Life In the Carolina's Podcast

John Roselli, owner of Roselli on 10th, visited the Life In The Carolinas Podcast Studio and shared the story of his family legacy in the restaurant business. He speaks of lessons learned from his parents and a journey in his world of Italian Food and relationship-driven service.  It's a great story for anyone who loves good food and the people who create the experience around it. 

In this episode, we have invited Jay Raffaldini, owner of Raffaldini Vineyards, Which creates various Italian-style wines. Apart from that, Raffaldini offers public and private events throughout the year and is a regional go-to spot for wine enthusiasts. Today, Jay will share his journey in building his winery, the challenges he faced, and his learnings from around the world. He will also share some thoughts on how to have a better life and society. Jay's Winery Journey [2:33] The idea behind the winery is that Jay loves wine and wants to connect it to a generational wealth transference. [4:14] Jay's desire to keep his family together and have a way to transfer wealth led him to build a plan and start his winery business. [07:20] The first step was to find suitable land and bed. When we talk about the right land, we're talking about the wrong land for farming, which is the appropriate land for vineyard cultivation because you want the grapes to struggle to live. Happy Place [14:38] Jay describes his vineyard as a yin and yang. It gives him balance in life, and that is the wonderful part. [16:08] Jay experienced drinking wine from a plastic milk jug. However, it was the best bottle of wine he had because it changed how whole day. And that is why Jay considered wine a very romantic notion, and it's about the totality of the experience more than anything else. Challenges Faced [23:50] Jay and his winery faced numerous challenges. But these challenges add fuel for his business to grow further. Each time that they had a loss, they rose higher than before, allowing them to grow continually. [25:59] The key is how you adapt to the problem. Plus, you got to be flexible. [28:20] You have to focus on what's working and concentrate on that area. You also have to admit defeat because that's how you learn. That's a very scarce personality trait. Learnings From Around the World [31:24] Jay discovered that growing grapes east of the Rockies Mountains is difficult. This is because 90% of the grapes are cultivated in what is described as a Mediterranean environment. It equates to 3% of the world's land area. 3% of the world's surface grows grapes there because it's easier. [39:17] When meeting with the clients for the first time, bringing out a bottle of wine is an icebreaker at the table. Better Life and Society [45:55] Jay's father teaches him that no matter what he does in life, he should be the best at it and be the most passionate. Wine Club [49:48] Jay's wine club is successful, and they have 20,000 people visit every year. At first, they face a problem: too many people are coming. They needed to make a few adjustments. Jay's Advice [1:00:29] Jay often says, don't get too depressed. Just focus on your job, and be passionate. [1:03:04] For Jay, something simple with the right person is meaningful at the right time. Thus, it becomes like a mantra for him to live a good life.  Go to www.raffaldini.com to learn more about Raffaldini Vineyards and their wines, and make a reservation for a tasting visit. For more on Life In The Carolinas, visit www.lifeinthecarolinas.com and www.lifeinthecarolinaspodcast.com

In this episode, we invited Seth Cohn, owner of Dooley's Restaurant, Two Boros Brewery, and Two Boros Performance Shop. Seth highlights his family's story of their Wilkes County home and how they help preserve and protect it for future generations. He also talks about how he got into the food industry as well as his passion for car racing which lead to team ownership. 

On this Life In the Carolinas Podcast episode, we have invited Thomas Salley, the Director of Tourism for Wilkesboro, North Carolina. His expertise in tourism and marketing led him to spearhead Wilkesboro's tourism to attract more people, create more projects and build a stronger community. Today, Thomas talks about his journey of getting involved in the world of tourism, the county's evolution, the people in the community, and the bigger picture Wilkesboro is pursuing in the future.  

In this episode of The Life in the Carolinas Podcast, Carl is joined by Larry Baity. He met Carl a few years ago through a mutual friend, and they have been working on a project together recently. Larry calls himself a mountain boy because of his upbringing. Today, Larry. Larry's Birth [1:00] Larry says that he is a mountain boy. He was born on the 16th of March 1935 in Wilkes County in a small community called Oak Woods, a short drive away from Wilkesboro. He was told many years later that he was anticipated to be born. The evening he was born was a Saturday, and everyone was waiting for the Grand Ole Opry to come on. Early Life [3:20] He graduated from high school around the time of the Korean War. He chose to join the Air Force and was in it from 1953 through 1957. He did his training in the Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. Larry eventually talks about all his experiences during his time with the Air Force. God's Purpose [11:52] Larry almost drowned three times in his whole life. He always felt God had a purpose for him. He is surprised that he is still living today due to his experiences. He says that his upbringing is what made him the man he eventually became now. Curiosity [13:30] Larry shares another experience during the time he was with the Air Force. His curiosity almost led him to get incarcerated, and he had to sign a document that states that he never saw what he saw. He says that one of the greatest inventions of the US Air Force is surveillance. History [19:02] He's always told his children and grandchildren that you often experience history in the making, become a part of history, or making history yourself. He states that he was a witness and that very few people become part of history. He made history for the family. Larry says that one of his many faults was being too curious and pushing the limits. The Answer [20:18] Larry was often told that curiosity is the answer to questions. It might be hazardous to your well being and one of his little faults in life, but it has also revealed a great revelation to him through the years. And through all of that, God gave him longevity. Memory of a Certain Racetrack [21:41] Carl asks Larry about his first memory of the North Wilkesboro Motor Speedway. Larry responds by recalling a memory from 1945. He says that it was a unique experience because he's always loved the old Ford cars. Larry's Family [36:17] Larry talks about his children and grandchildren. His oldest grandson is a major marine aviator. His son is a part of the Air Force as well. His other grandson is a police officer. One of his sons is a nuclear engineer and another one is a lawyer. The youngest is back in Nashville. Life in the Carolina's Website - https://www.lifeinthecarolinas.com/

In this episode, we are joined by Rick Balentine, a producer, and composer at Temple Gate Films. He has created scores, opens, bumpers, and music libraries for a variety of programs, including Ted Lasso, America's Next Top Model, NCIS LA, Dancing With The Stars, The Bachelorette, The Real Housewives of Dallas, and Black Ink Crew: Chicago, as well as for the feature films True Justice, Dragon Eyes, Never Back Down 2, Red Clover. Today, Rick talks about the film Wilkes County Line, how he grew up in a family of musicians, the difference between wisdom and experience, and the keys to personal growth.   Musical Family [3:31] Rick produced his first album at the age of 19. His mother was a trained pianist and played at the church. He started playing music when he was in fourth grade because his mother bought a guitar for his sister, but she never played it, but he would sneak around and play it by himself.   Creativity [10:46] Rick learned to keep everybody engaged at all times. He thinks of how he can show off at certain parts. But he thinks the most critical is learning to take all that creativity and put it at the right time. Like in business creatives and the "business" side, it must be balanced. As you get older, you realize that you will have this time when you take all the boundaries off and create while working with the budget.   Good Management [16:20] In Rick's opinion, the key to leadership is not knowing everything per se but knowing people who do know everything and putting them in the right place. We may not have all the people we want, and we may have to continue looking. It's a never-ending journey that is always developing, organic, and wonderful. That is the beauty of life. Identifying connections and knowing how you can work together to make something. Gifts [18:07] For those who have gifts, Rick thinks the goal is to take it and nurture it and learn how to do better and stronger. What Rick did was work hard and get that gift to grow. That's the easy part, and the hardest part is developing the character to manage the gifting that you've been given.         Wilkes County Line [34:06] The most important thing for Rick was the scenery. He is a big nature fan. Everywhere he went, all the things and niches in the county were just amazing to him as an outsider and caught his attention. He thought about how to tell people about the beauty of those areas and suck them into the story.   Business Side [45:54] The creative side is the easiest side for Rick. The business side is paying for college, and it's the reality. He wants to put the business side first. How he does it by creating a product that people want to see and pay for. Thinking of how to satisfy our investors and the company. The first thing they do is put things together and look at what the state has and its taxes. Depending on the state and the percentages, it's possible to get rebates as incentive and treat that as income.   https://www.templegatefilms.com https://www.rickbalentinemusic.com http://Iifeinthecarolinans.com http://lifeinthecarolinaspodcast.com

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl sits down with John Santa, founder of the Marathon Jam, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which seeks to improve the lives of injured Veterans, First Responders, and their families. Joining Carl and John is vascular surgeon Charles, who speaks to us about his journey to making the switch from “actively practicing surgeon to actively practicing musician”. The team at the Marathon Jam lives by their motto, Curatus Per Musica (“Healing Through Music”)—uniting a diverse group of people with the common goal of raising money and performing outreach to improve the lives of those who have sacrificed so much for us. They do this through an annual fundraiser which features musicians and artists of all ages and styles to play music and create art for twelve straight hours. These musicians generate donations by securing sponsors for each hour they participate in the jam. In 2015, The Marathon Jam created Outreach Programs to help those who cannot come to the Jams, by sending artists and musicians into VA and other treatment centers to facilitate the rehabilitation of our Veterans and First Responders. Since 2009, the recipients of the Marathon Jam's annual fundraiser have been North Carolina's Fort Bragg Fisher House and Camp Lejeune Fisher House, with over $500,000 raised for the latter. In today's conversation, John and Charles draw inspiring parallels between medicine and music, passionately speaking on his life-altering decision to shift career paths while continuing to carry out his mission to provide healing to as many people as he can touch. In fact, they perfectly illustrate this by briefly talking about their fascinating realization that the use of certain types of music actually facilitates healing and recovery in the operating room. “Music is curative,” says Charles. “It was time for me to go from one mode to the other and still be able to provide that for people.” He adds: “When I first made this move, I was calling it ‘retirement'. But it really isn't. It's ‘career change'.” After telling some of their favorite stories of healing and hope through the initiative of Marathon Jam, John and Charles speak on how they see the future of the organization. What started out as a grassroots movement over 12 years ago is gaining steam throughout the state. “Music is a way to communicate with human vulnerability. We're not stopping. The need is there.”   Learn more about the Marathon Jam at www.marathonjam.org.

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl sits down with Jeffrey Elmore who has, since 2013, served in the North Carolina House of Representatives from the 94th district which is made up of the population centers of Wilkes County and Alexander County. Outside of serving in Raleigh, Jeffrey is a public school teacher who has had the opportunity to teach visual arts, with a focus on painting and sculpture, to every grade level since 2001. Today, Jeffrey discusses his involvement in the revival of the North Wilkesboro Speedway, in which he played a key role in securing the funds. He talks about the process behind his being the go-ahead and his conversations with key people on their vision for the new speedway. He explains his justification for the appropriation of these funds for this specific project and why, despite some concerns regarding the potential knock-on effects of the appropriation, he sees nothing but long-term economic growth in the local community from the revival of the speedway. In fact, Jeffrey makes the point that “the worst thing that happens with local appropriation is that they don't use the money.” With its new multipurpose event space, The revived North Wilkesboro Speedway aims to elevate its visitors' appreciation for the local history as well as North Wilkesboro itself as a tourist destination. Aside from essentially serving as a museum for the community, the speedway will embrace its heritage with displays of living history via car shows, performances, and more. “It's a wonderful blend of the past moving into the future,” says Jeffrey. “You don't see that a lot.”

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl once again sits down with Tabitha Hudler, Director of The Walker Center at Wilkes Community College. Coming up on the 40th year since the founding of The Walker Center, Tabitha is excited to announce the 2022-2023 season of acts kicking off on September 9. Tabitha gives a special shoutout to Dailey & Vincent and The Haggard Brothers as the most well-received acts of the 2021-2022 lineup. She speaks of last year as being nothing but an all-around success as every attendee was just happy to be in community again after a year of lockdowns. This year's lineup includes Croce Plays Croce on September 9; Lonestar on October 28; Charles Billingsley on December 1; comedian Karen Mills on February 23; Malpass Brothers, Appalachian Road Show, and Teea Goans on March 10; and Beach Boy Tribute Sail On on May 10. Tabitha talks about her favorite part of the job: the Spring and Fall school shows. She says that the Walker Center aims to give kids the experience of education and entertainment all at once, and hopefully even plant seeds within a few who might one day aspire for a career in stage performance. Finally, Tabitha reveals her involvement in organizing this year's MerleFest, offering a tease of the special collaborations set to provide an exciting festival this April 27-30, 2023. “We know that life throws obstacles constantly,” says Tabitha. “But in that timeframe, when we are either working an event or just enjoying an event, it does give us a time to reflect on some good times.”   Learn more about The Walker Center at www.walkercenteronline.org.

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl sits down with Craig DeLucia, CEO at The Leonard G. Herring Family Foundation and President and CFO at NC Tech Paths. Craig speaks on the crucial difference between charity and philanthropy. To him, being charitable is writing a check to help a good organization do well, whereas philanthropy involves human capital—direct involvement—in helping the community or organization solve problems. Discussing his role at The Leonard G. Herring Family Foundation in Wilkes County, Craig believes that the challenges presented by the pandemic over the past couple of years have heightened the urgency of his work at the nonprofit. Fueling Craig's passion for his role is the fact that he had worked directly with the Leonards' as their CPA before their passing. The foundation supports a variety of projects from coast to coast, with a focus on impacting the quality of life of the citizens of Wilkes County via expanding access to education. “Our work is honoring the legacy of Leonard and Rose Herring—two incredible human beings—and their service to the community in Wilkes County, as well as their family's desire to impact their communities where they live.” Another nonprofit led by Craig is NC Tech Paths which aims to “break the urban world divide in the digital economy.” While The Leonard G. Herring Family Foundation aims to equal the playing field with regards to education, NC Tech Paths is a logical extension of sorts, as it works to provide greater access to technology jobs to young professionals in an economy where virtually every company today has technology needs. Craig says that part of succeeding in the modern economy when it comes to attracting and retaining a workforce is access to quality-of-life amenities. With greater access to education and the technological skills required to thrive in the new normal, those quality-of-life amenities naturally flow into the community. Looking to the future, Craig sees his philanthropic collaborations with amazing organizations as serving as a model for the rest of North Carolina. In his words: “We are living a case study that will be written about in the most positive ways for how a community can come together and roll up its sleeves and do the hard work to make it the best place it can be.”  

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl sits down with Dale and Michelle Isom. After a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19, they are excited to announce the return of the Carolina In The Fall Music and Food Festival, which runs this September 23-24. Carolina In The Fall celebrates Good Food and great music, including folk, country, and bluegrass.  The pandemic allowed the team to make this year's festival a greater experience than ever before. Among the significant changes being made is a shift to a single-stage focus. Carolina In The Fall in 2022 will take place at Carolina West Wireless Community Commons in Historic Downtown Wilkesboro. There are a limited number of reserved sponsored seats this year and then opening seating for up to 2000 sponsored by the festival presenting sponsor “Window World.” Bring your family and bring your chairs.  Expect an exciting lineup of talent this year, both old favorites and up-and-coming. Friday night will feature country music artists Presley Barker, Paige King Johnson, The Kruger Brothers, and Diamond Rio. Saturday's lineup includes Terry Baucom & the Dukes of Drive, Darin & Brooke Aldridge, The Contenders, Darrell Scott Bluegrass Band, and The Kruger Brothers returning alongside Kontras Quartet to perform a special piece called Moonshine Sonata. “Our goal this year,” says Dale, “is to capture still the very best of what Carolina In The Fall has always been: a close community, great entertainment, wonderful food, and relaxation.”   Learn more about Carolina In The Fall at www.carolinainthefall.org.

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl sits down with Graig Hoffman, who as of April 2022 has served as the Executive Director at the North Wilkesboro Speedway. For the past 24 years, he has also managed accounts at the Bristol Motor Speedway.   Graig speaks on being swept away by racing promoter Barry Braun and the mission to restore and reopen the legendary North Carolina Speedway. He talks about the Speedway's historic preservation efforts.    “One of my main jobs,” says Graig, “is to establish myself in the community as a Speedway Motorsports ambassador and to walk alongside promoters to make sure the events that they are putting on are up to our standards in what we want to deliver as a race experience for our fans.”   Once the new track is officially unveiled in 2024, Graig sees visitors admiring a blend of old and new—preservation of the original Speedway's classic profile while being touched up with modern amenities. The team also plans on turning the space into a multipurpose venue that can accommodate a variety of event types, from concerts to car shows.   “What stokes my passion is reestablishing that place and giving the sense of pride that the community deserves.    We're going back to celebrate that legacy, but history will still be made in the future.”   Learn more at www.northwilkesborospeedway.com.

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl sits down with Lyric Wallenda, Simon Arestov, and Alex “The Mooch” Arestov of Circus Incredible. Lyric is a 7th generation circus performer of the Flying Wallenda family while Simon, a member of the Arestov Circus Troup from Moscow, is 2nd generation. The Mooch, now five years old, is the 8th and latest generation to carry on the Wallenda legacy. Lyric reflects on the achievements of the most famous member of her family, her great-grandfather Karl Wallenda, who immigrated from Germany to the U.S. where he and his wife Helen performed with the Ringling Brothers for 17 years. Their immediate success at their debut performance at Madison Square Garden gave the Wallendas the opportunity to bring many more of their relatives over from Germany. Listen in as Lyric and Simon tell the riveting and often-heartbreaking story of their family's rise to fame in America. They explain why, after several generations, they continue to see the circus as their calling, and why they love performing in front of a wide variety of audiences, from major state and county fairs all the way to the Hollywood Bowl and NBA Halftime shows at Madison Square Garden!

  On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl sits down with Bob Abdou, aka “Mr. Puppet”, an Ohio-born ventriloquist who built his early career in Atlanta and now calls Hilton Head Island, South Carolina his home. Bob's foray into professional entertainment in 1996 saw him performing at many a school and birthday party. He married seminarian June Wilkins in 2002 and settled for a time in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After June's graduation, the pair moved to Austin, Texas in 2003, where Bob continued to share his love for puppets and ventriloquism to all who were willing to be entertained! Eight years later, Bob and June made the move to Columbus, Ohio where, for the next ten years, Bob's career really gained steam. Among the many great opportunities that came his way was an invitation to perform for the Amish community, which he continued to do for five years, and to become a county fair performer. As the COVID-19 scare began to settle in February 2021, Bob and June decided for a change of scenery yet again, and ultimately chose Hilton Head Island, South Carolina as the latest place they would call home. Listen in as Bob and Carl discuss a very special milestone in Bob's professional career: the opportunity to do his 7000th show at North Carolina's county fair. He shares his dream to “make puppetry cool” to audiences of all ages. He talks about the three keys to success as an entertainer: the ability to read a room, the willingness to get to know the audience, and the openness to love the audience. His goal in every performance is to turn the spotlight away from himself and onto the children and adults in that room, to make them feel joyful and special. “We live in a world where people just don't know how to react,” says Bob. “They don't know how to smile. There are strangers sitting next to each other in the audience. My job is to lasso them in and laugh as a group.” Bob reflects on his path to discovering the magical world of puppetry. He recalls being the odd one out growing up, initially turning to entertainment as a way to bring in money rather than because of a passion. Over time, he realized that “being onstage makes a difference”, as his inspiring and heart-wrenching stories of his favorite performances illustrate. Don't miss the end of the show, where Bob brings to life a couple of his friends, Baby Elvis and Henrietta Operetta!

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl sits down with Tabitha Hudler, Director of The Walker Center at Wilkes Community College. She celebrates the theater's huge and intensely loyal customer base, demonstrated by the 4000 volunteers that show up every year for MerleFest, not to mention the high volume of patrons who have availed of The Walker Center's Lifetime Patron and Season Ticket programs. This customer loyalty was, in part, directly responsible for the theater's ability to thrive over the past two, turbulent years. Since the theater's inception in 1984, there has been a lot of passion among folks in the rural community of Wilkesboro to develop a platform for the many talented local entertainers. Tabitha says, “Because of the passion and the dedication not just then, but all through the years—that is why we're so successful.” Listen in as Carl and Tabitha go on to reflect on the importance of music and theater in any community and why a visit to The Walker Center to experience the best of Wilkesboro is absolutely worth it!

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl sits down with Jan Kronsell, a Danish university business professor and the author of Land of friendliness and beauty: A Danes Guide to Western North Carolina, The Doctor's Secret: Another version of the Tom Dooley legend, and his latest release, Who killed Laura Foster?: My view on a 150-year old murder. While admitting that “the truth will never be found, unless someone invests a time machine,” Jan wrote Who killed Laura Foster as a sort of culmination piece to satisfy, to the best of his ability, his immense curiosity towards the North Carolina legend since first learning about it in the late 1990s. Jan shares his 20+-year journey to painting the clearest picture he could of the murder of Laura Foster, including the possible reasons behind the suspicious behaviors of Laura's father and her cousin Anne's younger brother Thomas directly before and after her death, and the series of events that allowed Jan to pinpoint the most likely location of her grave. He also offers his thoughts on why this particular story is so enduring over a century later. “Everybody has their own version of the story,” says Jan. “And I think that's great because [...] it's not about telling the truth⁠—it's about keeping the legends alive.”

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl sits down with historian Doug Mitchell of the Overmountain Victory Trail Association. Originally born in Ohio, Doug now lives in North Road, North Carolina with his wife of 40 years, three daughters, and seven grandkids. Doug recalls the moment that began his love of history and culture at age 16 when he was asked to help auction off his late grandfather's belongings. It was there where he came across a Civil War-era letter written by his great-great-great grandfather. Reading that letter sparked an endless curiosity: Young Doug had caught the history bug. He believes that “each town has its own unique flavor. To cover that up is a loss for everybody.” History, Doug continues, isn't only limited to that of the individual—there is also community history, county history, state history, country history, all the way to world history. To him, history offers a multilayered appreciation for our culture and brings us all together in a way that simply cannot be captured if we remain in the dark about our past. Doug shows Carl an amazing artifact that he and his grandson recently discovered while looking around Big Elkin Creek: a 250-year-old remnant of iron ore beside David Allen's forge—one of about 2000 pieces found in the area. Doug also is passionate about living history, which led him to meet Mary Bohlen of the North Carolina Daniel Boone Heritage Trail. “Meeting Mary,” he says, “set me on this whole new path where I'm not only reading about history, but am a participant in it.” He loves seeing children's eyes light up as he tells stories about the past, clad in historical attire. For Doug, this journey started with a box of letters. Firmly believing that the study of history is for everybody, he encourages us all to “get past our grandparents” and remember that we all came from someplace. “Take time,” says Doug. “Get out and explore.”

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl sits down with R.G. Absher, Executive Director at Yadkin River Greenway, a nonprofit created in 1994 through the cooperative efforts of citizen volunteers, landowners, and the governments of Wilkes County. The first phase of the Greenway became a reality and was opened May 18, 2002. This Greenway is a natural area between urban communities where wildlife, vegetation, and streams are preserved and enjoyed. Greenways also provide transportation, recreation, and exercise opportunities for the community. R.G. is a treasure trove of information on the Greenway, and in today's conversation, he specifically highlights a map focusing on the Yadkin Valley Heritage Corridor. It provides an introductory guide to enjoying the river, whether through kayaking or fishing. This map (which is available in digital form as well) aims to promote outdoor activities in the region, which is steeped in natural beauty and is rich with history as well—having had a Native American presence for about 12,000 years. R.G. explains how best to prepare for a visit to the region and the most pressing safety concerns to keep in mind when considering an adventure on the Yadkin River. He also describes the agricultural importance of the area going back centuries since the settlement of Native Americans and our duty as tourists to adhere to the old Boy Scout lesson of “leaving an area better than we found it.”  R.G. believes that cleanliness begins with you if you are to be an ambassador for the outdoors. Ultimately, says R.G., “The goal of the brochure is to encourage activity; and to enjoy it in a safe way.”   https://goyadkinvalley.com/ https://www.yadkinrivergreenway.com/

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl sits down with Jason and Chantelle Sargood, co-owners of the veteran-owned meat processing business, The Meat Sweats. The dynamic husband and wife team kick off the conversation by discussing their secrets to raising their large family, mainly how they are teaching their five kids the value of respect and always going beyond what is expected of them. Having grown up in small towns, Jason and Chantelle believe that their grounded and value-driven approach to life has carried over into their role as parents and now as business owners. Curiosity is yet another trait that the Sargoods have in common. Jason tells how he ended up getting a job as the site engineer for a medical robotics company simply because the opportunity arose to take on a challenging yet rewarding position. This same mindset of “go big or go home” naturally extended to Jason and Chantelle's decision to start their own meat processing business later on. Finally, our guests imagine how life and career will look five years from now and how they view the seasons of life in general. As Chantelle puts it: “This is just the season we're in right now. It's not going to be like this forever. It's just about enjoying the crazy, chaotic life we have right now because anything can change at any given time.”

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl sits down with returning guest Nikki Morgan, singer-songwriter, to catch up on developments in her life and career since their last conversation. She speaks on the common threads between gospel and country music and the path that she is currently on in discovering exactly how these two genres influence each other. She focuses on the element of faith present in most country songs, as well as the down-to-Earth everyman nature of the genre as a whole. Carl asks Nikki whether she intends to foray into country, and she replies that, lately, she has been writing songs that “ride the line between country and gospel very nicely.” She adds that singing these songs has been a joy, saying that “I've finally found a voice that I can settle in.” Finally, Nikki performs a song she wrote in 2019, I'm Going Home, which she demonstrates as being an example of her journey to settling into the intersection between gospel and country.

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl sits down with North Wilkesboro-based woodworker Keegan Watson, founder of Handcrafted by Keegan. Keegan reflects on being exposed to “the construction side of woodworking” since he was just a kid, having grown up in a house “that was always being renovated.” It was in 2018 when he fell in love with woodturning after making his first cup using a friend's lathe. “Within a week, I found an old machine on Craigslist, went and bought it, and I was off to the races.” Keegan goes on to show Carl a set of nesting bowls he created and explains the process that goes into making these bowls known as “coring”. He also talks about how he is able to keep his craft sustainable by sticking to local hardwoods, some of his favorites being cherry burl, maple, walnut, poplar, and ash. In creating long-lasting, heirloom pieces, Keegan refers to his works “functional art”. He says that his goal is the “preservation of the tree and giving it another chance in this world, because once it goes up in smoke, it's gone.” In the latter half of the conversation, Keegan talks about fellow woodworkers he looks up to, what it is like to have collectors of his work, mentoring young aspiring woodworkers, and why he believes that he will continue to pursue his current path with passion into his old age.

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl sits down with historian and heritage cook Mary Bohlen. She currently serves as President of the North Carolina Daniel Boone Heritage Trail. Here, members participate in preserving Boone's story, promoting the history of his era, and sharing both his legacy and heritage. Mary's passion for the outdoors goes all the way back to her adventures as a child, many of which involved cooking whatever nature offered that evening by the campfire. “Cooking on the fireplace,” Mary contends, “is a common denominator for drawing people.” She first entered the world of interpretive cooking in the mid-1980s when she enrolled in a day-long class at what was then called the Atlanta Historical Society (today known as the Atlanta History Center.) Mary often cooks at the Replica Daniel Boone Cabin at Whippoorwill Academy & Village, channeling Daniel's wife Rebecca whenever she does so. She says that putting herself in Mary's shoes, so to speak, brings the entire historical experience in that cabin to life like nothing else. Says Mary: “You can read about something in a book or look at pictures. But when you actually put your hands on it and go through the motions, there's a connection.” To her, it's a connection with a way of living that no longer exists, one which brings it back to the present and infuses meaning into the work in much the same way as those in the past found it meaningful.

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl sits down with country singer Alex Key. Claiming that he learned to sing before he could talk, the young artist speaks to us about how he developed his distinctive country baritone and found early fame in 2019 doing gigs at Myrtle Beach. He then discusses his songwriting process, why he decided to lean into classic country after a period of experimenting between the classic and pop varieties, and how he came to form his first band. Alex dives deep into the process behind his latest song, We Want You Back. Alex refers to its character as “country music being country again”. The song is a celebration of simpler times as well as that “small town” sound that many Americans are aching for today. He goes farther by saying that he aims to “embody country music in a new way. I can't go back to being a 90s country artist; but, I can create a sound that is for people over the age of 25. It's a familiar sound. And for people under the age of 25, it's a sound they're not very familiar with. So, it's both new and old at the same time.” Alex's brand as a musician, ultimately, is an embodiment of classic country translated into the 21st century.

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl sits down with automotive service business owner John Nobles. Born and raised in Marietta, Georgia, John spent much of his adult life in Tampa, Florida where he raised his daughter and two sons. He tells us that he and his wife Kim were eventually compelled to make the move to Wilkesboro, NC in their search for a community of folks who were more in line with their faith and values. Now seven years settled in Wilkesboro, John and his family are not only enjoying living in a town awash with Southern hospitality but are quick to show that same hospitality themselves to every newcomer to their church. Our host met John a few years back when Carl walked into his shop to have his car fixed. The two quickly hit it off and have remained friends since. Today, John's business is bigger than it's ever been thanks to being built on, in Carl's words, “a big trust factor with [his] customers”. “Trust in the automotive business is something that's very hard to get,” John contends. A lot of that has to do with too many shops garnering a reputation for trying to squeeze every dollar out of their customers. John, on the other hand, prides himself on speaking to every single one of his customers as if they were members of his own family. Understanding that a car is often a person's second-most valuable asset (after their home), John says that he wants every customer to leave believing that he took care of their vehicle, and that money was never his top priority. Instead, John says, “their emergency is my priority.” Finally, John discusses the future of his business and outlines his vision of having a one-stop shop in in the North Wilkesboro area for all your automotive needs.

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl sits down with Mike Unruh and Ron Lewis of Foundation Forward, a nonprofit educational project that builds Your Charters of Freedom Settings in local communities across the country. Mike is the Resources and Communications Director of Foundation Forward and handles fundraising, press releases, and raises community awareness after Ron, the organization's facilitator, has completed the initial meeting with the county commissioners. Mike and Ron reflect on their journey together with Charters of Freedom founders Vance and Mary Jo. Mike refers to the couple as true patriots who were inspired to bring the Charters of Freedom all over the country after witnessing them for the first time in 2013. Mike, a business partner of Vance in a separate venture, was invited to be on the board at the organization's inception. He became a full-time employee for Foundation Forward in 2019. As of this conversation, the nonprofit has dedicated a total of 39 settings, with 26 in the Carolinas, and 57 more settings in the pipeline for the next couple of years. Ron recalls the initial intent of Foundation Forward as focusing on the Carolinas for the first few years before expanding the venture in other states. However, word quickly spread and the team found themselves called to dedicate settings around the country. They have since settled back into their original plan of completing the 74 counties in North Carolina, who yet to have their own Charters of Freedom, within the next three years. “Once the setting is built,” says Mike, “we don't just dedicate it and leave. We will continue to reach out to the community in the future and encourage these patriotic events and field trips.” Their mission is thoroughly solidified via time capsules containing the names of everyone involved in the establishment of the site. Along with these names are letters written by leaders of the community, describing what the Charters of Freedom mean to them. These time capsules are to be buried at each site six months following their dedication, and every single time capsule is to be opened during a planned national ceremony on September 17, 2087—the 300th anniversary of the signing of the Constitution. “A big part of our focus is toward the children,” continues Mike. “The children that we educate and give this sense of community and purpose to—they're the ones who are going to be the mayor and the sheriff and the council members in 2087 when these are opened. Just like these founding documents—they're everlasting.”

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl sits down with librarian Suzanne Moore. The two met at a local farmer's market when Suzanne was playing the banjo (she refers to herself as an "amateur plucker") to promote the new Seed Library over at Wilkes County Public Library. Carl quickly realized that Suzanne was no "ordinary" librarian. Since childhood, Suzanne has had a deep passion for books, recalling having loaned her favorite reads to her friends regularly. She has always, by extension, had a love for people and community service, as well as an insatiable curiosity and openness to new ideas. So, it was no wonder that she chose the path that she did as an adult. Suzanne refers to the library as "the people's university." Not only is there no tuition, but there is also a level of freedom in navigating a library that is not found in adhering to a strict curriculum and paying for assigned textbooks. At the pandemic outbreak in early 2020, Suzanne touches on the pain she felt at temporarily shutting the library's doors. She remembers telling borrowers to "forget about the due dates" and the gradual steps they took to make their services available to the public once again, starting with curbside pickup to extending the library's Wi-Fi outdoors to offering virtual programs via Zoom. In many ways, the crisis paved the way for many opportunities and ideas that would not have emerged otherwise. For example, the local students, digital natives, have now been given access to the library through the gadgets they are intimately familiar with. What's more, the library has found more visitors since its doors were first closed. As Suzanne says, "We've seen an increase in library usage during the pandemic because folks that didn't have the opportunity to visit, maybe due to transportation barriers, were able to connect virtually." Carl and Suzanne go on to give their thoughts on the power of the written word—of the ability of an excellent book to develop a person's mental and emotional maturity, deepen one's appreciation of the humanities, and allow the past to come alive as a book serves as a window into the minds of great men and women.

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl sits down with Jeffrey Elmore who has, since 2013, served in the North Carolina House of Representatives from the 94th district which is made up of the population centers of Wilkes County and Alexander County. Outside of serving in Raleigh, Jeffrey is a public school teacher who has had the opportunity to teach visual arts, with a focus on painting and sculpture, to every grade level since 2001. “I like interactions with people,” says Jeffrey, speaking on why he chose education as a career path and, eventually, public service. His journey as a teacher began when he underwent the South Carolina Teaching Fellows Program which granted him a scholarship at Appalachian State University, where he graduated with a BS in Art Teacher Education. In this first year as a teacher, Jeffrey taught at Atkins, a low-performing, high-minority middle school, where he says he may just as well have gotten five years of teaching experience in one year. In his own words: “What that experience made me realize was how different other people’s circumstances are to your own. For many of those kids, it wasn’t an issue of academic performance. It was almost an issue of life survival. It was quite sad to see a 12-year-old who was concerned for their own safety—some of them concerned about their next meal, some concerned about making it to school that day.” Carl and Jeffrey touch on the vital importance of developing critical thinking skills in today’s globalized digital economy. It is a topic that never leaves Jeffrey’s mind, with his passion of education, service, and the arts. He believes that if the arts, including both fine and performing arts, were elevated in importance more than they currently are, critical thinking would skyrocket across the board. “Exposure to the arts,” he contends, “helps us not only understand ourselves; it helps us understand other people.” To further illustrate the point, Carl and Jeffrey point to a variety of successful figures, including U.S. presidents, who have some exposure to the arts. Continuing along this thread, they remark on the idea that, without the humanities, it would be impossible to thoroughly understand the meanings behind the founding documents. Jeffrey hopes that, in an age awash with technology, art, especially at the tactile level, continues to be embraced. “We are connected more than ever; but we’re also more disconnected more than ever.” On the other hand, “The arts are a reflection of the human experience.”

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl sits down with Jennifer Furr, Director of the Wilkes Heritage Museum, which features exhibits about local history in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. The museum tells a story of how the community has evolved through the wonderful artifacts that it displays within its historic buildings. Among the reasons people typically visit the museum include experiencing the community’s history of moonshine, how the company known today as NASCAR came to be, and hearing the story of Tom Dooley. “Those are the things that Wilkes County is more known for,” says Jennifer, “but once we actually get them in through the door, they realize that there is this whole other world here as well.” Out-of-county, out-of-state, and even international visitors, who may only be expecting their time at the “small-town museum” to be short, often end up staying all day. The Wilkes Heritage Museum was established in 1968, its original intention being to restore the Old Wilkes County Jail to its 1860 appearance. Also restored following the jail were the 1779 home of Captain Robert Cleveland and the late 19th century Finley Law Office. The building housing the museum itself used to be the 1902 Wilkes County Courthouse. It is a historically significant building reflecting North Carolina’s architectural hallmarks of the time. The museum has exhibits on two floors. The lower-level features artifacts from the county’s early settlers and different aspects of society and culture, from religion to moonshine to racing to agriculture to transportation. The upper level contains additional exhibits on Native Americans, African American history, the Revolutionary War, military history, and the Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame. This space doubles as a venue for special events such as concerts, weddings, and fundraiser dinners. Asked how Jennifer feels about having a career that allows her to, literally, participate with history, she says that there is never a boring day. As the museum’s curator, she wears a lot of hats, but for her, “talking to people who bring their treasures in and learning those stories is probably the best part of my job.”

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl sits down with Charlotte-based pianist and composer Chad Lawson. Ironically, Chad did not grow up in a family that listened to music, much less played instruments. What actually sparked his interest in taking piano lessons was a TV show he grew up on, Sha Na Na, and the rest is history. Chad recalls having his music used a few years back, without his permission, as a background track for the podcast Lore. He reached out to host Aaron Mahnke for a potential collaboration, and the two quickly became friends. Eventually, Lore got picked up by Amazon for a television series written by Glen Morgan of The X-Files fame. As fate would have it, Chad was their one and only choice to be the composer for the series. “All of that stemmed,” Chad reflects, “from my being okay with someone using my music.” He goes on to suggest that other artists be more open to giving other parties an opportunity to use their music. “Within limitations, I want to encourage others to do a little bit of homework, check it out, and be okay with it. [...] You never know what doors open.” Chad’s music, much like his personality, can be characterized as quiet, calm, and soothing. Ever since lockdowns were implemented in the first quarter of 2020, Chad fondly notes the explosion of emails he received from others who told him that his music had been helping them cope with the challenges. “I get those emails almost daily now,” says Chad. “I can’t travel, but I want to be able to engage. I want to get deeper into the grit of life with my listeners. I want to find a way that if I can’t speak to them from stage, how do I speak to them? [...] Why don’t I create something where I’m helping them, emotionally, walk through this?” Chad’s solution? His very own podcast, Calm It Down, a passion piece he created to help ease anxieties, COVID-induced or otherwise. He wanted the podcast to be a space for honesty and transparency, and to dissolve shame around vulnerability. As Chad openly shares from the heart on such topics as depression and suicide, he gives his audience permission to be real in a society whose knee-jerk reaction to tragedy and hardship has 3been, overwhelmingly, repression. “The very first thing we have to do is make people comfortable with awareness. We just have to make the conversation comfortable.” Chad implores us to catch ourselves whenever our self-preservation instincts kick in, when confronted with uncomfortable topics. After all, the hardest step to healing is always the first. “You have to bring the conversation to your audience. That’s how it starts.” Connect with Chad: Chad Lawson - Official Store Calm It Down | Calming & Meditation Podcast (calmitdownpodcast.com) Connect with us: http://www.lifeinthecarolinas.com/ https://www.lifeinthecarolinaspodcast.com/

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl sits down with Don Miller, who served as the former President of Penske Racing South, alongside founding the N.C. Auto Racing Hall of Fame in Mooresville. Originally hailing from Chicago, the American automobile enthusiast was attracted by the rich history of motorsports in the Carolinas, which led him to join Penske Racing in 1972 to work on the team’s stock car and IndyCar programs. Don takes a trip down memory lane, reflecting on the series of events that culminated in the legacy he left for the industry before retiring from Penske. Tough love, humbling lessons, and the resulting changes from within dominate today’s conversation with Don. Asked of his decision-making framework throughout his storied career, he replies: “People, as they go through life, tend to wonder whether what they are doing is really the right thing for their family or simply out of ego. They would ask, ‘Should I rethink it?’ or ‘Should I have thought more about it?’ As time goes on, you have those thoughts if you are human.” Don recalls that, years ago, he desired nothing more than to win races, each and every time. His business partner Rusty Wallace, on the other hand, who had just come off of a racing career in his own right, had more of an ambition to entertain through the company rather than to win at all costs. Don and Rusty’s vision came to a head when a certain individual told them that they “were in the entertainment business. If somebody comes along and wins all the races, nobody is going to come to the show. I really do not care how many races you win, but if you win too many, it is not going to make me happy.” It was at that moment when Don realized that he needed to temper his ego with “the science of it all”—that is, the business of running an auto racing organization—if he wanted the business to thrive for the long haul. Don also speaks on the inspiration behind the creation of the Stocks for Tots program in Mooresville in 1989. Initially conceived as a one-day event to collect gifts and donations as well as to bring race industry celebrities together with fans, Stocks for Tots very quickly grew into an established charitable foundation that is still going strong to this day. Don remembers thinking, upon establishing Stocks for Tots, that “this is an opportunity for us, as part of the racing community, to give back to those who allow us to do what we do. It is what we should have been doing all along.” Connect with LITC:carl@lifeinthecarolinas.com www.lifeinthecarolinas.com www.lifeinthecarolinaspodcast.com

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl sits down with singer-songwriter Mason Via. Mason grew up in a musical household. Both his mom and dad supported his affinity for music growing up: His mother regularly took him to festivals and his father, a well-known bluegrass musician in his own right, introduced him to the genre via fiddler conventions which Mason likes to call his “stomping ground” for learning how to play bluegrass music in his youth. He wrote his first song when he was 12 years old called “Jack O’Boy, a ripoff made up of other children’s rhymes”. Mason loves the stage. Using words such as captivating and contagious, he relishes in the reality of having an audience in the palm of your hand, and that it is completely up to you (and your band members) to mold their experience with your music. Music clearly came naturally to Mason from the start, and this calling allowed him to develop his own style that helped him to establish a brand apart from that of his famous father. Music, of course, is also a collaborative art. Mason enjoys co-writing when putting together a new song. It is an experience that he believes gives the piece a new dimension, and a guarantee that someone other than him can resonate with the piece. Co-writing, to Mason, gives him more confidence that if at least two people like the song, then it is probably worthy of performance to a crowd of people. For new or aspiring musicians, Mason suggests investing in a home studio if you have the budget for it. If COVID-19 taught him anything, it is that livestreams and other digital solutions are pivotal to staying top-of-mind with your listeners (and potential listeners). Having a home studio that you can comfortably record or at least perform for the camera is the best way to adapt to the new normal brought about by the crisis. What is equally important is to stay in touch with other musicians, bandmates, and co-writers and do things that get your creative juices flowing, whether that is creating new music, sharing inspiring videos, or just jamming virtually.   Keep up with Mason’s latest gigs and albums on masonvia.com Connect with LITC:carl@lifeinthecarolinas.com www.lifeinthecarolinas.com www.lifeinthecarolinaspodcast.com

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl sits down with illusionist, comedian, director, and producer Caleb Sigmon to discuss his journey as a performer. “There’s strength in creative people coming together around a campfire,” says Caleb. He combines his passion for storytelling with his love for the Carolinas by bringing local stories to life. Caleb and his wife Katie partnered up to create Sigmon Theatrical. For much of the year, they collaborate with various talents to put historic pieces together. Aside from history-themed stories, they perform family-friendly productions such as The Cat in the Hat. They travel their shows “into schools, libraries, performing arts centers—anywhere folks gather, to suspend their disbelief and let them remember that the world that we live in is full of wonder, and when we use our imagination, anything is possible.” One can create powerful moments and raise spirits as a visual storyteller without the need for large auditoriums or theaters. Having performed in children’s hospitals since high school, Caleb started a program dubbed “Giggle Box Circus”. Here, Caleb would come into a hospital as a clown doctor, diagnose the children with “ridiculously goofy problems” to “bring distractive play into the hospital.” He shares that laughter doesn’t only physically affect people on the outside, but on the inside as well. The more someone laughs, the greater their physical improvement within. “We believe in the transformative power of a live theatre experience,” says Caleb, where everyone—the audience and the performers themselves—feels like they are part of the show.

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl sits down with historical performer Kyle Jenks, who portrays Founding Father and fourth U.S. president James Madison. The Constitution was drafted amid a weak confederacy under the Articles of Confederation. In the early 1780s after the victory of Yorktown and the official surrender with the Treaty of Paris, nothing was actually certainuntil the papers were signed in early 1784, marking the official existence of the United States of America. This is a fascinating period that Kyle enjoys reflecting on as he explores the maturation of the character of James Madison. He continues the conversation by taking us through what defined the original colonies and how they came together, their vision immortalized through the Declaration of Independence. According to Kyle, because the U.S. is a Representative Republic, the preamble, “We the People” requires “that the citizens be informed and interested; otherwise, the countrywill disintegrate, sometime.” This was precisely James Madison’s conclusion after looking through the histories of past confederacies. “In the end, even though we have the Electoral College, the citizens must be aware enough to ensure that people in positions of responsibility do their job properly, and they remember that they are servants of the people. People are not servants of their representatives.” Kyle goes on to recount the life of James Madison, from being known in his childhood days as “Little Jimmy Madison” to his becoming a Founding Father and, shortly after, the fourth president of the United States. Kyle also goes into detail regarding Madison’s relationship with fellow Founding Father and presidential predecessor Thomas Jefferson, with whom he placed a great deal of respect for in spite of a good number of political disagreements. He then explores the all-important yet complicated circumstances around the drafting and signing of the Declaration of Independence, as well as how the Founding Fathers convinced the citizens of all the different states to embrace the Constitution of the United States following the Revolutionary War. Finally, Kyle takes us through the love story between James Madison and his wife, North Carolina native Dolley Payne. Kyle concludes: “My studied opinion is that James Madison is our most virtuous Founding Father. If you want to look to a guy as a role model who upheld the principles of the United States Constitution and its added Bill of Rights, remember that he always only had a single thing on the top of his list: ‘What’s best for the country?’ He knew there were compromises to be made. You could not universally satisfy everyone. But he would make a decision and noodle it, noodle it, noodle it until he could say he did the best he could.”

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl sits down with former Navy musician Wayne Taylor. After a 21-year military career, Wayne went back to school at Berklee College of Music in Boston with ambitions to become a recording engineer. As a musician in the military, Wayne had his share of memorable experiences, all of which were made more exciting since he never did know what his next gig would be. One day, he would be playing at an elementary school; the next day, he would be called to perform at the White House. More recently, Wayne started the bluegrass band Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa. His long career in music saw him traveling around the world, bringing him to countries such as Canada, China, Sweden, Scotland, and Ireland. “There is a wide spectrum of bluegrass,” says Wayne. There is an attitude among many of these new musicians that is both progressive and respectful of tradition. “When you get progressive with it, you get a whole new audience.” Wayne released his first CD in 1991 and has since gone on to record another 15. Only recently, however, did he build his own studio beside his home. A lifelong learner, he built up his capacity as a bluegrass artist through a mix of his natural talent and a thorough study of technique, both with mentorship and by his own ear. Carl and Wayne reflect on the calming, even healing power of music. “Music,” says Wayne, “is used as a tool in music therapy to help people bring about positive change. It creates emotion. Playing my songs just puts me in a different frame of mind. I get lost in it. It is like going to see a good movie.”

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl sits down with painter and retired art educator Margaret Ferguson Carter-Martine. She is the Director of Whippoorwill Academy and Village, which she inherited from her mother, Edith Carter. Margaret considers her art to be a diary of her life. “My art takes many different directions,” she says. Some of her works are political, while others are “things of beauty that bring me joy”. She believes that it is an artist’s job to use the emotionality of the medium to express, often in a big way, what the artist believes is worth expressing—and to be prepared to defend the content of their work as a lawyer defends their client. Before retiring as a teacher, Margaret had always believed that her future role at Whippoorwill Academy would be to assist her mother in running the village. Unfortunately, as fate would have it, Edith would learn that she had cancer and pass away a mere month following the diagnosis. Whippoorwill’s purpose is to celebrate local and regional history, art, and period culture. To this end, the village conducts tours for out-of-towners and schoolchildren alike. Whippoorwill’s team includes specialists such as an Appalachian toy expert, a blacksmith, hearth cookers, spinners, weavers, and more. As a treat to the students, Margaret painted, on one hundred rocks, animals that Daniel Boone would have hunted. She created a scavenger hunt for the kids by hiding the rocks all around the village. The life of Daniel Boone is celebrated at the historic Daniel Boone Hunting Lodge where the man himself slept during one of his many hunts. Other attractions include the Tom Dooley Museum, in which visitors can watch a video that Edith created about the life of Dooley. There is also the Whippoorwill School House, where many great contributors to American society received their education. Margaret has an especially soft spot for the students who visit Whippoorwill on field trips. She makes it a point to totally immerse the kids into each of the village’s museums in order to build in them an appreciation of another time period on a tactile level. “Nothing else can take the place of hands-on learning,” says Margaret. To those who consider the study of history as useless and irrelevant, Margaret has this to say: “If we look at this pandemic that we are having right now—and I read a huge book on the pandemic of 1918—we would learn so much looking back through history as to how it was handled, and how we can handle this now. There is an importance to history. We can learn from long ago on what to do now.” Links: Whippoorwill Academy -     www.whippoorwillacademy.com Life in the Carolinas Tom Dooley Segment with author Charlotte Barnes filmed at Whippoorwill Academy   -    https://youtu.be/-5-KbySh03k

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl sits down with four-time Grammy Award winner David Holt. David has been collecting and performing mountain music for over 50 years and had the privilege of learning from old-time greats like Bill Monroe, Doc Watson, Ralph Stanley, and others in his early days as a musician. David is the host of the current TV series David Holt’s State of Music. David has had many TV adventures over the years and in this conversation, he shares memories from his exciting journey. It is a role he does not take for granted: Since the early 70s, he understood that TV is a powerful tool to promote different forms of music, not just to existing fans, but to those who are yet to be exposed to them, particularly younger generations. David shares his experience playing a musician near the end of the film O Brother, Where Art Thou?. He relates the evening he spent before taping his scene, shooting the breeze and singing old songs around a campfire with some of the cast and crew, including George Clooney himself. The following morning, David did his scene and ended the day wondering whether it would make it into the final cut at all. It did, and according to a call from a friend in Europe (which is where the movie was first released) David was billed “the village idiot”. It was an unforgettable day. David also shared a few stories about his guest appearances on the show Hee Haw from 1988-1991. What started out as a simple love for mountain music gradually evolved into a sense of responsibility for preserving a piece of American history. David was able to study and play with the renowned musicians of yesterday and emerged from those experiences driven by a calling to spread his passion through as many avenues as he could for the rest of his professional life. David has had the opportunity to play a variety of instruments in his time, some more exotic than others. He considers the mouth bow as one of the more unusual ones he has tried out. He also demonstrates his mastery of bones, an instrument which he fondly recalls his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather playing when he was just a little boy. This episode is filled with stories about a TV personality and entertainer who has reached millions with this unique style of brining stories to life.   Links:   www.davidholt.com/   www.DavidHoltTV.org   www.lifeinthecarolinas.com  

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl sits down with John Cooley, an Assistant Professor in Residence at the University of Connecticut. They discuss the emergence of Brood IX in North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia this May as well as John’s cicada mapping project and its corresponding app, Cicada Safari, which he is currently promoting. After a brief introduction to periodical cicadas, John answers some pressing questions regarding the emergence of the 17-year variety. He tells us to think of this type of cicada as a “big boisterous aphid”, as they spend a lot of time sucking on plant juices both as juveniles underground and adults above ground. He says that once you can see mating pairs amid the chorus, “you will know you are really in the thick of the emergence”, and that their time above ground should only last around a month, depending on the weather, before they all die. Immediately upon emerging, Adult cicadas climb the nearest available tree and shed their nymph exoskeleton. Starting out stark white, they achieve their full, brown coloration within a couple of days. Males feed on surrounding vegetation until they become mature adults, then proceed to sing in order to attract females. John goes into the complicated, three-part courtship that takes place throughout the entire chorus. For the remainder of their respective lifespans, males will continue to look for females and females will continue to lay eggs. Asked whether cicadas “damage” trees, John replies that “it depends what you mean by ‘damage’”. After all, these species of cicada have been around for millions of years, carrying out their regular activities within the same environment—which include trees—in that time. He hastens to add that “delicate ornamental trees, fruit trees, and saplings” are more prone to defilement simply because they are not a natural part of the Eastern Deciduous Forest. John says that spraying pesticides will not be enough to take care of the enormous numbers of cicadas in the area; not to mention the damage that will be done to the surrounding environment due to all those chemicals. Instead, John encourages those concerned to invest in anything that physically excludes the cicadas from the branches, such as avian netting, window screening, or cheese cloth. These will probably not exclude every single cicada, but it should exclude enough to prevent the tree from getting damaged. Apart from periodical cicadas, there are also annual cicadas. While these encompass a number of species, the “loud ones that are often singing at dusk” are known as Dog-day cicadas. John refers to Dog-day cicadas as “the sounds of summer”, as they emerge in July. Speaking of their singing, John mentions that the sound of the swamp cicada can be heard in the original Star Wars film when C3PO and R2D2 land in Tatooine. This is, in fact, a recurring choice in many Hollywood soundtracks because swamp cicadas produce a “scary, rattly sound”. John grew up in Kansas City and was exposed every year to summer cicadas. He loved hearing them, referring to the yearly experience as “the sound of childhood and summer”. He also had a professor in college who was an expert in periodical cicadas. He piqued John’s interest to the point where he went on to study the Magicicada in his postgraduate education. Why study something so “esoteric” as periodical cicadas? “In biology,” replies John, “it is the exceptions that are interesting. The exceptions tell us something about how the world works.” On a more practical level, periodical cicadas are a “bioindicator of our forests’ health”. That is, if a good crop of cicadas emerge, “all is as it should be”. The forest is doing exactly what it needs to be doing.

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl sits down with Ted Alexander. Apart from working at the North Carolina Senate, Ted also serves as the Western Regional Director for Preservation, North Carolina. Preservation, North Carolina is a statewide nonprofit organization that has been around in some form or another for about 81 years, having first started out as the North Carolina Society for the Preservation of Antiquities in 1939. The group looks to protect, preserve, and even repurpose built environments regarded as significant to the state’s heritage. These included properties that tell rich stories about North Carolina’s history, from Gastonia's Loray Mill Village to the Bellamy Mansion in Wilmington. When asked why it is important to preserve these historic buildings, Ted first makes it a point to give due credit to President J. Myrick Howard with the overall vision-mission of Preservation, North Carolina. He says that there are several reasons why these assets need to be preserved. For one, “there are some properties that are inherently important”, whether it was the home of a famous individual, the location of a significant event, or a very important piece of architecture of a certain style. Another reason for preservation is to “create a sense of place”, as historic buildings help to establish the identity of the community in terms of its values and self-image. A building might also “offer a very functional use in today’s world”, such as serving as a tourist attraction. Then there is the economic benefit to preserving historic assets, since not only do the buildings themselves go up in value, but they may also pave the way to further investments or the creation of more jobs. Finally, there is patriotic value to preservation, being an activity that brings the entire community together. According to studies, historic sites are almost always near the top of a tourist’s agenda. Ted says that modern travelers want to collect experiences—speaking particularly of millennials. He says that even smaller towns who understand this and do whatever they can to promote these historical buildings by telling their stories will have an edge as tourist destinations.   CONNECT: https://www.presnc.org/ www.lifeinthecarolinas.com Carl@lifeinthecarolinas.com   SEE MORE: https://youtu.be/pK78QQ4tLMM https://youtu.be/E_xCzuKeJ_c    

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl sits down with Liz Parham, the Executive Director of North Carolina Main Street Center. She works with designated Main Street communities across the state to conduct strategic planning and education programs. These initiatives, among others, are designed to increase the economic capacity of communities. The Main Street program was inspired by the National Main Street Center, which began in 1980. The idea behind the program was born out of the increasingly commercialized society that developed in the late 1970s and 1980s, with malls and strip centers popping up everywhere. Because of these rapid developments, there was concern among communities that their downtown districts would become vacant. The Main Street program was started, then, to “put new uses back into those really key properties, those buildings, that were in our downtown districts all across the state.” “The heart and soul of the community is in the downtown,” continues Liz. “Historic buildings are unique to that town. If you lose that heart and soul, you do not just lose it downtown; you lose a community’s identity. Even today, industries do not move into a community that does not have a heart and soul.” The Main Street program has brought life back into these communities. Residents develop a sense of pride upon seeing physical improvements to historic buildings, as well as new businesses coming to life. It inspires the citizenry to share the good news and invest for the good of the community in their own, individual ways. Just last year alone, $270 million was invested in Liz’s designated Main Street. Collectively, $3.2 billion was invested since the beginning of the program in 1980. As Liz says, “It’s very much a public-private partnership, which I think is good for everyone. They are sharing in the expenses; but they are also sharing in the success.” Liz actually began to do downtown work when she was finishing college. Upon graduation, Liz moved around for a number of years serving on the Main Street programs of different cities. In that time, she has seen directors of the program grow in number, from a small handful when she started, to about 20 now spread out among 64 designated Main Street communities. Asked about how the Main Street program is dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, Liz says that they are working with a lot of small businesses to help them build an ecommerce presence through websites and social media profiles. The Main Street program’s website has a dedicated COVID-19 resource page that is extremely active and updated with new information every day. Beyond looking at federal resources, the program is helping small businesses to develop and execute innovative marketing and investment strategies amid quarantine measures all around the country. All of this builds towards the long-term goal of recovery and resiliency.   CONNECT WITH THE MAIN STREET PROGRAM: www.ncmainstreetrurualplanningcenter.com www.ncmainstreetconference.com CONNECT WITH LIFE IN THE CAROLINAS www.lifeinthecarolinas.com www,lifeinthecarolinaspodcast.com carl@lifeinthecarolinas.com  

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl sits down with Andy Eversole, banjoist, global citizen, and creator of Banjo Earth. Banjo Earth is a “world music project” that involves Andy traveling to different countries to find and collaborate with local folk musicians, ultimately producing albums and documentaries on each of these different cultures through the lens of music. “It’s sort of like Anthony Bourdain with a banjo,” says Andy. Andy’s love of travel began when he studied in China for a short period in 2015 while in college. He took this newfound passion and merged it with his talent for music. “I just started walking around Beijing with a banjo, first of all, looking for music, going to music stores, going to venues, and asking them about musicians.” Andy divides his albums into three sections: 1) folk songs unique to the country, 2) American bluegrass songs flavored with the music from the country in question, and 3) original songs written by Andy himself, inspired by his travels in that particular country. The cultural exchange that Andy undergoes while traveling is always a “disarming” experience for him. He reflects on one such experience in India wherein he and a friend were unable to reach their local contact. While playing his banjo in a park to pass the time, a family, who had begun to observe Andy, decided to invite him and his friend over to their home and prepared a meal for them. They also happened to be a musical family, which naturally led to a jam session that lasted the rest of the evening. Now unable to travel due to the worldwide COVID-19 situation, Andy composed a love song, Quarantined with You, which is based on reflections and conversations with his friends and family—who he is separated from, and they from each other. It’s a song that is very in line with Andy’s worldview that while we will face many situations that we can’t control, we do have control over how we react to it. Today, Andy takes inspiration from videos that have recently been posted online from Italy, of various individuals playing music and singing songs from their balconies, bringing their communities together in spite of social distancing. “It just shows how music can bring people together,” says Andy. “I try to find [dire situations] like this and turn them into love songs if I can,” says Andy, “because, whatever’s going on, there’s always love happening, still.”

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl sits down with educator and businessman Larry Biddle. His mission? To help other educators apply business principles in schools, as opposed to government programs. Asked his opinion on the ever-evolving Coronavirus pandemic, Larry refers to the power of the eagle. An Eagle Scout at age 12, Larry has since come to realize that “eagleship is soaring. Eagles soar above whatever is down there, and its wings get stronger only by rising.” Larry goes on to say that an eagle thrives in the air only as long as the right wing and the left wing are in sync, and if its incredible vision is fixed on its target. He sees today’s America as embodying the eagle in flight, with every sector working together to overcome this crisis. “We are moving together—onward, upward, forward, together.”The COVID-19 situation is also illustrating that dissatisfaction is the first step towards change. “Dissatisfaction”, according to Larry, is the most misunderstood word in the English language. As an educator, he works constantly to have his students undergo the paradigm shift that dissatisfaction is, ultimately, a positive. He notes that even the founding of the United States came as a result of dissatisfaction with Great Britain. Carl digs deeper by bringing up the fact that fearis just as prevalent an emotion nowadays as dissatisfaction. Even if one uses their dissatisfaction as an impetus for growth, how will they then deal with fear—either their own or that of the people around them? Larry hearkens back to the saying that “fear is simply ‘False Evidence Appearing Real’.” One thing is certain: It’s not the end of the world. Therefore, whatever it is you are currently facing is overcomeable. Larry encourages us to think like entrepreneurs, who are flexible, resilient, and solution-oriented. When experiencing fear, take a step back, evaluate the reality of the situation, and create a proactive game plan to move forward in spite of this False Evidence. Finally, Larry stresses the importance of sticking to principles. Modern society has become rather superficial in many ways, and it could only have taken a crisis such as the COVID-19 outbreak to force civilization to reevaluate what is essential in life. “Hollow heroes bring empty messages.” Amidst a crisis, however, one’s true character is quickly unveiled depending on their words and actions in reaction to the circumstances around them. And a person of righteous character is a person of righteous principles.  

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl sits down with Bill Shilitto, executive director of the CART (Coins for Alzheimer's Research Trust) Fund, Inc. The 22-year Army veteran carries on a work habit characterized by precision, long after Bill retired from the military. Having served in Vietnam in the midst of its highly-controversial war with the U.S., Bill is thankful that he never personally experienced the negative treatment that many of his fellow servicemen received during that time. This resulted in a relatively smooth transition back to civilian life when he retired, but at the same his experiences during that rough time in American history kept him humble and compassionate towards those he would work with in the future. When asked about his perspective on leadership after his 22-year career in the military, Bill begins his reply by saying that “life can be stressful.” He explains that stress occurs when people are brought out of their usual environment; therefore, a good leader should have systems in place to support those who they are potentially bringing into unfamiliar territory. In short, it pays to be cognizant and empathetic with other people. As a Rotarian, Bill was invited to the annual CART board meeting in 2005. CART, being the brainchild of Rotarian Roger Ackerman, had its first seed planted when Roger’s mother-in-law succumbed to Alzheimer’s Disease. He looked into the state of the research currently being done to combat this brain disorder and discovered that it was severely lacking in progress. One day, Roger realized that he could simply collect “loose change” at every weekly Rotary meeting, and the rest was history. This year, CART will be collecting $9.4 million in loose change. Bill hopes that diseases such as Alzheimer’s will lose the stigma it currently has. He pines for greater openness with regards to relatives of affected individuals speaking on how this disorder has affected their families’ lives. After all, increased awareness will lead to further developments in research and, by extension, possible solutions.   Connect: http://www.cartfund.org/  www.lifeinthecarolinas.com www.lifeinthecarolinaspodcast.com carl@lifeinthecarolinas.com

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl sits down with Louis Jeroslow who, along with his wife Carrie and partners Nick and Jennifer White, own Elkin Creek Vineyard. Louis relates the backstory around his journey from entertainment industry professional to winemaker, as well as his partnership with the Whites. He met Nick and Jennifer while working together with them on productions for Blue Man Group. At one point, Nick White had been keeping his eye open for good properties to invest in. Around that time, Jennifer White saw a photo online of the confluence of two creeks on their property: Elkin Creek and Grassy Creek. The Whites were smitten, and subsequently had their wedding at that spot. Louis, making full use of his expertise in technical theatre, had a grand, multimedia-laden setup put together for the wedding. It didn’t take long for the four of them to realize that there was a new opportunity for them all in that very location. Louis continues by talking about the steep learning curve he had to overcome in order to become the master winemaker at Elkin Creek. Learning the necessary skills was one thing; knowing how to run a business he had almost no prior experience in was another. What he was prepared for, however, was the work involved in putting together events—work that he had already been engaged in for a couple of decades at that point. Over time, the four partners were able to delegate tasks and smooth out daily operations as the Vineyard saw success. Louis talks about how his influence has led to his becoming a mentor of sorts to other aspiring winemakers. He has also spoken to the media on North Carolina wine—specifically in the Yadkin Valley, which became a federally-approved American Viticultural Area in 2003. Carl draws a parallel here to Lewis’s background in technical theatre, saying that while Louis had complete control over his stage, in viticulture he has to deal with whatever nature has already established. Asked what he thinks of people who say, “wine is wine”, Louis says that “wine is like art. Two people standing next to each other, staring at a painting on the wall: one may be deeply moved [...] and the person standing directly beside them would be like, ‘Meh. It’s okay.’ It’s very subjective.” Connect: https://www.elkincreekvineyard.com/ www.lifeinthecarolinas.com www.lifeinthecarolinaspodcast.com carl@lifeinthecarolinas.com  

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl sits down with musician William Ritter on his love for Appalachian music and culture. Having been raised by Yankee parents in the mountains, Will grew up with his “foot in both worlds”. Will considers music as “a door opener where people with completely different backgrounds can find a place to meet.” In spite of growing up on both sides of the fence, he truly feels like he is a part of mountain culture upon hearing its music. It was the tune Down in the Willow Garden that inspired him to become a musician. It led him to seek counsel from local instrument maker Ray Dellinger. Under his mentorship, Will built his own fiddle and deepened his appreciation of the history and culture of Appalachia. His musical career had begun. Appalachian music is participatory—“more of a reason to get together than a reason to perform.” It is not meant to be “stage music”. Will enjoys the candid quality of old-time music. This is an individuality that the player brings to the instrument which stresses personality over professionalism. Will considers himself as a “hospice worker”, keeping alive the spirit of the old times in today’s America. Asked why promoting traditional Appalachian music is important today, Will says that its “intrinsic state” is invaluable. That is, the fact that it exists is reason enough to keep it alive. In addition, the fact that the world has become so individualized—particularly thanks to the smartphone—necessitates the need for the type of “tactile human interaction” that Appalachian music can bring about. Will also speaks about why he believes in the importance of saving and sharing heirloom seeds, which happens to tie in with his passion for preserving culture. After all, the simple act of planting heirloom seeds can evoke memories of the person or family tied to those seeds. Like music, heirloom seeds are a cultural gateway, with the added ability to bring people together and incentivize the sharing of family histories.   CONNECT: https://www.blueridgeheritage.com/artist/william-ritter/ https://sarahandwilliam.weebly.com/ www.lifeinthecarolinas.com carl@lifeinthecarolinas.com

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl sits down with the always-entertaining Marti Mongiello, along with previous guest Orlando Herrera. Marti grew up with who he calls the equivalent of the von Trapp family. His parents were stage actors in the Marian Theater Guild, as well as directors and producers. He was brought up in a thespian world, which meant he performed regularly, from school plays to professional productions. Living in an Italian household also meant that Marti was expected to earn his dues, which included having to pay for his own high school tuition. This instilled both a sense of discipline and the value of the dollar, which influences his decisions even today. Nearing adulthood, Marti decided to go into the military, mainly due to the fact that he had two marks against him on his federal record for drug use. He was also, at that time, part of a gang and even ended up in jail (from which his mother had to bail him out of). He was rejected by the Air Force precisely for his drug use but was just able to enter the Navy and spent many days in a nuclear submarine. Marti shares a plethora of incredible experiences in the Navy with Carl and Orlando, including his personal interactions with President Bill Clinton. Marti turned his love for the culinary arts into a profession, becoming a Navy cook. In nine years’, time, he received an opportunity to serve as a chef in the White House. Referring to the White House as “the diaspora of the world”, Marti recalls the many diverse guests of the presidents from Bill Clinton onwards. Drawing from his own personal experiences sharing meals with different peoples all over the world, Marti says that, “People are just people, and the great confluence on Earth is eating and dining together with each other. Indeed, during the many years Marti spent living in Asia and Europe—being able to experience intimately the plights of a variety of cultures—he learned to appreciate the conveniences he grew up with as a Westerner. Marti ends by saying, “I just encourage people to think about what you do have during the amount of time you have left here; and stop comparing yourself to what everyone else has.” www.theinnofthepatriots.com www.lifeinthecarolinas.com carl@lifeinthecarolinas.com

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Vance Patterson, founder of Foundation Forward, talks about his advocacy to bring the Charters of Freedom to communities across the whole United States in the form of installations—or what Vance calls “Settings”. The Burke County native is a serial entrepreneur, having started 21 companies over the years. Two of them made the list for the Inc. 500 Fastest-Growing Companies; and Vance himself twice became a finalist for Entrepreneur of the Year in the Southeast region. While they always considered themselves patriots, Vance and his wife Mary Jo never had the Charters of Freedom at the forefront of their minds before establishing their non-profit. In fact, Vance had learned almost nothing about civics or government in school, despite having had a passion for history. However, it was after a close reading of the actual Declaration of Independence—with particular emphasis on the signatures of the Founding Fathers and the words “We the People”—that the spirit behind the founding of the United States truly entered the Pattersons’ hearts. At that point, they sought to duplicate their experience with others, starting in Burt County. After two years, “Your Charters of Freedom Settings” was launched to a great reception. The Pattersons took this as a cue to continue the project in more locations. Vance emphasizes the fact that he refers to the installation as “settings” as opposed to a “monument”. A monument, he defines, is a memorial honoring an event or a person. Vance states, “This is not a memorial. This is an active, hands-on educational supplement for a school's curriculum.” He envisions teachers bringing their students on field trips to the Charters of Freedom Settings in their local community. “We don’t just put these in and walk away,” continues Vance. Foundation Forward has an ongoing education program where materials are sent out to teachers who have visited the Settings. Vance’s short-term goal is to establish the Settings in all 100 counties in North Carolina, as well as in all 46 counties in South Carolina. By doing this, they hope to bring widespread awareness to the project, to get other states to say, “What is going on in the Carolinas?” Vance will then commence his long-term goal: place Your Charters of Freedom Settings to as many of the 3,242 counties in the United States as possible within the next ten years. He imagines future generations referring to their Constitution and their Bill of Rights—those that they grew up with right in their home community, and not just the original ones in Washington D.C. Vance looks to Founding Fathers Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin, both of whom were major proponents of education. “These two believe that in order to have a free and independent country,” says Vance, “you must understand how government works. You cannot control what you do not understand.”   Resources: Website: www.chartersoffreedom.com www.lfieinthecarolinaspodcast.com

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, singer-songwriter Nikki Morgan talks about what led her down her musical path. Her father being a pastor, Nikki grew up in a church and was exposed almost daily to Christian and gospel music. However, while she appreciated how moving music can be, she never really created any music of her own during her formative years. From grade school to college, Nikki was more or less set on being an engineer. However, she can remember daydreaming occasionally about being an entertainer since the age of 10. She casually, yet gradually took on bigger and bigger opportunities to sing in front of groups. At 18, she began to explore different types of secular music. A series of events led her to take theatre in community college, allowing her creativity to express itself greater than ever before. However, even as an actress, Nikki felt unfulfilled. It was the book The Artist’s Way that led to an epiphany, causing her to realize that her true passion is music. She sang a tan open mic to great reception. A little bit of confidence was built, and from there she continued to look for more opportunities to perform her songs, which were characterized by her diverse life experiences. Nikki’s mother, while initially resistant to her decision to switch from engineering to songwriting, eventually turned out to be her biggest fan. Nikki found that walking down this path also “opened the floodgates” of creativity in her family: Many of her cousins decided to get into music as well. Nikki believes that no matter where life takes you, you can’t escape your roots. Nikki ventured out on her own to find herself, and this really was the spark that opened her up to the wider world of music—her true passion. At the same time, she realized she couldn’t shake off the North Carolina in her, nor her gospel roots. Nikki came full circle, fully embracing her musical background while taking that inspiration and forging her own path. Connect with Nikki: Website: www.nikkimorganmusic.com Instagram: @heynikkimorgan Connect with us: http://www.lifeinthecarolinas.com/ https://www.lifeinthecarolinaspodcast.com/ Carl@lifeinthecarolinas.com    

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl sits down Orlando Herrera and Marty Mongiello. Orlando discusses his incredibly eclectic life—a life which Carl White sums up as “the Great American Story influenced by a lot more than just America.” Orlando talks about his varied career paths and social causes, from becoming a musician as a coping mechanism after surviving the 1983 Beirut bombing, to his time in the US Marine Corps, to his push to bring the deeper issues surrounding America’s troubled history with race to the masses. As diverse as these passions and initiatives are, what they all have in common is a universal emotional core that brings together communities of people. As Orlando tells his story, a singular message shines through. As Carl aptly muses: “We as human beings are on this journey together, and we’ve always had a problem with some wanting to be above others. But at the end of the day, when we lay our heads down, it’s pretty much the same for all of us.” The conversation between Carl, Marty, and Orlando also goes into the subject of Rosa Parks and her lesser-known fellow civil rights pioneer Claudette Colvin. The three agree that many of the racially-charged issues of the previous decades are still present in some form or another in modern-day America. By making the public aware of the story of Black American civil rights from the perspective of those who initially led the charge, Orlando hopes to eradicate stereotypes based off of inaccurate readings of history. “People need to know and learn [about] other cultures,” says Orlando. He states that by deepening one’s appreciation of different cultures, it becomes virtually impossible to blame an entire race for the perverse actions of a few individuals of that particular race.   Connect with us: http://www.lifeinthecarolinas.com/ https://www.lifeinthecarolinaspodcast.com/ Carl@lifeinthecarolinas.com

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl talks with Amy Bridges, Downtown and Community Development Manager of the Town of Forest City, North Carolina. A small community of about 7,500 people in Western North Carolina, about 20 miles from the South Carolina border, Forest City has never been the county seat, but they have made a name for themselves in community development. After being hit hard by the recession and the closing of the textile mills that were the main industry in the region, the town of Forest City made a conscious decision to dig in deeper and commit to revitalize their downtown area. Many restaurants and merchants have jumped on board in the 10 years since, and just this past spring, the town unveiled the Pavilion on Park Square (POPS) which features a 1,500-capacity amphitheater and two splash pads. Considered by the state to be a Tier 1 community, characterized by financial distress, these amenities are the first of their kind for the town and are actually driving tourism. At the debut concert at the Burnt Chimney amphitheater (as Forest City used to be called), people came from all over North and South Carolina and were impressed by the facilities. On the night of Thanksgiving, the town holds its Christmas tree lighting ceremony, usually attended by 2,000 people, and the season is officially welcomed in. Forest City goes all out for Christmas with lights wrapping the trunks of the trees lining Main Street, outlining the buildings, and spanning the width of Main Street. The festivities peak on Friday and Saturday nights between Thanksgiving and Christmas with live music, carriage rides, hayrides, ice skating, movies in the park, Santa’s house, and carolers. Amy has had a front-row seat to the collaboration and partnerships between local businesses and the mutual efforts to make Christmas such a special time in Forest City. In fact, RomanticAsheville.com has named Forest City the #1 Christmas town and the #2 place to see Christmas lights in western North Carolina. She is excited for the future development of the town and the unique opportunities that are headed their way.   For more information: https://www.townofforestcity.com/ https://www.facebook.com/townofforestcity/ https://www.facebook.com/forestcityevents/   Connect with us: http://www.lifeinthecarolinas.com/ https://www.lifeinthecarolinaspodcast.com/

On this episode of Life In the Carolinas podcast, Carl is joined by members of the North Carolina based band, Love and Valor. The band was originally formed in 2012 by Jesse Fox and a few friends when he was a senior in High School. Jesse was the lead vocalist, guitar player and song writer. He recalled that the name of the band was inspired from an English Literature class. While the band has had different members over the years, Jesse still serves as the lead singer, guitar player and primary song writer. Many of the songs that are now performed by the band were written by Jesse. With hundreds of titles to his credit, he shares that the goal from the beginning was to do original music. While Charlie Perschau was working at the Oak House Coffee shop in Burlington, he responded to a request from Love and Valor for new band members. He put his name in the hat to be the mandolin player and before long that’s what happened. Charlie shares his colorful journey from California to the East Coast where he now celebrates life with a mandolin in his hands. Hannah Strickland is on the violin and vocals. From New York to Florida and now Elon University, Hannah’s unique approach to music and performance makes her a great fit for Love and Valor. She shares several stories about her musical journey. From light and lively to emotionally haunting, she and her violin understand how to tell a story. While Glen Bounds was not vocal on this podcast his band mates shared stories about his varied contributions as a multi-talented musician who plays the accordion, bass, banjo and harmonic. The group is an emerging Americana/Indie-Folk band based out of Burlington, NC. Their influences range from classic singer/songwriters such as Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash, to current bands like The Avett Brothers, The Lumineers, and Mandolin Orange. Most importantly they are finding their own voice.   Connect with Love and Valor Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/loveandvalormusic/ Website : https://www.loveandvalormusic.com/ Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/_loveandvalor/ Connect with Sounds and Grounds https://www.facebook.com/SoundsAndGrounds/  Connect with Life In The Carolinas www.LifeintheCarolinas.com www.lifeinthecarolinaspodcast.com Carl@lifeinthecarolinas.com