Podcast
The Talking Appalachian Podcast
Hosted by Amy D. Clark · EN
Talking Appalachian is a podcast about the Appalachian Mountain region's language or "voiceplaces," cultures, and communities. The podcast is hosted by Dr. Amy Clark, a Professor of Communication Studies and Director of the Center for Appalachian Studies at the University of Virginia's College at Wise. The podcast is based on her 2013 co-edited book Talking Appalachian: Voice, Identity, and Community. Her writing on Appalachia has appeared in the New York Times, Oxford American Magazine, Salon.com, on NPR, and Harvard University Press blog. She is also founder and director of the Appalachian Writing Project, which serves teachers, students, and the communities of the central Appalachian region.
27episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Places and Spaces: Edgar Allen Poe's Baltimore Home and a Reading of "The Raven"
Oct 31, 202400:13:27Tap to summarizeWhat did you think of this episode?In this "Places and Spaces" episode, we'll mark the October anniversary of Edgar Allen Poe's mysterious death with a visit to Poe's house in Baltimore and the cemetery where he is buried. Then, listen to a haunting reading of "The Raven" (with audio by Brock Davidson.)Special thanks to Brock Davidson for lending his voice to The Raven. Contact: gbdavidson7@icloud.com.Support the show*Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and review us (if you like it)! *Support the show by sharing links to episodes on social*Subscribe to support us on the Facebook Talking Appalachian page, or here at our Patreon page to get bonus content:Talking Appalachian Podcast | Covering the Appalachian Region from North to South | Patreon*Paypal to support the show: @amyclarkspain*Follow and message me on IG, FB, YouTube: @talkingappalachian*To sponsor an episode or collaborate: aclark@virginia.edu or message me at the link here or on social.Unless another artist is featured, acoustic music on most episodes: "Steam Train" written by Elizabeth Cotten and performed by Landon Spain
Transcribe →Grave Matters: Appalachian Death Lore, Burial, and Mourning Rituals
Oct 29, 202400:22:33Tap to summarizeWhat did you think of this episode? In this chilling episode (just in time for spooky week), SWVA Museum Education Specialist Burke Greear joins me to talk about pre-funeral industry Appalachian customs and superstitions surrounding premonitions, death and burial. We'll explore the roots of terms like "death watch," "sitting up with the dead," "pallbearer," "kick the bucket," "living room" and "funeral parlor." Later, we'll talk about memorialization in death photography, memory pieces made of the hair of the deceased, and gravestones. We'll cover the do's and don'ts of death lore involving entering and exiting a house, covering mirrors, stopping clocks, and heeding the warning of a bird flying into the house (many people still live by these). And there's more: I'll share with you an excerpt of my favorite short story, "The Corpse Bird" by Ron Rash (set on Halloween). Trust me, if you've never read it, you'll want to after hearing the first part!Special thanks to Burke Greear and the Southwest Virginia Museum and Historical State Park for the research and interview material."Corpse Bird" excerpt is from the short story collection Burning Bright by Ron RashSupport the show*Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and review us (if you like it)! *Support the show by sharing links to episodes on social*Subscribe to support us on the Facebook Talking Appalachian page, or here at our Patreon page to get bonus content:Talking Appalachian Podcast | Covering the Appalachian Region from North to South | Patreon*Paypal to support the show: @amyclarkspain*Follow and message me on IG, FB, YouTube: @talkingappalachian*To sponsor an episode or collaborate: aclark@virginia.edu or message me at the link here or on social.Unless another artist is featured, acoustic music on most episodes: "Steam Train" written by Elizabeth Cotten and performed by Landon Spain
Transcribe →Appalachian Reckoning, Hillbillies, and Accents with Anthony Harkins and Meredith McCarroll
Oct 23, 202400:41:31Tap to summarizeWhat did you think of this episode?The co-editors of Appalachian Reckoning: a Region Responds to Hillbilly Elegy and the author of Hillbilly: a Cultural History of an American Icon join me to talk about the region's literary response to J.D. Vance's book, the layered meanings of "hillbilly," and why reclaiming accent matters to so many of us. We'll also talk about Hurricane Helene and its impact (not just economic, but psychological) on the region.Support the show*Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and review us (if you like it)! *Support the show by sharing links to episodes on social*Subscribe to support us on the Facebook Talking Appalachian page, or here at our Patreon page to get bonus content:Talking Appalachian Podcast | Covering the Appalachian Region from North to South | Patreon*Paypal to support the show: @amyclarkspain*Follow and message me on IG, FB, YouTube: @talkingappalachian*To sponsor an episode or collaborate: aclark@virginia.edu or message me at the link here or on social.Unless another artist is featured, acoustic music on most episodes: "Steam Train" written by Elizabeth Cotten and performed by Landon Spain
Transcribe →Appalshop: 55 Years of Telling Appalachia's Stories
Oct 9, 202400:35:26Tap to summarizeWhat did you think of this episode?Appalshop was founded in eastern Kentucky in 1969, providing "space for Appalachians to tell their own stories in their own words." Its founding followed the War on Poverty, when Appalachia was put on display for the rest of the world in a way that cemented stereotypical thinking about the region. Since then, it has grown to include not only filmmaking but oral history projects, a radio station, a record label, a reading series, theatre programs, and a priceless archive of film, photography, and artifacts.I'm talking with Communications Director Rachel Rosolina and Visual Communications Manager Aaron Asbury about Appalshop's role in giving Appalachians a voice to tell their own stories, recovery and mediating archives since the flood of 2022, and who can benefit from their resources and programs.Check out their web site here: AppalshopAppalshop's Archives: Appalshop ArchiveFeatured music: "Lonesome Pine" from the album Fields Where We Once Played by The Payroll Boys (1983) courtesy of Appalshop and June Appal RecordingsSupport the show*Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and review us (if you like it)! *Support the show by sharing links to episodes on social*Subscribe to support us on the Facebook Talking Appalachian page, or here at our Patreon page to get bonus content:Talking Appalachian Podcast | Covering the Appalachian Region from North to South | Patreon*Paypal to support the show: @amyclarkspain*Follow and message me on IG, FB, YouTube: @talkingappalachian*To sponsor an episode or collaborate: aclark@virginia.edu or message me at the link here or on social.Unless another artist is featured, acoustic music on most episodes: "Steam Train" written by Elizabeth Cotten and performed by Landon Spain
Transcribe →Adriana Trigiani: a Bestselling Author on Books, Movies, Podcasting, and Place
Sep 24, 202400:25:56Tap to summarizeWhat did you think of this episode?Adri and I sit down at the Library of Virginia to catch up and talk about writing, The Origin Project, her podcast (You Are What You Read), and ten years since the release of her hometown movie Big Stone Gap.Beloved by millions of readers around the world for her “dazzling” novels, (USA Today) Adriana Trigiani is The New York Times bestselling author of twenty books in fiction and nonfiction (she just finished her 21st manuscript). She has been published in 38 countries around the world. The New York Times calls her “a comedy writer with a heart of gold,” her books “tiramisu for the soul.” She wrote the blockbuster The Shoemaker’s Wife, the Big Stone Gap series, the Valentine trilogy and Lucia, Lucia. Trigiani’s themes of love and work, emphasis upon craftsmanship and family life have brought her legions of fans around the world. Their devotion has made Adriana one of “the reigning queens of women’s fiction” (USA Today).Adriana is host of the hit podcast, You Are What You Read, sponsored by Book of the Month. Adriana interviews the luminaries of our time about the books that built their souls. Episodes feature Sarah Jessica Parker, Kristin Hannah, David Baldacci, Whoopi Goldberg, Rainn Wilson, Amor Towles, Fannie Flagg, Katie Couric, Mitch Albom, Jhumpa Lahiri, Craig Ferguson and many more.In 2013, Adriana co-founded The Origin Project with the late Nancy Bolmeier Fisher, who served as Executive Director of the program for over a decade. The Origin Project is an in-school writing program that brings professional authors into the classroom to work with students on their creative writing skills – specifically, stories inspired by their own family history. The project culminates with a published anthology of student work at the end of the school year. Since The Origin Project’s launch in 2013, the program has expanded to include many more schools, now serving over 1,700 students grades 2-12 in the Appalachian mountains of Virginia.Ivy Attic CoJewelry from coal, river glass, and discarded books handcrafted in the central Appalachian MountainsDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show*Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and review us (if you like it)! *Support the show by sharing links to episodes on social*Subscribe to support us on the Facebook Talking Appalachian page, or here at our Patreon page to get bonus content:Talking Appalachian Podcast | Covering the Appalachian Region from North to South | Patreon*Paypal to support the show: @amyclarkspain*Follow and message me on IG, FB, YouTube: @talkingappalachian*To sponsor an episode or collaborate: aclark@virginia.edu or message me at the link here or on social.Unless another artist is featured, acoustic music on most episodes: "Steam Train" written by Elizabeth Cotten and performed by Landon Spain
Transcribe →Finding Glimmers with Poet Jane Hicks and Music by Tiffany Williams
Sep 16, 202400:29:33Tap to summarizeWhat did you think of this episode?Poet Jane Hicks is the author of three award-winning poetry collections: Blood and Bone Remember, Driving with the Dead, and recently, The Safety of Small Things (University Press of Kentucky/Fireside Imprint). She also wrote the essay "A Matter of Perception" for Talking Appalachian (the book.) In our conversation, we talk about our speech patterns as a "political choice" (of course), the healing inspiration for her latest collection, and why we look for glimmers (the opposite of triggers) in the darkest days. You can contact Jane for workshops and readings via email: jane.cosmicpossum.hicks@gmail.comOpening poem: "Longing" by Jane Hicks from The Safety of Small ThingsMusic: "When You Go" written and performed by Tiffany WilliamsIvy Attic CoJewelry from coal, river glass, and discarded books handcrafted in the central Appalachian MountainsDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show*Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and review us (if you like it)! *Support the show by sharing links to episodes on social*Subscribe to support us on the Facebook Talking Appalachian page, or here at our Patreon page to get bonus content:Talking Appalachian Podcast | Covering the Appalachian Region from North to South | Patreon*Paypal to support the show: @amyclarkspain*Follow and message me on IG, FB, YouTube: @talkingappalachian*To sponsor an episode or collaborate: aclark@virginia.edu or message me at the link here or on social.Unless another artist is featured, acoustic music on most episodes: "Steam Train" written by Elizabeth Cotten and performed by Landon Spain
Transcribe →"Hillbilly" and an Interview with Journalist and Documentary Filmmaker Ashley York
Sep 4, 202400:41:54Tap to summarizeWhat did you think of this episode?In this episode, I explore the word "hillbilly" with native Kentuckian and documentary filmmaker Ashley York, who co-directed the award-winning film by the same name in 2018. I talk about the history of the word first, and then Ashley and I discuss what it was like to return to central Appalachia to interview family, friends, and "heroes" as she unpacked this complicated word against the backdrop of the 2016 election. We also talk about her interview and friendship with Billy Redden, who played the banjo-pickin' boy in the 1972 film Deliverance. We discuss what "Hillbilly" means in a new election season, and her plans for a follow-up film.Watch the Hillbilly documentary here on Vimeo for just 2.99 and support the creatorsIvy Attic CoJewelry from coal, river glass, and discarded books handcrafted in the central Appalachian MountainsDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show*Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and review us (if you like it)! *Support the show by sharing links to episodes on social*Subscribe to support us on the Facebook Talking Appalachian page, or here at our Patreon page to get bonus content:Talking Appalachian Podcast | Covering the Appalachian Region from North to South | Patreon*Paypal to support the show: @amyclarkspain*Follow and message me on IG, FB, YouTube: @talkingappalachian*To sponsor an episode or collaborate: aclark@virginia.edu or message me at the link here or on social.Unless another artist is featured, acoustic music on most episodes: "Steam Train" written by Elizabeth Cotten and performed by Landon Spain
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