As the coronavirus finally arrives in Mobile and, most detrimentally to Abe, the Mobile music scene, Abe’s gigs begin to drop. 
 
 With more free time on his hands, he travels to Jackson County, Kentucky, to meet fourth-generation serpent-handling preacher Cody Coots, along with his songwriting wife, Cassy Coots.

Abe conducts a field recording at their house to capture generations-old songs from the duo. A life-changing friendship begins to take root.
 
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Special thanks this episode goes to:

Cody and Cassy Coots

Professor Tom Lewis of UGA

Dave Garrett (of the Psych Peas)

While on the road to a Panama City show, Abe tells Ferrill about his recent trip to a small church in desolate, southern West Virginia – House of the Lord Jesus. There, Abe captured audio of their worship: a blistering, rockabilly-style sound. Also, Abe tells Ferrill about a moment when Chris Wolford, the church's preacher, called out the Alabamian from the pulpit, causing Abe to recount his own days as a pastor in the mountains of east Kentucky. 

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Special thanks this episode to:

Chris Wolford and House of the Lord Jesus

Dr. Spencer Greene

Will Stewart

Abe Partridge, a folk artist from Mobile, Alabama, approaches Ferrill Gibbs, a podcaster from Texas, in mid 2020. 

With his gigs canceled due to coronavirus, Abe spends time at serpent-handling churches across the Appalachians. He explains to Ferrill how originally, his plan was to paint the oft-ridiculed sect, but while taking in their frenetic services, he began to realize their songs were powerful, and possibly, undocumented. 

Abe shares audio with Ferrill of a serpent handling preacher who tied Abe's hands with a Gibson guitar strap in a worship service. Also, Ferrill draws a connection to legendary music documentarians, John Avery and Alan Lomax.

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Special thanks this episode to:
John Nova Lomax
Andrew Hamblin
Taylor Hamblin