January 26, 2022 – Nashville, TN – The Bluegrass Situation is excited to announce its latest addition to the BGS Podcast Network, CAROLINA CALLING, a podcast produced in association with Come Hear NC that explores the history of North Carolina as told through its music and the musicians who made it.
Season one delves into five distinct locales: Asheville, Shelby, Greensboro, Durham and Wilmington, that each influenced various musical styles across the U.S. and beyond.
Carolina Calling‘s first episodes aim to connect the roots of these progressions and uncover the unique spark and story within five different artistic communities. From Asheville to Wilmington, we’ll be spanning the state to dive into cities and regions that have cultivated decades of talent as diverse as Blind Boy Fuller to the Steep Canyon Rangers, from Robert Moog to James Taylor and Rhiannon Giddens.
Hosted by writer David Menconi — longtime North Carolinian, frequent BGS-contributor, and author of the award-winning 2020 book Step It Up and Go: The Story of North Carolina Music (University of North Carolina Press) — the series’ first episode premieres Monday, Jan. 31 and focuses on Asheville with appearances from Pokey LaFarge, Woody Platt of the Steep Canyon Rangers, Gar Ragland of Citizen Vinyl and more.
“It’s been my pleasure to spend the past three decades immersed in the music of North Carolina,” says Menconi. “I’m excited to be a part of carrying that forward and spreading the word to an even wider audience through this new series.”
Listen to the series trailer here and subscribe to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Host interviews, episode previews, and exclusive clip premieres available upon request.