Ready to come home for Christmas? Our State editor — and resident soundtrack maker — Mark Kemp curated this selection of 30 holiday songs by North Carolina artists, including James Taylor, Roberta Flack, Nina Simone, Charlie Daniels, John Coltrane, and many more. It’s the perfect Christmas party playlist, background music for your holiday baking, and accompanying soundtrack to a drive through twinkling lights.
Why does this Haywood County town have some of the cleanest water in the state? It’s the result of the community’s efforts to keep the forests in its watershed pristine.
The spectacular views in North Carolina’s High Country aren’t just inspiration for writers, painters, and sculptors. Those landscapes — the rugged gray face of Grandfather Mountain, the vibrant fall leaves, the deep green meadows — are brushstrokes on Earth’s own canvas.
The sprawling vineyards and wide-open skies that stretch for miles across seven North Carolina counties offer relaxing getaways — not to mention some of the state’s finest wines — for Sunday drivers aching to escape the rush of city life.
Nothing lasts forever — and that’s what makes many of our cherished moments so special.
