Best Wvpb Podcasts (2025)

1
Encore: Looking Back At 2020, Inside Appalachia

1d ago

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During a pandemic, where do you give birth? Also, we’ll have the story of a family that cultivated an heirloom tomato in West Virginia. It took a lot of work. And, a musical tradition brought people together — even when they couldn’t gather in person. You’ll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia. In This Episode: Become A Dad In …

1
Ella Hanshaw, Wild Clay And The Homewrecker, Inside Appalachia

9d ago

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The music of West Virginia songwriter Ella Hanshaw and, thanks in part to her grandchildren, the discovery of some old tapes that led to a new release. Also, a pair of potters in western North Carolina forego commercial clay to work with clay that’s wild. And, we make a trip to West Virginia’s Hillbilly Hotdogs for its infamous "Homewrecker Hotdog …

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Us & Them: Three Strikes 2.0 — But Is Kentucky Any Safer? 52:00

10d ago52:00

52:00

The perception of crime in our nation shows an enormous divide. One recent poll reports 90% of Republicans say crime is up while 60% of Democrats say crime is down. The result has been a wave of ‘tough on crime’ laws from states across the political spectrum that expand the definition of violent crimes and their penalties. The 2024 Safer Kentucky A…

1
Pictures From Alleghania And Remembering Travis Stimeling, Inside Appalachia

16d ago

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An international photographer turns his lens toward home. Also, after Hurricane Helene, whitewater rafting guides are adapting to diminished business and changed rivers. And, we remember Travis Stimeling. The author, musician and educator left a mark on mountain culture and the people who practice and document it. You'll hear these stories and more…

1
Dinosaur Kingdom, Roadside Weeds And The Bus On The Rock, Inside Appalachia

23d ago

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Dinos fight Civil War soldiers at a theme park throwback — Dinosaur Kingdom II in Natural Bridge, Virginia. Also, one person’s roadside weed is another’s “golden” treasure. So says a North Carolina fiber artist. And, the backstory of a bus that sits at the confluence of the New and Gauley rivers — and the man who put it there. You’ll hear these sto…

1
Us & Them Encore: Another Small Town Paper Down 53:30

24d ago53:30

53:30

Our country’s divides often reveal themselves in our choices and habits, including how and where we get our information. As the economics of the media landscape have imploded, the economics of the industry have forced changes. In the past two decades, online sites have taken over much of the income stream from classified ads and general advertising…

1
Mental Health Crisis Response And Mountain Valley Pipeline, Inside Appalachia

30d ago

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People with mental health challenges or substance use disorder often end up in jail. But crisis response teams offer another way. Also, one year after the Mountain Valley Pipeline went into service, people who live directly in the pipeline’s path have received compensation. But not everyone. And, the Sacred Harp songbook gets an update for the firs…

1
Dungeons & Dragons And Remembering Jean Horner, Inside Appalachia

1M ago

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For 15 years, a Virginia library has been hosting a weekly Dungeons & Dragons game night for teens. It can get a little wacky. Also, we remember renowned Tennessee luthier, Jean Horner, whose fiddles were played at Carnegie Hall and the Grand Ole Opry. His shop was a destination for fiddle fanatics. And, a Hare Krishna community in West Virginia se…

1
Us & Them: Transgender In The Mountain State 52:00

1M ago52:00

52:00

A U.S. Supreme Court ruling just out upholds a state ban on gender affirming care for transgender minors. The Tennessee case will likely bolster efforts by conservative state lawmakers to regulate care for transgender Americans. It’s the most recent effort in the culture war over gender identity and LGBTQ rights. On this episode of Us & Them, host …

1
Mission Hospital And Revitalizing The Cherokee Language, Inside Appalachia

1M ago

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A hospital in Western North Carolina was bought out. Residents say the quality of care has gone down. Also, an immersion school in North Carolina is trying to revitalize the Cherokee language with the help of a printmaking class. And, a pair of artists follow cicada hatchings to make art from their shells. You'll hear these stories and more this we…

1
1,055 - The War & Treaty, Johnnyswim, Olivia Ellen Lloyd 1:45:50

2M ago1:45:50

1:45:50

This episode was recorded on April 13th, 2025 at the Culture Center Theater in Charleston, WV. The lineup includes The War & Treaty, Johnnyswim, and Olivia Ellen Lloyd. https://bit.ly/4jTLFkuBy West Virginia Public Broadcasting

1
Saving A Black Coal Camp And Affrilachian Poets, Inside Appalachia

2M ago

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A West Virginia man is reviving an historic Black coal camp through farming. Also, the legacy of Affrilachian poet Norman Jordan includes a summer camp for teens to study their heritage. And, the Reverend George Mills Dickerson of Tazewell, Virginia, was born in the years after slavery ended. He’s remembered during Juneteenth through his poetry. Yo…

1
Us & Them Encore: The Geography of Abortion 33:48

2M ago33:48

33:48

State borders are the new front lines in the nation’s abortion battle. On this encore episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay looks at the evolving geography of abortion. Since a 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision overturned federal abortion rights, 21 states have either banned or restricted abortion access, including West Virginia. Meanwhile, West Virgi…

1
1,058 - Dan Tyminski, Darrell Scott, I Draw Slow, Kieran Kane & Rayna Gellert, and Jacob Jolliff Band 2:35:08

2M ago2:35:08

2:35:08

This episode was recorded on May 18th, 2025 at Culture Center Theater in Charleston, WV. The lineup includes Dan Tyminski, Darrell Scott, I Draw Slow, Kieran Kane & Rayna Gellert, and Jacob Jolliff Band. bit.ly/3HLCyoCBy West Virginia Public Broadcasting

1
Encore: The Mine Wars For Young Adults, Faith After A Flood And Remembering Billy Edd Wheeler, Inside Appalachia

2M ago

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Textbooks have long left out an important piece of labor history that happened here in the mountains. Now, a new young adult book fills in some of what might have been missed about the Mine Wars. Also, when flooding devastates a community, people can find solace through faith and through song. And, we remember songwriter Billy Edd Wheeler, who pass…

1
1,057 - Medium Build, Susan Werner, Maya de Vitry, The Arcadian Wild, and Them Coulee Boys 2:19:57

2M ago2:19:57

2:19:57

This episode was recorded on May 11th, 2025 at the Culture Center Theater in Charleston, WV. The lineup includes Medium Build, Susan Werner, Maya de Vitry, The Arcadian Wild, and Them Coulee Boys. https://bit.ly/4jTLFkuBy West Virginia Public Broadcasting

1
Cicadas, Wild Mushrooms And Sinkholes, Inside Appalachia

2M ago

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Cicadas are emerging again. They’re an important food source for wildlife — and even some people. Also, morel mushrooms are a forager’s delight, but don’t shortcut cleaning them. We follow along with mushroom hunters and talk to a chef. And, sinkholes can cause a lot of damage. But they’re also fascinating. You'll hear these stories and more this w…

1
1,056 - Eric Bibb, Moira Smiley & The Rhizome Quartet, Twisted Pine, The McCrary Sisters, and Yasmin Williams 2:33:58

2M ago2:33:58

2:33:58

This episode was recorded on May 4th, 2025 at Canady Creative Arts Center in Morgantown, WV. The lineup includes Eric Bibb, Moira Smiley & The Rhizome Quartet, Twisted Pine, The McCrary Sisters, and Yasmin Williams. https://bit.ly/3Fsk1NqBy West Virginia Public Broadcasting

1
Appalachian Prison Book Project, Inside Appalachia

2M ago

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The Appalachian Prison Book Project has been sending books to incarcerated people for nearly 20 years. Its most popular book is the dictionary. Also, the Seeing Hand Association brings together people who are visually impaired to learn the craft of chair caning. And, crossing a river by ferry can be a special experience, and hard to come by. On the…

1
Us & Them: 100 Days And A Lot To Discuss At Our Dinner Party 52:00

2M ago52:00

52:00

During his first months in office, President Donald Trump has issued about 150 executive orders and is taking action on the very issues he promised during the campaign. There’ve been dramatic changes in immigration in the form of mass deportations despite concerns over a lack of due process. The administration continues to make good on moves to cut…

1
The Kingdom Of The Happy Land, Inside Appalachia

3M ago

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The setting for a new novel is a communal society founded by freed people in North Carolina. It was a real place called The Kingdom of the Happy Land. Also, when a West Virginia pastor got assigned to a new church, some folks tried to warn him. And, the online world of Appalachian memes — and what they tell us about folks who live here. You'll hear…

1
Encore: True Stories Behind Folk Heroes, Runaway Trains And Murder Ballads

3M ago

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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-Th…

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1,054 - Al Stewart, Livingston Taylor, Sweet Honey In The Rock, The Nighthawks, and Cristina Vane 2:29:27

3M ago2:29:27

2:29:27

This episode was recorded on April 6th, 2025 at Hylton Performing Arts Center in Manassas, VA. The lineup includes Al Stewart, Livingston Taylor, Sweet Honey In The Rock, The Nighthawks, and Cristina Vane. https://bit.ly/4lWtFIyBy West Virginia Public Broadcasting

1
Us & Them: Carpe Sonum — Celebrating 10 Years of Us & Them with the Dead Podcasters Society 41:19

3M ago41:19

41:19

For this episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay celebrates the tenth anniversary of the podcast with the young members of Marshall University’s Dead Podcasters Society, a club that is dedicated to artistic expression and following one’s passions, much like the fictional group in the 1989 film Dead Poets Society. The event becomes a master class on pod…

1
Red Onion Prison, NIOSH And The Mountain Laurel Festival, Inside Appalachia

3M ago

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Officials are scrutinizing a supermax prison in Wise County, Virginia, after inmate complaints and a visit by a state lawmaker. Also, laid-off federal workers warn the Trump administration’s mass firings could make a big difference for coal miners. And, every year, the Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival stages a formal dance. Organizers rely on a ma…

1
1,053 - Loudon Wainwright III, Janiva Magness, John Ellison & Joe Beard, Dan Navarro, and Ali McGuirk 2:22:04

3M ago2:22:04

2:22:04

This episode was recorded on March 21st, 2025 at Kodak Hall in Rochester, NY. The lineup includes Loudon Wainwright III, Janiva Magness, John Ellison & Joe Beard, Dan Navarro, and Ali McGuirk. https://bit.ly/4jxGpUBBy West Virginia Public Broadcasting

1
Coal And Coal Miners, Inside Appalachia

3M ago

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Some politicians and coal operators call themselves friends of coal, but one journalist says they don’t seem to be friends of coal miners. Also, what not to do if you get poison ivy. And, pepperoni rolls were a staple in the coal mines. But public schools might be why they caught on. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia. …

1
Us & Them: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion — Its History And The Efforts To Erase It 52:00

3M ago52:00

52:00

For decades, polls have shown most Americans believe equal opportunity in the workplace is beneficial and laws like the 1964 Civil Rights Act worked to achieve that goal. More recently, the effort has included voluntary diversity, equity and inclusion programs - known as DEI. On this episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay looks at changing social and …

1
1,052 - MC Taylor Goldsmith Show, Kat Edmonson, Ken Pomeroy, Jonny Fritz, and Scott Mulvahill 2:12:07

3M ago2:12:07

2:12:07

This episode was recorded on March 9, 2025 at the Culture Center Theater in Charleston, WV. The lineup includes The MC Taylor Goldsmith Show (featuring Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes and MC Taylor of Hiss Golden Messenger), Kat Edmonson, Ken Pomeroy, Jonny Fritz, and Scott Mulvahill. https://bit.ly/4iftS6O…

1
Springtime Arrives, Inside Appalachia

4M ago

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We head to the woods for a master class in foraging for wild mushrooms. And the woman behind the popular TikTok account “Appalachian Forager” makes jam from pawpaws and jewelry from coyote teeth. We also visit the Alleghany Highlands, where mountain maple syrup traditions are changing with the times. You'll hear these stories and more this week, In…

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1,051- Larkin Poe, Victoria Canal, Raye Zaragoza, Ron Pope, and Christian Lopez 2:19:19

4M ago2:19:19

2:19:19

This episode was recorded on February 16th, 2025 at the Canady Creative Arts Centerat West Virginia University in Morgantown, WV. The lineup includes Larkin Poe, Victoria Canal, Raye Zaragoza, Ron Pope, and Christian Lopez. https://bit.ly/3RWmKBeBy West Virginia Public Broadcasting

1
‘Valley So Low,’ Climbing Crafts And Vegan Cooking, Inside Appalachia

4M ago

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A new book looks into the toxic legacy of a huge industrial disaster in Tennessee. Also, rock climbing gear wears out. But it can still live on as art. And, an Eastern Kentucky pharmacist serves vegan food for the holidays. You’ll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia. In This Episode: A Coal Ash Spill And A Labor Justice Fight C…

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1,050- The Headhunters, Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters, David Berkeley, Buffalo Rose, and Crys Matthews 2:14:14

4M ago2:14:14

2:14:14

This episode was recorded on February 2nd, 2025 at the Culture Center Theater in Charleston, WV. The lineup includes The Headhunters, Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters, David Berkeley, Buffalo Rose, and Crys Matthews. https://bit.ly/42AWjHvBy West Virginia Public Broadcasting

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