –> 00:42:02.040 Joseph McElroy: And I woke up and I wrote the song called god's special children, and I remember as a kid my mom used to say, and she lived to be rather than one she used to say.00:42:02.850 –> 00:42:10.350 Joseph McElroy: If you'd see you know, a special needs child she's it will sound Those are just god's special tool well that just made everything everything.00:42:11.340 –> 00:42:20.010 Joseph McElroy: That so we did God special to integrate at our producer was able to pull in a later that same with me on that harmonizing you read it came out pretty well.00:42:20.820 –> 00:42:37.440 Joseph McElroy: Actually we've got goodness the number of the things I don't call the leaning sound about what about columns guitars i've got one about monocle house burnett he was he was a great storyteller and fox theater okay now tell me Bob and his plot.00:42:38.730 –> 00:42:52.680 Joseph McElroy: State dogs, we all know that fox fox fox fox hunting, the thing, but my grandfather was a lousy he loved the Walker have the upper hand the latter house and I guarantee that we've known each other yeah.00:42:53.730 –> 00:43:04.590 Joseph McElroy: Big talks louder so I had written a song about him back in the 70s and I pulled out my files and revising David told plays washboard on it, and this David Johnson did some music.00:43:05.100 –> 00:43:12.870 Joseph McElroy: I said, you know we need some dog barks on this supposed to do is lackey do that and they weren't you and he put dog barks we're.00:43:14.100 –> 00:43:19.890 Joseph McElroy: Going on the mountain gotta go gotta go home because he's house burns, and he grew.00:43:22.050 –> 00:43:23.430 Joseph McElroy: up so we let the dogs.00:43:26.040 –> 00:43:36.690 Joseph McElroy: favorite their local flow but we're gonna have to take another break here and come back we'll finish up with some of the other things to do and how you can help people get the CDS right all right.00:45:37.980 –> 00:45:45.240 Joseph McElroy: Howdy this is Joseph Franklyn McElroy back with the Gateway to the Smokies Podcast and my guest Richard Hurley, So, Richard.00:45:45.810 –> 00:45:52.560 Joseph McElroy: You were born and raised in Canton but now you live in Asheville your most of your life so yeah why just stick in Asheville for?00:45:52.950 –> 00:46:03.210 Joseph McElroy: Well, I just love the mountains, like your intro when you're talking about your hotel and the great smoky mountains and the fishing stream all those things you talked about it's made me realize how fortunate I am to00:46:04.260 –> 00:46:05.460 Joseph McElroy: stay here in Asheville.00:46:06.540 –> 00:46:13.500 Joseph McElroy: Western North Carolina you know a lot of volunteer activities I'm involved with taking all across Western North Carolina but.00:46:13.890 –> 00:46:24.060 Joseph McElroy: I thought there was a time to do my career, I was gonna have to leave and move to another location or leasing company and do something else, and I was blessed lucky that I didn't have them leave.00:46:24.450 –> 00:46:31.920 Joseph McElroy: How do you like, how Asheville grown, oh I see it really changed and scrolled a lot, and this is an interesting place that's.00:46:32.460 –> 00:46:37.770 Joseph McElroy: what's that sort of a music city right? yeah, there's a lot of you know, the best years on every corner seemed like that.00:46:38.520 –> 00:46:47.850 Joseph McElroy: You know, we have a couple of events of advanced downtown like the shindig on the green which I also wrote a song about on the first album we have shindig on the green in front of the courthouse there on Saturday nights.00:46:47.970 –> 00:46:59.880 Joseph McElroy: These seven Saturday nights during the summer in fact we'll start this coming Saturday seven to 10 freebies right people bring a lawn chair or blanket and spread out there and they sit three hours, and we have all these musicians to come in.00:47:00.330 –> 00:47:09.750 Joseph McElroy: I'm going from deep in the hollers and some bones wherever square dance teams and all that and a lot of the greats like mark for it and Brian session, you know the hottest guitar player.00:47:10.200 –> 00:47:19.770 Joseph McElroy: In Ashville, I things the number one call guy over there and studios he cut his teeth or they've known split tons of big names play at home, Shindig on the green stage.00:47:20.700 –> 00:47:27.720 Joseph McElroy: But I know you've been involved with a lot of those different revenue festivals you're involved with bells here right.00:47:28.740 –> 00:47:40.830 Joseph McElroy: I wrote a song about that I know I saw that I was wondering what happened, the bell share it just finally ran its course really started in 1979, yeah and I don't remember what year it.00:47:41.700 –> 00:47:50.550 Joseph McElroy: folded video is a great festival, I mean how many times, do you walk down the street of Main Street drinking beer and eating a hot dog or whatever, and all this great entertainment oh my gosh.00:47:51.150 –> 00:47:58.080 Joseph McElroy: Is it that Doc and nice to have Skaggs and a lot of the big nice fact I mentioned a number of them in my song really yeah.00:47:59.010 –> 00:48:12.000 Joseph McElroy: So give people the flavor of what that was it was a special sort of vessel that folks got to get it back and 79 to have a street party with a sound about a phone on the phone or something different than normal kind of fair that got together got shows together and started a bill share.00:48:13.710 –> 00:48:21.240 Joseph McElroy: me just a beautiful life yeah the kids you grant end wife, which feed on the street, when the sun goes down music in the air and actually.00:48:21.960 –> 00:48:31.080 Joseph McElroy: There you go, of course, well you've been involved with a number of what other what other your favorite festivals well, those are pretty much it on ice.00:48:31.770 –> 00:48:37.380 Joseph McElroy: least try to go see Doc every time you come around I never played I played on the same show waiting one day out the.00:48:37.770 –> 00:48:45.180 Joseph McElroy: monster festival that marciel that's another big festival the basketball marlins, for it was the only festival, is he would let us his name.00:48:46.140 –> 00:48:59.220 Joseph McElroy: And it started, I think, somewhere, back in the 60s and 70s, but it was a Mars hill moving on bringing a lot of evil talent back in Madison county and other Mecca for musicians so that's a great fast.00:49:00.480 –> 00:49:14.160 Joseph McElroy: But I never I never got to play on the stage leap, but I did REP with chat room some backstage few few times on some of these programs but but tell us about the mountain DAS it falls fast again it's the granddaddy of all focused.00:49:15.300 –> 00:49:24.600 Joseph McElroy: that's the one yeah other venues what Ben is like the cholesterol killer well you know I like to go to some of the things that happened at the.00:49:25.080 –> 00:49:31.920 Joseph McElroy: Civic Center and some of the problems that happen there, and like you know, let us go back to see balsam range I've introduced those guys sometimes.00:49:32.370 –> 00:49:47.850 Joseph McElroy: Of course, my friend at work for those guys to the studio and he worked with the Steve can you arrange boy is not allowed, but anything in these venues that like your met your Maggie valley festival grounds here on some programs there and I played there actually one time.00:49:52.860 –> 00:49:53.700 Joseph McElroy: promote myself.00:49:57.120 –> 00:50:12.840 Joseph McElroy: I did a fair amount of volunteer work I go to Assisted Living Binion's places like that and people call me I go to a program they can come to a pool party that's not my opinion, without being a concert you got pretty much listen to the lyrics yeah right just.00:50:14.010 –> 00:50:24.120 Joseph McElroy: Because what so somebody coming to Western North Carolina asheville every county what you put in some things they shouldn't miss shindig on the green, they should not miss that.00:50:24.660 –> 00:50:34.470 Joseph McElroy: that's every every Saturday night not ever said that we break for the mountain dance folk festival start the 25th this it's always the first weekend around the fourth of July.00:50:35.070 –> 00:50:49.830 Joseph McElroy: 25 of June, this time, and then we have starting second on through the break for the things of the sixth of August basketball we said, our focus was always the first weekend long about sundown.00:50:51.180 –> 00:50:55.710 Joseph McElroy: What i'm saying is OK, for you folks were watch mean seven o'clock yeah.00:50:57.030 –> 00:51:13.050 Joseph McElroy: So that's a must see there yeah of course they'll share was pulling that was that was but there, there are a lot of fans out there that probably need to get around go visit some of them haven't visited all me I like the orange peel myself yeah.00:51:14.250 –> 00:51:23.040 Joseph McElroy: I did my bell share something there when when a buddy mine was chairing the camp chair and bill share asked me to come play it so we did that kind of kick it off.00:51:23.850 –> 00:51:35.100 Joseph McElroy: I just saw like 11 I think in New York City winery but he was also at the art of appeal to the Glasgow plays he plays a callings guitar that's brand new guitar and I played.00:51:35.700 –> 00:51:45.990 Joseph McElroy: college to the dishes mark i've got a song called the column guitar song oh really are you are you do, do you have a, you said you have a collection guitar.00:51:48.210 –> 00:51:50.790 Joseph McElroy: Like like nobody's saying you can't have too many guitar.00:51:52.950 –> 00:52:02.160 Joseph McElroy: When I wrote this song about the colonies that's your favorite yeah it's like the head of me my servers back 34 years I said, good bass print my name and she had severe.00:52:02.520 –> 00:52:09.930 Joseph McElroy: will spend it on the new and follow this new and following a hot rod car, no, no thing so good rather have a college, maybe.00:52:11.730 –> 00:52:12.420 Joseph McElroy: Not kick off.00:52:14.760 –> 00:52:20.010 Joseph McElroy: spent many years, making money and then decided to buy a hotel yeah That was a better.00:52:21.750 –> 00:52:36.150 Joseph McElroy: guitar yeah well, it was all the time I bought it because yeah yeah being home homestead and big ideas have been doing things with it now it's become something else, but I did get to touch Tony Tony robbins guitar when they.00:52:37.440 –> 00:52:38.010 Joseph McElroy: got to reach over.00:52:39.960 –> 00:52:51.630 Joseph McElroy: Well, how did How do people buy your albums well not my website and I was hoping might go take a look the websites Richard hurley he already why returning music.com.00:52:52.050 –> 00:53:00.660 Joseph McElroy: And the various tabs if they work through the tabs their maintenance places to pursue them and also my two videos are on that video about Kevin lynch.00:53:01.410 –> 00:53:10.380 Joseph McElroy: saw with all the beautiful pictures pictures make hundreds and i'm pretty sure not together a video there's a video about shindig on the green locally.00:53:11.370 –> 00:53:18.360 Joseph McElroy: leverage books here in waynesville strange for music Scott my album and can you get the picture of a mercantile maddie.00:53:19.170 –> 00:53:34.860 Joseph McElroy: actually got the Chamber of Commerce over there, but the average American music.com can lead you in the first place, and you have your Facebook or anything like Facebook, to look you up there yeah alright cool well yeah Thank you very much for.00:53:36.570 –> 00:53:49.920 Joseph McElroy: appreciate it, and you know it's just it's fun to come up with a song strikes you something happens that makes you want around a song it just feels really good you get it recorded.00:53:51.090 –> 00:53:58.440 Joseph McElroy: she's got a great show here I want you to be here what's nice about the smokies and the culture and everything, are you better than that.00:53:59.640 –> 00:54:00.000 Joseph McElroy: and00:54:01.350 –> 00:54:06.390 Joseph McElroy: my daughter just walk well hey there, this is the gateway to the spotify asked why do.00:54:06.870 –> 00:54:14.700 Joseph McElroy: You want to be on the show the show here my daughter's on this show is the gateway to the post focus podcast you can find out more about us at.00:54:15.270 –> 00:54:27.150 Joseph McElroy: Facebook COM says gateway to the smokies podcast and we're on the talk radio dot nyc network, which is a live podcast network with blocks of.00:54:27.690 –> 00:54:35.400 Joseph McElroy: Everyday alive podcasts that, ranging from small business to travel to self help to any number of things, but it's a really good network.00:54:35.790 –> 00:54:49.800 Joseph McElroy: If you like listening to podcast I would recommend you take a listen to some of the other shows all of us that work, I actually have another podcast on this network called wise content creators well, but we talked about you know, using modern content marketing practices.00:54:52.950 –> 00:55:01.140 Joseph McElroy: To help your business so that's on Fridays from noon until one, so I appreciate it that's an interesting you're just looking at us look us up, but this podcast.00:55:01.500 –> 00:55:16.470 Joseph McElroy: Is every Tuesday from six until seven we talked about the smoky mountains and hey we're county actual and Tennessee even and things to do, and things and doing the culture and the people that are here so take a take a look look up come back again.

Guest: DAN PIERCEIn this episode, you'll learn about moonshine history, how NASCAR emerged from the Prohibition Era and how moonshine runners' lives have an impact on today's world. Joseph is joined by our special guest Dan Pierce, he is a renowned author, columnist, and consultant. He earned degrees from WCU, the University of Alabama, and the University of Tennessee before becoming a history professor at UNC Asheville. Dan is an avid outdoorsman, passionate about NASCAR, moonshine history, Appalachian culture, environmental issues, and race relations. He lives with his family in Black Mountain, N.C. He joins us to talk about Tar Heel Lightning: How Secret Stills and Fast cars Made N.C. the Moonshine Capital of the World, NASCAR, and more.Don't miss this out!Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.SHOW NOTESSEGMENT 1Pierce grew up in West Asheville, and was born in Arkansas but moved at the age of 3. Father moved to pastor the Grace Baptist Church. Joseph discusses how he was born and grew up in Haywood County which is right next to Asheville but relocated to NYC and stayed for 27 years. Eventually, he moved back to Asheville because it's a great place. Joseph and Pierce discuss the nostalgia of their childhoods in Asheville comparing it to how it is currently. They discuss good changes such as the dining expansion and interesting changes such as seeing more wildlife up close to their homes.SEGMENT 2When asked about his dedication to being a teacher and writer Pierce responds by saying he arrived at wanting to be a teacher in his late teens. He liked kids as he ran a park and majored in education. Ironically he recalls himself as an awful student but had a widowed sixth-grade teacher who influenced him. She took him and another boy over the summer to Europe, and her kindness encouraged him to be an influential teacher as well. After becoming a coach in Nashville he ended up going back to school for a Ph.D. at 40 years old. At 45 he came out with a book, he enjoyed reading early on but couldn't imagine himself becoming a writer. With great mentors, he got grounded with discipline and mastered writing. He enjoyed his thesis as it surrounded him hanging around the Moonshine or a stock race. His second book is Real NASCAR, White Lightning, Red Clay, and Big Bill Frogs. The France Family were/still are the owners of NASCAR. Perce dives into the rough and aggressive origin of NASCAR.SEGMENT 3Moonshine helped NASCAR and now Joseph wants to discuss how the roles were reversible, in that NASCAR helped NC become the Moonshine Capital. When the federal excise tax was put in place in NC after the Civil War, there was always a tradition in NC to make whiskey and so they made it illegal to upkeep the tradition whilst avoiding the tax. This would still be a strong local option during the prohibition. This made it a great market for Moonshine to thrive and it became a “two-way street” when it came to NASCAR. Successful drivers realized they could make more money with Moonshine than by winning races. There was an economic emergency or young people would get started with work with Moonshine. It became a part of the culture where people accepted the fact that it was needed for people's livelihoods. Both Pierce and Joseph discuss how it's still a lively product as they both are often gifted Moonshine. Popcorn Sutton was the bad image painted onto Moonshiners, but Pierce describes them as entrepreneurs and smart. He also talks about how there were also African Americans, women, and Native Americans. A.A. was actually a step ahead of white folks with illegal handmade liquor.SEGMENT 4Pierce wrote many books about the Great Smokies National Park. One of the most popular books is, “ From Natural Habitats to Natural Parkings”. Another book was, “Moonshine and the Smokies, Corn from a Jar'' which sold the most. He also did a book on the Community of Hazel Creek in Swain County, which surrounds the long controversy about the road to nowhere. The most recent one was a collaboration with an old friend regarding the art of the Smokies, “Illustrated Guide to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park”. Pierce also discusses his book about ​​NASCAR vs the merits of college football. He was in a debate on the South Carolina Public Radio on a series called Tell About the South. Hardy Jackson from Jacksonville State in Alabama argued for football and Pierce argued for NASCAR. He won a lifetime award, the “Western NC Historical Association Outstate Achievement Award''. Pierce is big on equal rights and racial diversity, he's leading a Railroad Incarcerated Committee to honor the forced labor of the 1870's inmates.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------TRANSCRIPT00:00:41.010 –> 00:00:43.320 Joseph McElroy: Welcome to the gateway to the smokies.00:00:43.320 –> 00:00:52.260 Joseph McElroy: podcast this podcast is about America's most business National Park, the great smoky mountains national park, and the surrounding towns.00:00:52.710 –> 00:01:01.470 Joseph McElroy: These areas are filled with natural beauty deep storied history and rich mountain cultures that we explore with weekly episodes.00:01:01.950 –> 00:01:10.440 Joseph McElroy: I'm Joseph Franklin McElroy man of the world, but also with deep roots in these mountains My family has lived in the great smokies for over 200 year.00:01:11.160 –> 00:01:18.540 Joseph McElroy: My businesses and travel, but my heart is in culture today we're going to talk about tar heel lightning talking past NASCAR and.00:01:19.080 –> 00:01:34.620 Joseph McElroy: and other mountain cultural touchstones with Dan Pierce, but first, our sponsors imagine a place evocative of motor courts of the past, yet modern and vibrant with a chic Appalachian feel.00:01:35.250 –> 00:01:46.650 Joseph McElroy: a place for adventure for relaxation imagine a place where you could fish in a mountain parent is trout stream real the catch on fire, and he accompanied by fine line or craft beer.00:01:47.340 –> 00:01:58.710 Joseph McElroy: Imagine a place in the old-time music world cultural cell, there is no other place like the middle like motel Maggie valley you're a smoky mountain adventures start with where you stay.00:02:00.630 –> 00:02:12.780 Joseph McElroy: The smoky mountains and surrounding areas is a vacation destination for all seasons, some of the nation's best hiking trails waterfalls outdoor adventures and family entertainment can be found, right here.00:02:13.470 –> 00:02:32.130 Joseph McElroy: start your adventure by using smokies adventure calm at smokies plural adventure senior.com to explore all the wonderful features of the great smoky mountains National Park trails waterfalls kids Code, the elk, and more and check out all the awesome family attractions.00:02:34.050 –> 00:02:49.260 Joseph McElroy: slinky and interesting logical, it was facilities and entertainment, you and your entire family can enjoy the goal the smokies adventure calm is to be your meeting information source for adventures and experiences and the great smoky mountain.00:02:50.850 –> 00:02:59.880 Joseph McElroy: Some upcoming events, I want to tell you about on June 18 at 4 pm is part four of the heritage books series with Bob Bob.00:03:00.600 –> 00:03:11.790 Joseph McElroy: it's another informative and entertaining and fun afternoon of history, food, and music as a part of part four of our heritage book series, and its an award-winning author and.00:03:12.330 –> 00:03:15.930 Joseph McElroy: meadowlark smoky mountain heritage Center general manager Bob blog.00:03:16.620 –> 00:03:31.710 Joseph McElroy: Discussing his fourth book colorful characters the great smoky mountains and then these books, he leaves the library stories of vibrant and intriguing characters, such as the Cherokee chiefs you don't agus got okay Nice.00:03:32.490 –> 00:03:44.610 Joseph McElroy: Oh, can I should have gotten this before I got on the cocoa know stone soda sorry if I really I'm really butchered that they have dragon canoe and their allies such as john will watch, along with their combat.00:03:45.240 –> 00:03:57.210 Joseph McElroy: Robert Rogers quitting Kennedy King hailer the Stockbridge Mohicans Francis Marion and others and then there's modern-day icon such as von plot Charles matt Miller and URL and.00:03:57.900 –> 00:04:16.830 Joseph McElroy: there'll be a book signing and Barbecue dinner, as well as a evening of acoustic music by Michael Guthrie in France it's the Venice free to motel guests and heritage club Members but there's an admission charge $10 for are all of the people call eight to 89261717 to reserve your place.00:04:17.910 –> 00:04:33.270 Joseph McElroy: On July July night a mountain icon I the Iowa I a hatter is going to have a program called wild crafted and mothers nature natural guard and it starts on July 9 at 10 am and.00:04:34.380 –> 00:04:43.050 Joseph McElroy: it's a program featuring a legendary wildcrafting expert I had her and she was also a renowned author filmmaker instructor and tour guide.00:04:43.410 –> 00:04:49.410 Joseph McElroy: For the great smoky mountains National Park elite DSM field school education Program.00:04:49.920 –> 00:05:01.350 Joseph McElroy: She is an expert on edible plants medicinal herbs of anything pertaining to wild craft forging and Appalachians plant trees and flowers, she is going to give it a presentation on.00:05:01.860 –> 00:05:08.730 Joseph McElroy: On all sorts of stuff related to walk crafting and then she's actually going to take our the guests, and people are on.00:05:09.060 –> 00:05:24.510 Joseph McElroy: an adventure, on the grounds and the surrounding area to actually forge things and learn how to do it right your own backyard so costs eight to 89261717 to reserve your place is free for guests and heritage heard this club members and there's a $20.00:05:25.830 –> 00:05:27.960 Joseph McElroy: price per for admission for everybody else.00:05:29.700 –> 00:05:36.750 Joseph McElroy: And then on August six six there's going to be a chair the launch of cherokee heritage series with Davey art.00:05:38.280 –> 00:05:47.490 Joseph McElroy: Davey arts is a world-famous Cherokee tribal historic and award-winning craftsman of traditional Turkey crafts, specifically masks and baskets.00:05:47.880 –> 00:06:07.200 Joseph McElroy: And a beloved spokesman for the Eastern Cherokee tribe the event will be followed by a Barbecue dinner and music is $20 per guest and it's free for hotel guests call eight to 89261717 to reserve your seat now and for all events at the Meadowlark motel so.00:06:08.220 –> 00:06:16.110 Joseph McElroy: Today we're gonna be talking with Dan pierce, who is a renowned author columnist consultant who earned degrees from Western Carolina University.00:06:16.500 –> 00:06:22.380 Joseph McElroy: The University of Alabama and the University of Tennessee before becoming a history professor at unc Asheville.00:06:22.890 –> 00:06:36.090 Joseph McElroy: Dan is an avid outdoorsman passionate about NASCAR moonshine history Appalachian culture environmental issues and race relations, he lives with his family and black mountain North Carolina hello, Dan how are you doing.00:06:36.600 –> 00:06:37.980 Daniel Pierce: i'm good i'm good.00:06:38.280 –> 00:06:38.760 yeah.00:06:40.110 –> 00:06:43.680 Joseph McElroy: it's good to be here it's a little hot right now but we're getting over it right.00:06:44.130 –> 00:06:45.330 Daniel Pierce: Hopefully, hopefully.00:06:45.660 –> 00:06:52.860 Joseph McElroy: yeah so so like me euro you're a native Western or throw you grew up my sash all right.00:06:53.220 –> 00:07:04.560 Daniel Pierce: I did you know I hesitate call myself a native because I was born in Arkansas but, as I say, I got here as quickly as I could I was three when I.00:07:06.090 –> 00:07:17.100 Daniel Pierce: arrived in West Asheville I've always said, the good Lord i'm thankful to the good Lord for calling my dad to come to pastor the Grace Baptist Church in West Asheville, and so I grew up there.00:07:17.910 –> 00:07:28.590 Daniel Pierce: kind of an as I put it, a combination of Mayberry and a cotton mill town in will stifle at that time, which is not at all what West Asheville is today.00:07:28.680 –> 00:07:30.210 Joseph McElroy: I know it's changed a little bit.00:07:31.230 –> 00:07:32.190 Daniel Pierce: he's a little lot.00:07:33.570 –> 00:07:39.240 Joseph McElroy: Well, you know I just relocated with my family back you know I grew up in a wood county yeah right next to Asheville.00:07:39.660 –> 00:07:53.970 Joseph McElroy: My family's been in that county for over 200 years, so you know I got I was born and raised and all that sort of thing, but that has spent 27 years in New York City where my kids were born and I just reload your head the whole kit and caboodle back to Asheville so.00:07:56.280 –> 00:08:09.930 Joseph McElroy: it's you know it's a it's a great place to common yeah, as you can say, as you, as you mentioned this changed a lot, I think, in a positive way, but it was it was I thought it was pretty cool we were growing up what was it like growing up in West asheville.00:08:10.530 –> 00:08:21.870 Daniel Pierce: Well, like I said it was kind of a combination of Mayberry and cotton mill town, you know when and course we were very much free-range kids at the time, and you know ride our bikes all ever West asheville and Walt.00:08:23.190 –> 00:08:29.790 Daniel Pierce: You know I remember one particular Saturday bye buddy Steve Harris, and I just decided on the spur of the moment we'd walk despite.00:08:30.180 –> 00:08:38.550 Daniel Pierce: to the top of the mountain, which is out in the last area, so we walked out Lester highway and we we remind me, you know 1112 years old and and.00:08:39.210 –> 00:08:48.870 Daniel Pierce: Well, to the top of the mountain and back nobody knew, you know I mean it's probably I don't know 1015 miles when we walk that day, but that was the place, I grew up you.00:08:48.870 –> 00:08:49.650 Daniel Pierce: know I mean we.00:08:50.070 –> 00:08:51.510 Daniel Pierce: knew everybody and.00:08:53.400 –> 00:08:54.570 Daniel Pierce: pretty much and.00:08:55.770 –> 00:09:03.510 Daniel Pierce: It was just one of those kinds of neighborhoods so and the other great thing was being in western North Carolina and typically once.00:09:04.710 –> 00:09:09.150 Daniel Pierce: You got a little more mobile and wheels, you know we went to the mountains, a lot and.00:09:10.770 –> 00:09:16.830 Daniel Pierce: You know, we go the top of mountain play capture the flag and stuff like that a row rocks off the side of the mountain there.00:09:19.290 –> 00:09:26.340 Daniel Pierce: and go to swimming holes and all that kind of stuff so it was a great I didn't know at the time, but it was a great great place to grow.00:09:27.060 –> 00:09:35.460 Joseph McElroy: it's still good you know I I went right in our backyard so far we're North asheville right and we're on a real real wonderful street.00:09:35.880 –> 00:09:42.840 Joseph McElroy: You know, and our kids bike on the street, just like you, you, you know you remember, they were out there with other kids and.00:09:43.140 –> 00:09:56.430 Joseph McElroy: All you have to use your car and all the kids get off the road but it's not there's not really that much traffic but what's interesting is is that in the in the week that we've been here we've seen had a BlackBerry to deer in our backyard.00:09:57.510 –> 00:10:01.350 Joseph McElroy: which I don't really remember Asheville being that prevalent for big wildlife.00:10:01.650 –> 00:10:16.260 Daniel Pierce: yeah there were no turkeys there he never saw a bear unless you're in the smokies and their head was in a garbage can and you never solved there you know it was it's it's really one of the great changes recent well.00:10:17.700 –> 00:10:26.250 Daniel Pierce: I prefer to see bears a little less frequently in my yard actually one got up i've got my bird feeder strong about.00:10:26.940 –> 00:10:42.930 Daniel Pierce: 15 feet up off the ground and one of them figured out how to get up there and kind of twine the wire and got one of the bird feeders to bounce off today, so a lot we we saw i'm trying it the other day and I shot him with a bb gun I don't know if I can say that.00:10:43.200 –> 00:10:43.500 yeah.00:10:44.520 –> 00:10:45.420 Daniel Pierce: Is that legal.00:10:48.210 –> 00:10:51.090 Daniel Pierce: And scare them off, but he got my bird feeder today and I.00:10:51.090 –> 00:10:51.360 can't.00:10:54.270 –> 00:10:59.790 Joseph McElroy: bit bb guns and rocks over the thing back in the day and I think they're probably still could have their uses.00:11:02.700 –> 00:11:10.080 Joseph McElroy: So what do I think it's interesting you grew up in West Asheville it's changed a lot like you mentioned What would you think is the biggest change.00:11:10.950 –> 00:11:12.600 Daniel Pierce: Well, the real estate prices for.00:11:12.600 –> 00:11:13.890 Joseph McElroy: Oh yeah.00:11:14.520 –> 00:11:21.090 Daniel Pierce: They were just talking about you know, is it going to be a million-dollar bungalow for sale and West Asheville soon you know it's.00:11:21.960 –> 00:11:37.920 Daniel Pierce: crazy, you know the House, it was very blue-collar when I when I grew up there, and, of course, you had the actual speedway down there having races and or or, as some people put it, you know what went to the fights and a race broke out, you know.00:11:40.710 –> 00:11:48.120 Daniel Pierce: Pretty rough place but you know and the and the only dining establishment really was the tasty diner you know and.00:11:49.470 –> 00:11:53.670 Daniel Pierce: Where you could go sit at the bar with jack ingram you know, is in the nascar hall of fame so.00:11:55.320 –> 00:11:59.820 Joseph McElroy: Great foodie place now man there's some great restaurants out there, look jargon right.00:12:00.240 –> 00:12:04.410 Daniel Pierce: Now those weren't there you know it's kind of one of those deals, you know I hear they're good.00:12:04.890 –> 00:12:05.490 Joseph McElroy: yeah.00:12:05.940 –> 00:12:07.350 Daniel Pierce: I don't get the West Eiffel much.00:12:09.450 –> 00:12:15.780 Joseph McElroy: jargon is good there's a there's a really great coffee place i'm drawing a blank on the name, right now, but then there's.00:12:16.740 –> 00:12:22.590 Joseph McElroy: You know the early girl is opened up West Asheville, which is a really good you have farm to table thing so.00:12:23.580 –> 00:12:35.580 Joseph McElroy: it's it's become a great place to go and pick up some really good food i'm telling you right now, everybody should go visit there and then they got the artsy sort of seeing going on and performance and things like that.00:12:36.240 –> 00:12:38.250 Joseph McElroy: And I read an interview that's.00:12:38.280 –> 00:12:41.190 Daniel Pierce: Not my day was the chili dog at the surfside.00:12:41.220 –> 00:12:41.910 Joseph McElroy: yeah right.00:12:42.570 –> 00:12:48.150 Joseph McElroy: Or, I remember driving back you know and we'd always stopped West actual at the denny's after being at the nightclub but.00:12:50.340 –> 00:13:06.270 Joseph McElroy: I don't see to be open anymore so ready very interview that she said something the effect that folks around that actually had no pretense that are they they are who they are take it or leave it I you know, do you feel that's that's the way they are now to.00:13:06.840 –> 00:13:09.240 Daniel Pierce: A it's hard to say yeah.00:13:09.240 –> 00:13:09.630 Right.00:13:11.280 –> 00:13:14.070 Daniel Pierce: it's a different I don't have as good a raid on.00:13:15.630 –> 00:13:20.190 Daniel Pierce: The recent arrivals as I did the folks I grew up with.00:13:21.510 –> 00:13:28.500 Joseph McElroy: was very true but I grew up the same thing, and I think that the people that are local here are, and I think it rubs off, I do think that people.00:13:28.890 –> 00:13:42.990 Joseph McElroy: come from different areas get a little bit let it get lost a little bit of the pretense and they become a little bit more authentic I mean not as authentic as yeah what we grew up with but yeah like you know, there was somebody that I read somewhere that.00:13:44.010 –> 00:13:55.920 Joseph McElroy: Nobody really has a fancy car asheville you know it's yeah everybody has you know sort of you know, work practical cars right.00:13:56.790 –> 00:14:01.440 Daniel Pierce: Well, mine is minus the truck with us still a possible bumper sticker on it.00:14:01.470 –> 00:14:07.320 Joseph McElroy: So I'm still I'm driving my dad's 1984 GMC truck so.00:14:09.900 –> 00:14:12.780 Joseph McElroy: To get this current gas moment i'm not driver that much.00:14:12.840 –> 00:14:13.230 yeah.00:14:14.430 –> 00:14:20.520 Joseph McElroy: hey listen, we have to take a break and we'll come back talk a little bit more about your history and then get into some of your books all right.00:14:20.850 –> 00:14:21.180 Daniel Pierce: All right.00:16:37.200 –> 00:16:50.490 Joseph McElroy: howdy this is Joseph Franklin McElroy back with the gateway to the smokies podcast my guest Dan Pierce so Dan you grew up in Asheville, then you left it to go get your bachelor's.00:16:51.570 –> 00:17:06.510 Joseph McElroy: vs bachelor of science at Western Carolyn Carolyn diversity and your masters of Alabama and then your PhD at the University of Tennessee and now Lo and behold, you are renowned writer and history, Professor did you always want to be a teacher and writer.00:17:08.310 –> 00:17:08.880 Daniel Pierce: well.00:17:10.050 –> 00:17:15.840 Daniel Pierce: A teacher, I think, was something I arrived at, you know in my late teens I worked at a.00:17:17.610 –> 00:17:30.030 Daniel Pierce: Had a partner program and Asheville and I ran apart for a couple of summers I like kids a lot and so ended up majoring in education, I taught fifth grade for three years and I had.00:17:31.740 –> 00:17:39.270 Daniel Pierce: kind of a weird experience educationally I was a horrible student I was kind of a noxious kid but I had a sixth-grade teacher That was really.00:17:40.200 –> 00:17:51.180 Daniel Pierce: inspiring she loved history and then a weird thing happened, where she was she was a widow she asked me if i'd like to go to Europe and so.00:17:52.230 –> 00:18:00.210 Daniel Pierce: Taking me the next summer after my seventh-grade year to Europe me and another 12-year-old boy, it was.00:18:00.750 –> 00:18:01.800 Joseph McElroy: A lot of studying.00:18:02.280 –> 00:18:02.760 Joseph McElroy: Oh, my God.00:18:02.940 –> 00:18:04.710 Joseph McElroy: yeah it changed your life.00:18:05.580 –> 00:18:18.300 Daniel Pierce: yeah really strange and then she ended up being my mom's best friend so in just a deer name is Steve Bennett and just a wonderful person so she kind of inspired me to teach and then I had a lot of bad examples I think that I learned from.00:18:21.420 –> 00:18:27.540 Daniel Pierce: about what not to do, and so I taught fifth-grade love that but was young single went to.00:18:28.650 –> 00:18:34.710 Daniel Pierce: pulled up and went to Alabama, which is a great experience for two years and got my masters and.00:18:35.790 –> 00:18:40.440 Daniel Pierce: kind of cast my lot with southern history, at that point.00:18:41.550 –> 00:18:52.410 Daniel Pierce: Then I got married and moved to Nashville Tennessee and taught high school for eight years and I was coach peers for that time and really enjoy that stage of my life but, but then decided.00:18:53.670 –> 00:18:56.670 Daniel Pierce: With the help of my life to go back for a PhD so.00:18:57.960 –> 00:19:06.540 Daniel Pierce: I finished my Ph.D. at about the age of 40 and so you know I kind of came this late in life and then.00:19:07.890 –> 00:19:08.790 Daniel Pierce: You know the first.00:19:10.440 –> 00:19:21.360 Daniel Pierce: The first book, I guess, I was 45 when the first book came out, so I really never imagined, you know I've always been an avid reader but I never imagined being a writer and then.00:19:23.010 –> 00:19:28.260 Daniel Pierce: I just had some great mentors in graduate school that simplify things for me writing was always.00:19:30.000 –> 00:19:43.230 Daniel Pierce: painful for me, and then they simplified things made it much easier and and and and taught me how to sit down and write in and so, then that you know that I don't know you know seven oh.00:19:43.590 –> 00:19:46.500 Joseph McElroy: Would you start writing before you came to unc actual.00:19:47.400 –> 00:19:52.740 Daniel Pierce: Well, I could have had to write a dissertation I had to do a master's thesis and dissertation and such.00:19:53.190 –> 00:19:55.260 Joseph McElroy: A good writing the books and so you got to do and CA.00:19:55.410 –> 00:20:01.950 Daniel Pierce: yeah well the dissertation became the first book, but I had to do some significant rewriting on it and.00:20:03.060 –> 00:20:19.800 Daniel Pierce: And I've been very fortunate to be the places where I've been where I've kind of been able to pick and choose what I wanted to do research on to write about so you know you know, I have a good time with it, so there are some people I know who hated their dissertation topic.00:20:19.800 –> 00:20:19.920 Joseph McElroy: and00:20:20.910 –> 00:20:26.310 Daniel Pierce: You know they hate their research but they're kind of stuck because of the requirements of their tenure whatever and.00:20:27.120 –> 00:20:36.510 Daniel Pierce: I've just been able to do what I want, so I have a good time and I get to do research by you know going hiking in the mountains or going to a stock car race or hanging out with moonshine are.00:20:36.510 –> 00:20:37.530 Joseph McElroy: not bad research.00:20:37.530 –> 00:20:41.670 Daniel Pierce: Right like that are traveling in the West, recently, you know.00:20:41.850 –> 00:20:49.590 Joseph McElroy: how did you get I don't know if it's lucky or whatever that actually get to come back to your hometown to be a professor for so long.00:20:49.860 –> 00:20:54.600 Daniel Pierce: It was totally accidental I was in graduate school finishing up and.00:20:55.950 –> 00:20:58.500 Daniel Pierce: One-year position opened up at marcell.00:20:59.730 –> 00:21:07.740 Daniel Pierce: University and did that, for a year and then I was fortunate enough to get a one year deal at unc asheville.00:21:08.880 –> 00:21:21.390 Daniel Pierce: And then I was fortunate enough to get a one-year deal at Western Carolina University and then I kind of adjunct it for a while and, finally, I think unc Asheville figured I wasn't going to go away and they finally hired me on the tenure track.00:21:22.590 –> 00:21:24.150 Daniel Pierce: Oh yeah and.00:21:24.480 –> 00:21:25.110 Joseph McElroy: She actually.00:21:25.140 –> 00:21:31.320 Joseph McElroy: A very interesting place you know we were we moved on right there right, so I paid attention to what you know I actually.00:21:31.740 –> 00:21:39.600 Joseph McElroy: You know I've been an artist I've been in some museums and things but yeah one of my first actually my first formal training in art.00:21:40.110 –> 00:21:48.780 Joseph McElroy: was at unc Asheville I mean I'd gone to do and then had a career in technology and I burned out for a little while and just sort of tooled around in my first formal training.00:21:49.230 –> 00:21:58.980 Joseph McElroy: of any sort of school was at unc Asheville before I moved on up North and went to other places, but so sort of fun for me to be live in there, you know it's.00:22:00.690 –> 00:22:08.970 Joseph McElroy: it's a great place that they're having something very soon that thing is interesting you're having a world-class conference called the idea festival.00:22:09.390 –> 00:22:09.930 Daniel Pierce: yeah.00:22:10.050 –> 00:22:10.950 Joseph McElroy: Pretty crazy right.00:22:11.190 –> 00:22:11.940 Daniel Pierce: yeah I got.00:22:15.660 –> 00:22:16.530 Daniel Pierce: yeah lots of.00:22:18.270 –> 00:22:20.610 Daniel Pierce: Speakers john meacham.00:22:21.450 –> 00:22:23.430 Joseph McElroy: My major people really.00:22:23.880 –> 00:22:29.850 Joseph McElroy: yeah I am in the middle of moving I'm still doing this, I can't go, but I probably go next year, it looks great.00:22:30.300 –> 00:22:47.580 Joseph McElroy: yeah so your books and articles cover a pretty wide range of subjects, all of them interested you already started mentioning them, but in 19 to 2010 you released real NASCAR white lightning red clay and bill big bill France was that your first book.00:22:48.300 –> 00:22:58.080 Daniel Pierce: Now that was the second, the first one was 10 years before that actually was my dissertation it was on it's called the great smokies from natural habitat to the national park and it's.00:22:59.130 –> 00:23:10.800 Daniel Pierce: That was one of the great smoky mountain National Park, so it kind of cast that's kind of been, I guess, if I have an area, you know for my books are related to the great smoky mountains so.00:23:12.030 –> 00:23:15.120 Joseph McElroy: He looks are your series on Nascar to and moonshine so you have.00:23:15.450 –> 00:23:15.900 yeah.00:23:18.360 –> 00:23:22.230 Daniel Pierce: yeah there's some overlap there, so I did the NASCAR book and then.00:23:23.310 –> 00:23:35.610 Daniel Pierce: A guy with the great smoky mountains, association, and editor there asked me to do a book on moonshine the smokies, and then that turned into a bigger book I'll moonshine in North Carolina so well.00:23:35.970 –> 00:23:39.390 Daniel Pierce: So they all kind of run together in kind of a weird way.00:23:40.230 –> 00:23:44.670 Joseph McElroy: Why why, why did you write a book on NASCAR, I will get what was their interest there.00:23:45.210 –> 00:23:55.230 Daniel Pierce: Well, the big thing I always you know I grew up and I put it within earshot of the what they call the new Asheville speedway or the or the river, which was kind of a leg.00:23:56.700 –> 00:24:00.840 Daniel Pierce: yeah dental Nam boy road and West Asheville and it was a big hang out.00:24:02.550 –> 00:24:14.580 Daniel Pierce: I was kind of well easily influenced by my brother my older brother and he was all about kind of living down your West Asheville roots and.00:24:14.940 –> 00:24:27.510 Daniel Pierce: and your redneck roots in and hanging out with the North Asheville kids and all that, so I always I never went to a race there, I never thought about we just didn't do that kind of thing you know Baptist preacher son and.00:24:27.900 –> 00:24:31.920 Daniel Pierce: and always kind of make fun of it, but then I had a roommate at Western.00:24:32.700 –> 00:24:36.810 Daniel Pierce: Western Carolina who was avid I mean he still is and.00:24:38.310 –> 00:24:47.520 Daniel Pierce: And he kept trying to get me to get a races and then finally right, as I was finishing up my PhD work at Tennessee he was living in East Tennessee.00:24:48.360 –> 00:24:56.400 Daniel Pierce: He said I got take it so got a couple of tickets to Bristol why don't you come to go with me, and so I thought well you can't call yourself a southern historian if you've.00:24:56.910 –> 00:24:57.600 Joseph McElroy: never been done.00:24:58.770 –> 00:25:06.930 Daniel Pierce: You know, and so that was 1994 and I went to my first race was night race at Bristol I don't have a clue about anything.00:25:07.860 –> 00:25:17.760 Daniel Pierce: the first thing he didn't say anything about how loud, it was and I didn't have any earplugs or anything I thought I was going to go deaf and so fortunately I had a strap on my sunglasses and I was able to stuff that my ears and.00:25:18.360 –> 00:25:31.530 Daniel Pierce: And, but the thing that got me, I think I mean the racing was incredible I mean it was just really exciting, but the thing that got me where the fans that just were unreal I mean just the past.00:25:32.190 –> 00:25:34.680 Daniel Pierce: fanatics yeah yeah there was a guy.00:25:35.040 –> 00:25:37.050 Joseph McElroy: What explains that popularity yeah.00:25:37.110 –> 00:25:41.250 Daniel Pierce: You know I don't know I don't see it as intense as it was at that.00:25:42.570 –> 00:25:58.980 Daniel Pierce: But it was intense and I'll never forget, there was a guy sitting in front of us and we were way up near the top and we're 100 rose up or more, and this guy was sitting if he had a big old cooler he brought he and I don't know how many beers he driving but.00:25:59.130 –> 00:26:13.560 Daniel Pierce: yeah but he would they at bristol's a half mile track so they're coming by every 16 1516 seconds this guy would stand up every time Dale Earnhardt's car came by and she didn't bark.00:26:14.820 –> 00:26:16.290 Joseph McElroy: Ah, so.00:26:16.650 –> 00:26:18.840 Joseph McElroy: If it goes a little bit like pro wrestling there they.00:26:21.300 –> 00:26:22.140 Joseph McElroy: Had a little bit of a.00:26:24.210 –> 00:26:27.450 Joseph McElroy: Of a character that represented yeah.00:26:27.510 –> 00:26:40.920 Daniel Pierce: yeah but I mean there was a lot of that kind of it was very almost a moral drama almost, particularly at that time Jeff Gordon was coming on the scene is kind of clean-cut California kid you know and here's Dale earnhardt this rough.00:26:42.150 –> 00:26:51.480 Daniel Pierce: A rough and tumble God worked in a cotton mill you know, and you know Greece under his fingernails kind of guy which is not necessarily true but.00:26:52.110 –> 00:26:52.710 Daniel Pierce: But he had.00:26:52.740 –> 00:26:57.660 Daniel Pierce: Any image, you know, and so it was great you know I mean it was just intense you know.00:26:58.080 –> 00:27:05.940 Joseph McElroy: The first big name in NASCAR was William Henry Getty Big Bill France well what was this what was his position on sports?00:27:06.120 –> 00:27:06.900 Daniel Pierce: way he was.00:27:07.440 –> 00:27:22.800 Daniel Pierce: The founder basically the order, I mean the France family it's unique and professional sports and that that nascar is owned by the France family still as a woman, by the France family and so his.00:27:26.790 –> 00:27:38.640 Daniel Pierce: His brother or his side, Jim France is pretty much the head of it now, but then his his grandchildren well Brian Francis kind of out of the picture now he ran it for a while a grandchild and.00:27:39.990 –> 00:27:50.040 Daniel Pierce: Lisa France Kennedy is has a big hand and so it's still a family run business and then he kind of ran it with a with an iron fist back in the day and course it was.00:27:50.160 –> 00:27:52.650 Joseph McElroy: Back in those days, it was all those guys were like.00:27:52.740 –> 00:27:55.680 Daniel Pierce: yeah I mean it was it was a pretty rough crowd you.00:27:55.680 –> 00:28:06.510 Daniel Pierce: know the you know there was a lot of those guys, you know got their first high speed driving experience behind about you know, a 39 for coop you know Holland liquor.00:28:06.840 –> 00:28:08.820 Daniel Pierce: yeah right somewhere so.00:28:08.820 –> 00:28:16.890 Joseph McElroy: trying to get trying to get the front end of one of those coops we got the moonshine room, I was well put it in there yeah so you know.00:28:17.460 –> 00:28:30.660 Joseph McElroy: I would take a break soon, but you have you declare at the end of that book I would humbly suggest this time for Nascar to stop modernizing tradition and start embracing his tradition what's the simple explanation of that statement.00:28:31.230 –> 00:28:41.790 Daniel Pierce: Well, you know they are kind of hidden from their moonshine roots they're doing a little bit more now, but I think they ought to embrace it, you know, I think that they it's a great story you.00:28:41.790 –> 00:28:42.060 know.00:28:43.290 –> 00:28:52.020 Daniel Pierce: These guys, who had nothing you know but we're very creative and entrepreneurial and aggressive you know, maybe.00:28:52.320 –> 00:29:03.420 Joseph McElroy: Some of my relatives ran yeah moonshine and now they had souped up cars man and the stories of them racing through the hills, to avoid revenue, or is there a pretty heritage right so.00:29:06.210 –> 00:29:12.300 Joseph McElroy: cool we got to take another break when I come back i'll talk a little bit more about moonshine and your book so matt.00:31:22.080 –> 00:31:29.610 Joseph McElroy: howdy this is Joseph Franklin McElroy back with the gateway to the smokies podcast my guest is Dan Pierce so Dan you know you.00:31:30.300 –> 00:31:34.350 Joseph McElroy: You wrote another book you've actually written a couple of books about moonshine you wrote another one.00:31:34.650 –> 00:31:51.240 Joseph McElroy: That combined NASCAR and moonshine called tar heel lightning how secret stills and fast cars mean North Carolina the moonshine capital, the world, so we talked about how moonshine helped nascar how did nascar fast cars make North Carolina the moonshine capital.00:31:52.020 –> 00:32:03.510 Daniel Pierce: Well it's a long story, but from the very beginning, when you know, making whiskey became la or illegal, that is, if you didn't pay the federal excise tax, and that was.00:32:05.220 –> 00:32:07.950 Daniel Pierce: Well, went into effect in North Carolina right after the civil war.00:32:09.060 –> 00:32:24.720 Daniel Pierce: North Carolina from the very beginning, you know, there was a long tradition of making making whiskey in North Carolina I mean going back to the earliest white settlers who brought that skill with them and brought their skills, with them perfectly legal activity.00:32:26.340 –> 00:32:28.380 Daniel Pierce: With few exceptions, up until then.00:32:29.580 –> 00:32:37.260 Daniel Pierce: And you know they weren't about to give it up, you know, and so it was too important of economic activity, they couldn't make any money if they.00:32:37.740 –> 00:32:48.330 Daniel Pierce: On it, if they pay the tax, and so they made it illegally and, and so it just became very much ingrained in North Carolina history and culture as hard as the.00:32:48.810 –> 00:32:56.730 Daniel Pierce: Federal Government and then went around the turn of the century, you started getting probation and then North Carolina became one of the first states to.00:32:58.350 –> 00:33:00.900 Daniel Pierce: To have statewide probation in 1909.00:33:01.920 –> 00:33:13.110 Daniel Pierce: And it's it's kind of interesting there's that that that dynamic with prohibition and moonshine that they really go hand in hand and part of the reason North Carolina was.00:33:14.010 –> 00:33:24.150 Daniel Pierce: Such moonshine was so important in North Carolina and so big in North Carolina was because probation was so strong and so.00:33:24.510 –> 00:33:24.780 Joseph McElroy: You know.00:33:24.990 –> 00:33:35.430 Daniel Pierce: After national you know you had national prohibition when that ended you still had local option in North Carolina and so most counties were dry well into the 60s and 70s and.00:33:36.000 –> 00:33:47.460 Daniel Pierce: Even still have some dry municipalities and stuff like that around the state but but, again, it was long time before you know, most people could buy.00:33:47.910 –> 00:34:01.920 Daniel Pierce: Legal liquor in this state, so there was a great market for moonshine which course fed into nascar, you know as kind of a you know, a two way street, there you know you had people who who became successful drivers who.00:34:03.000 –> 00:34:05.580 Daniel Pierce: figured out, they could make more money hauling liquor then they could win.00:34:08.250 –> 00:34:14.640 Joseph McElroy: or an economic, it was I mean it had a it was an economic boom for people in the mountains, even though it was also.00:34:15.120 –> 00:34:25.200 Joseph McElroy: devastating you know and a lot of social ills from it as well, but now it was like quick money right yeah there was you couldn't get loans you couldn't get anything else, but you could make money with moonshine right.00:34:25.680 –> 00:34:35.790 Daniel Pierce: yeah for a lot of people, it was kind of an insurance policy, and you know, most people were not career moonshiners you know they weren't your popcorn sutton's you know who.00:34:36.210 –> 00:34:43.200 Daniel Pierce: Who did it all their life, you know they did it, you know, and they were there was kind of an economic emergency or there or they're young they're you know they're kind of.00:34:44.460 –> 00:34:56.790 Daniel Pierce: You know, starting out so a lot of people, you know you know it's kind of funny you know you talk to people everybody says Oh well, you know I in my family, you know someone so holic or something like that and.00:34:57.270 –> 00:35:03.000 Daniel Pierce: And it was just a common thing you know for a lot of people, it was one of the few ways that you could get cash money.00:35:03.330 –> 00:35:06.120 Joseph McElroy: yeah yeah hard to get cash.00:35:06.150 –> 00:35:18.990 Daniel Pierce: Right cash money, and you know if you're willing to take the risk, and so you know for a lot of people, it was you know almost unexpected depend on the Community you're in you know is almost an expected thing you know and.00:35:20.400 –> 00:35:22.230 Daniel Pierce: And for a lot of people it wasn't great.00:35:22.710 –> 00:35:35.730 Daniel Pierce: You know, particularly in rural areas that when a great disability, you know the preacher might preach against it but, but the preacher understood to that you needed to do what you which could put shoes on your kid's feet and.00:35:38.700 –> 00:35:39.840 Daniel Pierce: and feed them and so.00:35:40.980 –> 00:35:43.320 Daniel Pierce: And the preacher also knew that he got.00:35:44.340 –> 00:35:47.700 Daniel Pierce: You know that money in the offering plate often came from laker money so.00:35:47.820 –> 00:35:58.800 Joseph McElroy: I listened to all the general stores loved it, because who bought word they buy the sugar where they buy that you know the components that fed the economy in general, so you know it was a.00:36:00.000 –> 00:36:09.840 Joseph McElroy: And then yeah you hadn't things different you wrote a book called corn from a jar which we actually carry here at the metal Arc that explored, a lot of these issues didn't it.00:36:10.770 –> 00:36:13.260 Daniel Pierce: yeah like specifically at the smokies but.00:36:14.400 –> 00:36:15.630 Daniel Pierce: Again, you know that's a.00:36:17.850 –> 00:36:18.150 You.00:36:19.410 –> 00:36:21.330 Joseph McElroy: Know moonshine is good for cough.00:36:21.600 –> 00:36:22.290 Daniel Pierce: Well, it is.00:36:24.900 –> 00:36:27.660 Daniel Pierce: I got a freezer full of it people keep giving it to him.00:36:28.710 –> 00:36:29.250 Joseph McElroy: Oh yeah.00:36:29.310 –> 00:36:30.900 Daniel Pierce: we're still i'm pretty active.00:36:31.800 –> 00:36:39.990 Joseph McElroy: Oh man I get people showing up at the motel we have our pavilion we have like a will have a bluegrass festival or something man everybody's giving me boo chatting yeah.00:36:40.650 –> 00:36:41.340 So.00:36:42.570 –> 00:36:43.890 Daniel Pierce: I got a freezer full of it.00:36:44.370 –> 00:36:44.820 Joseph McElroy: yeah.00:36:45.600 –> 00:36:46.980 Daniel Pierce: I do need to go against it but.00:36:47.880 –> 00:36:53.640 Joseph McElroy: My dad you know here's a bunch of he probably still he used to eat popcorn he probably still have some popcorn.00:36:53.820 –> 00:36:57.330 Daniel Pierce: yeah well I think everybody has some purportedly.00:36:57.630 –> 00:37:01.200 Daniel Pierce: yeah a chat I've heard a lot of it, oh yeah I got some popcorn.00:37:03.960 –> 00:37:18.900 Joseph McElroy: So what's up you know, there was a lot of cultural representations of moonshiners and I think a lot of that you know was purposely you know denigrating people making them into bumpkins but what do you think is the side of moonshine that most people have never seen.00:37:19.680 –> 00:37:23.250 Daniel Pierce: Well, there guys, there are a lot of signs and that was what the book.00:37:26.070 –> 00:37:35.580 Daniel Pierce: Tar heel lighting is really bad it's kind of a lot complicating I guess the image, because if people's me to moonshiners kind of popcorn site, and you know.00:37:36.570 –> 00:37:46.500 Daniel Pierce: Guy with a beard and overalls and they'll truck and you know, in the file mouth, and you know and apparently popcorn was no dummy for sure and.00:37:48.360 –> 00:37:51.060 Daniel Pierce: But you know one they were.00:37:52.260 –> 00:37:58.410 Daniel Pierce: A lot of these people were very smart they were very entrepreneurial they were very skilled.00:38:00.360 –> 00:38:15.990 Daniel Pierce: have often talked about junior Johnson that famous car driver and car owner, but he, of course, got his start you know, in the family business, which was moonshine but I've often said about junior Johnson I think he's one of the smartest people he didn't come across is.00:38:17.040 –> 00:38:26.700 Daniel Pierce: Particularly intelligent, but he was one of the smartest people I've ever encountered often said he probably never read a physics book, but I think you could write one.00:38:29.160 –> 00:38:31.590 Daniel Pierce: A lot of these people were really smart The other thing was that.00:38:33.540 –> 00:38:50.700 Daniel Pierce: We had the same as the white mountain near and the fact of the matter is in North Carolina in particular and most of the South, it was all over I mean you know there are many coastal swap moonshiners is that we're mountain moonshiners you know lower in Piedmont, it was all over.00:38:51.930 –> 00:39:00.900 Daniel Pierce: And it was an end, and they weren't all fly there were a lot of native Americans particularly manga lambie down the eastern part of North Carolina.00:39:00.930 –> 00:39:03.450 Joseph McElroy: They sort of taught moonshiners about corners as.00:39:03.690 –> 00:39:04.530 Daniel Pierce: Well yeah you.00:39:05.550 –> 00:39:07.200 Daniel Pierce: Know actually the.00:39:08.190 –> 00:39:17.970 Daniel Pierce: The first moonshiners in North Carolina were African American and Native American because in the 1830s the legislature passed a law that said.00:39:19.140 –> 00:39:24.210 Daniel Pierce: said free persons of color could not make liquor or sell liquor.00:39:25.680 –> 00:39:30.570 Daniel Pierce: And so they were making it illegally before you know before white people were.00:39:31.140 –> 00:39:31.620 Joseph McElroy: made were used.00:39:31.770 –> 00:39:32.640 Daniel Pierce: to watch a nation.00:39:32.670 –> 00:39:36.120 Daniel Pierce: Plus, they were also traditions of slaves too.00:39:37.710 –> 00:39:43.290 Daniel Pierce: apply plantation distilleries using slave Labor so like a lot of African Americans knew how to make liquor.00:39:43.410 –> 00:39:44.640 Joseph McElroy: I knew very good.00:39:45.630 –> 00:39:51.360 Daniel Pierce: yeah, then the other thing I think that that's that kind of blows people's minds was the number of women involved.00:39:52.440 –> 00:39:55.350 Daniel Pierce: And that's just a fascinating story, you know.00:39:55.350 –> 00:39:57.930 Joseph McElroy: Especially on the brandy, they made from those that.00:39:57.990 –> 00:40:01.740 Joseph McElroy: moonshine right at it out yeah for things like.00:40:02.520 –> 00:40:17.370 Daniel Pierce: Well, if you had fruit trees, you know back in you know well before refrigeration became common if you had free trees, there was one reason why you did, and that was the to make brandy or apple jack or something.00:40:17.370 –> 00:40:19.590 Daniel Pierce: Like alcohol from it.00:40:21.570 –> 00:40:32.880 Daniel Pierce: Because you couldn't you know if you had a big orchard, I mean you couldn't preserve all that you couldn't get to market, but you could distill it and you could get that the market and it would really sale to.00:40:33.060 –> 00:40:44.790 Joseph McElroy: find the things that you can you know I just discovered, I can make me from hmi here at the motel and once we get our fortified wine and liquor license and I'm going to be making I'm gonna be making our own been.00:40:45.870 –> 00:40:47.730 Joseph McElroy: A tradition to figure out what you can.00:40:48.990 –> 00:40:50.700 Daniel Pierce: that's right, you have it handy.00:40:51.270 –> 00:40:56.700 Joseph McElroy: But you know I want to get to you know you said you'd wrote four books about the great smoky mountains and.00:40:58.350 –> 00:41:06.360 Joseph McElroy: You know, and I think the first one was natural habitat to national parks it seems you're a passionate environmentalist, can you tell us about this book?00:41:07.110 –> 00:41:15.060 Daniel Pierce: yeah well again it's on the establishment of the park and it's a yeah it's a great story, you know it's a unique story because.00:41:16.260 –> 00:41:18.240 Daniel Pierce: smokies and Shenandoah we're.00:41:19.650 –> 00:41:27.720 Daniel Pierce: Creating a unique way at that time and in the 1920s Congress said they would not purchase lands for national parks, all the national parks.00:41:28.440 –> 00:41:45.300 Daniel Pierce: Were were in the West, and they were in the federal domain, all you did was say to sign, basically, of which federal agencies managing it so, but the Congress wouldn't buy land for for national parks and so, but then they said, if the states will buy the land.00:41:47.070 –> 00:42:00.240 Daniel Pierce: And we approve this land is appropriate for national park, then, then the states can turn the land over to us and we'll make it a national park and so that's what happened, but it was a long slow process because they had to.00:42:02.550 –> 00:42:07.230 Daniel Pierce: They had raised the money to buy to buy the land, so they had private donations.00:42:09.990 –> 00:42:11.730 Daniel Pierce: They had state bonds and then.00:42:13.350 –> 00:42:21.180 Daniel Pierce: Finally, it was john D Rockefeller jr who who know $95 million to make it happen so.00:42:22.200 –> 00:42:23.700 Daniel Pierce: it's a unique thing so.00:42:26.520 –> 00:42:26.730 He.00:42:28.380 –> 00:42:31.140 Daniel Pierce: So people, the Western North Carolina and East Tennessee.00:42:32.190 –> 00:42:35.490 Daniel Pierce: feel a real sense of ownership about the.00:42:36.660 –> 00:42:36.990 Daniel Pierce: About.00:42:38.460 –> 00:42:40.680 Daniel Pierce: about the park that other places don't have.00:42:41.790 –> 00:42:47.640 Joseph McElroy: cool well you know we're good, I think we could take it that we could take a break, right now, and you get some more water and.00:42:49.770 –> 00:42:54.840 Joseph McElroy: And then we'll come back we'll talk more about some of your books and some of the other things that you've done in.00:42:56.640 –> 00:42:56.970 Daniel Pierce: Hello.00:45:00.630 –> 00:45:11.220 Joseph McElroy: howdy this is Joseph Franklin McElroy back with the gateway to the smokies podcasts and my guest Dan peers so, then you wrote several books about the great smoky National Park.00:45:12.360 –> 00:45:19.410 Joseph McElroy: That, I mentioned the one that was really popular from natural habitat to national party what are some of the others that people might look up.00:45:20.790 –> 00:45:21.510 Daniel Pierce: Well, I did.00:45:22.470 –> 00:45:26.760 Daniel Pierce: yeah I did the one on been shot in the smokies corn from a jars part of the book that sold the most.00:45:27.090 –> 00:45:28.710 Daniel Pierce: yeah and.00:45:29.880 –> 00:45:40.020 Daniel Pierce: And then I did a book on Community of hazel creek and swine county which was displaced and then there was a long, long controversy about the road to nowhere.00:45:41.430 –> 00:45:45.420 Daniel Pierce: There in that in that county that was that was resolved, you know, maybe 10 years ago.00:45:46.680 –> 00:45:49.170 Daniel Pierce: Finally, after 50 years or so.00:45:50.220 –> 00:45:52.620 Daniel Pierce: And that's just a really interesting community and.00:45:54.990 –> 00:46:01.440 Daniel Pierce: And kind of a legendary Community it's kind of now it's more kind of a legend is a trout fishing destination, but.00:46:01.680 –> 00:46:02.640 Joseph McElroy: yeah good job fish.00:46:02.880 –> 00:46:03.960 Daniel Pierce: yeah yeah.00:46:05.310 –> 00:46:12.870 Daniel Pierce: And then the, the most recent when I did I can kind of see in the background, there i'll leave my head over is a poster by.00:46:13.920 –> 00:46:25.050 Daniel Pierce: an artist graphic card is by the name of Joe Anderson gentlemen, our friends, when I lived in nashville 30 years ago, and then we lost touch with one another and.00:46:27.300 –> 00:46:29.850 Daniel Pierce: He went on to a very successful career.00:46:31.050 –> 00:46:41.580 Daniel Pierce: Start his own company and and then he gave up basically its advertising business that just do poster art full time and he has an incredible business.00:46:42.330 –> 00:47:00.210 Daniel Pierce: is best selling posters or national park posters and so he did a book in 2016 for the for the hundredth anniversary National Park service on all the national parks and use this poster art in the sun did the text and so.00:47:01.320 –> 00:47:06.990 Daniel Pierce: I brought in you and CA to do a program about art and the national parks and.00:47:08.010 –> 00:47:27.090 Daniel Pierce: Over dinner, he asked me if I would be interested in doing a book with him and on the smokies, and so I said sure, and so we made about seven seven or eight trips into the smokies had some great adventures sell some really cool places it was it was so much fun to take him and his son.00:47:28.710 –> 00:47:32.730 Daniel Pierce: Around to see a lot of these places that had meant so much to me.00:47:33.840 –> 00:47:46.740 Daniel Pierce: And I learned a lot in the process, but anyway that turned into a book called the illustrated guide to the great smoky mountain National Park, and which is solving all the bookstores now, this is a great kind of coffee table book, so it was a real.00:47:46.740 –> 00:47:47.250 departure.00:47:48.630 –> 00:47:58.710 Daniel Pierce: And so that was that was so much fun and we had so much fun doing them trips together and all that you know and again, you know doing quote research in.00:48:00.720 –> 00:48:01.440 Daniel Pierce: The park and.00:48:02.340 –> 00:48:05.190 Daniel Pierce: Then that morphed into one that just came out.00:48:06.240 –> 00:48:15.540 Daniel Pierce: This is an illustrated guide to the to the grand circle of Arizona and utah and so its southern utah.00:48:16.650 –> 00:48:17.460 Joseph McElroy: niche itself.00:48:17.730 –> 00:48:18.330 yeah.00:48:19.620 –> 00:48:23.220 Daniel Pierce: yeah that was just out and, but that was so much fun we.00:48:26.040 –> 00:48:28.260 Joseph McElroy: had some fun books, I saw that you Co.00:48:28.260 –> 00:48:33.870 Joseph McElroy: wrote a book debating the merits of NASCAR versus college football in the south, so.00:48:35.340 –> 00:48:35.820 Joseph McElroy: How did that.00:48:37.620 –> 00:48:40.980 Joseph McElroy: come out about what was the conclusion.00:48:41.880 –> 00:48:44.250 Daniel Pierce: Well, I won, but.00:48:44.910 –> 00:48:48.690 Daniel Pierce: It was actually a debate, you know that was done on the.00:48:49.950 –> 00:49:04.380 Daniel Pierce: South Carolina public radio, which was broadcast all over I think a lot, it was it was a series called tell about the south, and it was you know they brought on to scholars to discuss or debate some issue so.00:49:05.640 –> 00:49:16.200 Daniel Pierce: So getting the party to Jackson who's was from Jacksonville state and Alabama did the football side, and I did the NASCAR side and so.00:49:17.520 –> 00:49:18.690 Daniel Pierce: I got whipped him but.00:49:19.470 –> 00:49:30.240 Joseph McElroy: Alright cool and then you what have you books and I didn't find out which one you tell me one the Western North Carolina historical association outstayed achievement award which one was the book.00:49:30.720 –> 00:49:35.040 Daniel Pierce: Well, that was just that achievement awards is kind of a lifetime achievement.00:49:35.070 –> 00:49:36.210 Joseph McElroy: Over the lifetime of cheese and.00:49:36.210 –> 00:49:37.530 Daniel Pierce: Whatever book yeah.00:49:37.980 –> 00:49:41.010 Joseph McElroy: yeah okay well it's it's it's Nice, I mean.00:49:41.250 –> 00:49:41.610 Daniel Pierce: you've got.00:49:41.700 –> 00:49:45.360 Joseph McElroy: Great titles I think it's really great, but I also think that.00:49:47.460 –> 00:49:52.530 Joseph McElroy: That you are, you are you're very passionate about eight equal rights and racial diversity.00:49:53.940 –> 00:50:11.730 Joseph McElroy: And you know, and you know our associate Bob plot, you know it is a mutual friend wrote about a great book about his son and about the story of wmc are the railroad the mercury branch railroad built almost entirely by conflict Labor contract Labor.00:50:14.910 –> 00:50:22.290 Joseph McElroy: And it was a brutally inhumane form of legalized slavery, supported by both political parties for two decades.00:50:22.620 –> 00:50:37.050 Joseph McElroy: yeah few people are aware of this and the sacrifice made people to open up w Western North Carolina to the outside world, you are leading a committee dedicated honor to these inmates the railroad incarcerated Committee, can you tell us about that.00:50:37.530 –> 00:50:40.200 Daniel Pierce: yeah so I live at ridgecrest which is.00:50:41.370 –> 00:50:45.720 Daniel Pierce: One of the most storied section of the railroad.00:50:46.770 –> 00:50:51.930 Daniel Pierce: And the big roadblock to building railroad into Western North Carolina was.00:50:53.370 –> 00:50:56.040 Daniel Pierce: What was called a sua know upgrade or.00:50:57.390 –> 00:51:01.800 Daniel Pierce: Or the mountain division, the railroad so it was so hard to.00:51:04.710 –> 00:51:14.700 Daniel Pierce: So it's about a Three Mile stretch as the crow flies but it's it's nine miles a railroad so it twists and turns up the mountain there are seven tunnels in that section.00:51:16.020 –> 00:51:20.670 Daniel Pierce: It took three years, using over 3000.00:51:22.080 –> 00:51:25.980 Daniel Pierce: incarcerated libraries in the in the north Carolina state penitentiary.00:51:27.210 –> 00:51:28.200 Joseph McElroy: Basically, slavery.00:51:29.040 –> 00:51:36.090 Daniel Pierce: Yes, and it was it was it was brutal and again they're using nitroglycerin it's very dangerous work.00:51:37.140 –> 00:51:39.450 Daniel Pierce: Their crap together in horrible conditions.00:51:42.630 –> 00:51:43.590 Daniel Pierce: And we know.00:51:45.060 –> 00:51:58.350 Daniel Pierce: From the records that at least 139 of these people died in the process and countless other injuries and you know you know, probably permanent injuries as well we just don't know.00:51:58.980 –> 00:52:00.840 Daniel Pierce: yeah but there was no.00:52:01.920 –> 00:52:15.720 Daniel Pierce: there's really no I mean there have been a few books written and some you know there's a little awareness, but there's no public recognition there's a and so a group of us.00:52:17.460 –> 00:52:31.950 Daniel Pierce: Actually kind of started on my front porch over breakfast with a friend of mine, whose name is Steve little and he's a lawyer and the Mayor of Marion North Carolina but a big railroad buff and he's been fascinated by this section a railroad since he was a kid.00:52:33.360 –> 00:52:40.410 Daniel Pierce: And so we put We contacted some folks and put together a committee of people from McDowell county and bumping county.00:52:42.240 –> 00:52:42.720 Daniel Pierce: To.00:52:43.800 –> 00:52:58.920 Daniel Pierce: build a memorial, and so it, you know it really we you know, put it was kinda like a little rascals you know we didn't really know what you're doing you know it's gonna let let's put on a show and but we didn't have a clue as to what we're doing, and so we just kind of.00:52:59.970 –> 00:53:18.600 Daniel Pierce: You know what one of our committee members put together a website and we just started contacting people and got some good publicity and Western North a lot of historical associations partner with us and we were able to put a you know, a donate now button on the thing and.00:53:20.100 –> 00:53:23.970 Daniel Pierce: They started coming in and for we knew it was OK, now we.00:53:24.390 –> 00:53:29.880 Joseph McElroy: We got the money you know a lot of people here remember the railroads back in the day and my great grandfather.00:53:31.170 –> 00:53:37.350 Joseph McElroy: was an engineer for the logging railroads and my man, that was a brutal brutal brutal business.00:53:37.470 –> 00:53:43.320 Joseph McElroy: yeah yeah and the slaves, the slave Labor prison Labor got the worst of it, so I think it's a good thing that you're doing.00:53:44.700 –> 00:53:47.820 Joseph McElroy: And I appreciate it, you know we're getting close to the end here.00:53:49.620 –> 00:54:01.200 Joseph McElroy: And I want you to have the opportunity to shout out anything we haven't mentioned or where people can look up your books or get in contact with you or however you want them to remember from this this this podcast.00:54:01.890 –> 00:54:10.860 Daniel Pierce: Well yeah i'm always looking for folks to check out, I would encourage folks to check out Anderson design group.00:54:11.460 –> 00:54:26.850 Daniel Pierce: Has a coffee table books and it's just an incredible site with all you know if you love the smokies and you want to have something on your wall is posters are just incredible and so I would encourage you to do that to patronize the park.00:54:28.020 –> 00:54:38.190 Daniel Pierce: gift shops that con lefty and in Bryson city and all over the great smoky mountain National Park I'm on there I'm on their board and so.00:54:39.240 –> 00:54:43.560 Daniel Pierce: Just leads, you know come back to the park in a great way and they sell my book, so.00:54:44.850 –> 00:54:46.350 Joseph McElroy: Are you on Facebook or anything?00:54:46.830 –> 00:54:47.130 Daniel Pierce: But.00:54:47.430 –> 00:54:48.690 Joseph McElroy: Are you on Facebook you.00:54:49.350 –> 00:54:54.360 Daniel Pierce: know you know I'm not I haven't done social media as well.00:54:55.350 –> 00:55:00.210 Daniel Pierce: Okay I've done in the past, but it just kind of eats up your life and so.00:55:01.800 –> 00:55:06.210 Daniel Pierce: And so I don't but, but I would also encourage folks to.00:55:09.030 –> 00:55:12.720 Daniel Pierce: check out rail rei l dot.org.00:55:13.950 –> 00:55:30.990 Daniel Pierce: Which is our website for the rail project, one of the really cool things just real quickly we've done recently is to bring in human remains detection dogs and ground penetrating radar and have located some mass graves.00:55:32.010 –> 00:55:43.650 Daniel Pierce: Which is is is sad and tragic but we're going to be able to, we are looking for funds to be able to mark those places and you know.00:55:44.730 –> 00:55:51.480 Daniel Pierce: do what we can and you know we can't bring those people back, but it's it's important to work I think so.00:55:51.630 –> 00:55:58.380 Joseph McElroy: Thank you so much for being on the show you know I enjoy the books that you read you're written and.00:55:58.860 –> 00:56:08.670 Joseph McElroy: I've read a little bit of the corner of the JAR and bring some others of yours, and I look forward to seeing what you do in the future, and now we should keep in touch, so thank you for being on the show.00:56:09.030 –> 00:56:10.350 Daniel Pierce: But enjoyed it thoroughly.00:56:11.580 –> 00:56:22.380 Joseph McElroy: This i

In this episode, you'll learn what it takes to become a successful author while you discover the upbringing in the Cherokee culture. On this episode of the Gateway to the Smokies Podcast, we have a very special guest, Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle, a renowned author, writer, and educator. She is the author of Even as We Breathe, one of the best books of 2020 by National Public Radio. She is a graduate of Yale University and William and Mary and an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Tribe. Annette resides with her family in Qualla, N.C., and is an avid mountain biker, and a staunch advocate for equal rights, education, and Cherokee history. She's joining us to talk about her journey of writing her award-winning debut novel, Even as We Breathe, and her latest book. She will also discuss the Cherokee education system, the importance of language preservation, and how we can influence change in our communities. Don't miss this out! ‍Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by clicking here.Show NotesSegment 1Joseph kicks off today's episode mentioning the sponsors, The Meadowlark Motel in Maggie Valley and smokiesadventure.com. Joseph announces that this is his first podcast as a resident again in North Carolina! Some upcoming events include June 11 with a pottery seminar with Cory Plott, a master craftsman, who will teach you how to create your own handmade pottery. On June 18th, there will be part 4 of the heritage book series with Bob Plott, free for guests and members. Check out more events at meadowlarkmotel.com. He also introduces his guest, Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle. She is the author of Even as We Breathe, one of the best books of 2020 by National Public Radio. Annette was born and raised in the Smokies and a member of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Tribe for her whole life. Her grandfather also has history with the tribe as well; his name was Osley Saunooke. She talks about how fascinating he was. Did you know that Osley was a wrestling world champion?! She also speaks about working in the family business and how her parents influenced her in learning and entrepreneurship.Segment 2Annette talks about getting her bachelor's degree from Yale University. She also got her Masters's degree at William and Mary. She talks about why chose to come back to the Smokies. Annette mentions her family and the connections she has in North Carolina and wants to continue to raise her family there. Annette also was a director if the Cherokee Preservation Foundation. She was also a teacher for 12 years. She also talks about her writing. Annette mentions having amazing teachers growing up which influenced her to be creative. She mentions a quote someone from Yale said to her and her mother when they visited the first time. The quote was “the best thing to do with a world-class education is to share it.” Her goals as a teacher are to create empathy and resilience through writing and the process. Some topics she mentions within this are making mistakes and the work that is part of this like the process of editing and writing. She discusses some ways she would teach her students. Annette talks about a manuscript that never officially got published called Going to Water. It's about a fictional story of her grandfather. She never got to know who he actually was as he passed away at an early age. So the character in the story was as close to what she knew of him, full of adventure.Segment 3Annette talks about her book Even as We Breathe, which came out in 2020. She says that she had read an article about the role that the Grove Park Inn played in World War II and Ashville's role as well. This history wasn't familiar to many historians and people like herself who have lived in Ashville for a long time. She gave herself a writing prompt and spent a long time writing on the simplest object that she could think of. In her method of writing, Annette spent time in a very tiny room in the Jackson County Library in Sylva, North Carolina. She talks about the story of what she wrote. She is very inspired by where she loves and the interactions as shown in her novel. It takes place in 1942 and is a coming-of-age kind of story. Until she was working on the marketing packet, she didn't realize that she wrote historical fiction. Other topics include issues of identity, racism, and Cherokee culture. She tells a funny story about teaching her students. She also talks about her decision to retire from teaching.Segment 4Annette says that she is working on a new book, a novel that's contemporary with a female protagonist. It's set in Cherokee, which is close to home. She also does nonfiction writing for regional magazines and edits for the Appalachian Future Series through the University Press of Kentucky. She also talks about teaching workshops in different locations. Annette also talks about mountain biking. She says that she likes to be in the middle of the woods, biking fast, and being isolated for a moment from everything. She even lost 65 pounds by mountain biking. Annette and Joseph also discuss favorite trails in North Carolina. For people going to visit Cherokee Reservation, Annette mentions visiting Sassy Sunflower, a sandwich shop. If you want a country buffet, you have to go to Granny's kitchen and get a pie. You can learn more about Annette at asaunookeclapsaddle.com. You can also search for her name on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to connect!------------------------------------------------------------------------------TRANSCRIPT00:00:34.560 –> 00:00:46.140 Joseph McElroy: howdy welcome to the gateway to the smokies podcast this podcast is about America's most visited National Park, the great smoky mountain National Park in the surrounding towns.00:00:46.530 –> 00:00:55.020 Joseph McElroy: This area is filled with ancient natural beauty a deep storied history and rich mountain cultures that we explore with weekly episodes.00:00:55.350 –> 00:01:06.870 Joseph McElroy: I am Joseph Franklyn McElroy man of the world, but also with deep roots in these mountains My family has lived in the great smokies for over 200 years my business is in travel, but my heart is in culture.00:01:07.410 –> 00:01:14.190 Joseph McElroy: Today we're going to talk about masterful stories of the smokies but first let's talk about our sponsors.00:01:15.150 –> 00:01:26.400 Joseph McElroy: Imagine a place evocative of a motor court of the past, a modern environment with a Chic Appalachian feels. A place for adventure and for relaxation.00:01:26.910 –> 00:01:35.370 Joseph McElroy: Imagine a place where you can fish in a mountain heritage trout stream grill the catch on fire and eat accompanied by fine wine and craft beers.00:01:35.910 –> 00:01:49.020 Joseph McElroy: Imagine a place of old-time music and world cultural sounds, there is no other place like the Meadowlark Motel in Maggie Valley North Carolina. Your smoky mountain adventures start with where you stay.00:01:50.310 –> 00:01:58.860 Joseph McElroy: and other sponsors smokiesadventure.com at smokies plural adventure singular dot com smoky mountains and surrounding areas.00:01:59.250 –> 00:02:09.240 Joseph McElroy: It is a vacation destination for all seasons, some of the nation's best hiking trails waterfalls outdoor adventures and family entertainment can be found, right here.00:02:09.870 –> 00:02:21.300 Joseph McElroy: start your adventure by using smokies adventure.com to explore all the wonderful features of the great smoky mountains National Park, the trails the waterfalls, caves Code, the elk, and more.00:02:21.750 –> 00:02:34.890 Joseph McElroy: check out all the awesome family attractions and entertainment and lodging you and your entire family can enjoy and also find places to do life events like weddings and honeymoons and romantic weekends.00:02:35.400 –> 00:02:42.570 Joseph McElroy: The goal of smokies adventures is to become the leading information portal for adventures and experiences and the great smoky mountains.00:02:43.980 –> 00:02:56.130 Joseph McElroy: got some events coming up, by the way, this is my first podcast now as a resident again of North Carolina my family and I just moved to Asheville North Carolina so work at the gateway the smokies.00:02:57.660 –> 00:03:03.750 Joseph McElroy: and looking forward to exploring the smokies even further now being both in Buncombe County and Haywood County00:03:05.430 –> 00:03:12.150 Joseph McElroy: So that's events coming up is this coming weekend June 11 there's gonna be a Pottery Seminar with Cory Plott.00:03:12.720 –> 00:03:18.240 Joseph McElroy: he's a master potter and he's the Owner and Operator Plott Ware Pottery of Clyde North Carolina.00:03:18.840 –> 00:03:29.100 Joseph McElroy: And he brings his mobile studio to our resort to teach participants and to make that to make their own piece of handcrafted pottery you'll walk away with a piece of pottery.00:03:29.670 –> 00:03:40.530 Joseph McElroy: He will also be selling some of his award-winning elegant and durable utilitarian decor at the event, this weekend I just saw some wonderful wine to canvas you made that we're just fabulous.00:03:41.700 –> 00:03:53.640 Joseph McElroy: But you will get hands-on experience with a master craftsman and then you'll make your own pottery class limited to 20 participants and it's 65 for each non-guest and 20 for the.00:03:54.510 –> 00:04:08.040 Joseph McElroy: 25 for motel guests and heritage club members and then over the afterward will be a free Barbecue dinner and music with Michael Ogletree book your slot now call 82 89261717.00:04:09.030 –> 00:04:26.730 Joseph McElroy: On June 18 the following weekend there's going to be a part four of the heritage book series of Bob Plott and it's free for guests and members and so please join us for yet another informative entertaining and fun afternoon of his history, food, and music.00:04:28.200 –> 00:04:35.220 Joseph McElroy: With award-winning Author and Meadowlark Smoky Mountain Heritage Center General Manager Bob Plott, discusses his fourth book.00:04:35.550 –> 00:04:47.790 Joseph McElroy: Colorful Characters of the Great Smoky Mountains  weaves the lively stories of vibrant and intriguing characters such as the Cherokee chiefs Yonaguska,00:04:48.450 –> 00:05:00.150 Joseph McElroy: Oconostota, Dragging Canoe and their allies such as John Watts, along with their combatants—Robert Rogers, Quintin Kennedy, King Haigler, the Stockbridge Mohicans, Francis Marion, and others,00:05:00.540 –> 00:05:06.720 Joseph McElroy: as well as modern-day mountain icons such as Von Plott, Charles Miller, and Earl Lanning.00:05:07.200 –> 00:05:14.640 Joseph McElroy: It will be followed by a book signing and a delicious Barbecue dinner as well, and a company with acoustic music right Mike Ogletree and friends.00:05:14.970 –> 00:05:23.250 Joseph McElroy: The event is free to motel guests and Heritage Club members—there is an admission charge of ten dollars per person for all that are not staying there.00:05:25.320 –> 00:05:30.180 Joseph McElroy: And then August 6th is the Launch of the Cherokee Heritage Series with Davy Arch.00:05:31.170 –> 00:05:36.900 Joseph McElroy: Please join us in spending an intimate and enchanting afternoon with a tree true Appalachian treasure, Davy Arch.00:05:37.710 –> 00:05:44.910 Joseph McElroy: Davy is a world-class Cherokee tribal is storing and award-winning craftsman of traditional Cherokee crafts.00:05:45.330 –> 00:05:52.380 Joseph McElroy: specifically masks and baskets and he's a beloved spokesman for the Eastern band of the Cherokee tribe.00:05:52.860 –> 00:06:04.410 Joseph McElroy: The event will be followed by the Barbecue dinner and music with Michael Ogletree and Friends. Admission is $20 per person, for all these events call eight to 89261717 to reserve your seat now.00:06:05.640 –> 00:06:13.740 Joseph McElroy: Today we have a great guest, who knows a lot about Cherokee culture and stories in these mountains her name is Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle00:06:14.250 –> 00:06:25.140 Joseph McElroy: She is a renowned author writer and educator and is a graduate of Yale University and William and Mary as well as an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Tribe.00:06:25.830 –> 00:06:37.710 Joseph McElroy: Her award-winning debut novel Even as we breathe, was the first novel published by a member of the eastern band of the Cherokee tribe, and his name or the best books of 2020 by the.00:06:38.370 –> 00:06:54.300 Joseph McElroy: NPR and that resides with their family in Qualla North Carolina, which is in in the Cherokee reservation and as an avid mountain bikers well as a staunch advocate for equal rights education Cherokee history hello, and how are you doing.00:06:54.900 –> 00:06:57.540 Annette Clapsaddle: I'm good I'm great to be here with you.00:06:58.110 –> 00:07:05.610 Joseph McElroy: Well, thank you for it's quite an honor to have you join us today you have a you have an interesting history and an impressive resume.00:07:06.000 –> 00:07:15.750 Joseph McElroy: And all of a sudden, you get all sorts of awards for your writing so that's pretty spectacular, but I wanted to start first with your background, you were born and raised in the smokies, right?00:07:16.440 –> 00:07:21.660 Annette Clapsaddle: that's right I lived here all my life, except for undergraduate and graduate school.00:07:22.140 –> 00:07:27.870 Joseph McElroy: cool and you've been a member of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee tribe for that your whole life too right.00:07:28.230 –> 00:07:29.220 Annette Clapsaddle: yeah born in to it.00:07:30.120 –> 00:07:36.990 Joseph McElroy: Born into it, you have some history that your grandfather Osley Saunooke was chief of the tribe, right?00:07:37.680 –> 00:07:49.710 Annette Clapsaddle: yeah it seems Osley Burke Saunooke and he was an Eastern Chief in the 50s and into the early 60s.00:07:51.990 –> 00:07:54.360 Annette Clapsaddle: fan, where he was not a cheap teacher.00:07:54.810 –> 00:08:08.130 Joseph McElroy: cool well, And he was quite an interesting character in his own right, an esteemed tribal chief, a former Marine, who started a thriving tourist business in 1956 that as I understand it, is still operational today. What was that business?00:08:09.720 –> 00:08:10.080 Annette Clapsaddle: yeah.00:08:12.180 –> 00:08:19.590 Annette Clapsaddle: Trading first, and so the land where that is and it's also contiguous with kind of family land.00:08:20.670 –> 00:08:21.060 Annette Clapsaddle: That.00:08:22.170 –> 00:08:33.660 Annette Clapsaddle: That is home to cynics village so there are several shops there that kind of threw out of Chiefs in trading paste including to nicks millen shop that my dad built.00:08:34.890 –> 00:08:38.850 Joseph McElroy: cool well, it sounds like you to write about a book about him, you got any plans for that.00:08:41.340 –> 00:08:44.070 Annette Clapsaddle: I think we're going to talk later about my first novel and.00:08:48.210 –> 00:08:57.990 Joseph McElroy:  Bob Plott, as I mentioned earlier, our Meadowlark Heritage Center Director says his relatives knew him well and hunted with him often and spoke glowingly of him.00:08:59.400 –> 00:09:00.810 Joseph McElroy: Did you know him as a child and.00:09:02.880 –> 00:09:05.370 Joseph McElroy: How did he influence you and your growth.00:09:06.210 –> 00:09:22.080 Annette Clapsaddle: Unfortunately I didn't he died fairly young from complications to diabetes, so he passed away in 1965 at the age of 59 I was born in 81 so even my dad was fairly young.00:09:23.160 –> 00:09:39.930 Annette Clapsaddle: When my grandfather passed away but, honestly, was, in addition to being a to turn chief and a businessman, he was the heavyweight wrestling champion of the world, at one time, so he traveled the wrestling circuit.00:09:41.370 –> 00:09:43.740 Annette Clapsaddle: So he is incredibly fascinated.00:09:44.730 –> 00:09:46.590 Joseph McElroy: With the name from okay I.00:09:47.850 –> 00:09:56.820 Annette Clapsaddle: heard and like I'm sure Bob would say that everybody has a story about him whether it's true or not, what.00:09:58.110 –> 00:10:02.940 Joseph McElroy: When they're a bear museum there that had stuff for him as well, he.00:10:03.240 –> 00:10:03.900 At one paragraph.00:10:05.220 –> 00:10:08.970 Annette Clapsaddle: And yes, and that's it same area yeah.00:10:09.780 –> 00:10:12.630 Joseph McElroy: He wrestled so he wrestled a bear I mean I'm sure it was for sure.00:10:17.130 –> 00:10:24.990 Joseph McElroy: You know in this in this in this neighborhood North Asheville where we moved in we get lots of bears I've already had two black bears in my backyard.00:10:26.850 –> 00:10:28.140 Annette Clapsaddle: wrestling and I don't.00:10:30.210 –> 00:10:31.830 Joseph McElroy: i'm not planning on it, but.00:10:33.090 –> 00:10:36.360 Joseph McElroy: I will, I will say loud noises to them.00:10:39.660 –> 00:10:42.180 Joseph McElroy: So you're your mother.00:10:43.590 –> 00:10:47.550 Joseph McElroy: your mother, who is this daughter was a teacher, which you are as well right.00:10:48.030 –> 00:10:54.390 Annette Clapsaddle: Well, so yes and no so my mother is not his daughter my dad was his son.00:10:54.510 –> 00:11:00.930 Annette Clapsaddle: Oh, I said Okay, but my mom was a teacher for several years.00:11:03.120 –> 00:11:14.010 Annette Clapsaddle: And my dad was building his business and getting started and then my mom went to help full time with the family business and snakes village.00:11:15.030 –> 00:11:24.300 Annette Clapsaddle: But she taught reading, and this was before I was born and didn't really have click in with me that you know you can.00:11:24.690 –> 00:11:35.760 Annette Clapsaddle: You can be a teacher not be in a classroom, and so I think that she did in a lot of ways to influence me, even though I didn't grow up knowing her as a classroom teacher cool.00:11:37.590 –> 00:11:40.380 Joseph McElroy: So you guys, did you work in the family businesses as well.00:11:41.010 –> 00:11:41.640 Annette Clapsaddle: Oh yes.00:11:43.830 –> 00:11:43.980 Annette Clapsaddle: I think.00:11:44.910 –> 00:11:47.700 Joseph McElroy: wanted to work in this I worked in this Meadowlark motel businesses.00:11:49.200 –> 00:11:49.830 Annette Clapsaddle: yeah.00:11:50.250 –> 00:11:53.430 Annette Clapsaddle: As long as we can see over the counter we were hired.00:11:53.940 –> 00:11:56.280 Joseph McElroy: Right I got paid the.00:11:56.280 –> 00:11:58.080 Joseph McElroy: diamond room to clean rooms.00:12:02.220 –> 00:12:04.110 Annette Clapsaddle: got paid a bag of popcorn.00:12:09.300 –> 00:12:12.150 Joseph McElroy: Did that inspire you with his entrepreneurial activities.00:12:12.750 –> 00:12:16.110 Annette Clapsaddle: yeah you know I'm always inspired by my dad and.00:12:16.710 –> 00:12:23.490 Annette Clapsaddle: And yeah, I think, to be an entrepreneur is you know you have to be willing to take risks, so I don't feel like I've been.00:12:24.120 –> 00:12:33.090 Annette Clapsaddle: there yet, but I can take some of the same risks that he's taken throughout his life, it really turned out to be worth it, and but there's a creativity to it.00:12:34.080 –> 00:12:48.300 Annette Clapsaddle: That I have appreciated and I think I have picked up a little bit at least have that from him and I'm laughing myself because my dad was above me and lives in the House of the Hill and.00:12:49.740 –> 00:13:05.940 Annette Clapsaddle: And we my son and I were just helping him move a major piece of equipment in a really peculiar precarious way and that kind of and I, you know there's something that small business owners that want to do it themselves for the cheapest route possible.00:13:07.530 –> 00:13:21.150 Joseph McElroy: I had that imbued with me, but you know until I got into my 50s I did all my moves myself, you know that includes all the heavy furniture, but I can remember, sometimes having a pickup truck with things so pile though so high.00:13:22.200 –> 00:13:24.840 Joseph McElroy: I think, and this is a New York City, no less, and things.00:13:25.470 –> 00:13:30.000 Joseph McElroy: You know, getting ready to fall off, but you know that was just the way you did things right.00:13:32.160 –> 00:13:41.970 Joseph McElroy: That that was the life of the entrepreneur and the children of the entrepreneur, well, we have to go back and go and take a break, now that seems very quick, but we.00:13:42.660 –> 00:13:48.750 Joseph McElroy: we're having a good conversation here, so when we come back we'll start talking about a little bit more about your background and then get into your books.00:13:49.590 –> 00:13:50.190 Annette Clapsaddle: sounds great.00:16:06.270 –> 00:16:23.970 Joseph McElroy: howdy this is Joseph Franklyn McElroy back with the gateway to the smokies podcasts and my guests Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle today is a today's a craft brewery from Western North Carolina is boozer but it's the king of the mountain double IPA and I can recommend that highly.00:16:25.620 –> 00:16:26.190 Annette Clapsaddle: victory.00:16:27.120 –> 00:16:28.140 Annette Clapsaddle: Right yeah.00:16:28.500 –> 00:16:39.210 Joseph McElroy: So that you have this great you had this great family and tribal support system and you became an honor student and then off you go to Yale University to get your bachelor's degree—right?00:16:40.410 –> 00:16:45.960 Joseph McElroy: Were you one of the first students from the Smokies to get an Ivy League education?00:16:46.530 –> 00:16:52.290 Annette Clapsaddle: And there were a few before me did had Ivy league education and.00:16:53.550 –> 00:17:08.310 Annette Clapsaddle: I know that there was a gentleman who had graduated from Dartmouth and there's a Tribal Member, and then a couple that I think we had gotten graduate degrees, maybe one undergraduate from Harvard I believe.00:17:09.060 –> 00:17:17.700 Annette Clapsaddle: don't hold me to it, but I believe that was the first Eastern band undergraduate at Yale, but I'm so happy to say that.00:17:19.020 –> 00:17:30.060 Annette Clapsaddle: Several has followed and after me, some and that just sent off one of my seniors and this year should be going to Yale in the fall.00:17:30.570 –> 00:17:45.120 Joseph McElroy: fabulous that's great no that's always good you know dispel that hillbilly stereotyping I I got to do a little bit of that myself I got to leave here and go to go to what the school system here in Haywood county got to go to Duke.00:17:46.260 –> 00:17:47.310 Joseph McElroy: yeah so.00:17:47.760 –> 00:17:53.190 Joseph McElroy: But you know it can be done in this in this remote wilderness, so to speak.00:17:55.290 –> 00:17:58.560 Joseph McElroy: And then you went to you got your master's degree at William and Mary.00:17:59.100 –> 00:17:59.790 Joseph McElroy: And you.00:17:59.850 –> 00:18:06.720 Joseph McElroy: and could probably have gotten a great job in any major city in the world, but yet you chose to come back home to the Smokies—why?00:18:07.350 –> 00:18:25.410 Annette Clapsaddle: yeah you know I did think for a short time about you know public policy in DC or something like that, but and I always tell people that you know so many people work their whole lives, so they can retire to this area, why don't I just start from the beginning.00:18:26.610 –> 00:18:33.990 Annette Clapsaddle: there's no point wasting time it is beautiful and certainly many family connections here.00:18:35.340 –> 00:18:47.280 Annette Clapsaddle: My husband is also from this area as well he's from swine county so I just had so many routes here and I didn't you know I've traveled my whole life I don't feel like I.00:18:49.020 –> 00:18:51.060 Annette Clapsaddle: was afraid to live anywhere else.00:18:52.170 –> 00:18:56.550 Annette Clapsaddle: But it's just such a beautiful place to be I like this face of it.00:18:58.110 –> 00:19:01.980 Annette Clapsaddle: And you know I want to raise my kids here.00:19:02.730 –> 00:19:07.050 Joseph McElroy: yeah well you got you did your00:19:08.040 –> 00:19:17.250 Joseph McElroy: Working and business and things and public policy or the Executive Director of the Cherokee preservation Foundation and the co-editor of the journal.00:19:17.670 –> 00:19:24.840 Joseph McElroy: Of Cherokee studies, but then you took your master's and your Ivy league degree and you became a teacher was the teacher for 11 years in high school.00:19:26.370 –> 00:19:26.760 Joseph McElroy: wasn't.00:19:28.140 –> 00:19:30.540 Joseph McElroy: That was an interesting choice what made that choice have.00:19:31.800 –> 00:19:45.240 Annette Clapsaddle: yeah so well I just completed my 12th year there was a little bit of a break, there were loud, while I was at the foundation, but I've known since I was little that I wanted to be a teacher I'm not exactly sure why.00:19:47.430 –> 00:20:01.230 Annette Clapsaddle: But we had a garden out in front of our house and they're the really big rocks different places in the garden, and so I made one of the biggest rocks was a teacher's desk and then they were student desk rocks.00:20:02.640 –> 00:20:09.300 Annette Clapsaddle: So my brother he's three years older than me went off to school to you know kindergarten and.00:20:09.870 –> 00:20:24.570 Annette Clapsaddle: How is playing school in our garden there's been something about teaching since I was little and that's interested me but I've also been so blessed with incredible incredible teachers throughout my life.00:20:25.650 –> 00:20:31.770 Annette Clapsaddle: You know, public I was a public school student kindergarten through high school.00:20:31.980 –> 00:20:33.330 Annette Clapsaddle: Meeting yes.00:20:34.560 –> 00:20:47.370 Annette Clapsaddle: And just had phenomenal teachers and I wanted to be like the English teachers, I had who always encouraged my creativity and writing.00:20:47.850 –> 00:20:54.480 Joseph McElroy: I saw a quote where you in a magazine, where you said, the best thing to do with a world-class education is to share it.00:20:55.050 –> 00:20:55.980 Annette Clapsaddle: Yes, so.00:20:56.280 –> 00:20:59.640 Annette Clapsaddle: The Director of the teacher prep program at Yale.00:21:00.810 –> 00:21:04.710 Annette Clapsaddle: is responsible for that quote because I stepped down to the campus.00:21:05.730 –> 00:21:11.340 Annette Clapsaddle: At Yale new haven Connecticut and my mom is with me revisiting and.00:21:12.630 –> 00:21:30.090 Annette Clapsaddle: We were introduced to the director of the teacher prep program and my mom who is very practical looked at him and says why would she go to Yale to become a teacher and he said that's, the best thing you can do with a world-class education.00:21:31.770 –> 00:21:33.510 Annette Clapsaddle: Today and my mom was, like all right good.00:21:34.800 –> 00:21:46.830 Joseph McElroy: yo there you go wow so, but now you also started writing, and in fact, in 2012 years sort of had a little success at it when did you first start writing?00:21:47.760 –> 00:22:05.970 Annette Clapsaddle: I read in my whole life, and you know I as I again I had these great teachers, so I still have these books that we made an elementary school out of you know cardboard and lined paper that we would take together and.00:22:07.080 –> 00:22:11.040 Annette Clapsaddle: I think my first writing contest was.00:22:13.230 –> 00:22:15.780 Annette Clapsaddle: It was either late middle school early.00:22:18.060 –> 00:22:20.490 Annette Clapsaddle: High School i'm actually i'm looking at.00:22:21.690 –> 00:22:34.860 Annette Clapsaddle: Night so my dad got me this very present I'm looking at a framed check and this is the first time I got paid for it my writing and because it was the first time I want a writing contest it happened big poetry which not my thing.00:22:35.910 –> 00:22:38.550 Annette Clapsaddle: But the date on the check is 1995.00:22:39.780 –> 00:22:47.910 Annette Clapsaddle: Freshman year I guess of high school is, I guess, if you know if you're entering contests you're getting a little serious about it.00:22:48.930 –> 00:22:52.050 Joseph McElroy: let's go see you are, you are actually very serious early on.00:22:52.530 –> 00:23:00.330 Joseph McElroy: yeah that's pretty cool and then you continue it, I mean a lot of people have the romance of being a writer, but don't follow through.00:23:00.840 –> 00:23:09.300 Joseph McElroy: it's nice Now I understand you know you're you know you've been writing on the side because you're a teacher but you've been using your experiences.00:23:09.960 –> 00:23:19.980 Joseph McElroy: Such as manuscripts as submissions finding agent rejects and notice, etc, with your so you've been sharing those experiences with your students why Why are you doing that?00:23:20.370 –> 00:23:24.120 Annette Clapsaddle: yeah well rejections a great teacher and I had plenty of it.00:23:27.090 –> 00:23:27.810 Annette Clapsaddle: You know, I think.00:23:29.010 –> 00:23:41.040 Annette Clapsaddle: my goal as a teacher is to one create empathy through literature, but also a sense of resilience in the writing process so.00:23:42.900 –> 00:23:57.780 Annette Clapsaddle: you know I tried to balance, as she lives her, I was teaching and writing and then I realized how much I was learning as a student of literature, through my own process as a writer, so I.00:23:59.700 –> 00:24:13.950 Annette Clapsaddle: Would talk to students about what does a query letter look like and what's important to share, about a story, you know that I'm trying to pitch or whatnot and about the mistakes, I would make.00:24:15.060 –> 00:24:23.880 Annette Clapsaddle: And, and how to overcome them and they love that you know their teachers, making mistakes like this.00:24:25.530 –> 00:24:26.610 Annette Clapsaddle: But also.00:24:29.010 –> 00:24:38.580 Annette Clapsaddle: As you know, there are really like two cohorts of students that went through the process of the novel and it was so exciting to00:24:39.210 –> 00:24:54.630 Annette Clapsaddle: And yeah I told them I would get an email from an agent, this is early on, and then I query you know I would say okay guys, I have an email in my inbox I haven't read it, yet here we go and I would read it to you know.00:24:55.980 –> 00:24:56.940 Annette Clapsaddle: They want to know.00:24:59.580 –> 00:25:17.370 Annette Clapsaddle: The classic got to witness the publication process that means, and that was a very special time and then they went through the editing process with me and with you know, not everything, but to say Okay, do you see this, this is just one page of edits.00:25:18.510 –> 00:25:29.520 Annette Clapsaddle: Do it for them to understand it that's part of it and then, then, of course, this last class and they think they want to go on book tour with me.00:25:33.180 –> 00:25:37.770 Annette Clapsaddle: Right yeah publicity endemic because that's what they've gotten.00:25:37.830 –> 00:25:49.320 Annette Clapsaddle: to witness and they've been a part of some of my like zoom calls and whatnot and especially with the University of it's a good experience for them.00:25:50.160 –> 00:25:59.790 Joseph McElroy: it's nice to make your life part of the education process, I understand that your kids now have your know ambitions to be world-class or whatever they do right.00:26:00.300 –> 00:26:05.370 Annette Clapsaddle: yeah then it's possible that they know somebody it becomes normalized for them and.00:26:07.200 –> 00:26:11.400 Joseph McElroy: normalizes normalizing education normalizing success, I mean.00:26:11.820 –> 00:26:18.390 Joseph McElroy: That you know I talked about where people follow the patterns of success right when they see patterns that are successful.00:26:18.660 –> 00:26:31.560 Joseph McElroy: They will naturally start replicating those right and it's important for children to see those I think it's a wonderful thing to show them that process, you know firsthand well I can't my tip my hat to you that's great.00:26:33.540 –> 00:26:40.200 Joseph McElroy: So I mentioned before, I think, in 2012 your first manuscript won an award that was never published, can you tell us what that was and.00:26:41.220 –> 00:26:43.140 Joseph McElroy: Why I didn't publish and that sort of thing.00:26:43.470 –> 00:26:54.960 Annette Clapsaddle: So the title of that was going to water, and it was a finalist for him bellwether for is essentially engaged fiction and then one a couple of other awards but.00:26:56.160 –> 00:27:07.770 Annette Clapsaddle: It is the fictionalized story of my grandfather asked listening, but I changed names and whatnot to protect the innocent and the reasons.00:27:08.100 –> 00:27:22.470 Annette Clapsaddle: And you know, besides the fact he did the fascinating character, as I mentioned earlier, I never really felt like I'd know the full truth of who he was until I decided to make up, who I thought he would be.00:27:24.120 –> 00:27:36.270 Annette Clapsaddle: How he might react to the situation, so I use a lot of the facts from his life and but you know it is still fiction I don't want to make my aunts and uncles mad at me, sir.00:27:38.550 –> 00:27:56.400 Annette Clapsaddle: But you know it got close to publication a few times and I just I was trying to find an agent who understood that voice of where I come from that initial man Cherokees very different than other tribes and never really could quite connect with the right agent.00:27:56.490 –> 00:27:59.100 Annette Clapsaddle: So it's challenge for now.00:27:59.850 –> 00:28:19.110 Joseph McElroy: I think I think it'd make a wonderful movie or play or something like that, so now his life was yeah it's got all those adventure wrestling business chief, and you know that'd be cool alright, so we have to take another break and we'll get into your book alright.00:28:19.590 –> 00:28:20.370 Annette Clapsaddle: Alright sounds great.00:30:26.700 –> 00:30:34.140 Joseph McElroy: howdy this is Joseph Franklyn McElroy back with the Gateway to the smokies podcast my guest Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle.00:30:35.400 –> 00:30:41.880 Joseph McElroy: So in that you've also written from any national publications, such as the Atlanta and literature hub and.00:30:42.270 –> 00:30:49.020 Joseph McElroy: what's your real breakthrough was their debut novel even as we breathe, which came out in the middle of covid in 2020.00:30:49.500 –> 00:31:02.370 Joseph McElroy: And NPR put it on us best bet best books list and then later won the Thomas Wolfe literary award so congratulations that's great so what inspired you to run right this wonderful now?00:31:03.210 –> 00:31:15.570 Annette Clapsaddle: So I'm a few things kind of came together again and the most significant was that I had read an article in Nashville SIS and times.00:31:16.530 –> 00:31:23.970 Annette Clapsaddle: about the role the growth park plays in World War Two, the summer of 19 and actually.00:31:24.390 –> 00:31:35.820 Annette Clapsaddle: It was that article is really that actual role and during World War Two and there was a small paragraph about the growth parks role and during that time and so.00:31:36.600 –> 00:31:50.460 Annette Clapsaddle: You know, it said that the growth part held access and diplomats and foreign nationals are prisoners of war, the summer of 1942 and, as you mentioned earlier I've lived here my entire life and I had never heard that his.00:31:50.760 –> 00:31:51.810 Joseph McElroy: motive either yeah.00:31:52.710 –> 00:31:54.060 Annette Clapsaddle: And a lot of the people.00:31:55.410 –> 00:31:56.160 Annette Clapsaddle: Who.00:31:56.400 –> 00:31:56.850 Annette Clapsaddle: You know.00:31:57.390 –> 00:32:06.120 Annette Clapsaddle: A lot of local the stories that are that's where my husband is a former history teacher they were also not familiar.00:32:06.480 –> 00:32:12.150 Annette Clapsaddle: With that history so that's enough of a mystery, and for me to dig into a little bit more.00:32:12.720 –> 00:32:22.650 Annette Clapsaddle: And so I'd also given myself a writing prompt and this is after like the first novel I couldn't get published and I just was going to start something new.00:32:23.040 –> 00:32:31.380 Annette Clapsaddle: And so I've given myself a writing prompt right as long as I possibly could and on the simplest object, I could think of.00:32:31.800 –> 00:32:48.030 Annette Clapsaddle: me some reason, I chose a bone a clean bone and I worked for a very long time in a very tiny room in the Jackson county library in Sylva North Carolina, and out of that piece and really thinking about.00:32:49.800 –> 00:33:02.160 Annette Clapsaddle: You know what we leave behind and and and how we are judged on earth and how those things are often counter counter-intuitive right and.00:33:02.940 –> 00:33:21.030 Annette Clapsaddle: I decided that I wanted to see what would happen if I took a member of a sovereign nation so county sequoia is the protagonist who lives, who leaves Cherokee to go work at the grove park in and forgets the don't know the growth part is.00:33:22.230 –> 00:33:33.510 Annette Clapsaddle: A very high-class resort so President stays there girl said, you know, instead of counting guys to work there is a very different.00:33:33.960 –> 00:33:48.510 Annette Clapsaddle: and social environment but it's also during wartime so this question of citizenship and belonging in place all becomes really relevant so and it was a really a setting driven novel.00:33:49.020 –> 00:33:55.950 Annette Clapsaddle: which seems odd to me to write you know and but it made a lot of sense and to really kind of turn up the heat.00:33:57.120 –> 00:33:57.480 Annette Clapsaddle: Like.00:33:57.810 –> 00:34:00.420 Joseph McElroy: That doesn't strike me as odd about you, I mean you.00:34:00.480 –> 00:34:01.080 Joseph McElroy: You love.00:34:01.170 –> 00:34:07.650 Joseph McElroy: The settings of the mountains, you came back to live in it, you know I think settings is actually something that is is important to you.00:34:08.250 –> 00:34:12.810 Annette Clapsaddle: yeah absolutely and daily inspired.00:34:13.830 –> 00:34:33.030 Annette Clapsaddle: By where I live, and the people of this place and in our interactions with this place, so I you know I just I think prior to that I always thought well novels are you like plot-driven or the character-driven but this setting really kind of exploded into the narrative.00:34:34.050 –> 00:34:51.180 Joseph McElroy: So it takes place in 1942 and it's interesting you deal with you know, a love story coming age story now I've you know I've just started the novel you know I just moved to Asheville but you know we move new near to the growth park in.00:34:53.190 –> 00:35:03.840 Joseph McElroy: And yeah Bob Bob was telling me about you and I got the book and I've started writing, but I had a lot of time to finish it, so I don't know all of it but Bob it says it's a masterpiece or a.00:35:06.840 –> 00:35:16.020 Joseph McElroy: History Western North Carolina and I believe he's very good at that sort of thing but it's interesting already that I'm seeing you're also dealing with issues of citizenship.00:35:16.380 –> 00:35:30.450 Joseph McElroy: Identity and racism, all the concepts that we're debating and dealing with today, was that purposeful or came about just from the characters and setting.00:35:31.440 –> 00:35:42.720 Annette Clapsaddle: In some ways, it was purposeful, and even from the earliest writing exercise thinking about the phone and he reminded me of when I worked in.00:35:43.800 –> 00:35:54.840 Annette Clapsaddle: Our chief's office at one time after graduate school as a writer, I was lucky enough to have the office right next door to a political figure.00:35:56.760 –> 00:35:57.960 Annette Clapsaddle: Because I could hear through the wall.00:36:01.530 –> 00:36:11.520 Annette Clapsaddle: Remember, one day, and he had open another local politician, the nontribal politician come in and they were discussing this.00:36:12.240 –> 00:36:25.500 Annette Clapsaddle: Expansion of airport runway that would unearth Cherokee burial sites and I remember, they were obviously at odds about what was about what.00:36:26.160 –> 00:36:37.560 Annette Clapsaddle: this would happen and the chief explained to him that it is the same as going up to the graveyard and digging up that man's grandmother.00:36:37.860 –> 00:36:53.820 Annette Clapsaddle: And I'd never heard it explained so simply, is that right that we are oftentimes people think, and as native American bones as artifacts as opposed to you know the human remains that we consider.00:36:55.020 –> 00:37:16.500 Annette Clapsaddle: Members, so I think you know early on, I was thinking about the political and racial and Aafia implications of this story, but just that and I didn't really consider that I was writing historical fiction until I was working on the marketing packet for my publisher.00:37:19.020 –> 00:37:20.100 Annette Clapsaddle: Oh, this is his story.00:37:22.950 –> 00:37:35.040 Annette Clapsaddle: But it does feel so relevant to me so many of the issues, unfortunately, are still relevant today and I wanted to use them as a lens to look at those issues that are in the news today.00:37:36.000 –> 00:37:44.790 Joseph McElroy: wow when you also wrote, both from the male and female perspective, and I think that that takes a little bit of talent, how did you nail that.00:37:45.630 –> 00:37:53.820 Annette Clapsaddle: Well yeah I often get asked about your writing from a young male perspective, and then I remind people that I taught high school for a dozen years.00:37:55.800 –> 00:37:59.370 Annette Clapsaddle: diet and have an older brother and I grew up with.00:37:59.880 –> 00:38:07.710 Annette Clapsaddle: You know male cousins I have two boys that I'm raising you to know I'm really I've been inundated.00:38:08.760 –> 00:38:09.570 Annette Clapsaddle: With a male.00:38:09.960 –> 00:38:17.190 Annette Clapsaddle: voice in perspective but, and you know also want to be respectful that I'm doing it accurately so.00:38:18.000 –> 00:38:25.410 Joseph McElroy: I think it's I think that your interaction with your students, has been a tremendous benefit for you in terms of writing and then I've seen some of the.00:38:26.190 –> 00:38:34.590 Joseph McElroy: Reference things I love the story of your student who's on a zoom call with some new Yorkers and references prep his preference pronoun is yours.00:38:37.170 –> 00:38:37.890 Annette Clapsaddle: story.00:38:39.600 –> 00:38:42.630 Annette Clapsaddle: We were very rural hospital.00:38:43.980 –> 00:38:53.850 Annette Clapsaddle: Family in the mountains and were paired with Fieldston in New York City, which some of your listeners may be familiar with a private school.00:38:55.560 –> 00:39:11.490 Annette Clapsaddle: And you know the New York kids were like automated that they gave their pronouns and in our students, this was a few years ago to were taken aback when that question came up on this thing called.00:39:14.130 –> 00:39:16.620 Annette Clapsaddle: This kid he just said, my pronouns y'all.00:39:19.980 –> 00:39:20.670 Joseph McElroy: hey good.00:39:22.530 –> 00:39:22.980 Joseph McElroy: Good.00:39:27.270 –> 00:39:29.520 Joseph McElroy: Well that's great, so I think that's.00:39:31.140 –> 00:39:35.460 Joseph McElroy: I think that says a lot about she was a great writer and as a teacher that your students are.00:39:37.590 –> 00:39:54.480 Joseph McElroy: letters are you know that are really involved and really able to you've really educated them to deal with the society, and you know and they've been helped you bring that into your writing so congratulations I think that's that is the definition of success, I think.00:39:56.010 –> 00:40:10.200 Joseph McElroy: So life is going great for you and you've been a great teacher for over a decade living your dream in the smokies with your husband who's also a teacher and your sons and your debut is a huge success.00:40:11.940 –> 00:40:17.010 Joseph McElroy: This year you've sort of turned things upside down, did you decide to retire from teaching.00:40:18.810 –> 00:40:20.730 Joseph McElroy: Writing and family and other projects.00:40:21.150 –> 00:40:24.030 Annette Clapsaddle: yeah my husband says, I can't use the word retire.00:40:25.530 –> 00:40:26.070 Joseph McElroy: Okay.00:40:26.370 –> 00:40:28.920 Annette Clapsaddle: not officially retired and no.00:40:31.110 –> 00:40:45.090 Annette Clapsaddle: It was a tough decision, I really do love teaching I love my students, and but I, you know the book came out in 2020 and since then it's been a full sprint just with and.00:40:45.900 –> 00:40:56.310 Annette Clapsaddle: publicity for the book and then it's led to other opportunity writing opportunities public speaking teaching workshops and you know I don't want.00:40:56.820 –> 00:41:10.260 Annette Clapsaddle: You know I guess it came down to a decision, and then I would have to choose one or the other, I cannot keep up the pace of full-time teaching and pursuing writing you know you get the next novel out.00:41:11.730 –> 00:41:24.030 Annette Clapsaddle: as well, and you know if you are in education or you know anyone in education, you know that the last few years have been incredibly difficult and there.00:41:24.540 –> 00:41:34.770 Annette Clapsaddle: For me, there was not an end in sight to that to that difficulty of being a public school teacher it's just kind of getting harder and harder.00:41:35.310 –> 00:41:47.340 Annette Clapsaddle: And and and you know I don't like to be pessimistic about it because I want to encourage people and but I can't do it in it yeah just couldn't do it anymore if I wanted to continue writing.00:41:48.510 –> 00:41:55.500 Annette Clapsaddle: You know, it is about time but it's also just about like brain space and energy and excuse me to put.00:41:56.880 –> 00:42:00.810 Joseph McElroy: it's a real shame that you have to be at the forefront of cultural wars.00:42:01.440 –> 00:42:05.550 Joseph McElroy: Right in school that's just not fair to the public, teachers, yes.00:42:07.680 –> 00:42:14.100 Joseph McElroy: yeah yeah and it's really a misplaced fear that somehow you're you know you're destroying our children is.00:42:14.100 –> 00:42:15.570 Annette Clapsaddle: ridiculous yeah.00:42:19.020 –> 00:42:19.800 Annette Clapsaddle: I couldn't do it.00:42:21.450 –> 00:42:27.330 Joseph McElroy: I mean the bane of my existence and people can throw darts at me and want it, but I hate homeschooling.00:42:27.840 –> 00:42:41.940 Joseph McElroy: I met too many people that are like not even high school graduates are homeschooling their kids I'm saying homeschooling to be what you know it's like yeah yeah you're going to do more damage than me, you know train teacher with that sorry I'm.00:42:42.270 –> 00:42:43.200 Annette Clapsaddle: i'm being a little political.00:42:43.440 –> 00:42:45.180 Joseph McElroy: don't generally do about this issue.00:42:45.570 –> 00:43:02.940 Joseph McElroy: yeah since I got three and a half-year-old twins that got to go through you know life your schooling I'm I am yeah I understand where you're coming from and I appreciate the work that you did, and I can also understand you know, taking the opportunity to retire from that.00:43:07.470 –> 00:43:12.570 Joseph McElroy: So we're gonna take a break now and come back and find out what you're doing next and talk a little bit about mountain bike.00:45:15.780 –> 00:45:29.940 Joseph McElroy: howdy this is Joseph Franklyn McElroy back with the gateway to the smokies these podcasts and my guest Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle, so Annette, what's next for you as a writer you're working on a new book right Is it based on.00:45:30.960 –> 00:45:37.170 Annette Clapsaddle: yeah absolutely and I've been working on one for a little while now, but again I had to put it aside.00:45:38.100 –> 00:45:53.160 Annette Clapsaddle: For the full-time job but um yeah this next novel is contemporary was a female protagonist set in Cherokee so it's pretty close to home, I got to make sure I stay far enough back from it.00:45:54.570 –> 00:45:55.050 Annette Clapsaddle: But.00:45:57.030 –> 00:46:00.150 Annette Clapsaddle: I am fairly early in the process, but it's.00:46:01.470 –> 00:46:20.700 Annette Clapsaddle: kind of being it's inspired by some of our traditional stories it's not a retelling of those stories, but I have mine those for the values that they instill in our culture and I'm kind of overlaying it on a contemporary and political landscape and cheer up that way.00:46:22.320 –> 00:46:23.730 Annette Clapsaddle: So that's what I'm working on.00:46:24.480 –> 00:46:26.400 Joseph McElroy: Your First Non historical fiction.00:46:28.500 –> 00:46:29.460 Annette Clapsaddle: yeah exactly.00:46:31.980 –> 00:46:34.080 Annette Clapsaddle: The time he ruined may be historical.00:46:37.230 –> 00:46:40.590 Joseph McElroy: These will suck to the years of the crisis.00:46:42.900 –> 00:46:45.960 Annette Clapsaddle: yeah because in here and now back to rethink.00:46:47.010 –> 00:46:49.470 Annette Clapsaddle: Whether you know how could this plays into this.00:46:50.070 –> 00:46:51.990 Joseph McElroy: Is covid character yeah.00:46:52.260 –> 00:46:54.510 Annette Clapsaddle: yeah so I have to do a lot of.00:46:55.920 –> 00:47:02.700 Annette Clapsaddle: nonfiction writing for regional magazines and things like that and I'm a.00:47:03.810 –> 00:47:18.840 Annette Clapsaddle: An editor for the Appalachian future series and through the university press of Kentucky so stay pretty busy with different writing projects, but the main one that forces me that focus on the new novel.00:47:20.190 –> 00:47:24.630 Joseph McElroy: that's great and are you doing, are you doing how are things like workshops and.00:47:25.110 –> 00:47:26.100 Annette Clapsaddle: Yes, yes.00:47:26.430 –> 00:47:33.390 Annette Clapsaddle: cool yeah I think it's nice to be able to continue to teach and even though I'll be out of.00:47:34.770 –> 00:47:44.850 Annette Clapsaddle: A public high school right so teaching workshops actually leave Friday and for.00:47:46.050 –> 00:47:47.370 Annette Clapsaddle: LMU for.00:47:48.720 –> 00:48:01.590 Annette Clapsaddle: For the festival there I'll be teaching workshops and then I'll be teaching a full week at John C Campbell folks school in Brasstown and North Carolina starting Sunday so.00:48:01.980 –> 00:48:09.570 Joseph McElroy: That Bob's been trying to put together a literary conference here, I hope you participate in that that'd be you'd be a wonderful part of it yeah.00:48:11.010 –> 00:48:17.010 Joseph McElroy: That should be good so so I want to talk about you are my mountain biking.00:48:19.050 –> 00:48:23.040 Joseph McElroy: enthusiastic yeah, what do you like most about that sport.00:48:24.420 –> 00:48:34.800 Annette Clapsaddle: um well I like being in the middle of the woods and feeling very isolated from everything but also going super fast.00:48:39.720 –> 00:48:53.610 Annette Clapsaddle: superfast downhill and it's I think it's because it is contradictory to how I normally am you know planner and I'm fairly cautious and.00:48:55.050 –> 00:48:58.410 Annette Clapsaddle: This is this forces me out of that comfort zone.00:48:59.790 –> 00:49:03.780 Annette Clapsaddle: And I mean I could talk for days about all the things I love about it, I just started.00:49:04.740 –> 00:49:21.510 Annette Clapsaddle: writing about five years ago and, and you know, first and foremost, for even for my health I'm a former athlete I used to play basketball, but my knees can't take that anymore I lost about 60 pounds when I started mountain biking.00:49:24.990 –> 00:49:25.530 Joseph McElroy: I have a.00:49:25.560 –> 00:49:29.700 Joseph McElroy: three-and-a-half-year-old son named Henry that's challenging you to a race right now.00:49:30.210 –> 00:49:32.070 Annette Clapsaddle: oh three.00:49:33.510 –> 00:49:37.800 Annette Clapsaddle: My student this semester, it was on my bike and he was running.00:49:39.660 –> 00:49:41.850 Annette Clapsaddle: He thought he could beat me that didn't happen.00:49:46.770 –> 00:49:48.360 Joseph McElroy: He loves to go fast.00:49:49.980 –> 00:49:52.950 Joseph McElroy: So, what are your favorite local or regional trails.00:49:53.520 –> 00:50:01.260 Annette Clapsaddle: And what I consider my home trail is fire mountain trail system and Cherokee and it's really kind of.00:50:01.950 –> 00:50:20.820 Annette Clapsaddle: When that trail system, open and I started learning more about mountain biking in general, so it's just a few minutes from my house I get there, myself and I are Sali and near Bryson city and the Fontana area I do a lot of writing out there.00:50:23.460 –> 00:50:37.320 Annette Clapsaddle: And oh gosh there's Dupont and regard, and you know we're really lucky to have so many trails around here and yeah and you know my favorite ones, or maybe not the ones that are more.00:50:39.750 –> 00:50:46.200 Joseph McElroy: that's why, but if you try out some of the new ones up like the new pipe parking chest up the mountain and they would challenge you just.00:50:46.230 –> 00:50:53.040 Annette Clapsaddle: Barely I mean so all of these there yeah there are lots of new places it seems like in the last year and a half.00:50:53.430 –> 00:50:59.040 Annette Clapsaddle: And so, all these places are kind of on my list I'm excited to have a little more flexibility in my schedule.00:50:59.340 –> 00:51:13.590 Annette Clapsaddle: And he had to make some of those day trips and hopefully out with some of my riding buddies may be to go check them out there's a and a group of predominantly ladies that I ride with we like to check out new trails.00:51:14.580 –> 00:51:16.890 Joseph McElroy: cool do you have your son's right as well?00:51:17.550 –> 00:51:19.350 Annette Clapsaddle: They do, and they.00:51:20.550 –> 00:51:28.110 Annette Clapsaddle: know the ride, and you know for a while, then they'll get interested in something else, but they both had bikes so.00:51:29.130 –> 00:51:34.890 Annette Clapsaddle: They don't always go on trails with me and that they're all over our property.00:51:36.630 –> 00:51:39.720 Annette Clapsaddle: at nine and 13 Charlie and Ross00:51:40.170 –> 00:51:42.210 Joseph McElroy: All right, almost teenage.00:51:46.050 –> 00:52:03.120 Joseph McElroy: There you go so what's good, and you, is there any is there, you know, one of the things I'd like to ask is a recommendation for a place to eat for people listening to the show for coming to your part of the country out in the cloud qualified and boundary the Cherokee reservation.00:52:03.870 –> 00:52:05.670 Annette Clapsaddle: All right, and.00:52:07.110 –> 00:52:08.730 Annette Clapsaddle: I feel like I'm sitting on the spot here.00:52:08.940 –> 00:52:10.050 I know I know.00:52:12.690 –> 00:52:17.190 Annette Clapsaddle: I don't know what this one just popped into my head and we're not talking like gourmet food, but.00:52:18.870 –> 00:52:19.170 Joseph McElroy: I think.00:52:19.230 –> 00:52:33.390 Annette Clapsaddle: The people that joy that's all yes that's a sunflower is like a sandwich shop not like a sandwich shop, it is isn't it shop and near the entrance to the great smoky mountain National Park in the snake village area sassy sunflowers a very.00:52:34.950 –> 00:52:40.680 Annette Clapsaddle: Great sandwich place and then I have to say, if you want, like the quintessential.00:52:42.450 –> 00:52:52.470 Annette Clapsaddle: Country Buffet, that has been around since the beginning of time, you have to go to grandma's kitchen and get pie for dessert you got to get high.00:52:52.980 –> 00:52:54.960 Joseph McElroy: Five you got to get a pie yeah.00:52:56.400 –> 00:53:04.680 Joseph McElroy: cool fabulous well this now, we gotta shout outs, you want to mention how people get in contact with you find out more about your book that sort of stuff.00:53:05.190 –> 00:53:12.060 Annette Clapsaddle: So I have a website it's a new asaunookeclapsaddle.com and luckily I have one of.00:53:13.200 –> 00:53:25.260 Annette Clapsaddle: The most unusual names, so you can pretty easily find me on Google search but I'll be updating that website and the coming weeks, speaking of students.00:53:25.560 –> 00:53:31.950 Annette Clapsaddle: And that's that website was developed by a former student of mine, so I gotta get to updating it with.00:53:32.730 –> 00:53:50.760 Annette Clapsaddle: Events going on I'll be busy all summer with festivals and workshops and things like that and also I'm on Facebook and on Instagram and I just use my name I don't do anything special so Twitter also so just it's Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle easy to find.00:53:51.390 –> 00:54:04.440 Joseph McElroy: cool well Thank you so much for being on the show today it's been a wonderful conversation I'm gonna look forward to finishing your book, especially sits in it's in the North Asheville area where I just moved to find out a little bit about the history of that area.00:54:05.700 –> 00:54:12.720 Joseph McElroy: yeah glad to be too, and hopefully we will continue having conversations, and now have you have your Conference at the Meadowlark00:54:13.530 –> 00:54:14.040 yeah.00:54:15.360 –> 00:54:17.610 Annette Clapsaddle: Maybe like doing you love to do that cool.00:54:18.090 –> 00:54:33.180 Joseph McElroy: So this podcast is the gateway to the smokies it's live-streamed on facebook.com/gatewaytothesmokiespodcasts as well as on talkradio.NYC, which is a network of live podcasts.00:54:34.800 –> 00:54:43.590 Joseph McElroy: And I recommend you take a chance to look at that network there are a lot of great podcasts to listen to live, which I find to be a very dynamic format.00:54:44.430 –> 00:55:00.900 Joseph McElroy: And I think interesting if you want to be involved in conversations that seem real and they range from small business self-help to pet care to any number of things and it's I think it's a wonderful network to become aware of and join in.00:55:02.130 –> 00:55:08.160 Joseph McElroy: I also have another podcast and it's never called wise content creates wealth, I have a marketing company that specializes in.00:55:08.820 –> 00:55:28.110 Joseph McElroy: content and memorable tourism experiences for travel and I talked about that quite a bit on wise content create wealth so and that's on Fridays from noon until one, and this podcast gateway to the smokies every week Tuesdays from six to seven on this network.00:55:29.130 –> 00:55:39.690 Joseph McElroy: And I hope you will join me again next week for another great guest, and another great conversation, thank you very much it's been nice having you here.00:55:40.680 –> 00:55:44.460 Annette Clapsaddle: yeah, thank you for having me really enjoy it you're welcome.

Tune in today as you'll learn about the changing environment of songwriting retreats, what motivates someone to bring their talent for writing music to share in an artistic retreat-like environment, and the importance of having a mentor guiding your creative efforts.Joseph is joined by our special guest Louisa Branscomb, an Award-Winning Songwriter, Musician, Bandleader, Teacher, Psychologist, Author, and a Pioneer Trailblazer in Bluegrass music. She is a Grammy-winning songwriter behind such iconic songs as "Steel Rails," made famous by Allison Krause. Louisa was one of the first females to ever front their own bluegrass band, while also writing original material and playing the banjo.Louisa has spent the past 33 years combining her talents and passions to lead songwriting events at her artist retreat—first at Woodsong Farm, in north Georgia, and today at Lyric Mountain Songwriter Retreat near Asheville, N.C. Still active as a performer and writer, she has mentored over 1,000 songwriters during the course of her storied career, including several multiple generational students.Don't miss this episode!Website: https://louisabranscomb.com/‍Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

If you love crafts or have an interest or family tradition in making crafts, you are going to love this episode! You'll learn Dogwood Crafters Cooperative featuring Brenda Anders.In today's episode, Joseph is joined by our special guest Brenda Anders, she is a true daughter of the Smokies who has lived in WNC since 1978 when her husband took a job with WCU. Not long after that, Brenda joined Dogwood Crafters, one of the most storied crafts cooperatives in the Southeast, located in historic Dillsboro, N.C. Since then Brenda has played an integral role in the success of the business --which was first formed in 1976 –serving in various key leadership positions including President and Chairman of the Board, along with heading multiple operational committees within the organization.Website: https://dogwoodcrafters.comTune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

In today's episode, you will learn about the art of blacksmithing and metalworking in the Smoky Mountains. Matthew Sirey is an Award-winning Blacksmith and Metalworking Artist who has resided in Sylva, N.C. for over 15 years. A native of Pennsylvania, Matthew has been a full-time craftsman since 2017 and the Owner of Shira Forge since 2005. Matthew was also the winner of the 2022 season premiere of the History Channel hit television show –Forged in Fire! He will discuss what it means to be a blacksmith in the 21st century and see how he forged his career out of metal at an early age.Website: https://www.shiraforge.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/matthew.shirey.54Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shiraforge/Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

Tune in to this week's episode of Gateway to the Smokies Podcast featuring Joe Sam Queen, as he discusses the cultural and historical side of his career and other aspects of his life that folks might not be aware of. You will learn from him about the responsibility of preserving our past to make room for our future. Joe Sam Queen is a renowned Architect, Historian, Dancer, Dance caller, and Politician – having served in both N.C. Senate and the N.C. House of Representatives –and is on the Traditional Artists Roster of the Blue Ridge National Heritage Association.He has been director of the Smoky Mountain Folk Festival for over 30 years and has served on the Board of Directors for Folkmoot and the Shelton House, as well as playing an active role as an officer in the local Sons of the American Revolution chapter along with many other regional charities, clubs, and historical groups. Joe Sam's experiences growing up in Western North Carolina epitomize the cultural expression and deep-rooted tradition of the Smoky Mountains. Relive the past and learn about the future. Don't miss this incredible conversation with a great man!LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-sam-queen-7b66a376/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joesam.queen Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joesamqueennc/?hl=enTune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

In this episode, you'll discover the Great Smoky Mountain region is home to some of the most remarkable riding destinations in the world. A land of enchanting beauty and endless possibilities for adventure on two wheels. A space to explore your greatest passions surrounded by the natural beauty of majestic mountain ranges, endlessly winding roads, and rustic cabins.We are joined by our special guest, Chris Parker, who is the Founder and Chief Designer of Road Wolf Design, a company based in Greer S.C. that he founded in 2007. His clients include Texas Pete Hot Sauces, Touring Sport BMW, Spartanburg Regional Health Care System, and Beowulf Technologies-- among many others.Prior to starting his own company, Chris spent over a decade working as a designer and artist in some of the top art departments in his industry. Chris is an avid BMW motorcycle enthusiast who has spent a large part of his adult life riding his bike in the Great Smoky Mountain region of WNC and East Tennessee, as well as in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Southwest Virginia and across the United States. We will discuss the upcoming Rally in Valley scheduled for May, as well as his expertise in creating memorable riding adventures in the Great Smokies.Website: http://roadwolfdesign.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-parker-8442179/Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

Jackson County is a wonderful area to live, work, and have fun in! Beautiful waterfalls, excellent stores, fantastic restaurants, and wonderful companies abound in that area. This week's episode features a special guest, Kelly Donaldson. He will be bringing you up to speed on all the big things happening in town. You'll learn about the best waterfalls to check out, where to grab a bite to eat and what businesses have the best gifts.Kelly Donaldson is the Assistant Director of the Jackson County, N.C. Chamber of Commerce –a job he has held for the past eight years. Kelly's wife, Julie Donaldson is the Executive Director of the same organization and has served in that role for 23 years. Kelly spent 15 years as a Sports Journalist and Editor for various publications in WNC—as well as in Gainesville, Georgia, before embarking on his career with the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce in 2014. Kelly's hobbies include photography, attending WCU sporting events, and spending time with his family, along with an impressive resume of volunteer work in the community he loves and promotes so well. He will keep you up to date on all the great things happening in Jackson County that you need to know about. So, tune in and don't miss out!Websites: https://www.mountainlovers.com/ https://www.nctroutcapital.com/https://www.hooklinedrinkerfest.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mountainlovers/https://www.facebook.com/ConcertsOnTheCreekTune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

Tune in with this week's episode of Gateway to the Smokies Podcast featuring Zeb Smathers as he discusses the economic development in Haywood County and the region, along with his work to open a new park in the area; Chestnut Mountain Park.Our host Joseph McElroy, Owner of the Meadowlark Motel in Maggie Valley, NC. is joined by an incredible guest, Zeb Smathers, he is a graduate of Duke University and UNC Law School who resides with his wife and son in Canton, N.C. Like his father, Patrick Smathers, before him, Zeb is currently Mayor of Canton, while also working as an Attorney with his dad. Zeb has guided an Economic Resurgence in Canton and recently spearheaded the efforts to open an incredible new park in Haywood County—Chestnut Mountain Park – while also helping steer rebuilding efforts through two epic floods that nearly destroyed downtown Canton and surrounding communities.  Zeb is a highly respected community leader, renowned for his ability to avoid partisan politics while always working in the best interests of his constituents—regardless of party affiliation.‍Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

Tune in with this week's episode of Gateway to the Smokies Podcast featuring Ed Sharpe as he discusses Medicine Man Crafts and Cherokee craftsmanship.Joseph is joined by our special guest, Ed Sharpe, Owner and Operator of Medicine Man Crafts in Cherokee N.C.The business, founded by Tom Underwood in 1963, and later sold to Kay Sharpe—Ed's late mother – is one of the oldest and most prestigious purveyors of authentic Cherokee crafts on the Qualla Boundary. Ed is also an avid hiker and nature photographer –is proud to carry on the great legacy of true Cherokee culture created by Tom Underwood and Kay Sharpe.You will hear from him the history of Cherokee crafts and how the tradition has been passed down to him. Don't miss this fun interview! Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by clicking here.

In today's episode, we'll explore the wonderful world of beer and the amazing craft beer revolution, and what it takes to turn your passion into profit.Today, Joseph is joined by our special guest, Corey Bryson, Co-Owner with his wife, Laurie Bryson, of Balsam Falls Brewery—is an award-winning craft beer artisan and certified beer judge hailing from Tampa, Florida. He and his wife are also Cicerone Certified Beer Servers. They now own and operate Balsam Falls Brewing in Sylva where Corey has family roots that go back over 150 years.He will talk about his craft beer brewing passion and how he and Laurie are making a big impact in the Smokies. Don't miss this fun interview!Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

Join us for a podcast episode with Garret Woodward. Tune in to hear about his coverage of the local music scene and his conversation with the Legendary Musician Raymond Fairchild.Garret Woodward is an award-winning journalist, author, events promoter, and musician now living in Waynesville, N.C. A native of upstate New York, he was a college track star. After graduating with a degree in Journalism and working across the country in a variety of Journalism jobs, he became a weekly Columnist for Smoky Mountain News in 2012, and later also a columnist for Smoky Mountain Living. Best known for his interviews with musicians and compelling human-interest stories, Garret is also the author of two books and is a regular contributor to Rolling Stone magazine while also promoting live music events with his own newly formed company. A popular past guest on our show, Garret returns today to discuss his books, his music, and the Legendary Musician Raymond Fairchild. He will also mention some new exciting projects and catch up on post-pandemic event plans.Don't miss this fun interview!Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by clicking here.Show NotesSegment 1Starting off today's episode, Joseph mentions his very own Meadowlark Motel, which is the sponsor for the show and some upcoming events. On March 26th, renowned author and General Manager at the motel for the Meadowlark Smoky Mountain Heritage Center, Bob Plott, wil be doing a seminar about the history of hunting in the Smokies along with a barbeque dinner and live music! He also mentions a fly fishing camp weekend on April 15-17. Joseph introduces today's guest, Garret Woodward, an award-winning journalist, author, events promoter, and musician now living in Waynesville, N.C. Garret is also the author of two books and is a regular contributor to Rolling Stone magazine while also promoting live music events with his own newly formed company. He is also a native of Upstate New York. Garret still works for the Rolling Stone magazine. He is currently working on writing about the state of bluegrass music. Garret and Joseph share their love for interacting with people. Garret says that even if this wasn't his job, he would still be talking to everyone and asking questions.Segment 2Garret speaks about having an older father and because of this, he was able to learn about much older music that his father listened to as well as what it was like for his father to grow up during WWII. he also talks with Joseph about coming to live in the Smokies which he thought would only be temporary. Garret speaks about running a company where he is looking to give more attention to quality live music in West Asheville, North Carolina. He also talks about meeting Darren Nicholson from Balsam Range to interview him while just arriving in North Carolina literally minutes ago without having moved in yet into his apartment. They discuss more about the music scene in the Smoky Mountains. Garret also says that going to breweries, restaurants and other locations are where the music comes alive.Segment 3Garret talks about his books. He is also currently working on a book about bluegrass legend Raymond Fairchild who was an American banjo player. Garret was able to receive a grant from the North Carolina Arts Council to write the book. Joseph and Garret both knew Raymond and reminisced about the kind of person he was. Garret recalls interviewing Raymond early in his career. Garret's experience was great considering that Raymond didn't take a liking to any media. Raymond enjoyed talking to Garret. They had a connection that was special, especially with their passion for bluegrass music. Garret says that Raymond was a sweet man when you really got the chance to know him. For the title of the book, Garret says that he doesn't know the exact title yet but it will most likely be called Lord I'm Coming Home: The legend and Lore of Raymond Fairchild.Segment 4Coming back from the final break, Garret speaks about recently learning to play the guitar. He really loves it and started learning during the early part of the pandemic. Joseph mentions his speakeasy and the motel where people also come together for music and tells Garret that he can come by anytime to play music. Garret also talks about collecting vintage guitars. Every guitar he says has a different vibe and feeling. On the Facebook live video, he shows us one of his guitars, a 1940s Rotary Deluxe Parlor Guitar. It is beautifully decorated and Joseph was very excited to see it. Garret is also excited to hear that Joseph will have Jim Lauderdale, Darren Nicholson, and Charles Humphrey III to run the fly fishing camp. During this weekend long event, they'll also play some tunes around a campfire. It's all about being connected with the outdoors and more! You can learn more about it by visiting meadowlarkmotel.com. To learn more about Garret Woodward, you can go to smokymountainnews.com and follow him @garretkwoodward on Instagram.

If you're looking for music to harmonize to, or a guide for your next river adventure, this episode is for you because our guest this week is a musician and a fly-fishing expert.You will find out more about songwriting, fly-fishing, and life in Asheville. Whether you are a musician yourself, or just a music lover, you will find this episode's insights fascinating.Today, Joseph is joined by our special guest, Charles Humphrey III, a Grammy Award-winning songwriter, producer and musician, and owner of Lucks Dumpy Toad Records. Currently leading his own group –the superb chart-topping, Songs from the Road Band – Humphrey was a charter member of the Steep Canyon Rangers for 15 years while also backing up other renowned artists such as Steve Martin and Edie Brickel among others.Charles is also an expert fly-fishing guide and endurance runner and resides with his two children in Asheville. We will also mention here his two upcoming big events this year in Maggie Valley which are -Fly Fishing camp in April and the Songwriters camp in August.Don't miss this episode!!Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by clicking here.SHOW NOTESSEGMENT 1Joseph opens up tonight's episode talking about the Meadowlark Motel and some upcoming events. One of these events deals with wilderness survival skills and it's importance during times like natural disasters and more. There will also be a fly fishing camp weekend. To learn more, reach out at their website at meadowlarkmotel.com. He introduces his guest, Charles Humphrey III. Charles started fly fishing himself when he was a teen. Charles is a bluegrass musician and a Grammy award winning songwriter, musician and producer. Charles started fishing with his father when he was a kid and also got into music and playing bluegrass. He loves the “zen” feeling he gets when connecting with nature in this way. He talks more with Joseph about his passion as a musician and his passion for fishing. Charles loves that he is able to educate others about both topics, something that he will also be doing at the Meadowlark Motel!SEGMENT 2Charles and Joseph talk more about fly fishing and Charles talks about some of the staff that will also be guiding in the events coming soon. Charles mentions tying flies and the interesting aspect of this. They both have an engaging conversation about how important this part is for anglers, or people who fish with a rod and line and interesting stories they've experienced themselves fly fishing. Joseph asks Charles about some of the best streams to fish in Haywood County and what locations he might take people participating in the fishing camp. He mentions Jonathan Creek that is close to the motel as well as the Pigeon river. He also says that in the camp, they'll also be teaching a technique called tight line fishing as well as how to set the hook, control the head, avoid letting go of the fish they catch and much more.SEGMENT 3Joseph talks with Charles about his other passion, being a musician and writing music. Like fly fishing, Charles says that writing music takes a lot of luck. In this case, it's because you never know if people will enjoy your music. He also mentions writing music that is on an album by Willie Nelson. He also talks about moving on from the Steep Canyon Rangers who he was a member of for 15 years. Now, he is part of Songs from the Road Band. You can listen to their music almost on any platform like SiriusXM, Pandora, etc. He says that he is excited to be able to play live music again like many other artists and musicians now that things are a bit more normal when it comes to gatherings. Charles also mentions the other event which is the writer's camp where he along with other great musicians and singer-songwriter's will teach and encourage all inclusive songwriting. They'll also teach others about making music from the creative process to being behind the microphone. Charles also talks about his friendship with Darren Nicholson who was also a guest here on the show. They wrote a couple of songs together which you can hear on Man on a Mission, Darren's new EP. Charles mentions more people he'd love to work with.SEGMENT 4Coming back from the final break, Charles talks about owning Lucks Dumpy Toad Records. He uses this to also release music from Songs from the Road Band. Charles and Joseph also speak about how music is released today compared to when there were no digital releases for music. They also mention different audio formats like mp3, vinyl, and cds and how they feel about the different quality of music when listened to in different ways. Charles speaks about being an endurance runner too and the rewarding feeling by taking care of himself and connecting with others through this activity. Also, Songs from the Road Band will be releasing music later this year. You can go to songsfromtheroadband.com and also use the same name to search them on social media platforms. You can also find Charles and learn more about fishing visiting beastcoastanglers.com!

Hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains is a beautiful and iconic way to experience the area, as well as a unique way to connect with nature and find tranquility. Today, our guest will discuss some of his amazing hiking adventures and the social media impact he has had on so many individuals.Creating Memorable Hiking and Outdoor Adventures in the Great Smoky Mountains Our host, Joseph Franklyn McElroy, is joined by our special guest, Johnny Osborne, an acclaimed long-distance hiker, adventurer, rock climber, and mountain biker, also renowned for his social media skills. With well over a million followers on various forms of social media platforms, Johnny is a master at creating memorable online hiking experiences in the Great Smoky Mountains –and throughout the United States –while documenting his accomplishments as a hiker. Johnny is especially passionate about promoting, protecting, and perpetuating the legacy of the Great Smokies Mountain National Park. When not enjoying various outdoor pursuits, Osborne resides in Alcoa Tennessee, where he manages his social media platforms and works with clients such as Blackberry Farm and Blackberry Mountain Resort.Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by clicking here.Show NotesSegment 1Joseph starts off tonight's show with of course his sponsor which is his own, the Meadowlark Motel! He mentions several upcoming events that you can find at meadowlarkmotel.com. Joseph also reads a poem by Lawrence Hall called “New Hiking Shoes for the Trail Ahead.” He transitions into introducing his guest, Johnny Osborne, an acclaimed long-distance hiker, adventurer, rock climber, and mountain biker, also renowned for his social media skills, with well over a million followers on various forms of social media platforms. He lives in Tennessee and is 20 minutes away from the Smokies National Park. He became passionate about outdoor lifestyles due to his fond memories with his family like going to the Smokies and bonding. Osborne became serious about hiking after being invited by his sister numerous times to go hiking with her. He used to run rather than hike while in college but once he went hiking with his sister again, it “ignited a fire” that made him fall in love with it again. He talks with Joseph about some intriguing memories hiking.Segment 2Joseph mentions Johnny's social media channels and how he talks about the leave no trace principles of hiking in many of his videos. This topic is about cleaning our environment, educating, advocating, and more when it comes to recreating responsibly. Johnny also mentions a nonprofit organization, Save Our Smokies, who are having an event on the weekend of Earth Day to clean the entire Smokies National Park. He also talks about the positive impacts of being a part of the hiking community like being the voice of information to provide knowledge about being safe. Joseph talks with Johnny about his impressive social media skills and having a big following. He wants to grow and create more educational content for his youtube channel. Johnny talks about doing challenges and taking on the South Beyond 6,000 challenge which he read about in an article. This challenge encourages hikers to climb forty 6000 foot peaks in the Southern Appalachian Mountains.Segment 3Johnny speaks with Joseph about his experience hiking in the Black Mountain Crest Trail. He also did the Great Smoky Mountains National Park nine hundred mile hike which includes going through all of the trails in the area. Johnny also speaks about doing the Foothills Trail Hike in the Appalachian Mountains. He talks about a funny moment of how on his first day on this hike, a huge storm came along. When this happened, he found a spot to camp and the next morning he realized that he was about only 2 miles from where he wanted to be. Johnny has hiked in many states and countries. He reminisces about the beautiful atmosphere when he hiked in the Rocky Mountains. When it comes to his social media, he refers to himself as someone who is encouraging and not an influencer. He differentiates these two terms as someone who is selling something (influencer) and someone who is coaching (encouraging). He says that it's about supporting and motivating others when educating people about hiking. Johnny also gives some of his thoughts about how other people on social media can grow their platforms and build a community. He speaks about being consistent in delivering relatable content.Segment 4In the final segment, Johnny speaks about being involved with the Blackberry Farm and Mountain Resort in Tennessee. He has been with them for 7 years and is an information technology manager at Blackberry Mountain. He says that they are opening up a restaurant at the brewery they have in the location. Johnny speaks about his passion about the Great Smoky Mountains and advocating for being responsible while enjoying recreation and memorable experiences. Other things Johnny also enjoys besides hiking is to go mountain biking or even kayaking. He talks more with Joseph about places he enjoys visiting in Tennessee and the Smokies. His favorite rock climbing spot for example is Ijams in Knox County. You can reach out to Johnny on Instagram at johnny onthetrail, as well as Facebook and Youtube with the same username. Johnny also shares with us that he has merch and the proceeds will go to nonprofit organizations and park charities. Joseph thanks Johnny Osborne for being on the show and looks forward to hiking with him some time soon!

In today's episode, we will learn the amazing life and career of a man who has dedicated his life to the study of early mountain music.  He is dedicated to preserving the history, talent, and culture of old time music.Joseph is joined by our special guest, William Ritter, He is an award-winning historian, author, folklorist, singer, songwriter, can play almost any stringed instrument, is an expert on heirloom seeds and has devoted a good part of his adult life to documenting the contributions of old-time Appalachian musicians and ballad singers.https://www.songtoseed.com/#/https://sarahandwilliam.weebly.com/Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.Segment 1Joseph opens today's show mentioning a couple of events coming up. The Meadowlark Smoky Mountains Heritage Center which is located at the Meadowlark Motel is having a series of twenty heritage themed events scheduled for this year to inform people about different elements of Smoky Mountain culture. The first event is this Saturday. Another event is about fly fishing. The motel is offering a fly fishing camp weekend. Their goal is to bring like minded people together through fly fishing, food, camp and more. Learn more at meadowlarkmotel.com. Joseph also reads the lyrics of “The Storyteller” written by Mike Jones, a folk singer in the 1980s. He then introduces his guest today, an award winning historian, author, folklorist, singer, and songwriter, William Ritter.Segment 2Joseph talks with Ritter about an event Ritter did where he did a performance of an adaptation of Sheakspeare's MidSummer Night's Dream. He worked with a group of young actors who were in college and mentions how special it was for him to work with them and being a part of their early experiences in front of an audience. They also discuss the Happy Valley Fiddlers Convention, which Ritter has been a part of in the past. The convention was on a two year hiatus but will be back this year. Ritter speaks about what makes the Smokies special for him. He mentions the mountain culture and the scenes of nature around the area. He also mentions the food being special. The culinary tradition is something he says is much different from something you'd find outside of the Smoky Mountains. It's very unique.Segment 3Ritter talks about growing up going to the Penland School of Craft where his parents were also instructors. He also talks with Joseph about working with Bob Plott, the manager at the Meadowlark Motel and with Bobby McMillion, ballad singer, musician, and storyteller. Ritter was able to do performances with McMillion. Through the North Carolina Arts Council in partnership with a foundation called South Arts, they put together a grant opportunity for a mentor and an apprentice to study together. Ritter was trying to find an apprentice for Bobby and Bobby told Ritter that he should be the person. He was able to document Bobby going on the road to performances. Ritter would record their conversation during their rides in the car and mention the great stories Bobby would talk about with him on stage and on their rides. Ritter describes how special Bobby was as a storyteller as he'd make you feel like you were speaking to a random person at a bar or anywhere else. He made it feel intimate and not so much like a performance in front of a lot of people. He was the same person on and off stage. Ritter talks more about McMillion's life, his passing, and the Bobby McMillion Project to continue his legacy. Segment 4Ritter is booked for a special concert at the Meadowlark Smoky Mountain Heritage Center's Plot Fest Reunion in June. he says that there will be a mix of different ranges of country music, Appalachian culture, and mentions several artists and storytellers of influence. Joseph asks him about how he stays active as a musician during these different times since the pandemic began. Ritter says that he recently tried something new called Riverside FM, where you can record audio and videos with good quality. They both talk more about the mediums used for storytelling and different platforms. The advanced technology today has created a lot of opportunities for creators. To find out more about what William Ritter is up to, you can go to blueridgeheritage.com as well as sarahandwilliam.weebly.com. Joseph thanks William Ritter for joining him again for today's podcast episode.

Today, you will learn the importance of Preserving our Natural Resources and improving the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. You will hear about how you can help by spreading awareness, identifying solutions and providing leadership to make it happen.Joseph McElroy is joined by our special guest today, Jeff Hunter, Senior Program Manager with National Parks ConservationAssociation (NPCA) in Asheville, where he works on a variety of issues pertaining to protecting and improving the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. Presently, he is focused heavily on a collaborative project designing and building a wildlife crossing on I-40 in the Pigeon Forge in Haywood County, near the Tennessee state line. Don't miss this show!https://smokiessafepassage.org/ https://www.npca.org/people/jeffrey-hunterTune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

Darren Nicholson is a gifted singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist. You will learn from him some of his original American music from the mountains of Western North Carolina. He will also discuss with us his newly released project " Man on a Mission."  And if you love Lake Junaluska, Darren will tell us about the Lake Junaluska Arts Festival.  In today's podcast, Joseph McElroy is joined by our special guest, Darren Nicholson, an award-winning charter member of the legendary contemporary bluegrass group, Balsam Range, and fronts his own Darren Nicholson Band on side projects, while also doing solo gigs and multiple collaborative efforts with other musicians-- including duo concerts with his wife Jennifer. We had him on the show last season and even repeated it once last year due to its popularity, so we invited him again this year, especially since he has a new project that has just been released-“Man on a Mission.” Don't miss this episode!https://www.facebook.com/DarrenNicholsonBand/ https://darrennicholson.nethttps://www.facebook.com/DarrenNicholsonMusic/Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.Segment 1Joining us again on this second season of Gateway to the Smokies, is Darren Nicholson. Before speaking with Nicholson, Joseph talks about his sponsor for today's show which is his own Meadowlark Motel and Smokiesadventure.com, focusing on outdoor life in the Smoky Mountains. He also goes into special events happening at the motel such as activities like fly fishing. He then introduces Nicholson, who is a member of the legendary contemporary bluegrass group, Balsam Range, and fronts his own Darren Nicholson Band on side projects, while also doing solo gigs and multiple collaborative efforts with other musicians. Nicholson talks about dealing with the pandemic and getting back to songwriting going into 2021 when he wasn't performing live. Joseph recalls when Nicholson helped out during last year in Haywood County when there was a big flood. He along with Balsam Range did a concert to bring the community together during the relief efforts. Nicholson also talks about the Balsam Range Art of Music Festival.Segment 2Joseph and Nicholson discussed their collaboration last year to create the Darren Nicholson All Star Bluegrass Band Camp. Nicholson talks about wanting to do this to pass down and share the Mountain music and keep the culture strong with others who are passionate about music and want to play. He describes it as a communal experience inspiring and engaging with others. Nicholson also mentions some artists in his line up for his music festival and how special it was to have them in. They talk about his recent past performances at the motel and Haywood County and more about bluegrass music. Nicholson also talks to Joseph about being more of a mentor now being almost a veteran in the bluegrass industry. He talks about one of his own mentors, Steve Sutton, and the invaluable time he spent with him and how he has helped him over time in maturing and becoming the man he is today.Segment 3Joseph talks with Darren about his new album called “Man on a Mission.” Darren talks about some of the music on the album sounding edgy to even some having a bluegrass sound as well as rock n roll. This he says is his fourth solo project which is on the Mountain Home Label. Darren mentions writing about himself and his experiences. He says he likes to write songs that tell stories, not paint pictures. He says that there's something about bluegrass and country music that is so authentic and connects people together. Joseph says that his favorite song for the album is called “All Night Long.” he says that it relates to old Appalachian music. Darren talks about the feeling of loss and lonesome which was one of the emotions that he wanted to get out of this song. Segment 4Joseph and Darren talk about Charles Humphrey who was a co writer on his EP. You can go to darrennicholson.net to check out more of Darren's music and merchandise. His new album can be downloaded on many streaming platforms like Itunes. Some Of his merchandise are stickers. Being someone who is an old school wrestling fan, they joke about some of the humor like putting his face on Ric Flair's body. He also talks about Balsam Range going into their 15th year together as well as making a Vinyl record. Darren also mentions that later this year he'll be releasing a gospel album called “Songs of Hope and Inspiration.” Darren is also working with a bluegrass band called The No Joke Jimmys, from Nashville. There are a lot of fun shows he will be a part of this year. Darren also discusses always wanting to reinvent himself with his music. Joseph thanks Darren for coming on for today's episode and Darren thanks him as well for a great conversation and for being a part of keeping the culture strong in North Carolina.

Boyd will share with us some of his world-class memorable tourism experiences. Watch this episode and you will learn about local culture, refreshments and hedonism in the Great Smoky Mountains. Don't miss this show!In today's podcast episode, Joseph McElroy is joined by our special guest, Boyd Burton, a world-class pickle ballplayer, an avid BMW motorcycle enthusiast, as well food, music, and beverage aficionado. For more than three decades Boyd has traveled the globe, working hard and playing hard, utilizing these skills as he has created and developed world-class memorable tourism experiences for his clients and guests--just as he is doing today at the "Appalachian Chic" Meadowlark Motel in Maggie Valley, N.C." Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.Segment 1Starting off tonight's show, Joseph mentions his sponsor, who is part of his business. The topic of tonight is about comfort and memorable experiences. Joseph's guest is Boyd Burton who has 25 years of experience in management consulting. He also specializes in operational and financial consulting for hospitality, construction and manufacturing industries. Now, Boyd is the manager at the Meadowlark Motel in Maggie Valley. When talking about being a management consultant, Boyd says that he focused on helping businesses run better financially as well as changes with technology. Overtime, Boyd felt like he had done everything he wanted to do in his career. So he ventured on to other aspirations and eventually came back to consulting for a bit more. Boyd ended up doing what he does best as a consultant in Costa Rica, having met two people who were architects and were doing good business. He recalls around 2008-09 when the economy wasn't doing well, that he bought a hotel that had a defunct restaurant and casino. He renovated the place and turned it into something that hopefully people around can enjoy. Boyd and Joseph talk more about Boyd's career in hospitality as well as some of his upbringing.Segment 2Boyd discusses his journey coming to North Carolina and Maggie Valley. Boyd is a motorcycle enthusiast and enjoyed riding through N.C. Passing by the Meadowlark Motel, he eventually met Joseph. Their ideas on hospitality were very similar and Boyd also likes the decor and look of the motel. He likes to see and make people happy, something that he shares with Joseph. They also discuss the changes happening in the motel as Boyd began to join them. Joseph talks about the demand in hospitality to make sure people are safe. They talk about the relationship they have with visitors and customers who stay at the Meadowlark and how they bring people together to create an enjoyable experience. Boyd and Joseph emphasize creating a family feeling, especially since Joseph grew up in this area and grew up with a family in the hospitality industry. They mention music performances that happen in the motel and recreating what Joseph enjoyed growing up but in the world that we live in now.Segment 3Boyd and Joseph talk about the challenges they've experienced in creating a great experience for customers. They also talk about the mountain culture and American culture that they bring to the experience including things like music and souvenirs. Boyd recalls a customer who told him that they were so distracted being at the motel that they forgot to check their phone for two days, expressing how great their stay was. Joseph says that it's refreshing when the structure of your day changes like this. They also talk about creating a real speakeasy in the basement of the motel. They found that creating this place where people can hang out, have a drink and listen to music, becomes fun when they and the customers enjoy it together. Joseph also mentions bringing his New York experience to this as well. Joseph and Boyd say that they also have a vision of bringing good, and not so complicated food that fits the place and that customers will like. Segment 4Joseph and Boyd talk about road culture and motorcycles. Boyd says that sections of West N.C and Virginia are great places for riding. He says the traffic, views and weather are great for him. Boyd mentions about the future of the Motel such as events coming up into the Spring such as weddings, live music, barbecues and more. You can find out more about Boyd Burton through visiting meadowlarkmotel.com. Boyd says that anyone can call and ask for him, or ask any questions about their stay and experience and even recommend music or anything that you would want to see from the motel. They always welcome any ideas to make sure your experience is the best. Joseph also says that they will be having a heritage club that focuses on the local culture.

In this episode, you will learn about some hiking trails and trips in Haywood County. Nancy will share with us some of her favorite regional hiking trails, from easy to strenuous. You'll also hear about her memorable tourism experiences, and she'll give us suggestions for the best places to visit in the Great Smoky Mountains. Don't miss this show!Join us this Tuesday with our special guest, Nancy East, a renowned Author, Program Director, Outdoor Survivalist and Search and Rescue Expert, as well as a Record-setting Distance Hiker. A former Veterinarian, Nancy has hiked and led seminars and programs all over the United States, but her favorite trails are near her Haywood County home in the Great Smoky Mountains. https://www.hopeandfeathertravels.com/Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.Segment 1On today's episode Joseph and his guest, renowned Author and Outdoor Survivalist, Nancy East, talk about things for families to do. The first place Joseph begins talking about is down in North Carolina called the Cataloochee Ski Resort which is one of Joseph's family favorite places to visit. Joseph talks about a few other places that he and his family enjoy visiting including a few foodie towns and some restaurants that serve what he calls “mountain heritage food.” Nancy begins to talk about how she ended up in Haywood County where she has been for twenty years now. Segment 2At the beginning of the second segment Nancy talks about what drew her to Haywood County, and she talks about how she loves the natural beauty and the strong community. Nancy begins talking about one of her rescue stories in a crazy snow storm, and how she and her team serve by saving others in some dangerous endeavors. Nancy begins talking about how she raised her kids to learn safety protocols whether that be skiing, dressing correctly, or using the proper equipment so that they won't ever be in harm; in the same way she tells others to be cautious when they are planning a trip so that they will always have the right equipment as well. Segment 3Joseph and Nancy begin talking about how to keep little kids engaged when you are on an adventure, and Nancy has some great ideas from her years of experience, such as a scavenger hunt, or using electronics to learn compass and mathematics. There are also some great places for you to take your children to hike such as Flat Creek and Big Creek; they are one way hike's which makes it super easy for the whole family. Nancy says that kids love water so any trail with a creek or a waterfall will keep the kids occupied. Nancy talks about a term she used in her book called the Nature Deficit Disorder where Nancy explains that parents these days are so afraid of the woods. Nancy is aware that electronics are used more than outdoor time is allotted, but she isn't fond of this, and definitely is a firm believer in the outdoors. At the end of this segment, Joseph and Nancy begin talking about her book, Chasing the Smokies Moon. Segment 4At the beginning of the last segment, Nancy and Joseph talk about their memorable moments in the Smokies. One of Nancy's first experiences was backpacking around the Smokies which she chose to do instead of getting a hotel, and this showed her how much she loves the outdoors, nature, and being in the mountains. These experiences that Joseph and Nancy are talking about, Joseph refers to them as “flashable memory experiences.” There are so many treasures to see in the mountains, and Joseph and Nancy both agree that there are breathtaking things to do and to see in all of these mountain resorts they talk about today.

In this episode, the audience will get more information about pottery and crafts that Cory and Joseph will talk about during the podcast live but they will focus on discussing the Great Smoky Mountains and the outdoor activities that Cory will share with us. Join us to our newest podcast episode this Tuesday with our  special guest Cory Plott, he is a direct descendant of the famed Haywood County Plott clan who are credited with originating what later became the official state dog of North Carolina –the Plott hound. While Cory appreciates and respects the history of his family and their dogs, he has made his own mark as a renowned artist here in the Great Smokies. His work has been sold all over the world –including a specially designed mug that he crafted for PlottFest that can be purchased at the MSMHC.  Don't miss this fun interview with Cory Plott as he shares with us some interesting stories about potteries and crafts and his experiences in the Great Smoky Mountain. https://www.facebook.com/cory.plott.3Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.Segment 1Joseph opens up the show mentioning a sponsor as well as a virtual event celebrating Scot-Irish heritage January 25th. Today's topic is about pottery, originating from the neolithic period. Joseph goes into detail about why people love pottery such as the aesthetic, form of expression, symbolism, and art as well as how it is made. Pottery is also used for storytelling and functional purposes. His guest for tonight's show is Cory Plott, a descendant of the framed Haywood County Plott clan who are credited with originating what became the official state dog of North Carolina. He has sold his own pottery all over the world. He has been working with pottery for 10 years. He focuses on the East Coast as well when selling pottery. Living in the Smokies has been great for him and he loves being in Haywood county.Segment 2Cory talks about working in stoneware and why he likes it. Stoneware is very durable and can be used in several settings. He also has done sculpture. He got into pottery being inspired by the fact that he can be creative while making a living out of it. Cory was also inspired by artists such as one of his professors from his time in college. He was also motivated by his father who fully supported him. Cory has several items that he makes from mixing bowls to mugs and puts his own twists on it. He talks about agateware, a medieval technique which allows for patterns and different effects. He explains how this technique is used. He also mentions using a lot of woodashe in his pottery and explains how the texture of the wood affects the outcomes of the colors.Segment 3Cory discusses the process it takes to make mugs and more of his pottery. He takes clay and loosen it up a little. Cory makes sure that he wedges it a certain way. Once he gets it to the shape that he needs, he continues to shoot for consistency. He likes to make several of the same pottery and in different sizes. Each week he does one batch of each item that he works on. He lines up his year quarterly which allows him to work on his 12 items. Cory goes into how the Cherokee make pottery and some history about them. The biggest piece that Cory has made is a base with a really tall neck, a 4 foot tall pottery. Cory loves being able to inspire and teach others to use their creativity which is why he also enjoys being at events like the North Carolina State Fair. He also just got into lamps as well.Segment 4Cory recalls doing pottery in elementary and middle school. Back then, he says they used earthenware. Cory's favorite thing to create are roosters. Joseph jokes that he should make him a 4 foot rooster. Cory also talks about maybe teaching pottery himself one day. For exploration, he recommends visiting Dillsboro where they have a unique shop with pottery. You can find more of Cory's work on Facebook as well as Youtube. Joseph also promotes an event from The Meadowlark who are having a weekday getaway special. You can learn more at themeadowlarkmotel.com.

Join us in the next episode of Gateway to the Smokies Podcast with Joetta Newman Holder, she is a Kentucky native and a graduate of Morehead State University with a BS degree in Veterinary Technology.She moved to WNC in 1992 and began her career as a vet tech in Asheville, helped start the Humane Alliance charitable organization in Asheville, and later was a teacher at Asheville Buncombe Tech as well serving as Chairperson for the vet tech program at the college. She is an avid dog lover.She became active in search and rescue operations in 1994, and in 2015 opened her own business—Mountain Girl Outdoors- a business begun with her late husband, that is devoted to getting more females actively involved in outdoor pursuits such as camping, hiking, fishing, hunting, conservation, and shooting sports.Don't miss this interview with Joetta, she will share with us her passion for animals and how she loves taking pictures pertaining to the outdoors.Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by clicking here.Show NotesSegment 1Joseph starts off the show with his usual intro before going into the sponsored message. After the message, Joseph talks about a traditional, Scottish festival he was attending, with concerts and kilts galore. Then, Joseph introduces the guest of the episode, Joetta Newman. Joseph asks her where she grew up in Kentucky and what it was like. She talks about how she got into the outdoors, explaining how she expressed little interest in the outdoors growing up, contrary to who she is now. They transition into Joetta's veterinarian degree and what she did as a veterinarian before heading to the break.Segment 2Returning from the break, Joseph wanted to learn about how Joetta met her late husband, Denver Holder. She recalls it was during her time doing search and rescues where she would volunteer to, as she describes it, train dogs in hide-and-seek. Her most memorable rescue was a lost old man who wanted McDonald's and some love. Joetta then talks about geocaching, a sort of scavenger hunt in which the player would explore the environment using GPS and apps. Joetta depicts her experience in getting over her fear of guns and learning how to shoot. This sparks a discussion on guns and the experiences between the two before going to a commercial break.Segment 3Coming back, Joseph asks Joetta how she created her business, Mountain Girl Outdoors. She explains how when she got more involved with the outdoors, more women were also asking about the outdoors so Denver and Joetta started up the business in response. She goes on to describe the different programs they offered, the firearms program becoming more and more popular. Now, they offer outdoors, photography, and more. Joseph switches the conversation to her part in turkey conservation. She explains her role in bringing the turkey population back up and succeeding, now having more restrictions on turkey hunting. She also talks about public events offered by her business, although right now, they only offer classes and private lessons.Segment 4Back from the final break, Joseph asked about Joetta's involvement in her time as a circus photography. She explains how her friend was a part of a circus, and she was offered to take pictures of them, leading to Joetta traveling with them for a while. Joseph then wanted to know Joetta's ideal itinerary in Canton. She talks about her ideal breakfast, lunch, and dinner spots along with activities to do in between everything. These can include walks in different parks and axe throwing. They finish off with where they can find Joetta and her business.

Join us in the next episode of Gateway to the Smokies Podcast with Jason Brady, a native of the Caney Fork Community of Jackson County, N.C.He graduated from Western Carolina University with a degree in Electronics Engineering Technology and worked several years for a telecommunications firm in Raleigh, N.C. before returning home for a job at his alma mater.Jason has worked for the past two decades at WCU and now works in Special Collections for the university – the department he has worked in for the past 13 years. He is also a fine writer and an avid hiker.Don't miss this fun interview with Jason Brady as he shares with us some interesting stories about his work on the Special Collection for the WCU and his experiences being a historian and archivist.Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by clicking here.Show NotesSegment 1Joseph begins the show with his usual intro before going into his sponsored message. Afterwards, he reads a poem called The Recipe. Introducing the guest, Jason Brady, Joseph asks him what it was like living up in his native county. Jason talks about the tight-knit community and nature walks he would have. He also discusses the origin of his love of history, reading books as a kid and gravitating to history naturally. Joseph then asks him about his electrical engineering degree and what he did with it. Jason describes how the pay and job were enjoyable, but his homesickness overtook him, so he took an opportunity to work in a library back in his hometown before working in special collections in WCU.Segment 2Coming back from the break, Joseph asks Jason about the Mountain Heritage Day Festival and if Jason had any play in setting it up. Jason talks about how the pandemic forced the festival to take a break for a year, but coming right back the next. Joseph then gets into Jason's mentor and friend, the historian who got Jason into being a historian himself. Joseph asks him what a typical day looks like for an archivist looks like, and he describes how he is a walking analog historical log for people. Before the break, Joseph brings up how, in the next segment, he wanted to know if Jason knew or if the WCU had any information on Horace Kephart, the man who is credited to be one of the founders of the Smoky Mountain National Park.Segment 3Coming back, Joseph asks about other founders of the Smoky Mountains Park, sparking memory of several influential people such as Kelly Bennett. Jason explains how thousands of photos were discovered of Bennett and how an exhibit of Bennett is being planned. Jason also talks about the different artifacts the WCU collects to archive like photos, letters, or business ventures. He then talks about the thousands of photos that were discovered of Bennett, and the person behind the photographs, a botanist named Wells. Joseph wanted to discuss future plans Jason was planning. He describes how the scanning of the Bennett photos was going to take them some time in addition to trying to identify people in the photos, before making an exhibit of all these photos. They talk about ways to donate artifacts to the WCU through contacts with the university itself or Jason himself. Any materials pertaining to regional history is welcome to the WCU's collection.Segment 4After the break, Joseph asks Jason what kind of dogs and hobbies he may have. Jason characterizes his dogs as enjoying the same things he does like taking hikes and exploring the trails. This brings the discussion to his favorite hikes and trails for people and their pets. Many parts of the park have different rules on the topic of bringing pets so make sure you read the rules beforehand. Joseph then asks Jason's ideal itinerary for Jackson County. The day begins with breakfast with coffee, spending time on the parkway, eating lunch at South Philly, and heading to Frog's Leap for a few drinks or to the best brewery, according to Jason, Innovation. The day concludes with heading to Asheville, and underground speakeasies. Finally, Jason finishes off the show with a WCU promotion.

Join us for an interview with Pam Meister, Director of the Mountain Heritage Center at Western Carolina University, she has an impressive resume working with elite museums and historical organizations such as the Atlanta History Center, the Charlotte Museum of History, and the Upcountry History Museum in high-level management positions, as well as a long career at WCU in various leadership roles.Pam is well known for her work with one of the most popular and largest Heritage festivals in the Southeast, Mountain Heritage Day, held annually in late September at WCU.On this episode, Joseph and Pam will discuss the many fascinating stories of Western North Carolina Heritage Center.Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.Segment 1Joseph opens up with the usual show intro and after the sponsored message, introduces the guest, Pam Meister. They get into the origin of Mountain Heritage Day before Joseph starts off the interview by asking Pam if she got into her dream of being in theater. She talks about how she got to see rehearsals, behind the scenes, and her first Broadway musical, then talks about how instead of wanting to be a performer, she always wanted to be a producer of sorts. She loved the idea of costume designing, art directing, and stage managing more than the thought of dancing and acting on stage. Joseph asks what Pam's career was looking like right out of college, and she depicts her first year out of college working as the navy merchandise manager and a helper on Saturday Night Live.Segment 2The show comes back to Pam's museum career and how she got into it. Pam describes her desire to expand her career from running the stage to running the entire theater, so she got in contact with the University of Georgia to learn how to run theaters. Pam got an offer to manage an outdoor festival and this got her connected to multiple museums. She quit her job at a dance company and then got an offer to work in a museum and ended becoming the executive director of that museum. Pam then describes what it takes to work at a museum, the passion to teach and celebrate history and the want to preserve culture were the main parts in her opinion. Pam gets another offer to open a museum, and she talks about trying to learn the technology that came with it in quick time before it opened.Segment 3After the break, Pam's job at the Western North Carolina Heritage Center is brought up, and she describes getting a phone call from the director at the time who offered her a job to teach kids and create programs. She accepted and worked in this position before becoming the director. Joseph exclaims that he is impressed with the cultural diversity the Mountain Heritage Day possesses. Pam describes how the festival wanted to educate on African American, Cherokee, and more cultures of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. The goal of the Heritage center is to build bridges and celebrate local cultures.Segment 4After the final break, they get into some of Pam's upcoming projects involving new programs and exhibits, and digitizing over a thousand photographs of a famous photographer. They finish off the episode with the future of the heritage center, what to expect from it, and where to find it.

Join us for an interview with Brandon Johnson, a native of Lenoir, N.C. now living in Asheville, N.C., where he is the Program Manager for the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area, an organization that preserves and promotes the natural and cultural heritage of the North Carolina mountains and foothills.He formerly worked as an English Literature instructor at Mars Hill College and is a graduate of both Mars Hill and Appalachian State University.Brandon is also a skilled musician, luthier, and writer.On this episode our host, Joseph Franklyn McElroy sits down with Brandon Johnson to discuss visiting Blue Ridge National Heritage Area that is rich in history.Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.Segment 1Joseph starts off with his usual intro before getting into the sponsored message. After the message, he talks about the beautiful fall colors in the Smokies that peak around this time of year. After, he opens the floor for special guest, Brandon Johnson, before asking Brandon what got him into being a musician. Brandon describes a few significant people such as the bands he listened to, a fiddle repairman, and other influences such as watching the fall colored leaves while listening to bluegrass. Then, Brandon talks about the process of making his upcoming album, and some of the behind the scenes. Joseph shifts the conversation to how Brandon got into the writing business, and Brandon depicts his early life of writing short stories as a kid, some of which he still has.Segment 2Coming back after the break, Joseph gets right into it by asking Brandon about his writing career, and some special influences that stuck with Brandon. Brandon remembers a multitude of stories he read as a kid, but one particular story stood out. It was a story about a tall man which made him cry after reading it because it described him perfectly, and he felt heard from it. Following this, Joseph wanted to talk about Brandon's thesis and what he calls “social energy,” or the creation of connections among the works of others. Brandon elaborates saying that many books pulled material from other books prior to them, and these new books go on to influence future works. From this, one could draw a lineage of literature, almost like a family tree. This isn't limited to literature as the same concept can be applied to music and visual arts. Segment 3After the commercials, Joseph noted Brandon's fiddle collection and asked if woodworking was the cause. Brandon conceded that he got into woodworking from watching someone take apart and repair a fiddle, making him curious to do the same. He started by small repairing fiddles, evolving to creating his own and selling them, to expanding into other instruments. Afterwards, the two began discussing what the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area goal is and how it achieves this purpose. Brandon explains that the goal is to educate people on the culture and heritage behind the Appalachians through a variety of programs like the traditional music or hiking trails people once walked on. Following this, Brandon divulges some of the venues he played at, the podcast he works on, and how the podcast helped him expand as a writer.Segment 4After the final ad break, Joseph wanted to talk about Brandon's opening line to one of his books and the story behind it. Then came time for Brandon to make his ideal itinerary. He lists off many breakfast spots, hiking trails, restaurants for lunch, golfing places, and dinner restaurants before ending the show with Brandon's social media platforms and where you can find him.

Today's guest of Gateway to the Smokies Podcast is Vesna Plakanis, she and her husband Erik, are Owners and Operators of one of the oldest and most highly respected guide and tour services in the Great Smoky Mountains, “A Walk in the Woods” located in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.The award-winning company was formed in 1998 and has been featured in multiple publications and on television networks including among others, Outside, Backpacker, National Geographic, Shape, Women's Health and the Discovery Channel, Travel Channel and PBS. Vesna and her husband, both dedicated Environmentalists, along with their daughter and beloved pets reside in their 90- acre Eco-Camp in the mountains of East Tennessee.‍Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by clicking here.Show NotesSegment 1The show begins with Joseph's introduction of the show and his beer for the episode. He then goes into the sponsored message before describing the autumnal experience in the Smokies, and the leaves turning into their vibrant fall colors. He introduces special guest Vesna Plakanis, then asks Vesna when she began foraging. Her foraging beginnings started with her mother and her mother's French background. This segways into the discussion of the different countries Vesna lived in throughout her life. Saudi Arabia, France, and Iran are just a few examples. They go further into Vesna's life and her college days, the time when she met her husband, Eric. She elaborates on how they began dating and the immediate connection she had with him through their love of nature and the outdoors. Joseph asks when her love of the Smokies began, and she describes it as a “love at first sight” deal when she saw the fall colors of the Smokies.Segment 2The show returns with the recounting of Eric's 10-day vision trip as he went backpacking for 10 days in the Smokies to discover himself. After coming back, Eric describes his vision of how he wanted to educate people on the Smokies and everything it has to offer. Vesna and Eric got together to make a business plan to take people on tour guides of the mountains. She depicts her first tour trip with just a singular customer to how her business grew into what it is today. Joseph asks her how she got from point A to point B with her business. “A family orientated vision and supportive staff” was all she needed. Joseph shifts the conversation into Vesna's and Eric's historian and survivalist side, and why they wanted to learn. Vesna explains that historical culture was very important to her and the survivalist tendencies naturally come from years of being outdoors. They get into Vesna's love of storytelling, and she tells a Cherokee story of how the Appalachian mountains were made.Segment 3Coming back from the ad break, Joseph gets into bears and bear encounters. Vesna talks about a time when she was leading a group of backpackers, and a small bear came up and tried to eat their food. She managed to scare it away and protect the backpacks from the clutches of hungry bears. Vesna gets into the bear protection training she received as a safety precaution. The main thing she learned was that bears didn't understand boundaries and to show boundaries to them, yelling, throwing objects, and, occasionally, setting off fireworks works like a charm. The conversation pivots to the Coronavirus and how it affected her business. She lost a major part of her customers which damaged the business, but were able to limp along. Moving on, they get into Vesna's experience with testifying in Congress as an advocate against factory pollutants. One day, Vesna and Eric experienced ozone induced asthma attacks which helped her testify against TVA to get rid of their plants that were polluting the air. Joseph then asks Vesna about the awards she received, and she goes into Eric's “Best Tour Guide” award as their crowning achievement. They begin to talk about the services her company provides before getting into the commercials.Segment 4Back after the final ad break, Joseph asks her what the customers' favorite tours and car tours were. Waterfalls, mountain peaks, and caves are just a few her customers love. They also offer classes on wildlife, historical cultures, and general nature knowledge. She describes her favorite area to hike in that has everything anyone can ask for. Beautiful wildlife, lush forests, and a rich history behind the area. To end everything off, Vesna talks about future products that will be offered by the company and where the audience can find her.

Today's guest of Gateway to the Smokies Podcast is Garret Woodward, an Award-winning, Journalist, Author, Events promoter and Musician now living in Waynesville, N.C. A native of upstate New York. Woodward was a college track star and after graduating with a degree in Journalism, working across the country in a variety of journalism jobs before becoming a weekly Columnist for the Smoky Mountain News in 2012 and later also a Columnist for Smoky Mountain Living magazine. Best known for his interviews with musicians and compelling human-interest stories, Garret is also the author of two books and is a regular contributor to Rolling Stone magazine while also promoting live musical events with his own newly formed company. Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.Segment 1Joseph starts off this week's episode by introducing himself and reading off the sponsored message from Smokies Adventure. After the sponsored message, Joseph introduces special guest, Garret Woodward, and they discuss their alcoholic drinks for the hour. The topic of Garret's upbringing is brought up and Garret's describes his experiences in his early years living near the Adirondacks compared to when he moved South near the Smokies. Garret explains how his life didn't change drastically due to the people boring striking similarities, like their love of bluegrass and the mountain culture in both areas. After the break, Joseph wants to delve deeper into Garret's journalism career.Segment 2After the commercials, Joseph wanted to know why Garret traveled all the way to Europe and Garret explains that he wanted to learn more about his ancestry and a little more behind the person he was named after, his ancestor who left for America during the potato famine. Joseph shifts Garret to the discussion of Garret's music journalism career and how he started out. He originally wanted to be a DJ, but through a coincidence and a pinch of luck, landed a much-needed internship at a music magazine where he learned how to write for a magazine, and get his first taste of journalism.Segment 3After the break, Joseph asks Garret why he decided to move to the Smokies in the first place, and it was due to a recession in the economy when Garret, who was then freelancing as a music journalist, knew he needed a full time job. After sending out applications, he landed a job in Smoky Mountain News writing columns. It was then when Joseph wanted to explore Garret's decorated writing career, like his award-winning column about bluegrass music, and the story behind the now famous title of Garret's book, If you can't Play then get off the F******* Stage.Segment 4They come back to the final segment to talk about Garret's recommendation for best live music concerts/festivals. After that, they trade stories of random pedestrians arguing with them about their favorite music or drinks. Once that was all said and done, Joseph asks Garret to create the ideal itinerary for people visiting North Carolina, discussing all the best places to eat breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner, grab some coffee, and the best activities to do in between every meal.

Today's guest of Gateway to the Smokies Podcast is Don Hendershot, a Naturalist, Freelance Writer, Biological Consultant, and Natural History (primarily birding) Tour Guide. His column, The Naturalist Corner ran for more than 20 years. He was also a regular contributor to Smoky Mountain Living Magazine plus has written for Southeast Discovery (Southeastdiscovery.com), Native American Journal, Our State, and covered the BP Gulf Oil Spill for examiner.com. He just published, with Smoky Mountain News – A Year from the Naturalist's Corner Volume I, a collection of columns. And he contracts with the USDA Forest Service to do bird surveys every spring (since 2004.) Joseph and Don will talk about the Story of Nature. Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.Segment 1We start off the show with Joseph McElroy introducing the show and himself before going into a sponsored message. After the message, Joseph brings up where he has been recently and his drink of choice for the episode, and then introduces the special guest, Don Hendershot. Joseph asks Don how he ended up in Haywood County, and Don recounts his journey through divorce, ocean jobs, and how business guided him to the mountains. Joseph then inquires why Don started writing, and Don describes the peer pressure from friends and family to not write, but an opportunity to write for a job presented itself and he took it. To finish off the segment, Joseph brings up a specific article Don wrote about the truth behind “dangerous” animals like bears and alligators, and a little behind the scenes about it.Segment 2They come back from the ad break with stories about close calls with alligators. Joseph interjects with his own story with a close encounter with a bear, and Don takes that momentum and comes in with a bear story of his own. This transitions the conversation to tips on how to deal with a bear encounter in the wild, with additional tips on how to distinguish black bear feces with grizzly bears'. The conversation shifts to cougars in the Smokies and the possibility of their extinction before having to go to the commercial break.Segment 3Once the ad break finishes, Joseph brings up all of Don's achievements and journalistic awards about conservation of nature, and asks Don what his opinions were on the wildfire state of California. Don explains the serious issue and consequences of the forest fires, such as birds changing their migration patterns and animals going higher in the canopy to escape the heat. They talk about the little things people can do to help with environment conservation, like leaving a smaller carbon footprint and looking to renewable energy resources. They switch topics to a recent book Don wrote, A Year from the Naturalist's Corner Volume I, and what Don's plans are for his future volumes. Don also describes his process and themes are in his columns from the Naturalist's Corner.Segment 4They begin the final segment with Don's hobby of bird watching and how the pandemic has hindered it. That led to the topic of Don's programs he sees over, like tree identification and nature watching (every animal, not just birds), and his favorite moments from certain sessions he led. Don also lends a helpful tip on how to differentiate between a similar pair of bird species found in the Smokies. They end off this week's show with how to get in contact with Don and where to find his Book.

Today's guest of Gateway to the Smokies Podcast is Patrick Womack, a Presbyterian Minister and Native of Haywood County, now serving as Teaching Pastor of Bay Presbyterian Church in Bonita Springs, Florida.He is a graduate of Western Carolina University and the Reformed Theological Seminary and has been a full-time Pastor since 1992. Patrick is also a renowned local historian and a superb storyteller who has produced many historical works for his family and friends.He enjoys writing, hiking, hunting, and fishing in his spare time. Joseph McElroy and Patrick will talk about Cataloochee Valley in the Smokies.Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.Segment 1Joseph McElroy starts off the show by introducing himself, his relationship with the Smokies, and his drink of choice for the hour. After talking about an upcoming apple festival, McElroy introduces Patrick Womack and asks him a few questions about his upbringing and how he ended up in the Church he works in today. They then go into greater detail about the mentors Womack had throughout his life and how they affected him. Womack recounts his experiences with his grandparents and a terminally ill man and the wisdom they imparted onto him. They finish off the segment with depictions of a few funny stories from their times and sharing a few laughsSegment 2They return in segment 2 to talk about Womack's vintage jeep and how he came to own it. They discuss why Womack feels a connection with history and how it came to be. Afterwards, Womack describes a few stories that happened in the valley of Cataloochee, such as how they could dip a tray into the river and pick up a trout for dinner, and the reaction of the people when they learned that they had to move due to the government.Segment 3They return to talk about the most beautiful spots in the Smokies and the Cataloochee valley that Womack hiked through. The conversation shifts from that to how Womack got into ministry. Originally, he didn't think he was the type to be a preacher, but he first thought about it after running for school president and realizing he could do public speaking well (or as his grandma called it, making a talk). Next, Womack summarizes the history of tiny Indian towns in Haywood County after their territory was pushed West.Segment 4When they come back, McElroy starts off asking why Womack doesn't drink and a few recommendations for barbeque, including in New York. Finally, McElroy asks what a day in Womack's life looks like, discussing the best places for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and things to do between all of them according to Womack.

Today's guest of Gateway to the Smokies Podcast is Erin Mahoney, she is the fourth generation of the Mahoney Clan to own and operate one of the family restaurants. She descends from a long line of Hospitality Industry Entrepreneurs and currently Owns and Manages J Arthurs Steakhouse – a Maggie Valley landmark for more than 32 years. In addition to running a successful business, Erin is a longtime advocate for positive growth in Maggie Valley. Joseph and Erin will talk about Food adventures in the Smokies.  Don't miss this great Episode!    Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here. Segment 1Joseph starts off by thanking the sponsors and giving a message from the sponsors. He discusses an apple festival that's coming up in the Smokies in Renville, and reads a poem by Mary Oliver that encapsulates this feeling of the festival and Maggie Valley itself. Joseph introduces his guest for today's episode Erin Mahoney, she owns and operates J Arthurs Steakhouse, and comes from a family of Hospitality Industry Entrepreneurs. Joseph and Erin discuss their past, and how Joseph was close to Erin's grandfather as well. Erin discusses her journey across the country, as well as her journey through the hospitality industry. Joseph and Erin discuss how long Erin has been in Maggie Valley and what brought her there from Florida. Erin discusses her first job in the family business, and how she would wash dishes in the restaurant. She continues to discuss her father's time in the restaurant industry and how he was a natural at it.Segment 2The two discuss how Erin's mother stepped up in the restaurant after her father passed away young. Her mother took the helm of the restaurant and was able to keep it running even in her grief. Erin explains how her parents didn't want her to follow the family and go into the hospitality industry, as it is not the best industry and it's a path that is difficult, but Erin was always drawn to it. Erin explains why she was drawn to the hospitality industry and why she enjoys it, even though it was not the path her parents wanted her and her siblings to take. Erin explains that her secondary education was in psychology and social work, and even though hospitality was originally out of her wheelhouse, she is incredibly grateful to be in this industry. Erin explains her ideology in hospitality and how she tries to follow her father's way of running a business. Erin continues by explaining how her restaurant has evolved over the years, and that for her business to continue to be successful she needs to change with the world around her. Her example being how the original draw to the restaurant was the steak, but now it is more of a family restaurant.  Segment 3The two talk about the actual physical building of Erin's restaurant, which was built by Joseph's father. Joseph discusses the high ceilings in the restaurant, as well as the model train that runs throughout the entirety of the restaurant. Erin says how whenever the train isn't running in the restaurant the customers notice immediately even though it is just a small detail of the restaurant. The two discuss the small details within the restaurant and how they're important, and how Erin appreciates that they are important to the customers and staff alike. Joseph discusses how the masonry within Erin's restaurant was done by Cherokee people, who were hired to do the work by Joseph's father because of their extreme mastery in stone work, that he was unable to find in any other masons. Joseph continues by saying how each of the men who were hired to do the masonry in the restaurant signed their work with their personal signature. Erin continues off this point saying how she loves finding the signatures all over the restaurant. The two discuss events held in the restaurant and how Erin operates these events. Segment 4Joseph and Erin discuss how Erin's restaurant appeared in the film Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri, and how this appearance came to be. Erin discusses how she was not aware of what she signed up for as it was very long hours, but she found it very rewarding and enjoyed it immensely. Erin also brings up how several customers she's had since the movie premiered wanted to sit at certain tables just like in the movie. Joseph brings up how he wants to create a tour of Maggie Valley of all of the film locations, as many films had been filmed within the area. The two discuss the future of Maggie Valley, and what Erin expects for the town's future. The two also discuss breakfast and lunch spots in Maggie Valley.

Today's guest of Gateway to the Smokies Podcast is Charles Humphrey III, a Grammy Award-winning Songwriter, Producer and Musician. Currently leading his own group – the Songs from the Road Band – Humphrey was a charter member of the acclaimed Steep Canyon Rangers for 15 years and performed around the world.Aside from being a musician, he is also an expert fly-fishing guide and endurance runner. Joseph and Charles will talk about Music on the Fly (fishing) in the Smokies.Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.Segment 1Tonight's show starts off with special announcements from tonight's sponsors. Then host Joseph, introduces special guest Charles Humphrey III. Charles introduces himself and how he got into to begin with back in middle school and how it followed him through college and after. He explained how music helped him through a transitional time in his life and how blessed he felt because of it. Segment 2Coming back from the break, Joseph brings out a quote from a magazine coverage from Charles and his bluegrass band. Charles explains bluegrass and the significance of this quote. With his band, Charles wants to spread joy with his audience through his music. He talks about the record label that he founded and shares the story of how it was named. Before the break, Charles talks about fly fishing and how he finds it very meditating. He loves doing it with others and connects it to his songwriting, in that he loves collaborating with others as well. He talks about some of his favorite song writing collaborations. Segment 3This segment of tonight's episode talks about a songwriting bootcamp that Charles is partnering up with in order to create a community of new and old songwriters to get together and create music. A great opportunity for new writers to meet and learn from more experienced writers and for older writers to collaborate with each other and get fresh new ideas. The conversation goes back to fly fishing, where Charles talks more about his favorite locations to fish. He drops ways to contact Charles and his company in order to find out more about trout ventures and other fly fishing related questions. Segment 4Charles starts the last segment with a small story. He then goes through his go to places to visit that he recommends to visitors. He gives great taco place recommendations and parks to visit. The podcast ends with Host Joseph announcing more special events and announcements from sponsors.

Today's guest of Gateway to the Smokies Podcast is Ila Hatter, a Renowned Naturalist, Storyteller, and Wild Crafter.She has been featured on N.C. Public TV as well as in multiple magazines, books, newspaper and DVD projects and works regularly conducting programs and seminars for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.Joseph and Ila will talk about wildcrafting in the Smokies.Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.Segment 1Starting off today's show, Host Joseph Franklyn McElroy, introduces special guest Ila Hatter. She explains her initial connection with the Smokies Mountain area and the outdoors from her childhood and family. Ila tells us about all the different places she lived in from Florida to Texas to even Madrid, Spain. She talks about the different cultures that she had experienced and what she learned from them over the years, particularly with foods and plants. Segment 2This segment starts off with Ila explaining her ancestry and connection with Pocahontas. She considers her home to be in the Appalachians despite growing up with the Smokies and moving around so much. And this influenced the area she chose to study and focus on the most. Ila moves on to explain what wild crafting is. It originates from England and essentially is using forest  resources for other uses, such as medicinal or crafts. Segment 3Coming back from the break, Ila talks about the history of wild crafting. Hundreds of years ago, she believes that the different groups of natives shared information about the wild with each other and when the settlers came, she explains how it was a sharing between cultures. She explains how wild crafting evolved over time and in her career. Ila talks about how her career had led her to many opportunities and shares stories from them.Segment 4The last segment of this podcast starts with Joseph Franklyn McElroygiving special shoutouts to Ila's educational programs in the Smokies area that educates people about nature and surroundings. IIa tells the audience of upcoming events that are happening where people can get educated about environmental issues while enjoying themselves. Ila gives her personal favorite vegetables and plants from the Smoky Mountains area and tips on how to cook with them.

Today's guest of Gateway to the Smokies Podcast is Adam Bigelow, a well-known environmental and community activist as well as an outstanding musician.Adam runs his own business – Bigelow Botanical Excursions – where he teaches folks about the wonders of the natural world in Appalachia. They will talk about Botanical Excursions in the Smokies‍Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by clicking here.Show NotesSegment 1Today's episode starts off with host Joseph Franklyn McElroy introducing today's podcast topic: the botanical excursions in the Smokies. Before continuing further, Joseph gives his shout outs to sponsors and gives special announcements. Tonight's guest, Adam Bigelow, is introduced. He explains how even though he was not originally from the area, he chose to live near the Smokies because he fell in love with it. Adam's passion for botany came accidentally nearly 20 years ago and he found a community that came with this passion.Segment 2Adam talks a little more about his passion for botany and how the Smokies is a great place to go further into that passion. He talks about the physical surroundings of the mountains and the role it plays in economy and society. Joseph asks Adam about his past achievements and experience. Adam talks about his time working with Cherokee land and talks about an old botanical garden nearby where he attempted to revitalize the garden, while documenting special plants.Segment 3Coming back from the break, Adam talks about his hiking tours in the mountains. He talks about the wildlife people often run into on the hike, including beautiful and rare plants. He describes his hike tours as going back in time as you can see wildlife that have been there for hundreds of years. The conversation takes a turn for Adam's other hobbies and activities. He talks about his acoustic bluegrass rock and roll jam band.Segment 4For the last segment of this episode, Adam explains the name of his band. Then he gives what his day to day itinerary would look like at the Smoky Mountains. He recommends cafes for people to visit, as well as, beautiful sightseeing places, and great dinner choices.

Today's guest of Gateway to the Smokies Podcast is Jim Buchanan, Award-winning Journalist and Author, now living in Clyde, North Carolina. He has worked for the Asheville Citizen-Times and currently is a journalist for the Sylva Herald in Sylva, N.C. Jim also had a wonderful book published by the History Press earlier this year. We will talk about his book.Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.Segment 1Today's show starts off with a great introduction of tonight's special guest: Jim Buchanan. Jim introduces himself, explaining his family roots in the Carolinas and the Great Smoky Mountains. Jim and host Joseph Franklyn McElroy, share fun facts and tidbits about history relating to their families and their shared commonalities. We get to learn more about Jim when he was young in college and what he was involved in that got him to where he is now, including when he worked for an afternoon newspaper that worked hard to expose the truth and tell people's stories.Segment 2 Coming back from the break, Jim shares how he transitioned from a corporate industry to a smaller more local newspaper. The conversation turns to journalism as a whole. Although journalism is a diminishing industry, Jim believes that newspapers and journalism is an important part of keeping citizens informed and therefore, keeping the government running and the nation together. The two then start talking about Jim's book. They discuss the reaction that came from Jim's book from close friends and a wider audience. Jim then explains his origins and inspiration for his book.Segment 3Jim tells stories that he drew inspiration from for his book. He was once lost with someone while going bear hunting years ago and this story ended up having a funny ending. The story gave insight on what the hunting culture was like back in the day and how Jim would often get lost. Joseph asked Jim about any future plans for a sequel of the book and what people can expect. Jim leaves an ambiguous answer that leaves the audience wondering if he will continue to tell all the stories that are left to tell. The two share their opinions on Silver City and how it is a growing city now that people are starting to move there. They share what they found is changing for the better and how it is a spiritual place to be. Segment 4For the last segment of tonight's show, Joseph asks Jim how he ended up in Clyde, North Carolina. They trade local seafood hotspots and other great places to check out there. Jim shares his recommendations in and near his hometown, including places to eat, entertainment, and other sights to see.

Today's guest of Gateway to the Smokies Podcast is Wayne Ebinger, an Award-Winning Photographer well known for his photos of local musicians, concerts, artists and festivals, as well the natural beauty of the Great Smokies.He was a former professional musician and a veterinarian tech. Currently, he owns and operates a successful photography business in Maggie Valley, N.C.Our host Joseph McElroy wand Wayne and will talk about career, passion and photographing the Smokies.‍Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by clicking here.Show NotesSegment 1Today's episode starts off with host Joseph Franklyn McElroy announcing special events and announcements in the Maggie Valley area, including wonderful festivals, eateries, and great gatherings for people to go to. Then special guest, photographer and former musician Wayne Ebinger gets introduced. Right away, he gives a short explanation of how he came to the career path he is in today, from high school back in the 1960s to now, he talks about how he engulfed himself into the love he had for the veterinarian career to his career as a professional rock drummer.Segment 2Coming back from the break, Wayne talks about how he transitioned into his photography career. He started off with a cheaper kodak camera and started taking photos wherever he could. He first was asked to be a photographer at a wedding, and eventually was asked to photograph weddings, musicals, music festivals and concerts. He continued his photography business for nearly thirty years before moving to the Smoky Mountains and shifting his business into more intimate and local weddings and events. Wayne explains a personal rule he has when he's taking photographs, which is to be stealthy. Whether he is at a wedding or out in the wild, he tries to stay as stealthy as possible to avoid disturbing the photograph subjects. He also adds that it's pretty important to dress accordingly, for him that means a black tshirt. He talks about the cameras he has used throughout the years, especially during the shift to digital photography and which lenses he prefers to use for certain situations. He also says that he tries not to edit the photos too much. Wayne talks about his favorite band to photograph and other memorable photographs that he has taken.Segment 3This segment starts off with the story of how Wayne ended up at Maggie Valley and why he chose to do so. Joseph asks Wayne for photography location recommendations. Immediately Wayne mentions a field where you can see a beautiful landscape and sunset. He also mentioned Waterrock Knob for wonderful evening photos where you can photograph the stars and see beautiful scenery. He talks about how in the winter time, the snow is so beautiful that it will always make great photos. He explains how because of the snow, it can be difficult to travel around so often he looks around where he is and finds a quiet place in nature to photograph. He gives tips for how to photograph elks. The biggest one being, to respect them.Segment 4For the last segment of this episode, Joseph starts off by asking Wayne for some of his favorite local spots in Maggie Valley. He gives a huge variety of places to go for nightlife, eating out, or just hanging out and dancing. They share stories about their experience at these different hotspots in Maggie Valley till the end of the show.

Our guest in this episode is Neil Hutcheson, an Award-winning Filmmaker, Photographer, and Author.He resides in Raleigh, N.C. where he works as a producer and director of the Language and Life Project for N.C. State University, but spends a great deal of time in the Great Smokies, the location of several of his most popular projects.His most well-known works include books and films about Maggie Valley moonshine legend Popcorn Sutton, as well as books and videos on Cherokee culture and language, along with documentaries and books pertaining to Appalachian and African American vernacular, climate change, and heritage fisheries of the Outer Banks on the N.C. coast.Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.NYC or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.SHOW NOTES:SEGMENT 1Tonight's show starts off with an introduction of what to expect from this episode. After announcements from the show's sponsors, our host Joseph McElroy introduces tonight's special guest: Neil Hutcheson. The two go through and lightly discuss Neil's well-known projects, his background, and Neil explains how he unexpectedly came to be in this industry and where his interest in language and filmmaking came from. The two swap origin stories shortly before the break.SEGMENT 2Coming back from the break, the discussion shifts into more of Neil's works, such as his documentaries. One project that they go more into depth about was a play about Louis Redman. Neil explains who Louis Redman was and what he did and how his case and the history surrounding it reflected the media at the time. He emphasizes that the media can get distorted and how no one really knows the true Louis Redman. The conversation moves on to the topic of “mountain culture.” Neil wrote about this culture in his book and explains how it has changed in recent years since he last wrote about it in the early 2000s. The two discuss what mountain culture is and dismantle the negative stereotypes and perspectives that surround it.SEGMENT 3Coming back from the break, Neil discusses how he got the local community to trust and accept him into their community. Additionally, Neil talks about how he got to get on a deeper level with Popcorn Sutton, especially since he often gave off the impression of always putting on a show. Neil explained how Popcorn Sutton could give off that impression, but he was a genuine performer and to an extent, was being himself. This leads to the conversation about how Neil was able to successfully capture who Popcorn Sutton is as a person in his movies and especially in his book. He goes on to talk about his more recent projects, many of which come from his own companies.SEGMENT 4The final segment starts off with an introduction of one of Neil's latest works, involving documenting another aspect of mountain culture: mountain music. The documentary can be found on YouTube and is called the Queen Family. Joseph and Neil talk about their favorite parts of the mountains and mountain culture in general. Neil explains why he loves nature in the mountains so much. They go further into their discussion by talking about more specific local spots at Maggie Valley and Neil tells what his itinerary would be like when visiting. The episode closes with special shoutouts where the audience can find more about Neil and his upcoming works.--------------------------------------------------------------------------TRANSCRIPT00:00:27.840 –> 00:00:32.310 Joseph McElroy: Thanks for joining us on this week's episode of gateway to the smokies.00:00:33.270 –> 00:00:41.970 Joseph McElroy: This podcast is about America's most visited National Park, the great smoky mountains national park, and the surrounding towns.00:00:42.330 –> 00:00:51.390 Joseph McElroy: these areas are filled with ancient natural beauty a deep storied history and rich mountain cultures that we explore with weekly episodes.00:00:51.840 –> 00:01:04.770 Joseph McElroy: I am Joseph Franklyn McElroy a man of the world, but also with deep roots in these mountains my family's lived in the great smoky for over 200 years my business is in travel, but my heart is in culture.00:01:05.340 –> 00:01:12.900 Joseph McElroy: today's podcast is about outlaws and outliers in the smokies, but first a little sponsorship information.00:01:13.530 –> 00:01:21.240 Joseph McElroy: I want you to imagine a place evocative motor courts of the past a modern and vibrant environment with a Chic Appalachian field.00:01:21.810 –> 00:01:28.740 Joseph McElroy: a place for adventure and for relaxation imagine a place where you can fish in a mountain here and it's a trout stream.00:01:29.010 –> 00:01:47.820 Joseph McElroy: grill the catch on fire and eat accompanied by fine lines or craft beers imagine it plays with old-time music and world cultural sounds, there is no other place like the Meadowlark Motel in Maggie Valley North Carolina your smoky mountain adventure starts with where you stay.00:01:48.840 –> 00:02:02.700 Joseph McElroy: smokies adventure.com that smokies plural adventure singular. COM has a site that features listings and information about the smoking's hiking wedding venues books trail Max resources.00:02:03.210 –> 00:02:21.150 Joseph McElroy: The emphasis on smoky adventures is outdoor recreation outdoor life events like weddings and adventures, along with providing information and lodging family and family entertainment events conventions and honeymoons and more it's the leading information portal of the smoky mountain.00:02:23.310 –> 00:02:28.740 Joseph McElroy: I want to mention some events coming up this is summertime in the smokies there are lots of events.00:02:29.790 –> 00:02:40.650 Joseph McElroy: So you can sort of search for them and find them just about anywhere I pick some that I think are great and also you know, relative to the businesses, the business I run in the mountains.00:02:42.360 –> 00:02:57.480 Joseph McElroy: And the first one is the Darren Nicholson bluegrass band camp and concert somebody that know anything about bluegrass know Darren Nicholson and he's a member of balsam range he has his own band he's a grammy award-nominated artists and.00:02:58.710 –> 00:03:08.310 Joseph McElroy: It has won many of the bluegrass towards this event is for aspiring musicians to learn and interact with some of the best artists in the business.00:03:08.700 –> 00:03:27.090 Joseph McElroy: And the venue culminate in an open to the public, all Stuart star concert on July 17 that's this Saturday this this this band camp will be repeated in future years so look forward if you're listening in the future to this podcast but for now July 17, 20100:03:29.130 –> 00:03:44.880 Joseph McElroy: Go to Meadwolarkmotel.com look under the mountain heritage smoky mountain heritage events and you'll find this event, and you can purchase tickets to come to it, you can also with lodging you get a free concert and you get half price on the band camp.00:03:45.990 –> 00:03:53.850 Joseph McElroy: They have him coming July 23 and 24th is hillbilly jam, the famous hillbilly Jam in Maggie Valley in North Carolina open the public.00:03:54.120 –> 00:04:09.270 Joseph McElroy: Both days music festival with crafts and food, food vendors moonshiners of the discovery channel car and bike show, and more so, go to the hillbilly jam.com or 82845-079795.00:04:10.560 –> 00:04:16.890 Joseph McElroy: This year is the 55th season of the shindig on the green presented by the folk heritage committee.00:04:18.090 –> 00:04:18.750 Joseph McElroy: Along with.00:04:19.800 –> 00:04:28.980 Joseph McElroy: headlining sponsor Allen's jewelry and pawn Finkelstein's loan office but it's a free event in the heart of downtown Ashville it goes over several days during the summer.00:04:30.090 –> 00:04:41.820 Joseph McElroy: And then the left to the left the days left in July or the 17th of 24th of the 31st as well as the August 14 and 20 21st and the heart.00:04:42.090 –> 00:04:57.420 Joseph McElroy: Of downtown Asheville parks what pack squares park Roger part pack square park called Roger McGuire Green that's pack square park Roger McQueen's that Roger McGuire Green I gotta learn to say that.00:04:59.400 –> 00:05:16.410 Joseph McElroy: it's got lots of music lots of vendors it's a great thing to go to has been going for 55 years I'm sure you'll find it, this is also the of the 94th annual mountain dance and folk festival as a ticketed event at the Pinsky hall auditorium at unc Asheville which is.00:05:18.450 –> 00:05:28.380 Joseph McElroy: 300 liberty lane Ashville it takes place every each of the nights Thursday through Saturday 6:30pm nightly.00:05:29.730 –> 00:05:30.150 Joseph McElroy: and00:05:31.170 –> 00:05:43.080 Joseph McElroy: I think the upcoming dates are August 5 Sixth and Seventh, so I advise you to go, that was a 94-year event, it has to be doing something else, and it showcases music dancers, and storytellers.00:05:43.650 –> 00:05:55.110 Joseph McElroy: And today, I have great and fabulous guests he is Neil Hutcheson is an award-winning filmmaker photographer, and author, who has one, among other things, three.00:05:55.770 –> 00:06:00.630 Joseph McElroy: One, among other things, three Emmy awards his work has been featured on.00:06:01.410 –> 00:06:12.180 Joseph McElroy: PBS the history channel discovery others he resides in Raleigh North Carolina where he works as a producer and director of the language and LIFE project for nc State University.00:06:12.540 –> 00:06:25.740 Joseph McElroy: But he also spent a great deal of time and the great smokies which have been the location of several of his most popular projects and famous subjects like popcorn suck Hello Neal,00:06:26.190 –> 00:06:27.840 Neal Hutcheson: hi thanks for having me.00:06:28.290 –> 00:06:32.520 Joseph McElroy: Oh I'm so glad, so you grew up in Chapel Hill right.00:06:32.910 –> 00:06:34.170 Neal Hutcheson: I did that's right yep.00:06:34.620 –> 00:06:42.360 Joseph McElroy: cool and then you went to Boone translate in Spain, and then the Raleigh where you studied at NC state is that all correct.00:06:42.510 –> 00:06:43.980 Neal Hutcheson: yeah you've got my whole rap sheet.00:06:45.450 –> 00:06:46.230 Joseph McElroy: sheet right.00:06:46.440 –> 00:06:48.480 Joseph McElroy: Well, I want to do so, I had to notice it.00:06:49.230 –> 00:06:50.520 Neal Hutcheson: Okay okay all right.00:06:51.360 –> 00:06:59.370 Joseph McElroy: So imagine you could have a pretty good conversation about basketball right yeah are you a fan of North Carolina sports.00:06:59.700 –> 00:07:06.960 Neal Hutcheson: Well, you know you can't really ignore them and growing up in Chapel hill like it was like you know it.00:07:07.590 –> 00:07:08.610 Neal Hutcheson: was like you know you.00:07:08.700 –> 00:07:13.920 Neal Hutcheson: got you your Carolina blue it's you know you don't even have a choice.00:07:14.670 –> 00:07:17.700 Joseph McElroy: You don't I mean and you would probably run a town if you didn't.00:07:19.680 –> 00:07:27.990 Joseph McElroy: It was a college town so but it's a great college and I went there a few times you know to see Duke Carolina but.00:07:29.460 –> 00:07:31.110 Joseph McElroy: I enjoyed it so.00:07:31.350 –> 00:07:34.380 Joseph McElroy: I grew up in a very strong culture part of the state of North.00:07:34.380 –> 00:07:35.010 Carolina.00:07:36.090 –> 00:07:53.220 Joseph McElroy: But you obviously you're a gifted art artist, with a passion for history and music and culture and colorful characters I understand to cut your teeth professionally by working with the NC State University linguist wall from and some other social scientist.00:07:54.420 –> 00:07:55.230 Neal Hutcheson: yeah that's it.00:07:57.960 –> 00:08:05.520 Neal Hutcheson: I'm hit the ground with working with Walt and doing language programs, I mean that's kind of what brought me to the mountains in the first place.00:08:05.850 –> 00:08:13.560 Joseph McElroy: yeah it was that is that when you did your for your sort of first real big step for a career when you did a film called mountain talk.00:08:14.190 –> 00:08:16.590 Neal Hutcheson: yeah that film was pivotal.00:08:17.640 –> 00:08:32.250 Neal Hutcheson: For sure um and I'd say you know that was the first full-length documentary that I had done and, and it really allowed me to spend a lot of time up there, where you are right now man and to meet people and just to kind of.00:08:33.420 –> 00:08:36.330 Neal Hutcheson: absorb the culture, the local culture.00:08:36.630 –> 00:08:41.580 Joseph McElroy: Is do you feel I mean, since you came through linguist do you think the sound of language is a.00:08:42.720 –> 00:08:43.890 Joseph McElroy: entree into your art.00:08:45.660 –> 00:08:54.960 Neal Hutcheson: I think um I always looked at language as an entree into the culture, you know so it's a different direction into looking at culture in it and it and it uh.00:08:55.560 –> 00:09:10.200 Neal Hutcheson: it's incredibly illuminating to look at the culture that way, instead of kind of you know, as opposed to whatever head-on, you know it's kind of a backdoor to looking at culture and the more you look at it it's incredibly fascinating.00:09:11.100 –> 00:09:15.780 Joseph McElroy: When you were young are you interested in language, are you addressing.00:09:16.020 –> 00:09:16.500 No.00:09:18.090 –> 00:09:19.440 Neal Hutcheson: totally unexpected yeah.00:09:20.880 –> 00:09:25.950 Neal Hutcheson: yeah I know, I find it interesting, but you know anything that you study becomes interesting.00:09:27.150 –> 00:09:30.030 Neal Hutcheson: The more you know about it um but.00:09:31.140 –> 00:09:39.720 Neal Hutcheson: No it's just that I happened to be at nc state, I was doing educational programs people said that what will for me to a video dude this was in the 90s.00:09:40.170 –> 00:09:50.520 Neal Hutcheson: And I stepped in his office and I said I you know if you have work, you know I can help you I'm freelancing and he said, are you any good, and I said, you know I think so so.00:09:51.300 –> 00:09:57.480 Neal Hutcheson: And so we started working and then that that has turned out to be a very fruitful collaboration and I'm still working with them.00:09:58.110 –> 00:09:59.190 Joseph McElroy: Is that how you been.00:10:00.750 –> 00:10:03.300 Joseph McElroy: With the job is a third of that relationship.00:10:03.480 –> 00:10:16.410 Neal Hutcheson: Yeah it wasn't a full-time gig you know, I was reluctant to let go of free time to do my own projects, so it wasn't a full-time gig for many years, but um I've still found time to do my own work as well on the side.00:10:17.160 –> 00:10:18.930 Joseph McElroy: What do you do at the language of my project.00:10:19.920 –> 00:10:21.300 Neal Hutcheson: Well, I produced documentaries.00:10:21.540 –> 00:10:24.270 Neal Hutcheson: but it's you know it's I'm.00:10:25.950 –> 00:10:31.980 Neal Hutcheson: Producing a documentary is do is wearing many, many hats, so I do a lot of things.00:10:32.790 –> 00:10:42.600 Neal Hutcheson: Right now, and preparing for a trip to Ghana, in August production trip and so very little of what I do is would be what people think of as production right now it's I'm not doing any editing or shooting.00:10:43.290 –> 00:10:49.140 Neal Hutcheson: Which is what I prefer to be doing, but you also have to do a lot of planning prep from you know logistical.00:10:51.330 –> 00:10:53.790 Neal Hutcheson: preparations and things like that too it's part of the job.00:10:55.530 –> 00:11:03.600 Joseph McElroy: Well, you know I'm interested I always like to know the origins of people's craft and you know I'm also an artist and it always.00:11:04.050 –> 00:11:08.460 Joseph McElroy: Had but I came at it, I had no clue I was going to be an artist, and so the.00:11:08.910 –> 00:11:15.780 Joseph McElroy: Even analyzing myself trying to figure out where where where the where is the evolution and all of a sudden, you become an artist, yeah a lot of people grow up.00:11:16.080 –> 00:11:23.400 Joseph McElroy: and consider themselves artists from the womb and other people just discovered along the way, where are you from the womb, or it is covered along the way.00:11:23.820 –> 00:11:28.650 Neal Hutcheson: Definitely along the way, and you know it'd be interesting, I don't know if you want to talk more about that, in particular, right now.00:11:29.070 –> 00:11:37.770 Neal Hutcheson: With limited time but you know to be interesting to know how you got started because for me it was kind of a lifeline that came to me unexpectedly in my college years.00:11:39.000 –> 00:11:49.800 Neal Hutcheson: I was kind of an intense young person with a lot going on, but I didn't have any means of self-expression, you know, and one way or another it's got to come out.00:11:50.400 –> 00:12:02.730 Neal Hutcheson: And I didn't have the discipline to develop skills that at writing at that time or at painting or some other craft to kind of get it out so I'm filmmaking kind of landed in my lap.00:12:04.410 –> 00:12:22.380 Joseph McElroy: Well, you know my story is actually fairly quick yeah I was arrogant a technology guy and somebody showed me some art and I looked at it and I didn't understand it, and I said, well, I can do that, and they said, well then do it and that started me on a journey of.00:12:22.740 –> 00:12:24.180 Joseph McElroy: Personal that I couldn't do it.00:12:26.070 –> 00:12:37.200 Joseph McElroy: yeah and a lot more depth and meaning and that journey led me along the way, but it was me being an arrogant ignorant cus that started my journey.00:12:39.090 –> 00:12:39.780 Neal Hutcheson: I love to hear.00:12:40.410 –> 00:12:40.830 yeah.00:12:41.910 –> 00:12:49.530 Joseph McElroy: Well we'll come back we'll jump into some of the stuff that you've done and dig deeper into your art and this way rooms.00:12:49.740 –> 00:12:50.100 Neal Hutcheson: Thank you.00:15:15.270 –> 00:15:26.340 Joseph McElroy: Oh sorry I was muted, so this is Joseph Franklyn McElroy back with the gateway to the smokies podcast and my guest Neal Hutcheson, Neal has an idea how you doing.00:15:26.970 –> 00:15:30.150 Joseph McElroy: Great Yes, that was my awkward entry.00:15:31.320 –> 00:15:33.180 Joseph McElroy: So I do that occasionally.00:15:34.980 –> 00:15:40.860 Joseph McElroy: So you know I mentioned mountain talk, but that wasn't your first documentary right.00:15:42.960 –> 00:15:46.410 Neal Hutcheson: It was probably the first one that I recognize is actually being a documentary.00:15:46.440 –> 00:15:49.920 Joseph McElroy: That was your first one that's your art okay cool.00:15:51.090 –> 00:15:51.750 Joseph McElroy: You know the.00:15:52.860 –> 00:16:01.260 Joseph McElroy: I yeah I entitled this episode outlaws and outliers because you've done some outliers and the most famous being popcorn sudden.00:16:01.680 –> 00:16:14.280 Joseph McElroy: But you've got some other you've done some documentaries and work about another you understand you had you have collaborated with a gifted writer and storyteller and play right there named Gary Carden of Cillo.00:16:15.780 –> 00:16:19.260 Joseph McElroy: And he's a colorful talented person, how did you two meet.00:16:20.430 –> 00:16:24.750 Neal Hutcheson: Well, I met him like I met so many other people when I came up here working on mountain talk.00:16:25.200 –> 00:16:34.860 Neal Hutcheson: um I spent about two years you know back and forth from Raleigh working on that particular film but I'm Gary was one of the people that I really connected with.00:16:35.340 –> 00:16:53.430 Neal Hutcheson: And of course, we've been working together, ever since um but somebody pointed him putting me in his direction, basically, they said they said he's you should talk to him, he talks about language, a little bit so that's how it started, I went and found him and I interviewed him and.00:16:55.140 –> 00:17:01.140 Neal Hutcheson: I just kept visiting him and in fact, I started working on a documentary about him in00:17:01.140 –> 00:17:03.930 Neal Hutcheson: Particular, and this is in maybe.00:17:05.460 –> 00:17:08.220 Neal Hutcheson: Alright, so I'm still hoping I'm hoping to finish it this year.00:17:09.840 –> 00:17:13.470 Joseph McElroy: Do you tell you to take your time with your subjects right.00:17:13.860 –> 00:17:17.040 Neal Hutcheson: I don't like I have any control over it sometimes they kind of work out.00:17:18.660 –> 00:17:22.530 Neal Hutcheson: process that uses me and I just think they're done when they're done, you know.00:17:23.070 –> 00:17:38.520 Joseph McElroy: So you'd Have you had him collaborate, and this is what was interesting to me the outlaw Lewis Redmond who was I guess the first king of the moonshiners, can you tell us a little bit about that project and him and it didn't he kill a man and get away with it.00:17:39.540 –> 00:17:58.800 Neal Hutcheson: yeah well, in the end, he didn't get away with that, but um yeah that's right it's a great story Lewis Redmond was, first of all, let me mention about Gary cartons also play right and the way I got onto this particular topic was Gary pardons play called the Prince of dark corners and.00:18:00.660 –> 00:18:08.970 Neal Hutcheson: And so I produced with Gary and with an actor named Milton Higgins, a really brilliant guy who, sadly, died last month, but.00:18:09.600 –> 00:18:12.510 Neal Hutcheson: So the three of us put you know did a production of that play.00:18:13.380 –> 00:18:18.810 Neal Hutcheson: that's how I got to know the story of Lewis Redmond because that's what the play was about, and then I did a follow-up documentary.00:18:19.230 –> 00:18:40.710 Neal Hutcheson: But Lewis Redmond was an outlaw active in were up where you are in southern Appalachian at the end of the 19th century, and he was active at the same time is billy the kid and Jesse James names that everybody knows, and he was actually more famous than either one of them.00:18:41.790 –> 00:18:43.740 Neal Hutcheson: Is paper articles about Lewis Redmond.00:18:44.250 –> 00:18:45.180 Neal Hutcheson: And even one of those.00:18:45.240 –> 00:18:51.180 Neal Hutcheson: Does too so that's amazing when you think about the fact that, obviously, most of your listeners have probably never heard of him.00:18:51.570 –> 00:18:55.440 Joseph McElroy: No, I didn't know until I started researching you I had never heard of them.00:18:56.460 –> 00:19:03.750 Joseph McElroy: So it's interesting, but he was quite a character, he killed the what was the Sheriff or something like that was trying to rescue.00:19:04.410 –> 00:19:06.030 Neal Hutcheson: yeah that's right.00:19:06.300 –> 00:19:07.890 Neal Hutcheson: He may have killed another man there's.00:19:08.040 –> 00:19:13.170 Neal Hutcheson: You know that that's one thing that's interesting about his story is that the historical record is very muddied.00:19:13.830 –> 00:19:15.930 Neal Hutcheson: kind of his money in a way that it's.00:19:16.110 –> 00:19:35.040 Neal Hutcheson: Interesting really reflects the kind of public media about Appalachia through a lot of America's history, which is, which is to say that in southern in mountain papers and regional papers, he was regarded as he was talked about in these very noble terms.00:19:35.430 –> 00:19:36.840 Neal Hutcheson: And in the northern papers.00:19:37.050 –> 00:19:38.550 Neal Hutcheson: He was.00:19:39.570 –> 00:19:49.110 Neal Hutcheson: talked about as a degenerate and it's outlawed and stuff like that you know and there was this very exaggerated kind of depictions of him so it's a really interesting subject.00:19:49.440 –> 00:19:54.120 Neal Hutcheson: And the truth is somewhere in the middle and nobody you know, has really sorted it all out but.00:19:54.390 –> 00:20:06.990 Joseph McElroy: Well, I mean yeah I mean you know you understand it because the moonshine was an important source of income for a lot of people, it helps save a lot of people's families at the same time, have destroyed a lot of people's families right so.00:20:07.500 –> 00:20:11.220 Joseph McElroy: Absolutely it's people used to worship the ones that could make a go of it.00:20:12.810 –> 00:20:33.390 Joseph McElroy: You know I remember growing up, you know and that which would have been the 60s, there was an early 70s, the that what people would say with it with a sort of a tongue in cheek but they would say you were more likely to get arrested for drunk driving, then you were for killing somebody.00:20:34.620 –> 00:20:36.480 Joseph McElroy: yeah yeah so.00:20:38.250 –> 00:20:48.630 Joseph McElroy: It was, it was a little bit rough and sort of some ways, but you know I read this quote from you right, I thought it was really insightful, you said you wrote you.00:20:49.260 –> 00:21:02.280 Joseph McElroy: told somebody if I forget who it was but mountain culture is surprisingly vigorous and surprisingly alive and will be until the current generation of 50 somethings dies out and it is dying out.00:21:02.760 –> 00:21:07.800 Joseph McElroy: psychologically there's a fundamental difference in the way they look at the world and treat each other.00:21:08.400 –> 00:21:19.560 Joseph McElroy: They wear masks and assume roles which is not necessarily a bad thing, but mountain people are not capable of that, I think that was like 2003 years, do you think that's still true what did you mean.00:21:20.820 –> 00:21:32.760 Neal Hutcheson: yeah I think a lot has changed since I said that, and I think what I was witnessing and what other people witnessing is the real-time change has taken place and.00:21:33.180 –> 00:21:46.110 Neal Hutcheson: um but no there's still this pockets of real mountain culture and people who come into the area can still experience that and meet people and get any you know and get to experience a little bit of that.00:21:46.650 –> 00:21:48.540 Joseph McElroy: um you know.00:21:49.380 –> 00:21:56.460 Neal Hutcheson: There is a there's a book that tends to be castigated called our southern highlanders by.00:21:56.730 –> 00:22:07.050 Neal Hutcheson: A very famous right yeah and he was right in the area like he was probably you're in Maggie Valley, right now, so he was camping you know, a couple of miles from where you're talking right now.00:22:07.410 –> 00:22:20.310 Neal Hutcheson: And when he was writing this book, so you know the people that he was writing about work if you're talking about the long term residents that are still there, they were the very people that are still there, their grandparents.00:22:20.550 –> 00:22:33.720 Neal Hutcheson: Right and um The funny thing is I got to because of my friendship with Popcorn Sutton and a few other people like I really got to see the inside of mountain culture and I'm.00:22:34.350 –> 00:22:52.260 Neal Hutcheson: Even though that book our southern Highlands is problematic and people have attacked it for good reasons, I got to see that they were very real characteristics in as people that are described perfectly in that book that was written almost 100 years ago.00:22:52.590 –> 00:22:54.930 Neal Hutcheson: mm hmm right so that shows you the strength of.00:22:55.980 –> 00:23:06.210 Neal Hutcheson: Culture and the character of the culture that, with all the changes in the last hundred years you, you still can see that same the same tendencies they're baked in.00:23:07.410 –> 00:23:07.860 Neal Hutcheson: Now.00:23:08.910 –> 00:23:14.070 Neal Hutcheson: I don't know you know what I said the quote, that you gave you know I don't know is the next generation inheriting those.00:23:15.300 –> 00:23:31.050 Joseph McElroy: University, you know this this this weekend, we had storytellers and singers over at the Meadowlark Heritage Center right and we had a 70-year-old storyteller tell a story, but he was brought there by a 20 something-year-old.00:23:32.040 –> 00:23:36.840 Joseph McElroy: Guy there who's a previous person in this podcast, Will Ritter.00:23:37.830 –> 00:23:38.580 Joseph McElroy: Yes, okay.00:23:38.910 –> 00:23:51.240 Joseph McElroy: yeah and he learned from all these old-timers you know the culture and heritage, and it was really fabulous, so there are young people out there, learning it and you know my.00:23:51.600 –> 00:24:04.020 Joseph McElroy: My family right there still people that live up in the hills and you know, are still very, very much in mountain culture, and you know it's a there's a beauty to it, I mean once you.00:24:04.530 –> 00:24:15.270 Joseph McElroy: pick you to know get through the what some people perceive is sort of the hard exterior it's a very loving culture and very funny yes yeah.00:24:16.050 –> 00:24:29.520 Neal Hutcheson: Right, you know when I was working in Cherokee which is not far from where you are a there, there was a story in there that we interviewed who suggested that I'm.00:24:30.390 –> 00:24:34.650 Neal Hutcheson: Mountain culture not only influences Cherokee culture but Cherokee called culture influence.00:24:35.190 –> 00:24:40.770 Neal Hutcheson: Mountain culture, and so what you're talking about this part of the exterior that you don't quite know.00:24:41.130 –> 00:24:49.350 Neal Hutcheson: What people are thinking you're not seeing their emotions and stuff like that, and what you get behind it it's very loving and very, very funny a lot of like.00:24:49.680 –> 00:25:01.200 Neal Hutcheson: poking fun at each other in a very smart and say like don't be fooled if you have not been to the mountains and you have the perception that you're going to be dealing with some simple yokels because they haven't necessarily been.00:25:01.710 –> 00:25:13.050 Neal Hutcheson: Like that they're going to be one step ahead of you, the whole time so like they may be making fun of you, and you never even catch it so now drop your attitude at the door, I say.00:25:15.300 –> 00:25:21.270 Joseph McElroy: Well yeah there seems to be a common thread in your work, I looked at it and you know and it's the, it is the.00:25:21.660 –> 00:25:39.570 Joseph McElroy: Preservation of various kinds of nature, culture native cultures, like the Cherokee Indian language Appalachian culture, you know African American dialects as well, as you know, mount musing moon shining so and even heritage fisheries out in the east coast so.00:25:39.840 –> 00:25:40.590 Joseph McElroy: Is that.00:25:40.650 –> 00:25:46.980 Joseph McElroy: Where your passion lies in a sort of like understanding these cultures and maybe giving a little to help preserve them.00:25:47.580 –> 00:25:59.760 Neal Hutcheson: Well, you know I would back up from preservation and say my passion really is in when I get on the scene and I find something that I'm really interested in, and I see how quickly it's changing I feel like.00:26:00.240 –> 00:26:10.770 Neal Hutcheson: You know, sometimes I feel like I am on the spot, with my experience and uh you know recording devices and I feel a duty to document things as they change.00:26:11.070 –> 00:26:11.580 Joseph McElroy: mom.00:26:12.030 –> 00:26:23.520 Neal Hutcheson: Can that lead to like preservation and specific instances, I think, so you know if people understand like fishermen like if you know.00:26:24.240 –> 00:26:29.760 Neal Hutcheson: People who are not from the community, may come down there and find them to be a very rough bunch of people they may.00:26:30.210 –> 00:26:38.220 Neal Hutcheson: have negative stereotypes about the way that they treat the resource and things like that, but then, as they get to know them that you know if they can understand their experiences a little more.00:26:38.550 –> 00:26:43.950 Neal Hutcheson: They kind of understand that it's much more nuanced than what they've been given to understand.00:26:44.370 –> 00:26:47.730 Neal Hutcheson: And though they actually will wind up being in sympathy with.00:26:47.820 –> 00:26:48.210 With.00:26:49.380 –> 00:27:06.780 Neal Hutcheson: Certain people that they might not have expected to previously because they had misconceptions about them and so can understanding people lead to I'm not doing the things that change their culture as much I, I hope, so I think so.00:27:08.160 –> 00:27:15.330 Joseph McElroy: I think, also, I think you know, yes, the world can be overwhelming at times and it can come in and try to force you to.00:27:15.690 –> 00:27:25.320 Joseph McElroy: You know, think that your culture is not important or stupid or silly and it can cause, especially younger people to say abandon it right.00:27:25.740 –> 00:27:35.250 Joseph McElroy: And I think that a lot of people can come to understand hey the culture, they grew up in was really important to who they are, and it was really beautiful and a lot of ways.00:27:35.820 –> 00:27:43.680 Joseph McElroy: Right and I, you know I started this podcast you know sort of the business intent, but you know I've also discovered that I love.00:27:44.520 –> 00:27:58.950 Joseph McElroy: You know, bringing this culture and the beauty of this culture to light, so you know I think what you're doing is fabulous in that regard so we're going to take a break and I guess we'll talk about a little bit about your famous subject.00:28:00.210 –> 00:28:00.540 Neal Hutcheson: Okay.00:28:02.880 –> 00:28:03.150 Neal Hutcheson: Good.00:30:33.480 –> 00:30:47.610 Joseph McElroy: howdy this is Joseph Franklyn McElroy back with the gateway to the smokies podcast and my guest Neal Hutcheson so know you mentioned him and Maggie valid, but I'm actually sitting in New York City I split my time between Maggie Valley.00:30:47.640 –> 00:30:58.200 Joseph McElroy: North cal okay so, but you know I when I left the mountains, you know I had to do sort of the reverse of you, I had to go outside the world and had to get people to.00:30:58.950 –> 00:31:14.700 Joseph McElroy: You know, open up to me and accept me, you know, and you know penetrate yeah whatever cultural norms that that existed in a place like new york's always sort of slightly testing you and you have to always you know to prove that you can handle it but.00:31:15.240 –> 00:31:17.070 Joseph McElroy: You know, when you came to.00:31:18.090 –> 00:31:20.130 Joseph McElroy: The mountains there's obviously.00:31:21.480 –> 00:31:30.660 Joseph McElroy: A big testing a barrier, you know dependent trading that you know, and so, how did you get your subjects to accept you and to warm up to you.00:31:31.770 –> 00:31:42.870 Neal Hutcheson: A bit well I just spent time there and I gave them um you know I always kind of knew intuitively not to.00:31:43.950 –> 00:32:02.910 Neal Hutcheson: Try to ingratiate myself or try as if, as if they wouldn't like to see through my efforts to kind of win their trust or what you know, so I just was always mindful of just being myself and just spending enough time that I had they had a chance to assess me and.00:32:04.350 –> 00:32:08.580 Neal Hutcheson: Consider, whatever it is, you know that I was after so that was basically it.00:32:09.330 –> 00:32:17.370 Joseph McElroy: Well, you know I I knew popcorn Sutton not particularly well, but I knew I knew him and he knows, he was a real kg guy.00:32:18.300 –> 00:32:21.900 Joseph McElroy: yeah he was he yeah he was smart and he's always sort of.00:32:21.960 –> 00:32:31.200 Joseph McElroy: I always felt he was putting on a little bit of her performance because it was you know I made his money, so how did, how did you break through and get to some real honest stuff from him.00:32:32.730 –> 00:32:40.500 Neal Hutcheson: Well, it did you know it took a long time in a way to get like you know, beyond the performance but I'm.00:32:42.330 –> 00:32:52.620 Neal Hutcheson: In a way, you know not that long because I would say, you may not agree with this, I don't know, but I would say like there was always a performance in the play.00:32:53.130 –> 00:33:06.630 Neal Hutcheson: When he was dealing with the public um, but it was kind of based on who he really was, and so is interestingly, it was like the performance was kind of close to who he actually was he was just giving.00:33:07.980 –> 00:33:17.310 Neal Hutcheson: You know, certain portions of the public, maybe more more more the tourist a version of a moonshiner that they would that was what they expected.00:33:17.520 –> 00:33:20.850 Neal Hutcheson: You know and but behind the scenes, he actually was that.00:33:21.270 –> 00:33:21.750 Neal Hutcheson: So.00:33:22.110 –> 00:33:30.000 Neal Hutcheson: You know, so I think he just kind of knew where to lean in and exaggerate and things like that sometimes he could lay it on a little thick.00:33:31.740 –> 00:33:37.500 Joseph McElroy: though he was better in the mountains, we have somebody that can make a deal really well we call them a horse trader.00:33:37.980 –> 00:33:45.120 Joseph McElroy: My dad's a hell of a horse trader he's from way back in the mountains finds creek and he input popcorn Sutton get along.00:33:45.570 –> 00:34:01.740 Joseph McElroy: Along really well because my dad was a contractor and you know popcorn would need some things every once in Australia with him to get some construction done an exchange for some variables of moonshine so I ended up getting a drink some popcorn moonshine over the years.00:34:03.150 –> 00:34:12.300 Joseph McElroy: So yeah so you would say, though, that he was a master promoting themselves right and making deals to get himself known against products out there.00:34:13.710 –> 00:34:24.540 Neal Hutcheson: yeah I think he was but I, you know I just I didn't want it it's true but and but you know along the way, some people have written them off and said he wasn't a real thing he was just playing a character.00:34:25.140 –> 00:34:26.250 Joseph McElroy: It was the real thing.00:34:27.390 –> 00:34:27.930 Neal Hutcheson: Right.00:34:28.140 –> 00:34:31.650 Neal Hutcheson: Jackie I just want to emphasize that yeah there's a performance all right, but.00:34:32.010 –> 00:34:32.370 Joseph McElroy: It was.00:34:33.240 –> 00:34:39.810 Joseph McElroy: To make moonshine you have to know it's almost instinctual when the turn to when.00:34:40.680 –> 00:34:47.550 Joseph McElroy: To cut it and when to stop you know when the what point in the distilling process to pull the liquor out and that's what you're going to drink.00:34:47.940 –> 00:34:59.640 Joseph McElroy: Right and the right water and things like that, if you don't do it exactly right and have so almost instinctual thing about it it'll just taste horrible but he's always tasted really good he had an art to it.00:34:59.970 –> 00:35:06.810 Neal Hutcheson: yeah that's true that's right there's the one aspect of it, which is the craftsman and that was all true, and that was there.00:35:07.290 –> 00:35:16.470 Neal Hutcheson: And, but then you know the art of performance is something I talked about a little bit in the book that I did on popcorn and I speculate that.00:35:17.190 –> 00:35:21.720 Neal Hutcheson: I don't have any you know other sources for this, but I speculate that what you were talking about.00:35:22.110 –> 00:35:31.140 Neal Hutcheson: About horse-trading and the talent for barter in the mountains, is that the talent for performance in the mountains, which is well known and incredible.00:35:31.590 –> 00:35:40.860 Neal Hutcheson: That that developed out of the little bits that you do around trading things and the and the kind of like well you know devaluing things and just that you know.00:35:41.190 –> 00:35:57.990 Neal Hutcheson: That skill that was honed over so much time and I think that when the park was founded and outsiders came in and stuff like that that I think that that led them naturally to some of them to find inner talent for performance.00:35:58.620 –> 00:36:00.630 Joseph McElroy: Well, you know I think if you look at.00:36:00.690 –> 00:36:13.590 Joseph McElroy: The traditional storytelling amount of storytelling is often an exaggeration right I caught 50 fish in the pant leg when I fell in the water or.00:36:14.400 –> 00:36:21.120 Joseph McElroy: That sort of thing is sort of the reverse of the horse-trading, which says well these trousers are no good I couldn't catch any fish.00:36:23.160 –> 00:36:27.000 Joseph McElroy: right there like obviously opposite of the same coin.00:36:28.050 –> 00:36:28.530 Joseph McElroy: yeah.00:36:28.830 –> 00:36:35.790 Joseph McElroy: yeah so um so you've done three movies on popcorn right documentaries.00:36:36.030 –> 00:36:42.270 Neal Hutcheson: yeah it's a little bit of a complicated history but yeah technically three movies, we did a cult classic.00:36:43.020 –> 00:36:51.210 Neal Hutcheson: Well, it would become a cult classic, the first thing that I made was really for the popcorn to sell out of his junk shop and something he wanted to do.00:36:51.480 –> 00:36:59.760 Neal Hutcheson: And that one's called that one's always that one's the most popular now 20 years later um it's called this is the last time round of liquor I'll ever make.00:37:00.600 –> 00:37:02.340 Neal Hutcheson: sense yeah.00:37:02.400 –> 00:37:11.850 Neal Hutcheson: we're still it's the whole thing on YouTube if anybody wants to check it out, but people are still discovering it and it's lasted longer than anything else I've done but um.00:37:12.540 –> 00:37:26.130 Neal Hutcheson: Then I did a TV version which came out at the tail end of 2008 called the last one, and that was a PBS family-friendly kind of version of that with cutaways for context and interviews and things like that it's a.00:37:26.430 –> 00:37:26.940 Neal Hutcheson: little different.00:37:27.660 –> 00:37:31.200 Neal Hutcheson: And then I did a more biographical piece called a hell of a life.00:37:32.430 –> 00:37:38.370 Neal Hutcheson: And that came out after he died in 2009 that came out in oh I forget, but maybe 2012.00:37:39.240 –> 00:37:53.010 Joseph McElroy: yeah cool well and you've also I saw you recently you've done a book recently like it's almost like a table talk book, but so more meaningful, I mean what was how did you come about doing that.00:37:53.370 –> 00:38:01.890 Neal Hutcheson: yeah well thanks for describing it that way it's it's deliberately designed to be enjoyable if you want to flip through idly or if you want to dig in so.00:38:03.150 –> 00:38:03.870 Neal Hutcheson: I.00:38:05.580 –> 00:38:14.970 Neal Hutcheson: knew that people would want to have copies because popcorn is is well known and intriguing and so I felt a duty to make it as good as I possibly could um.00:38:15.480 –> 00:38:18.600 Neal Hutcheson: You know, in a way, I feel like I was always working on that book and I just didn't know it.00:38:19.470 –> 00:38:35.910 Neal Hutcheson: While I was doing the documentaries, the real motivation was that you know nowadays popcorn is remembered as in some quarters as something akin to a folk hero and it's a very simplified version and a very kind of.00:38:37.230 –> 00:38:41.970 Neal Hutcheson: Noble you know version of who he was is a friend of mine, okay I'm not dragging down.00:38:42.450 –> 00:38:50.160 Neal Hutcheson: And I think that folk hero is interesting, and I think that that phenomenon with him turning into a folk hero is fascinating and I talked about that in the book.00:38:50.430 –> 00:38:54.840 Neal Hutcheson: But you know, the main purpose at the start of working on the book was to.00:38:55.500 –> 00:39:06.810 Neal Hutcheson: Make sure that he's remembered as I knew him as a person I knew he would want that that he did he really didn't want to be the hero he wanted to be that law and he wanted to be who he was.00:39:07.740 –> 00:39:19.590 Neal Hutcheson: And so I think that and so the book tries, and I think, to some extent, I would say if it's okay for me to say about my own book like succeeds in capturing him, you know fairly.00:39:20.700 –> 00:39:24.060 Joseph McElroy: cool what was the name of the book again what was the full title of it.00:39:24.390 –> 00:39:26.220 Neal Hutcheson: it's called the moonshiner popcorn sun.00:39:26.460 –> 00:39:30.450 Joseph McElroy: The moon cheddar popcorn Sutton and it's available on a lot of places you go to the.00:39:31.530 –> 00:39:39.570 Joseph McElroy: I think we have it up on smokies adventure.com and the Meadowlark motel and you can probably get it on Amazon right it's a great book and there's a DVD with it right.00:39:40.140 –> 00:39:56.610 Neal Hutcheson: If you get it on Amazon you're going to pay him because I held back because I want people to buy it from local places like the meadowlark and the other places that are supporting the book and that support community and culture, so I hope people will buy local first.00:39:57.690 –> 00:40:17.310 Joseph McElroy: Nice good local living economies it's we can promote that that's important you know that's why I keep the small business I have in the mountains going is to support local economies, I think it's important yeah so and you have a publishing company and a production company.00:40:17.760 –> 00:40:20.430 Neal Hutcheson: Well I've got a publishing company, now that I've published a book.00:40:22.260 –> 00:40:36.690 Neal Hutcheson: How many more books will publish we'll see it's a lot of work turns out um but yeah I've got a production company that's basically has facilitated my own projects it's more or fewer one-man-bands of still.00:40:38.340 –> 00:40:43.500 Neal Hutcheson: In recent years, I've been collaborating with other people I'm an independent project but.00:40:45.900 –> 00:40:46.140 Neal Hutcheson: yeah.00:40:46.170 –> 00:40:52.980 Neal Hutcheson: Just I just kind of invented and improvised all along the way to make whatever it was I was doing next Hampton.00:40:53.550 –> 00:40:56.340 Joseph McElroy: Why did you call it sucker punch productions.00:40:58.110 –> 00:41:01.680 Neal Hutcheson: Well there's triple entendre in that it's.00:41:03.090 –> 00:41:07.830 Neal Hutcheson: Nothing to be worried about, but mainly you know um.00:41:09.270 –> 00:41:17.820 Neal Hutcheson: I was thinking about it sounds kind of punky and brash and I was kind of I felt as the upstart like who what right do I have to just make.00:41:18.330 –> 00:41:34.380 Neal Hutcheson: Films without anybody's permission and be the kind of like octopus character, you know supine on sucker Punch and just and you know all the different jobs that I have to have in order to make a film, you know it's not just filming and editing.00:41:35.880 –> 00:41:38.400 Neal Hutcheson: It was funny to me the different arms alright.00:41:38.820 –> 00:41:39.300 city.00:41:40.500 –> 00:41:48.720 Joseph McElroy: No, I mean it's important to have something meaningful for your company, especially if you have an inside joke, I had a company called corporate performance artists.00:41:49.080 –> 00:42:00.750 Joseph McElroy: One time because somebody asked me while I was doing art and others do raising I raised some money for a startup in the.com era and they said what the hell, are you and I said I guess I'm a corporate performance artist.00:42:03.720 –> 00:42:08.040 Joseph McElroy: I named my company that I would tell people I'm performing my company.00:42:08.220 –> 00:42:18.510 Joseph McElroy: And it was an engine, it was an inside joke, but yeah it makes it, it makes it fun, it makes it something that's personal and the little secret that you can have.00:42:19.050 –> 00:42:25.050 Neal Hutcheson: Exactly what you know if you're going to do something for yourself, you should have fun and you know indulge a little bit and make it the way you want to.00:42:25.950 –> 00:42:26.640 cool.00:42:27.810 –> 00:42:35.040 Joseph McElroy: So I think you Bob are some you working on Bob Plott do introduce us right so yeah.00:42:35.970 –> 00:42:48.600 Joseph McElroy: So you see we're gonna need to take a break now, so I want to talk about a queen family that you're working on and then we're getting sent you know so much about the mountains now when I get your favorite things to go for people to go see.00:42:49.110 –> 00:42:49.620 Neal Hutcheson: sounds good.00:42:50.040 –> 00:42:50.550 All right.00:45:23.730 –> 00:45:33.000 Joseph McElroy: Howdy this is Joseph Franklyn McElroy back with the gateway to the smokies podcast with my guest Neal Hutcheson so Neil, you are working on.00:45:33.960 –> 00:45:43.200 Joseph McElroy: Something that's interesting to me, you know Maggie Valley calls itself the calling capital of the world right so we're always proud of dancing in the mountains, especially you know.00:45:44.070 –> 00:45:52.860 Joseph McElroy: square dancing and plugin so you're working on a project on the iconic queen family, one of the foremost musical advancing clans and the great smokies what you doing.00:45:54.150 –> 00:45:58.020 Neal Hutcheson: Oh well, you know that was actually a project that I did some years ago.00:45:58.380 –> 00:45:58.890 Joseph McElroy: Oh, really.00:45:59.070 –> 00:46:05.280 Neal Hutcheson: yeah it's already done and it was about music and the group that queen it, as you know, for us, you know.00:46:05.760 –> 00:46:15.690 Neal Hutcheson: yeah it's a huge huge name up there, and so there, there are great dancers, but the ones that are working with weren't really into dancing they were just in the music.00:46:15.960 –> 00:46:22.590 Neal Hutcheson: Okay, so they were in Jackson County off of Johns creek Canny fork.00:46:24.180 –> 00:46:24.960 Neal Hutcheson: You know that area.00:46:25.320 –> 00:46:27.330 Neal Hutcheson: yeah okay so.00:46:28.590 –> 00:46:37.020 Neal Hutcheson: And it was I started with Mary Jane Queen, who was the matriarch of the family and she knew balance that was hundreds of years old and so.00:46:38.430 –> 00:46:49.020 Neal Hutcheson: But I gradually got to know more of her family and they're all musical and when they get together, they would all play they're literally on the back porch and make incredible mountain music and it wasn't like it wasn't.00:46:50.160 –> 00:47:03.810 Neal Hutcheson: It was like the real thing you know it was like you just felt them expressing their love for each other by sharing that music with each other and so that's basically what I was documenting is looking at mountain culture through another window, which was, which was music.00:47:04.440 –> 00:47:08.730 Joseph McElroy: Well I'm very interested in seeing that what where do you have that documentary.00:47:09.570 –> 00:47:11.430 Neal Hutcheson: I think the whole thing is on YouTube right now.00:47:11.700 –> 00:47:12.600 Joseph McElroy: And what's it called.00:47:12.930 –> 00:47:14.070 Neal Hutcheson: it's called the Queen family.00:47:14.910 –> 00:47:15.510 Joseph McElroy: The Queen.00:47:20.040 –> 00:47:26.940 Joseph McElroy: So you bet a lot of visiting the mountains Okay, so what is your, what is your favorite natural.00:47:28.020 –> 00:47:29.340 Joseph McElroy: wonder in the mountains.00:47:30.270 –> 00:47:38.190 Neal Hutcheson: Oh that's a good question um you know I used to come up there backpacking a lot when I was a kid and I didn't know anything about the culture, but I really enjoyed the.00:47:38.790 –> 00:47:50.130 Neal Hutcheson: landscape and just interacting with the wild spaces and my favorite place was always Joyce Kilmer slick rock area, which is adjacent to Graham county.00:47:50.640 –> 00:47:53.580 Joseph McElroy: yeah what was that, what do you find special about that.00:47:54.540 –> 00:48:04.440 Neal Hutcheson: Well, I like to the trails you know for backpacking but then you know, one of the really special things about that spot is that they preserved, a small.00:48:05.310 –> 00:48:20.940 Neal Hutcheson: selection and that that was never logged right, so all the mountains most a lot of people don't even know this, that the great Appalachian wilderness was was absolutely incredible with these huge trees, there were 12 feet in diameter and those are all gone, they were all logged.00:48:21.360 –> 00:48:32.640 Neal Hutcheson: And um what we see now is what runs back right and it's beautiful but it's not the wild place that was there before and so Joyce Kilmer you could see that and.00:48:33.360 –> 00:48:39.300 Neal Hutcheson: You know the last time I went as the storm and taken out a lot of the big trees, unfortunately, it was kind of sad but it's still there.00:48:39.510 –> 00:48:46.050 Neal Hutcheson: And you can go there and park and there are short trails you can walk you don't have to go backpacking anything like that you can walk half a mile or a mile.00:48:46.320 –> 00:48:49.350 Neal Hutcheson: and get back in there cool and they create is just gorgeous.00:48:49.950 –> 00:48:54.300 Joseph McElroy: Oh yeah I haven't actually visited there, so I need to do that, that sounds really like a wonderful time.00:48:55.560 –> 00:49:05.070 Joseph McElroy: Now, your new popcorn sudden so you know a little bit about the distilleries I think you were involved with the moonshine or should they still have it right, it was inspired by your movie anyway.00:49:05.850 –> 00:49:07.050 Neal Hutcheson: I believe that it was.00:49:07.140 –> 00:49:20.310 Joseph McElroy: yeah so so you know local distillery So is there any of them doing anything any a quote-unquote moonshine it's not real moonshine if it's legal but moonshine that's pretty good compared to popcorn to brew.00:49:20.700 –> 00:49:23.340 Neal Hutcheson: Well, you know a lot of these things have sprung up fairly recently.00:49:23.670 –> 00:49:30.420 Neal Hutcheson: yeah and there's you know there's a lot of good beer, you can get in the mountains Now I will not turn down a good hipster IPA.00:49:32.430 –> 00:49:40.500 Neal Hutcheson: And you can find them whether you're in silver or there's a great place and Bryson city, but anyway and an inhaler brewing company I think they're called.00:49:40.800 –> 00:49:42.930 Joseph McElroy: I go to the gym in Waynesville yeah.00:49:43.200 –> 00:49:46.530 Neal Hutcheson: there's good beer around but it's not you know that's nothing traditional.00:49:46.740 –> 00:49:47.250 Neal Hutcheson: yeah i'm.00:49:47.730 –> 00:49:51.930 Neal Hutcheson: The only distillery that I know anything about is elevated mountain in.00:49:52.650 –> 00:50:02.400 Neal Hutcheson: In Maggie valley and I think people should go check it out, and they should see that because I'm the proprietor Dave Angel he puts on a great tour, and you get to sample the stuff.00:50:02.820 –> 00:50:12.150 Neal Hutcheson: And it's good quality and he's from there, and I think I'm not quite sure about his whole story, but I think he's he's like you in that he's been elsewhere and comes back.00:50:12.720 –> 00:50:15.600 Joseph McElroy: yeah he was actually in New York for a little while but he's a cousin he's my cousin.00:50:18.630 –> 00:50:19.110 Joseph McElroy: Down there.00:50:21.480 –> 00:50:36.450 Joseph McElroy: Let me do you go to sell a lot and that's a wonderful town, what would you say is a great itinerary one to build visit silver, starting with breakfast you know and then where you might go in the morning, then lunch in the afternoon and dinner in the evening for entertainment.00:50:37.110 –> 00:50:47.820 Neal Hutcheson: Well, silver has changed a lot, too, is it's developed but um it always had a little bit of stuff going on because it's its proximity to Western Carolina university um but.00:50:48.930 –> 00:50:53.610 Neal Hutcheson: You know, and you can spend a day in Silva and you can find good food morning.00:50:54.990 –> 00:51:05.760 Neal Hutcheson: morning, day and night but um if I was going up there and somebody was going up to explore the area, I would say, getting your current in or in motorcycle whatever drive a little bit and get around.00:51:06.240 –> 00:51:06.570 Joseph McElroy: and00:51:07.380 –> 00:51:14.280 Neal Hutcheson: I always like to in fact I just mentioned Joyce Kilmer well that's close to robin's bill and Robin so.00:51:15.030 –> 00:51:28.590 Neal Hutcheson: The last time I was there doesn't have a lot going on, but I always love going to Robin so you really feel like you're getting back into a mountain Community um and there's a place there, I think it's called lose know it's called.00:51:30.090 –> 00:51:42.540 Neal Hutcheson: Lucy lens something like lens place it's had different names of the rooms, but it's top of the hill one and robin's bill, and you won't miss it because there's not much else around and it's just a diner you're going to get breakfast there you're going to get regular.00:51:43.650 –> 00:51:48.270 Neal Hutcheson: You know diner kind of breakfast food, but what you're also going to get is you're going to be around local people.00:51:48.720 –> 00:51:59.070 Neal Hutcheson: In there and they're going to be friendly they're probably curious about what you're doing and it won't be hard to strike up a conversation, which I highly recommend and start your morning out that way.00:51:59.400 –> 00:52:07.350 Neal Hutcheson: that's fabulous right Okay, and then you can take a nice drive, if you want to go by Joyce Kilmer you take the roadster curvy and beautiful motorcyclists love them.00:52:07.650 –> 00:52:15.420 Neal Hutcheson: And you can take you can go I've never spent much time at Fontana village, but if you like, that kind of thing there's a lot of stuff out there.00:52:15.660 –> 00:52:17.070 Joseph McElroy: Historical stuff yeah.00:52:17.460 –> 00:52:26.850 Neal Hutcheson: And, and then you can see Fontana damn which is impressive a piece of work, and circle back around and come back to silver for lunch.00:52:27.330 –> 00:52:40.170 Neal Hutcheson: And you don't want to miss the coffee shop because it's just another place where real people gather it's been there forever, my friend Gary Carden who's now at six I think IQ as a kid he.00:52:40.890 –> 00:52:43.830 Neal Hutcheson: What do you call it car hopped or whatever he brought the burgers out to people in the car.00:52:44.880 –> 00:52:45.660 Joseph McElroy: coffee shop.00:52:46.380 –> 00:52:49.110 Neal Hutcheson: coffee shop, the signing, and so on, the main road gold and silver.00:52:51.030 –> 00:53:00.570 Neal Hutcheson: And they're going to have country food it's going to be hardy fair they're gonna have a special of the day they're going to cook a good meal, you probably need to take a walk afterward if you're planning to have dinner because you'd be full.00:53:00.960 –> 00:53:01.320 But.00:53:02.370 –> 00:53:09.000 Neal Hutcheson: But again it's also we're working people look people are going to go to so that's why I would give those answers.00:53:10.590 –> 00:53:19.530 Neal Hutcheson: And then, because you had me thinking about this before, so I was there was a place this place in Bryson City, so if you want to go for a really fine meal after.00:53:20.220 –> 00:53:31.710 Neal Hutcheson: All that um there's a place called the pork and bean in Bryson city and they cook they've got a great Jeff there and they and they cook a lot of like fresh healthy.00:53:34.020 –> 00:53:36.810 Neal Hutcheson: freshly sourced fair original.00:53:38.130 –> 00:53:43.410 Neal Hutcheson: an original menu oftentimes you can get mountain trout which is my favorite So if you can.00:53:43.440 –> 00:53:46.560 Joseph McElroy: Get that I would recommend getting it done well it's, the best thing to get.00:53:46.590 –> 00:53:55.230 Joseph McElroy: In the mountains yeah cool well, we have a few minutes left How do people get in touch with you or follow you and keep track of what you're doing?00:53:56.790 –> 00:54:00.750 Neal Hutcheson: Well um I'd say you know if you want to check out the work.00:54:01.050 –> 00:54:13.860 Neal Hutcheson: there's a lot of like extra clips and especially a lot with Popcorn Sutton on my YouTube channel and it's sucker punch pictures just look up that on YouTube you'll find a lot of clips and stuff like that and see what that's about um and.00:54:15.300 –> 00:54:32.700 Neal Hutcheson: If you let's see I don't know I've got a personal website Neil Hutchison.com, so you can see past projects and links to other things Oh, and also the language and languageinlife.org which is my work at nc state, which is a large part of what I've done over the last 30 years.00:54:33.420 –> 00:54:48.840 Joseph McElroy: cool well, thank you very much for being on my podcast has been very enjoyable having a conversation with you and very illuminating I really appreciate the work that you do, and you know documenting the culture of the mountains.00:54:50.010 –> 00:55:02.010 Joseph McElroy: You know I think there was a period of time that there was a unique culture is still there, but it is, it is disappearing somewhat so understanding and preserving and I think is great.00:55:03.330 –> 00:55:15.360 Joseph McElroy: I want to remind everybody this podcast is on the talkradio.NYC network with there are lots of fabulous podcasts for you to listen to me for a few commercials if you've listened to it, live.00:55:16.080 –> 00:55:25.710 Joseph McElroy: After this show is rediscovering New York on Tuesday nights from seven to eight or seven to eight.00:55:26.280 –> 00:55:35.760 Joseph McElroy: it's about visiting New York and there's a lot of inside stuff and unique culture of New York to explore as part of why I love being here when I when I'm not in the mountains.00:55:36.480 –> 00:55:43.800 Joseph McElroy: Is the uniqueness of culture in New York City and the multiple cultures that you can experience here, so this show is great to go visit you can.00:55:44.550 –> 00:55:51.510 Joseph McElroy: You can also watch this podcast on Facebook.com/gateway to the smokies podcast where.00:55:51.870 –> 00:55:57.720 Joseph McElroy: The live stream comes out with the zoom So you can see our faces, or you can go to the gatewaytothesmokies.fun.00:55:58.050 –> 00:56:09.630 Joseph McElroy: To see this podcast and other previous podcasts as well as the signing up for the newsletter be informed about events and future episodes and other things that we will do to00:56:10.050 –> 00:56:19.500 Joseph McElroy: illustrate and celebrate the culture of the smoky mountains and for things to do there and enjoy yourself that he much I'll see you next week when we have.00:56:20.430 –> 00:56:34.650 Joseph McElroy: For our show will be Wayne Ebinger, who is a well-known photographer in the smoky mountains and it has experienced a lot and we'll talk about the beauty of the smoky mountains talk to you soon.

Gateway to the Smokies Podcast hosted by our very own Joseph McElroy, Owner of the Meadowlark Motel in Maggie Valley, NC with our special guest Darren Nicholson, a gifted singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist.He is an Award-winning Charter Member of the legendary Bluegrass and Americana group, Balsam Range, and fronts his own Darren Nicholson Band on side projects, while also doing solo gigs and duo concerts with his wife Jennifer.Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by clicking here.Show NotesSegment 1Tonight's episode of Gateway to the Smokies starts off with host Joseph McElroy listing off a few notable upcoming events for the audience and for the local area to keep an eye out for. Next, comes the introduction of today's guest, Darren Nicholson. Darren talks about who he is, what he has accomplished as a singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, and the journey to become who he is today.Segment 2Coming back from the break, Darren talks more about his music career. He tells the story of how his friends and bandmates formed into the band he has now. They started jamming out in his kitchen and how it felt meant to be. They're releasing music now and a new album is coming out. They're looking forward to playing more live performances with their passion for music.Segment 3Coming back from the break, Darren keeps the conversation going by talking about what he did in his spare time as a child. His Friday and Saturdays nights were often occupied with music and jamming out. Darren also begins to talk about bluegrass music. He mentions how it has a large population of fans in unexpected places, such as Japan. Darren explains how his own performing group had begun to push to grow for a larger audience, playing for festivals and bigger venues.Segment 4The final segment starts off with the introduction of Darren Nicholson All Star Band Camp, an event at a music festival. Darren explains how a lot of people, fans, and local musicians gather out of fascination and curiosity. They want to know more about the music and the artists, regardless of their musical background. Darren gives hints about who to expect to play at the event, including some big bluegrass stars. The episode finishes off with how to follow up with Darren Nicholson on social media, website, and other upcoming events.

Gateway to the Smokies Podcast hosted by our very own Joseph McElroy, Owner of the Meadowlark Motel in Maggie Valley, NC with our special guest Jim Hamilton, an extension agent and county director at NC State Cooperative Extension and an adjunct professor at ASU, as well as a former instructor at Haywood Community College.Jim has a PhD in forestry and teaches workshops across the region including an upcoming date at the Meadowlark Smoky Mountain Heritage Center on August 28th. They will be discussing the generations of ginseng in the Smoky Mountains.‍Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by clicking here.Show NotesSegment 1Today's episode starts off with our host Joseph McElroy announcing tons of exciting upcoming events that our audience can look forward to. From concerts, to award programs, talk shows, and campfires, there are a plethora of events that people can enjoy in the Smoky Mountain and North Carolina region. After announcements, Joseph introduces the special guest of the day, Jim Hamilton. Jim talks about his journey to how he became a professor, county director, and so interested in ginseng in the local community.Segment 2Coming back from the break, the two talk more about turtles being the state reptile of North Carolina and bring up Jim's nickname, Jimseng. Jim then talks about where that name came from and all the benefits and other facts about ginseng. He explains how he became interested in the local ginseng and where his passion originates from. They discuss how important ginseng is essential to the economy and go further into the different types of ginseng, their history, and their benefits. Jim tells stories of famous pioneers and explorers who came across ginseng, such as Daniel Boone, and how it served as a food source and for health purposes.Segment 3The next segment starts off with a discussion on stereotypes regarding ginseng hunting on television shows. Jim clarifies the negative stereotypes and misunderstandings of people illegally harvesting ginseng and that he works with people to specifically protect the ginseng in the local Smoky Mountains area. Next, Jim talks about where to buy ginseng and what he does with them. He explains how different countries, for example Korea, China, buys ginseng differently than how one might in North Carolina. Joseph then asks Jim about his book, The Last Entry, which is a fictional book that follows a young man in the mountain area.Segment 4For the last segment, Jim Hamilton and Joseph talk more about planting and growing ginseng in your own backyard. Jim talks about what he recommends people to do in the Smoky Mountain areas. He recommends taking a morning hike to watch the sunrise and local restaurants with great food for lunch and other fun activities that visitors can do throughout the day.

Gateway to the Smokies Podcast guest is Alex McKay, a successful Haywood County businessman who owns and manages rental property throughout the county.However, Alex is better known for his work as a Haywood County historian. He has been active in working with the historical Shelton House in Waynesville on various projects and is well known for his efforts in helping record the history of the town of Hazelwood, as well as for renovating a historical house in Hazelwood where he now resides.Alex was also instrumental in the development of a museum in the Haywood County Courthouse. Joseph McElroy and Alex Mckay will be discussing all about the historic houses in Haywood County, NC and museums history.Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by clicking here.SHOW NOTESSEGMENT 1Starting off today's episode is announcements for special upcoming events announced by Bob. There are all sorts of music events, gatherings, workshops and seminars coming up. In addition to that, there are a ton of mid eighteenth century events coming up for people to enjoy. The episode continues with the introduction of today's guest: Alex McKay. Joseph and Alex talk about his accomplishments and how he came to be. Alex explained how greatly he was influenced by his family and how because of that, he joined the family business and grew to what he is today.SEGMENT 2Coming back from the break, Alex talks more about his connection to what he does and how he came to love it. He speaks about his father and grandfather and how they had held on to documents and collections from decades ago and how they sparked his interest even more. The two talk about stories about Alex that came from his time with historic museums and projects to preserve history. Alex talks about his favorite photos and things to find at museums.SEGMENT 3Alex explains what it is like working at Shook Smathers House and what it is. He talks about his favorite parts and gives a little history about the house itself. There are many upcoming events in the Heywood County area that Alex recommends people to come to, where they can eat good food and listen to nice music and enjoy each other's presence. Alex discusses with Joseph future projects that he thought about doing with the museums, especially after Covid-19 and restrictions being lifted.SEGMENT 4For the last segment, Joseph and Alex discuss their favorite foods and restaurants in the Heywood and Smoky Mountains area. They both enjoy a wide variety of foods, from barbeque to Chinese to home food. They continue their discussion by talking about where they go for entertainment. They talk about their experiences with these places and the episode ends with Joseph asking Alex for museum spots that the audience could and should visit.

Today's guest is Wendy Meyers, a renowned historian, and researcher, described as "the best of the Smoky Mountain history detectives --bar none" by historian and author, Bob Plott. Wendy has worked for over 20 years in the pharmaceutical industry, where she works as a regulatory writer in drug development. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, cycling, and historical research. Since 2013, she has maintained a blog, “Reflections of Olde Swain”, that seeks to preserve the history of Swain County.Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by clicking here.Show NotesSegment 1Joseph starts off today's episode by letting us know that we will be cycling through the Smoky Mountains' past as well as literally talking about cycling through the Smoky Mountains. He then introduces guest and renowned historian Wendy Meyers. Wendy talks about her journey to becoming both a historian and regulatory writer in drug development.Segment 2Joseph asks Wendy what her favorite stories or work she is proudest of that is on her blog. She dives into some of her favorite work she has gotten the chance to do, including research on victims of murders and discovering the history of specific graves. She then goes into talking about her favorite places to hike in the Smoky Mountains area and gives examples of how they hold historical significance. Wendy also talks about the type of wildlife she generally sees while hiking in this area.Segment 3Wendy talks about what makes her favorite hiking spots special to her. Joseph then asks Wendy for recommendations for people who want to visit the area. As far as hikes, she recommends trails where one can see waterfalls, beautiful views, and even some wildlife. She recommends hikes that are short, hikes that are more challenging, and some overnight hikes. Wendy then goes on to talk about what trails she recommends for cycling through the Smoky Mountain area.Segment 4Joseph asks Wendy to give some advice to someone if they were to hypothetically only have one day in Bryson City. She recommends a breakfast place, a hike, a lunch place, a mountain farm, dinner, and even a historical place to sleep. Wendy then ends the podcast by giving out some ways to follow her work.

This week, Joseph talks about food traditions and modern day options for food in the Smokies.Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by clicking here.Show NotesSegment 1Starting off this episode, host Joseph McElroy talks about some of his favorite memories in the mountains and shares a poem. He talks about food traditions in the mountains and iconic foods in regions. Some examples include locations to find barbecue, buttermilk pancakes, and corn chowder.Segment 2Coming back from the break, Joseph continues his conversation on iconic and staple foods in the Smoky Mountains. He gives tips and reads out unexpected food combinations that people should try out.Segment 3Coming back from the break, Joseph looks up more highly recommended restaurants around the Smoky Mountains. Some are steakhouses and one is a blackberry farm called The Barn. He explains how each place is unique and why it is rated so highly. He continues by talking about fishes, specifically rainbow trout, that you can get fresh at Smoky Mountains. He talks about how there's a lot of new fusion of cultures and foods that are introducing people to new culture and flavors.Segment 4For the final segment of the episode, Joseph talks about upcoming events for the next few weeks and gives shoutouts to many shops and restaurants.

Today's guest is Dale Stewart, Award winning media host, solo explorer, naturalist, ethnologist, author and natural sound recorder, he has lived and learned from indigenous tribes on six continents while establishing his stellar reputation as one of the foremost solo explorers in the world today. Stewart is the host of a radio show – Nature's Edge – and has been featured on numerous national television shows on the History Channel, Discovery Channel and Animal Planet.Stewart has crossed the Bering Strait in a kayak, traversed the Amazon River in a canoe, and retraced the infamous Cherokee Trail of Tears by kayak—a 60-day, 1,300-mile trip from Chattanooga, Tennessee to Fort Gibson Oklahoma.‍Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by clicking here.Show NotesSegment 1Introduces today's topic: the sights & sounds of the wilderness and today's special guest: Dale Stewart. Stewart explains how he came to learn to love and embrace new cultures and people on his trips across the world and how amazing and unique each location he has visited is. Each place has become a memorable trip and the reason why is more often than not, the hospitality of the people. This conversation leads to Stewart's Cherokee Trail of Tears trip by kayak, which had sparked a lot of interest from the public.Segment 2Coming back from the break, the conversation about the Cherokee and the Trail of Tears continues. There is a story that is different from what is taught in schools during the removal of many native tribes. Cherokees had a bit of a unique experience with their removal and the Trail of Tears that Stewart goes into during this conversation. The conversation shifts to Stewart's favorite Smoky Mountains trips, where he plans to travel next, and his recommendations for great hiking trails.Segment 3Introduces the topic of sounds of the wilderness. Stewart talks about how sound can be used to see in the wild and talks more about soundscaping. With his audio documentaries, he found himself to be able to immerse others into these stories with his audio recordings of where he's been, as he does with his works with channels, such as the Discovery Channel.Segment 4Coming back from the break, Stewart talks about what he looks for when recording audio in the wilderness. Stewart talks about where to find more information on his current and future projects that people can look forward to.