Down the Road on the Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina

Music legends and traditions of the North Carolina mountains and foothills.

Down the Road on the Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina is a music podcast hosted by Blue Ridge Music Trails, with 100 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Blue Ridge Music Trails hosts Down the Road on the Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina, a music show with 100 episodes published.

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  Episode #4

  Episode 4: Birth of the Banjo

  Aug 12, 20269 minS7

  Bob Carlin is a banjoist, producer, and author. Bob has done extensive research on the “birth of the banjo” in the American South. His book, The Birth of the Banjo: Joel Walker Sweeney and Early Minstrelsy , covers the banjo's history. The Podcast Down the Road highlights bluegrass and old-time music stories, performers, and traditions across the mountain and foothills counties of Western North Carolina. These traditions and stories are the soul and spirit of the Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina . The podcast is hosted and scripted by Laura Boosinger, musician, folklorist, and storyteller; and produced by Jaclyn Anthony of WNCW-FM. Episodes air every other week on WNCW-FM (88.7) at about 8:50 am on Tuesday mornings (at the end of NPR’s Morning Edition). New episodes will be published below as they are completed.

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  Episode #3

  Episode 3: Music From the Land of Sky: The 1925 Asheville Sessions (Part Three)

  May 22, 20269 minS7

  Dr. Ted Olson and Laura Boosinger continue to discuss the 1925 Asheville Sessions. Olson explains the influence the sessions had on artists and musical styles. Boosinger discusses the city's growth during 1924 and 1925. Heard in this episode: American and Spanish Fandango. Smith & Allgood Hard Times Come Again No More. Appalachian Roadshow To learn more about the music of North Carolina, visit BlueRidgeMusicNC.com . The Podcast This podcast highlights bluegrass and old-time music stories, performers, and traditions across the mountain and foothills counties of Western North Carolina. These traditions and stories are the soul and spirit of the Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina . The podcast is hosted and scripted by Laura Boosinger, musician, folklorist, and storyteller, and produced by Jaclyn Anthony and Joe Kendrick of WNCW-FM. Episodes air every other week on WNCW-FM (88.7) at about 8:50 am on Tuesday mornings (at the end of NPR’s Morning Edition). New episodes will be published below as they are completed. More episodes .

  ListenShow Notes
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  Episode #2

  Episode 2: Music From the Land of Sky: The 1925 Asheville Sessions (Part Two)

  Mar 12, 20269 minS7

  In this episode, we dive into the backgrounds of some participants from the original sessions. It was reported that out of 300 applications, only 25 musicians were chosen for the original Asheville Sessions. Listen to learn about two of those musicians: James Dedrick Harris (fiddle) and Ernest Helton (banjo). Heard in this episode: The Cacklin' Hen. James Dedrick Harris Royal Clog. Ernest Helton John Hardy. Ernest "Pop" Stoneman To learn more about the musical families of North Carolina, visit BlueRidgeMusicNC.com. The Podcast This podcast highlights bluegrass and old-time music stories, performers, and traditions across the mountain and foothills counties of Western North Carolina. These traditions and stories are the soul and spirit of the Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina . The podcast is hosted and scripted by Laura Boosinger, musician, folklorist, and storyteller; and produced by Jaclyn Anthony and Joe Kendrick of WNCW-FM. Episodes air every other week on WNCW-FM (88.7) at about 8:50 am on Tuesday mornings (at the end of NPR’s Morning Edition). New episodes will be published below as they are completed. More episodes .

  ListenShow Notes
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  Episode #1

  Episode 1: Music From the Land of the Sky: The 1925 Asheville Sessions (Part One)

  Feb 24, 20269 minS7

  Something big happened in Asheville music in 1925. A two-week recording session was held at the Vanderbilt Hotel. Musicians and groups performed traditional Southern Appalachian music. Afterwards, OKeh Records pressed and released a catalogue of records documenting a sound that many folks outside the region had never heard. The Asheville Sessions were revived in 2025 through a remastering and concert project. We sat down with Dr. Ted Olson, professor of Appalachian Studies at East Tennessee State University, to discuss the significance of the historic sessions. To learn more about the musical families of North Carolina, visit BlueRidgeMusicNC.com .

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  Episode #22

  Episode 22: The Helene Guitar

  Oct 8, 20259 minS6

  Three luthiers have collaborated to create a guitar, which will be raffled off through LEAF Global Arts at the annual LEAF Festival, taking place from October 16 to 19, 2025. The guitar was crafted from wood harvested from trees that fell during Hurricane Helene. The luthiers: Jayne Henderson Kyle Landers Judson Riviere All proceeds will support the Local Artist ReLEAF Fund, aiding Western North Carolina artists impacted by Hurricane Helene. Learn more at LEAF.org.

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