On fall break from college in the early 1980s, a writer and his loyal English setter took a road trip from Watauga County to the Qualla Boundary, accompanied by the sweet sounds of fiddles, banjos, and high-lonesome harmonies.
An Our State Playlist: Mighty MerleFest
Our curated Spotify playlist features a selection of the talented artists that are performing at this year’s famous festival.
An Our State Playlist: The North Carolina Folk Festival
Our curated Spotify playlist features a selection of the talented artists from North Carolina and beyond that are performing at this year’s event.
An Our State Playlist: Cat’s Cradle Through the Decades
Our curated Spotify playlist features a selection of North Carolina bands and artists who have performed at this iconic Orange County music venue since the 1970s. Ready to rock?
An Our State Playlist: Destination I-95
Our curated Spotify playlist is a tribute to travel and to North Carolina — the perfect soundtrack for a summer drive from Roanoke Rapids to Lumberton.
Freedom at 20,000 feet
Warren Wheeler’s love of open spaces inspired him to start his own airline, blaze a trail into history, and pass his knowledge on to a new generation of pilots.
Whispers in the Wood
In Pitt County, a luthier’s handcrafted guitars are sometimes discolored or full of knots; some are shaped liked snakes or shotguns. Each instrument’s story starts with the wood used to make it. And while the past may have left its scars, beauty can be found in the sights and sounds of art.
The Green Book Guide to North Carolina
For Black families in the 1950s, the ribbons of asphalt that crisscross our state could be dangerous obstacle courses: Most hotels and other businesses denied African-Americans basic services. Many travelers of color looked to the Green Book to find safety on the open road and community in our towns and cities.
Essential Travel Tunes for a North Carolina Road Trip
The next time you take a road trip, roll down your windows and turn up the volume on Our State’s curated Spotify playlist featuring 45 songs by North Carolina artists.
