Folkways Reporting Project News Today

The price of untanned, or green fur, has been dropping steadily as public opinion and markets have turned away from fur products. Animal welfare groups have advocated against trapping and

The price of untanned, or green fur, has been dropping steadily as public opinion and markets have turned away from fur products. Animal welfare groups have advocated against trapping and

This story originally aired in the July 2, 2023 episode of Inside Appalachia.

This week on 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.

This week on Inside Appalachia, we venture to southern Ohio to visit the last remaining washboard maker in the United States. Its washboard’s aren’t just for laundry — but for music. And people come there to jam. We also speak with Elliott Stewart, who makes the zine "Porch Beers." The zine tracks his life and travels, like his move from West Virginia and back again. And we revisit our 20th anniversary celebration with Giles Snyder and Beth Vorhees, the founders and original host...

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

Our Inside Appalachia team recently won several awards for our reporting. This week, we’re listening back to some of these stories, including one about the John Denver classic, “Take Me Home Country Roads,” which was first recorded 50 years ago in 1971. And we’ll learn how indie pro-wrestling in Southern West Virginia was able to keep going through the pandemic — with drive-in shows. We’ll also hear about two Welsh storytellers and their fascination with Appalachia.