Join writer Mark Kemp as he travels to North Carolina’s High Country, where he meets a guitarist who has carried on the region’s musical identity by teaching students the rich traditions of Appalachian music for five decades.
Mark Kemp
Mitchell County’s Old-Time Picker
In the High Country, a guitarist has carried on the region’s musical identity by teaching students the rich traditions of Appalachian music for five decades.
North Carolina, Noted: Richie Crowder
Join writer Mark Kemp as he travels to western North Carolina to meet a luthier who crafts instruments with backstories as rich as the people who play them.
Tones of the Heart
A luthier in western North Carolina crafts instruments with backstories as rich as the people who play them.
Beach Music
Join writer Mark Kemp as we turn up the volume on the quintessential sound of summer: beach music. In this episode, we meet the band The Embers, whose classic tunes inspire shag dancers across the state.
That Summer Sound
Since the late 1950s, a pioneering North Carolina beach-music band has returned to the coast year after year to perform classic tunes for shag dancers across the region.
The Choirmaster
Before her voice captivated the world, Roberta Flack — who was born in Black Mountain during Jim Crow — began her career in Pitt County, teaching and encouraging choral students.
Memories of Vinyl
Senior Editor Mark Kemp reflects on his earliest memories of vinyl records and how many faithful breakfasts of Post-brand cereal laid the foundation for an extensive record collection showcasing voices and sounds from across North Carolina and beyond.
For the Record
Our writer reflects on where his love of vinyl began, and how the snap, crackle, and pop of a needle sliding across a turntable will always satisfy his soul.
