After Helene, an Asheville guitar maker grapples with how to help her neighborhood when there’s so much need.  A church in... more

Rock climbing gear eventually wears out, but it can still live on as art.  Also, the response to Hurricane Helene shows... more

Submitted for your approval, we have a selection of spooky tales for Halloween and beyond. We have scary stories read by... more

Textbooks have long left out an important piece of labor history that happened here in the mountains. Now, a new... more

This week, Affrilachian poet Frank X. Walker has a new collection of poetry that looks at Black life in Kentucky... more

Hurricane Helene dumped nearly 30 inches of rain in parts of Western North Carolina and East Tennessee. Communities are reeling... more

Inside Appalachia remembers Travis Stimeling. The author, musician and educator left a deep mark on Appalachian culture, and the people... more

This week… we talk with a poet about his new collection, titled “If Lost.” He found inspiration for it… by... more

One of America’s greatest contributions to world culture … is hip hop. A new compilation documents what it sounds like... more

Schoolyard games come and go, but for kids in one community, marbles still rule.  Also, this year marks the anniversary of... more

In 2016, a wildfire escaped the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It killed 14 people, injured dozens more and destroyed... more

During the Great Depression, the river town of Osage, West Virginia was a raucous, little place. It’s sleepier now, but... more

In the 1930s, hundreds of mostly African American workers died digging the Hawk’s Nest Tunnel. A photographer brings their stories... more

A few people still farm the way folks did before tractors — with horses. We visit with farmers who still... more

Flooding is a recurring problem across Appalachia. This week, we’re taking stock, and looking back on floods that have devastated... more

A good blanket will keep you warm — but a handmade temperature blanket can convey a message to a loved... more

This week, members of a Ukrainian Catholic church in Wheeling, West Virginia, make pierogies every week. They’re popular with the... more

This week, one person’s roadside weed is another’s “golden” treasure. So says a North Carolina fiber artist.  We also talk with... more

This week, we visit with a West Virginia man who shows his love for fishing by building exquisite, handmade fly... more

This week, dinos fight Civil War soldiers at a theme park throwback — Dinosaur Kingdom II in Natural Bridge, Virginia.  Also,... more

This week, old-time music jams aren’t just fun, they’re good for your mental health. Also, the opioid epidemic has changed how... more

This week, hip hop started in New York and took root in places like West Virginia. We explore some of... more

This week, we visit with West Virginia trappers to learn about the fur trade in the 21st century. We also meet... more

This week, we meet a West Virginia artist who designs stickers, t-shirts, patches and pins. She draws on classic Appalachian... more

This week, the woman behind the popular tik tok account “Appalachian Forager” makes jam from wild pawpaws … and jewelry... more

For nearly a century, the Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival has staged a formal dance. We visit the festival and learn... more

This week, rock climbers with disabilities have found a home in Kentucky’s Red River Gorge, which offers some pumpy crags. Climbers... more

This week, a chef has created a hidden culinary hot spot in Asheville, North Carolina that’s attracting national attention for... more

In March, broadcast journalists from Virginia and West Virginia were recognized when the Virginias Associated Press Broadcasters met to present... more

This week, a pair of former miners found love shoveling coal and shaped a life making wooden spoons. We learn... more

Spring wildflowers are in bloom, and some of the most common species play an important role in herbal medicine. This... more

This week on Inside Appalachia, we’re talking about traditional ballads -- how they tell stories and connect us to the... more

This week, we visit the Seeing Hand Association. They bring together people who are visually impaired to learn the craft... more

Red Terry’s property in Bent Mountain, Virginia, is in the path of the Mountain Valley Pipeline. She says the place... more

This week, we’re revisiting our episode “What Is Appalachia?” from December 2021. Appalachia connects mountainous parts of the South, the... more

Inside Appalachia remembers Travis Stimeling. The author, musician and educator left a deep mark on Appalachian culture, and the people... more

For nearly a century, some of the best wood carvers in Appalachia have trained at a folk school in North... more

Step shows are a tradition at many historically Black universities, including schools in Appalachia. We hear about one that’s part... more

Appalachians love to compete. Whether it’s recreational league softball, a turkey calling contest or workplace chili cookoffs, Mountain folks are... more

When the farming start-up, AppHarvest, launched in Kentucky, it promised good jobs in coal country — but some workers called... more

In 2016, a wildfire escaped the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It killed 14 people, injured dozens more and destroyed... more

Alleghany and Covington high schools were rivals for decades. But now, they’ve merged. This week, we head to a home football... more

Black lung disease is back. In fact, it never went away. Now, younger and younger miners are living with a... more

Since 2019, Inside Appalachia has brought you stories from our Folkways Reporting Project.  Folkways was created to boost awareness of Appalachian... more

Since 1967, Foxfire has been a storehouse of traditional Appalachian knowledge that still helps people today. It continues to preserve music... more

This week, we return to some of our favorite stories from 2023. Appalachia saw challenge and calamity, but people found... more

This week, we go a-wassailing in Asheville, North Carolina. It’s kind of like Christmas caroling, with a kick. We also visit... more

This week, rock climbers with disabilities have found a home in Kentucky’s Red River Gorge, which offers some pumpy crags... Climbers... more

This week, punk music photographer Chelse Warren takes us into the pit. We hop a tiny train to discover the... more

This week, we usher in the season of lights with our holiday show from 2022. James Beard-nominated West Virginia chefs... more

This week, we pick up a little light reading at the Johnson City Zine Fest. And… Grab your dancing shoes and... more

This week, Karly Hartzman of Asheville indie rock band Wednesday, talks about songwriting, place and spending a lot of time... more

This week, we head to the woods and take a master class in foraging for wild mushrooms. We also break bread... more

We'll meet a man who makes wooden turkey calls, but these aren’t just any turkey calls. Painter Brian Aliff doesn’t... more

Just in time for Halloween, we have a suite of spooky tales to make your skin crawl. We talk science fiction... more

Can the internet rebuild Appalachia? We ask sci-fi novelist and tech writer Cory Doctorow.   Also, fish fries have been a staple... more

This week, Rae Garringer felt isolated growing up and thought they were the only queer person in a small town. But... more

Black lung disease is back. In fact, it never went away. Now, younger and younger miners are living with a... more

This week, a Pittsburgh artist channels the Steel City’s mythology and struggles — into tarot cards. Western North Carolina author Ron... more

Appalachians are often called mountaineers — but are they also "pioneers?" A new documentary reckons with what it means… to... more

This week, we’re revisiting our episode “What Is Appalachia?” from December 2021. Appalachia connects mountainous parts of the South, the... more

Rev. George Mills Dickerson of Tazewell, Virginia was born in the years after slavery ended. He’s remembered today through his... more

This week, a Virginia Tech researcher challenges deeply held ideas about the purity of natural springs. Also, meet the folks behind... more

This week, Inside Appalachia drops by Flat Five Studio in Salem, Virginia. It had a reputation for recording bluegrass bands,... more

Appalachians love to compete. Whether it’s recreational league softball, a turkey calling contest or workplace chili cookoffs, Mountain folks are... more

If you’re hungry for a pepperoni roll in West Virginia, you can find one at just about any gas station,... more

This week, we visit with West Virginia trappers to learn about the fur trade in the 21st Century. We also meet... more

Flooding is a recurring problem across Appalachia. This week, we’re taking stock, and looking back on floods that have devastated... more

This week, a Ukrainian musician reflects on what music means during wartime. And there’s a growing number of a certain kind... more

This week, we visit a farm in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania that can grow on one acre what other farms grow on... more

This week, we visit a cemetery in Bluefield, Virginia and learn how racial segregation followed some people to the grave. We... more

This week, we meet a craftsman who builds exquisite, handmade fly rods and shares his love of fishing with others. We... more

Inside Appalachia loves books and writers –and if you’re looking for summer book recommendations, we’ve got a bunch. It’s our... more

This week, we’re joined by Lilly Knoepp, regional reporter at Blue Ridge Public Radio in Western North Carolina. Boom and bust... more

This week, we head to the meadows and woods of West Virginia to catch the buzz on beekeeping. And, it’s... more

This week… Drop of Sun Studios in Asheville, North Carolina has put out some of the hottest indie rock records... more

This week, a high school football game, a street festival, and a kids' classroom are all settings in a new... more

This week, we learn about the history of African Face Jars in America from the middle of the 19th Century... more

This week on Inside Appalachia, we’re talking about traditional ballads — how they tell stories and connect us to the... more

This week, a southern Ohio college writing class recently learned about the idea of Appalachian identity and then told us... more

This week, we speak with the author of a new book about grief rituals and how they’re practiced here in... more

This week, we listen back to three award-winning Folkways stories from last year. First, we visit a luthier’s shop, where... more

After last year’s flooding in Eastern Kentucky, some people had trouble getting insurance reimbursement. But it wasn’t just flood waters... more

This week, we visit with Jerry Machen of Kingsport, Tennessee. When he first started making art from old carpets, his... more

This week, we step on the Appalachian Trail with one of America’s most accomplished hikers, Jennifer Pharr Davis. We also talk... more

Family recipes are a way to connect generations, but what happens when you’ve got grandma’s recipe and it doesn’t have... more

This week, we look back at a shocking crime near the Appalachian Trail and speak to the author of a... more

Appalachians love to compete. Whether it’s rec league softball, a turkey calling contest or workplace chili cookoffs… Mountain folks are... more

This week, we talk to the BBC’s Philip Reevell and reporter Kaitie Myers about a recent documentary that looks at... more

This week, climate change is changing what grows in Appalachia, and where. Some peach varieties usually found in Georgia are... more

This week, we hop a tiny train to discover the miniature wonders of a West Virginia model railroad club that... more

This week on Inside Appalachia, amid recent hospital closures, Appalachian women are having to travel farther and farther to give... more

This week, we meet a West Virginia high-school student whose love of reading inspired her to bring books to young... more

For working comedians, mean-spirited hecklers are part of the job. But what happens when someone gets angry enough to throw... more

This week on Inside Appalachia, we go back to school with West Virginia women who are training to fill the... more

This week on Inside Appalachia, we’ll hear about a farm in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania that can grow a lot of agriculture... more

On this week’s episode, we’re journeying far and wide through Appalachia and beyond. Author Mesha Maren takes us from the... more

This week on Inside Appalachia, we venture to southern Ohio to visit the last remaining washboard maker in the U.S.... more

This week on Inside Appalachia, we talk with James Beard-nominated West Virginia chefs Mike Costello and Amy Dawson, who serve... more

This week, one of the NFL’s oldest franchises began right here in Appalachia — in Portsmouth, Ohio. And for some workers... more

This week, we'll meet a man who has struggled with substance use disorder. Now, he’s a recovery coach. We'll also meet... more

This week, we look back at some of the stories we told in 2022. We took you to the floods... more

This week, we talk with folklorist Emily Hilliard about her new book exploring contemporary folklife and Appalachian culture — like... more

This week on Inside Appalachia, we talk with contributors to a new collection of writing by LGBTQ Appalachians — about... more

This week on Inside Appalachia, we’re talking about traditional ballads -- how they tell stories and connect us to the... more

This week on Inside Appalachia, we talk to podcaster Abe Partridge about a uniquely Appalachian art – the religious music... more

This week on Inside Appalachia, we travel to Cabbagetown, an Atlanta neighborhood that was home to Appalachian workers who migrated... more

This week, we travel to Charleston, West Virginia, to learn about the importance of funeral singers to Black communities. We’ll... more

This week, we bring back our special Halloween episode of Inside Appalachia from 2021. It’s packed with ghost stories and... more

Something About The Water In Berkeley Springs There are natural springs all over Appalachia. The deep folds of rock that make... more

Welcome Inside Appalachia. We’re glad you’re here to join us on our weekly journey through some of the thirteen Appalachian... more

This week, we begin our journey through Appalachia in Floyd, Virginia, at the Friday Night Jamboree.  We’ll also check in with... more

We’ll meet a man who makes wooden turkey calls, not ordinary turkey calls. Painter Brian Aliff doesn’t call himself an... more

This week, we’re revisiting our episode “What Is Appalachia?” from December 2021. Appalachia connects mountainous parts of the South, the... more

This week, we’re visiting the Hindman Settlement School in Kentucky, whose cultural archives were damaged by historic flooding. Then we’ll head... more

Our first stop this week is in Charleston, W.Va. where we’re sitting down with the inimitable Dolly Parton. She recently... more

One thing we know to be true about Appalachians: we love to compete. But there’s more to a competition than... more

Inside Appalachia is 20 years old this month — we celebrate the anniversary by taking a look back with Inside... more

On this week’s episode, we begin our journey through Appalachia in the meadows and woods of West Virginia to catch... more

On this week’s episode, we begin our journey through Appalachia by way of Lviv, Ukraine to learn about their version... more

This week on Inside Appalachia, amid recent hospital closures, Appalachian women are having to travel farther and farther to give... more

This week, on Inside Appalachia, we visit a cemetery in Bluefield, Virginia, and learn how racial segregation followed some people... more

This week on Inside Appalachia, we listen to stories from 2021 that tackle everything from the challenges that came with... more

This week on Inside Appalachia, we hear from a radiologist in eastern Kentucky who says he’s seeing a rise in... more

This week on Inside Appalachia, we’ll hear about a farm in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania that can grow a lot of agriculture... more

On this week’s episode, we’re journeying far and wide through Appalachia and beyond. Author Mesha Maren takes us from the hills... more

On this week’s encore episode of Inside Appalachia, we’re dedicating the show to children's authors. Hear from Cynthia Rylant, author... more

Today, we’re dedicating our entire show to the art of telling stories- out loud, in front of audiences. We’ll hear... more

This week, we’ll meet a man who has struggled with substance use disorder. Now, he’s a recovery coach. We’ll also meet... more

This week on Inside Appalachia, we’re talking about traditional ballads -- how they tell stories and connect us to the... more

This week, we begin our journey throughout Appalachia in Floyd County, Virginia, home of Earl White. White is working to... more

This week, we’re airing an encore episode of Inside Appalachia. We’ll meet a man who makes wooden turkey calls, not... more

In this week’s episode of Inside Appalachia, we’ll hear about Black musicians and luthiers who are reclaiming the banjo --... more

This week’s episode is all about ballad singers and storytellers. We’ll hear an interview with West Virginia native Becca Spence... more

This week on Inside Appalachia we’ll visit a luthier’s shop where old instruments get new life, and hear about a... more

What is Appalachia? This week, we’re re-airing a December 2021 episode that seeks to answer this question, with stories from... more

The downturn of coal in Harlan County, Kentucky has led to an exodus of Black residents in search of work.... more

This week on Inside Appalachia, we’ll hear how women in the mountains spearhead movements to battle racial injustice, defend healthy... more

Lawmakers across Appalachia are debating how issues of race are taught in public schools, but the U.S. isn’t the only... more

If you think about one dish that has sustained generations of Appalachian people, what comes to mind? When we put... more

The Russian invasion in Ukraine is sending shockwaves throughout the world. Did you know that the geography and culture of... more

This week on Inside Appalachia, we’ll hear from residents in Kentucky who were denied aid. We’ll also hear a special... more

Think back to your American history class. We all learned about the Civil War, but what did you learn about... more

Valentine’s Day gets a lot of flack for being sappy, cliché or just a marketing ploy by card and chocolate... more

This week’s episode of Inside Appalachia features stories about a West Virginia black metal band that plays songs about local... more

This week’s episode of Inside Appalachia is packed with stories from across central Appalachia, featuring creative people who are finding... more

Schools are facing unprecedented staff shortages – here in Appalachia and across the country. In this week’s episode of Inside... more

For some, winter can be a difficult time -- dark and cold. For others, time outside in the winter is... more

People in coal country are pleading for help as coal’s decline accelerates. This week on Inside Appalachia, we explore the... more

In the latest episode of Inside Appalachia, we’ll hear stories from creators across Appalachia and how they process their lives... more