Podcasts about inside appalachia

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

Monsters in the workplace? Maybe. Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh is developing a team building game using Appalachian cryptids like Bigfoot and the Flatwoods Monster. Inside Appalachia's Mason Adams spoke with Jessica Hammer, associate professor and director of the university's Center for Transformational Play, to learn more. The post Team Building With Appalachian Cryptids, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

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

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

On this West Virginia Morning, Appalachian music comes in all kinds. Inside Appalachia's Mason Adams spoke with Mason Salomeini, organizer of electronic music celebration Dungeon Fest. The post Fantasy Music Festival Comes To Appalachia, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

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

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia. Today is Tuesday, May 5, 2026. #1 – From WV PUBLIC BROADCASTING - Mountainthology episode showcases Appalachian stories A new episode of the Mountainthology series is now available. Episode 4 features a collaboration with the Inside Appalachia team, bringing four stories from Folkways reporters. The series highlights lesser-known stories, traditions, and voices that reflect the depth and diversity of life in West Virginia and beyond. Viewers can stream the episode through West Virginia Public Broadcasting's Passport platform. Read more: https://wvpublic.org/story/tv/watch-mountainthology-episode-4-now/amp #2 – From WV GAZETTE - WV restaurant earns national 'cheap eats' recognition A West Virginia favorite is gaining national attention for delivering quality meals at an affordable price. Best of Crete, known for its casual Mediterranean cuisine, has been recognized among top "good, cheap eats" destinations in the country. The recognition highlights West Virginia's growing food scene and its reputation for hearty, accessible meals that draw both locals and visitors. Read more: https://www.wvgazettemail.com/life/the_food_guy/food-guy-best-of-crete-honored-for-good-cheap-eats-wv-buffets-on-national-list/article_c82226a3-4ad1-45ed-b5e8-d8be19068e89.html #3 – From WV NEWS - Outdoor adventures continue to define WV tourism West Virginia's outdoor recreation industry continues to grow, driven by its diverse landscapes and year-round experiences. From hiking and rock climbing in the New River Gorge to ATV riding on the Hatfield-McCoy Trails, the state offers a wide range of adventures for visitors. Tourism leaders say these experiences are helping position West Virginia as a national destination for outdoor recreation while supporting local economies. Read more: https://www.wvnews.com/exploring-almost-heaven-a-guide-to-west-virginia-s-outdoor-adventures/article_6f9d3509-a21e-4bf7-b2ff-4ed3e3bad1fa.html Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304. The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: sharing the wealth, beauty, and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo. That's all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.

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

Mills Kelly is a lifelong hiker and Appalachian Trail scholar. He shares the trail's history and more on "The Green Tunnel Podcast." He's also written several books, including his most recent, called "A Hiker's History of the Appalachian Trail." Inside Appalachia's Bill Lynch spoke with Kelly to learn more. The post Author Describes How His Love For The Appalachian Trail Began In New Book, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

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

Kentucky writer Willie Edward Taylor Carver Jr's new book Tore All To Pieces weaves poetry and short stories into a narrative about people and place. Inside Appalachia's Bill Lynch recently spoke with Carver and brings us this conversation. The post Weaving Poetry Into Short Stories, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

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

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

Lots of public radio listeners know acclaimed cellist Yo-Yo Ma. In the fall, WNYC released Our Common Nature, a podcast that follows the musician and producer Ana Gonzalez as they explore the country. This included a visit to West Virginia. Inside Appalachia host Mason Adams spoke with Gonzalez about the podcast and what she and Yo-Yo Ma learned along the way. The post A Conversation On Acclaimed Cellist's Visit To W.Va., This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

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

For nearly 100 years, Snuffy Smith has been a staple of newspaper comic pages, though these days, it's easier to find him online. Snuffy Smith was brought to life by artist Fred Lasswell in the 1930s, but now the strip is written and drawn by John Rose, who lives in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. Inside Appalachia host Mason Adams spoke to Rose about drawing the famous hillbilly.  The post The Legacy Of Comic Strip ‘Snuffy Smith,' This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

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

Kathleen Driskell is Kentucky's current poet laureate. Driskell has authored six poetry collections, and her work has appeared in The New Yorker and Rattle, among others. Her most recent is Goat-Footed Gods. Inside Appalachia producer Bill Lynch spoke with Driskell about living next to the dead and America's most lethal cryptid. The post KY Poet Laureate Talks ‘Goat-Footed Gods,' This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

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

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

A new young adult novel titled "The Secret Astronomers" captures a slice of life in Pocahontas County, West Virginia. This debut novel by author Jessica Walter tells the story of a friendship between two high school students as they unravel a decades-old mystery. Inside Appalachia host Mason Adams spoke with Walker before the book was released a few months ago. The post A Look At New Novel ‘The Secret Astronomers' Set In Pocahontas County, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

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

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

We listen to an excerpt from the latest Inside Appalachia and learn about the influence and contributions of Oscar Micheaux, an African American filmmaker who lived in Virginia in the 1920s and shattered stereotypes. The post How A Filmmaker In The 1920s Shattered Stereotypes, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

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

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

Acclaimed singer-songwriter Amythyst Kiah released "Still + Bright" last year, which featured guests like S.G. Goodman and Billy Strings. Inside Appalachia host Mason Adams spoke with Kiah from her home in Johnson City, Tennessee at that time. We listen to an encore of that conversation. The post Musician Amythyst Kiah On Album ‘Still + Bright,' This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

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

Our program, Inside Appalachia, in December was tagged in an Instagram post by WVU Professor of Art Joseph Lupo. The post showcased four-color reductive relief prints made by WVU students — each one inspired by a story or episode they heard on the show. The post WVU Students Inspired By ‘Inside Appalachia,' This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

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

"Bombshell" is a new film from American Experience that explores how the government manipulated the public about the bomb's development and deployment. Inside Appalachia's Mason Adams spoke with author Greg Mitchell, who appears in the film. The post New American Experience Film Explores WWII Atomic Bomb, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

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

Over the last several years, catastrophic floods have washed out parts of eastern Kentucky and southern West Virginia, as well as North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee. Why are the mountains getting so much flooding? And what do frequent major storms mean for the future? Inside Appalachia host Mason Adams spoke with Brady Dennis with The Washington Post. He and a team of journalists investigated those questions. The post Understanding Flooding In Appalachia, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

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

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

Appalachia has had high rates of substance abuse and mental health disorders for years. After the problem reached a boiling point during the COVID-19 pandemic, a few communities tried using crisis response teams, and so far, that seems to be working. Last year, Inside Appalachia's Mason Adams spent several months with some of these teams and has this story. The post A Look Inside Quick Response Teams, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

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

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

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

Health care options are shrinking across rural Appalachia. In November, an urgent care center in rural Patrick County, Virginia closed. In the wake of the closure, Inside Appalachia's Mason Adams went to Stuart, Virginia, to meet with the county's only doctor. The post How Health Care Options Are Shrinking Across Appalachia, This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

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

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

Public radio listeners know acclaimed cellist Yo-Yo Ma. WNYC recently released "Our Common Nature," a new podcast that follows the musician and producer Ana Gonzalez as they explore the country. This included a visit to West Virginia. Inside Appalachia's Mason Adams spoke with Gonzalez about the podcast. We listen to an excerpt. The post WNYC's New Podcast ‘Our Common Nature' Visits W.Va., This West Virginia Morning appeared first on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

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

This week, the cost of health insurance is going up in 2026. Millions of people are faced with sticker shock.Also, a mountain farmer kept an encrypted diary for years. It's unclear whether he would have wanted that code to ever be cracked. And, a beloved West Virginia hot dog restaurant closed in 2018. An annual tribute sale gives people a chance to relive its glory days.

This week Inside Appalachia, we're talking about traditional ballads - how they tell stories and connect us to the past. These old tunes can mean so much. They can tap into difficult emotions and give feelings space to be heard. Some songs may even be too uncomfortable to sing.In this special episode with guest co-host, ballad singer Saro Lynch-Thomason, we explore songs about lawbreaking folk heroes, runaway trains and murder ballads.

This week, central Appalachia is known for exporting coal. But it's losing people, too. Also, folk singer Ginny Hawker grew up singing the hymns of the Primitive Baptist Church, but she didn't think of performing until she got a little boost from Appalachian icon Hazel Dickens. And, the chef of an award-winning Asheville restaurant was shaped by memories of growing up in West Virginia.

Just in time for Halloween, a suite of spooky tales to make your skin crawl.  Also, tales of the supernatural.And, ghost stories galore.You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

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

We explore the story of the first Mothman sightings, as written by a small-town journalist in 1966.Also, every year, hundreds of people celebrate Bridge Day by parachuting from the 876-foot-tall New River Gorge bridge. But not just anyone can do it. And, the Columbus Washboard Company used to make washboards for laundry. Now, people use them to make music.You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.