Gateway to the Smokies

In this episode of "Gateway to the Smoky Podcast," host Joseph Franklyn McElroy introduces listeners to Andrew Wakefield, a Asheville-based musician known for blending traditional and modern sounds into his music. Andrew shares his global influences, from a childhood in Korea to Southern and Appalachian music. They discuss Andrew's journey through various music genres, his current bluegrass focus, and the importance of live performance energy. The conversation also touches on the challenges of a musician's life, including constant travel and the need for creative space. Andrew highlights Chimney Rock as a must-visit in the Smoky Mountains and recommends Gypsy Queen for dining in Asheville. Listeners can learn more about Andrew's work and upcoming gigs through his website.

In this podcast episode, I interview Jennifer Cole, a successful chef who has won the competition show “Chopped” and has been cooking professionally for over 25 years. We discuss her career path, including working in Atlanta, New Orleans, Paris, and Spain before returning to her family farm in Haywood County. Cole emphasizes her interest in working with local farmers and using locally sourced ingredients in her cooking. The conversation also touches on topics such as the importance of creativity and understanding recipe rules as a chef, favorite ingredients like olive oil and heirloom beans, and the growing trend of farm weddings.

Instagram

LinkedIn

Business Facebook Page

Website

Facebook

Instagram

Youtube

00:00: 27–00:01: 01 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  Hello. This is Joseph Franklyn McElroy here with the Gateway to the Smokies podcast. I have with me today my guest Jennifer Cole, who is a native of western North Carolina. And her family has actually been in Haywood County for generations. And she’s had a successful career as a chef for over 20 years, including winning chopped on in season 8. Hello, Jennifer, how are you doing? 

00:01:01–00:01: 02 Jennifer Cole:  Good, how are you? 

00:01:02–00:01: 03 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  Yeah, cool. 

00:01:04–00:01: 05 Jennifer Cole: Good to be here. 

00:01:05–00:01: 11 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: How was that how was that? Was that exciting to win the season? Was it a difficult challenge? 

00:01:11–00:01: 20 Jennifer Cole: Well, you know, it was a lot of fun. I think a lot of people didn’t really expect an old gal to be able to win it. 

00:01:20–00:01: 21 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Yeah. 

00:01:21–00:01: 23 Jennifer Cole: Yeah, So it was a lot of fun. 

00:01:24–00:01: 25 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: And what did you cook?

00:01:25–00:01: 28 Jennifer Cole: Oh, God, it was a lot of stuff. Three different courses.

00:01:29–00:01: 31 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:   Really? They give you the ingredients, say, make it.

00:01:31–00:01: 40 Jennifer Cole: In a basket. It’s actually one of the few TV shows. It’s real. They actually give you a basket, and you don’t know until you open it. 

 00:01:41–00:01: 44 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  Really? Wow. And then you have to figure out so can create and be able to fly. So creativity is very big.

00:01:44–00:01: 45 Jennifer Cole: Very important.

00:01:47–00:02: 13 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Well, when you reach out to us after moving here, I sort of gave you the challenge in a spot to come up with a guest chef menu here at the Homecraft at the Meadowlark Motel. And you did a really fantastic job. We had a lot of people show up. What were the three dishes were a moose. 

00:02:13–00:02: 40 Jennifer Cole: I did a Mexican chocolate mousse is the dessert. For the appetizer, I did roasted beefs with field greens that I picked on my farm. That was with local trap that I cured overnight. And then for the entree, I did a red one braised local beef cheeks with goat cheese Ballinta. I mean, goat cheese risotto. 

00:02:41–00:02: 53 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Wow. Yeah. That was really fantastic. That was good. Well, you said you’ve been cooking as a professional for 30 years. For 20. What was your first cooking job? 

00:02:53–00:03: 18 Jennifer Cole:  Well, I put myself through college waiting tables and cooking. I was waiting tables, and they were short of line cooks, and they’re like they asked for a volunteer among the wait staff. And so I was like, I’ll go home. So started doing that. Also worked for a catering company in Chapel Hill. The Chapel Hill Catering Company, which still exists. And that’s how I got started. 

00:03:18–00:03: 27 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  Yeah. And then did you experiment with other careers for a little while or anything, or did you just go straight into cooking as a career?

00:03:28–00:03: 45 Jennifer Cole:  Well, studying political science at Chapel Hill to go into law, and then decided the decided, there’s a lot of lawyers out there. I want to do this. I like the instant gratification of seeing people’s face light up when you let them try something new. 

00:03:45–00:03: 46 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  Right. Yeah. 

00:03:46–00:03: 57 Jennifer Cole:  So went to Atlanta and did an 18 month apprenticeship with a very well known at the time chef in Atlanta and started there. 

00:03:57–00:04: 12 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:   Cool. And what do you think is more important in being a chef? Is it understanding the science and the rules of recipes or creativity?

00:04:12–00:04: 20 Jennifer Cole:  Well, science and rules usually go more toward pastry or baking. You have to understand the rules so you can bend them. 

00:04:20–00:04:21 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:   Right. 

00:04:21–00:04: 26 Jennifer Cole:  And you have to be able to be creative to bend them. So a little bit of both. 

00:04:26–00:04:45 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Cool. All right. I took one class, I think, in New York City. Was it Culinary Institute? And I think there was a question at one point said, what’s your favorite ingredient? What’s the best ingredient? Baking or butter? 

00:04:47–00:04: 48 Jennifer Cole:  Well, I think olive oil. 

00:04:48–00:04:52 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Olive oil, okay. There you go. Good. Olive oil.

00:04:52–00:05:02 Jennifer Cole: I mean, I was in Spain for twelve years and that was beaten into my head. Butter is France, olive oil is Spain and southern Italy. 

00:05:02- -00:05:05 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Okay. And it’s better for you. 

00:05:05–00:05:07 Jennifer Cole: Yeah, I mean, butter’s a lot of fun. 

00:05:07- -00:05:17 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Yeah, butters is a lot of fun. Yeah. Especially on biscuits. So you’ve lived in, you were here, you were in Atlanta, right? 

00:05:18–00:05:40 Jennifer Cole:  I cooked in Atlanta for five years, and then I moved to New Orleans for a couple of years, and then I moved to Spain for twelve. I was in Paris for two, and then moved to New York when the economy tanked in 2008. 

And then moved back to New Orleans in 2015 and have just moved home to my family farm. 

00:05:40- -00:05:44 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: That’s fabulous. Of all those places, where did you have the most fun cooking? 

00:05:44–00:05:49 Jennifer Cole:  I have fun cooking wherever I go. I mean, you got to have fun. 

00:05:50 -00:05:56 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  Yeah. Well, it sounds like Madrid was the biggest experience, so that must have been very formative. 

00:05:57–00:06:07 Jennifer Cole: Spain was very formative, and Spanish cuisine is amazing and diverse and regional. And you can find something new every day. But you can do that up here too. 

00:06:08 -00:06:15 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  Of course. Both New Orleans and New York City are food towns. Right. 

00:06:15–00:06:19 Jennifer Cole:  Frankly, in my opinion, new Orleans beats New York. 

00:06:19 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  Really? 

00:06:19–00:06:27 Jennifer Cole: Yeah. You got four full growing seasons. You got fresh produce all the time. 

00:06:28 -00:06:30 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: That’s good. You got great seafood, 

00:06:30 -00:06:41 Jennifer Cole:  you got great seafood, you got great charcutory, you’ve got great local farms, which is very near and dear to my heart. So, all that.

00:06:42 -00:06:49 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  Well, we’re filming here at the Meadowlark so we’ll get a little bit of background noise. I hope everybody doesn’t mind. Hope you don’t mind. 

00:06:50 Jennifer Cole: I don’t mind. 

00:06:50 -00:06:54 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  So what inspires you to move back to Haywood County? 

00:06:55 -00:07:16 Jennifer Cole:  Well, my family is from here. I own a farm with my two brothers, and we’re not doing anything with it, so I wanted to move home. And while I am working as a chef, I also want to do some stuff on my farm. We got a lot of lands to play with. 

00:07:17 -00:07:18 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Yeah. How many acres you got there?

00:07:18 Jennifer Cole: 90,

00:07:18 -00:07:24 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:   90 acres. Wow, that’s a nice big farm. Was it farmed in the past? 

00:07:25 -00:08:00 Jennifer Cole: When I was a kid, it was a tobacco farm. My grandfather always had cattle on it. We had pigs when I was a very small kid. And then when my dad took it over, turned it in more into a gentleman’s farm and grew gardens and had goats and had a couple of Sicilian donkeys and turkeys and guineafall. And right now we are just playing with it, renting it out to a couple of different local farmers. 

00:08:00 -00:08:34 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:    All right, so that’s great, right? Yeah. There’s a number of farms, I guess you would call them becoming gentleman farms at Haywood County. There’s actually one that’s out over in Crab Tree that is a bison farm. But they’ve also put in train cars as like, cabins that you can rent and they have a whole train thing. Is that something you’d be looking to do? Is that make yours into the destination as well? 

00:08:35 -00:08:36 Jennifer Cole:  No, definitely not. 

00:08:36 -00:08:38 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  Purely just a farm. Farm, farm. That’s cool. 

00:08:39 -00:08:55 Jennifer Cole: Although we do have somebody that’s coming tomorrow to take pictures with, I think, like a bridal party on the farm. She has an agreement with my brother that as long as she gives us a heads up, she’s welcome to do that also.

00:08:58 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:Farm weddings? 

00:08:59 Jennifer Cole: Yeah. 

00:09:00 -00:09:01 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  You got some pictures? I guess. 

00:09:01 -00:09:10 Jennifer Cole: I just want to know if they’re on the property so I don’t call the police. 

00:09:10 -00:09:15 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  You mentioned pig farms. I don’t remember a lot of those around here growing up. 

00:09:15 -00:09:28 Jennifer Cole: It’s usually for self-use. I mean, we would have pigs for us a year. Okay, I’m not talking a huge pig farm. 

00:09:30 -00:09:46 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Well, it was strange. I was walking around with my kids in Asheville, in North Asheville, not too far from downtown. All of a sudden we passed around the corner and they were in the backyard. There was somebody that had a huge hog right in the backyard in Ashville. I was like, how are they doing that? They smell pretty bad, don’t they? 

00:09:46 -00:09:49 Jennifer Cole:  Actually, they don’t. They don’t smell as bad as chickens do. 

00:09:49 -00:10:03 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Really? Chickens are pretty tasty smelling. I mean, how tasty is it? Like only when they don’t smell too good. When they’re not cooked organic odor. Cool. 

00:10:03 -00:10:10 Jennifer Cole:  But in New Orleans, you have feral chickens running around all over. Yeah, it’s very interesting. 

00:10:10 -00:10:15 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  So you mentioned how you really want to work with local farmers. What’s your vision there? 

00:10:15 -00:10:45 Jennifer Cole:  Well, I’m as a chef, and I love working with local produce. I’m an avid forager and still a beginner, but still very interested in that. I can’t wait until the farmers market in Waynesville opens in April. Looking forward to doing business with them personally and hopefully as a chef. 

00:10:45 -00:11:03 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  Cool. There’s a couple of people that have been on this podcast before. I’ll introduce you to Ila Hatter, who’s a well-renowned forager right? And you might find some interesting. And then there’s Will Ritter, who is up in Madison County is doing heritage seeds. 

00:11:03 -Jennifer Cole:  Oh, interesting.

00:11:04 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Right? 

00:11:06 -00:11:12 Jennifer Cole:  We have a couple of heirloom seeds that have been we had some beans that have been in my family for at least four or five generations. 

00:11:12 -00:11:25 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  Right. Wow, cool. He’d probably lived to collect those and having the opportunity to share with you. Yeah, I love bold beans. The big long ones like that. Yeah. All right.

00:11:26-00:11:27 Jennifer Cole: You grow them in your cornfield? 

00:11:27 -00:11:48 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  Yeah, that’s what I’m planning to have a little bit of corn and beans this year. Maybe you’ll give me some of your beans. We’ll see you here. Now, you’re looking for besides building your farm, you’re also looking to work with various restaurants or whatever that might want. 

00:11:50- 00:11:58 Jennifer Cole: Some good for a good fit. Not only teach a good staff, and build a good staff, but learn from people. 

00:11: -00:11:48 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  That’s interesting. I mean, the reason we exist is to focus a little bit on the heritage of mountain culture foods. Mostly smokeys, but also other mountain cultures. And that seems to be your interest now. 

00:11:50- 00:12:38 Jennifer Cole: Absolutely. I mean, I’ve been very lucky dealing with I mean, outside of Madrid, right behind Madrid, you have a huge mountain range, and there’s a lot of classic dishes that are from up there that I had the pleasure learning from people not only as a chef but through friends and their mothers and their grandmothers. 

00:12:38 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  And you were in Mexico, too? 

00:12:38- 00:12:46 Jennifer Cole: I’ve been to Mexico, but oahuka, I haven’t been to Wahaka yet. I’m supposed to go to Wahaka this summer. 

00:12:46 -00:12:48 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  All right, cool. Because those are mountain cultures. 

00:12:48- 00:12:49 Jennifer Cole: Yeah, for sure. 

00:12:49 -00:12:59 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  We were talking about the Mexican foods that you were doing. 

Cool. Well, how can people find out more about you? 

00:12:59- 00:13:03 Jennifer Cole : They can go on my Facebook or they can go on my Instagram. 

00:13:03 -00:13:04 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  And what’s your Facebook? 

00:13:04- 00:13:17 Jennifer Cole : My Facebook is Jennifer Louise Cole. 

And my Instagram is what is my Instagram? I think it’s Chef Jennifer Cole. 

00:13:18– 00:13:23 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  Okay, cool. Was there anything else you would like to mention about shout out about things. 

00:13:23- 00:13:30 Jennifer Cole: Meadowlark. You all should come in and go out and good music. I’m definitely coming tomorrow night. 

00:13:30– 00:13:52 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  Oh, yeah. We got some Ananna Kay who’s going to be doing some up-and-coming big-time artist in Nashville. And then we got your menu again tomorrow night with the beef cheeks and the mousse and the salad, and that’s going to be great. It’s been a good week, and people love the food. A lot of got great reviews. Good shoutouts from that. 

00:13:52- 00:13:58 Jennifer Cole: We had a bunch of people in from Waynesville on Tuesday night and all loved everything, which is a lot of fun. 

00:13:58– 00:14:08 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  It’s a big table. Well, thank you for being on the podcast. All right. And we look forward to working with you some more. 

00:14:08- 00:14:09 Jennifer Cole: Thank you. 

00:14:10– 00:14:11 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  All right, bye, everybody. Bye. 

00:14:11 00:14:12 Jennifer Cole: Bye y'all

Our special guest in this episode is Darren Nicholson.

Darren Nicholson ended his relationship with Balsam Range and has launched out in new directions with his music.

Darren shares all about his new music, what he's been up to, and how the major life-changing events in his life have shaped him into who he is today.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

00:00: 27--00:00: 55 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Hi, this is Joseph Franklyn McElroy with the Gateway to the Smokies podcast, talking about the people and culture of the Smoky Mountains where my family has been around for a couple of hundred years. And I own a business here called the Meadowlark Motel as well as a restaurant called Homecraft. And I'm pretty proud to be back in the area and meeting and greeting, and talking to some wonderful people, like my guest today, Darren Nicholson. How are you doing, Darren? 

00:00: 56--00:00: 58 Darren Nicholson:  Doing great, Joseph. Thank you so much for having me on. 

00:00: 58--00:01: 12 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Sure. Last time I had you on the previous podcast series and I did a whole intro. But why don't you do three sentences of what you think is your highlights of your bio? 

00:01:14--00:01:20 Darren Nicholson:  I'm the world's foremost turkey hypnotist. 

00:01: 20--00:01:21  Joseph Franklyn McElroy: There you go. 

00:01:21--00:01:31 Darren Nicholson: I wear frilly leg warmers, and I have quite an impressive Beanie Baby collection. 

00:01: 31--00:01:49  Joseph Franklyn McElroy: There you go. Let me tell you, I have to look at you quite a bit because you gave me a shirt with I think it was a picture of your album of you with a rose in your teeth doing a deep sort of lunge in your underwear, right? 

00:01:50 --00:01:53 Darren Nicholson: Yes. It's a provocative pose for an early morning. 

00:01: 53--00:02:14  Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  The problem is you put that on a T-shirt that's soft that my wife grabbed it and she wears it to bed about once a week. So I got to look at your face in a bone about once a week. 

00:02:14 --00:02:58 Darren Nicholson: It's actually the evening before pill. It's not the morning-after pill. It's the evening before you put that on and make sure nothing happens in the bedroom. That was actually a graphic. A guy in Kentucky did that graphic. His name is Jonathan Carroll. He's a great graphic artist. He was nominated for an IBMA award this year for his graphic art. But he took me and it was the if you remember, the Seinfeld episode with George Costanza on the couch that pose in his underwear. It was basically kind of a spoof on that version of this. I still have a few of those left, believe it or not. I did not sell all of those. 

00:02: 58--00:03:47  Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Well, for the folks out there who might not know, which I doubt, I think everybody's going to know. But Darren is one of the foremost musicians in American and bluegrass today, and he has a solo career, and he also has been a member of several bands. Most recently, he left Balsam Range, which is one of the top bluegrass bands in the world right now. I'm assuming that you were looking to pursue new opportunities and new opera things. So what is new with your career in that regard? And I guess you have a new bluegrass booze, right? 

00:03:47 --00:06:26 Darren Nicholson: Yeah, got a brand new bluegrass record that I finished last year, actually. But the first single just came out on January 29. It's called Arkansas without you. And it's a host of hot young pickers and I'm really excited about the new bluegrass project. And so far the thing, it's got raised reviews. It's been a long time since Balsam Range. I've been in the studio, and my departure from Balsam Range is definitely not an end for me. It's a new beginning. I did 15 years. I was an original member, and I'm very grateful for those 15 years, but definitely got to a place professionally and personally where I wanted to do something different. Balsam Range, a lot of people don't realize, has always been well, not always, but for the last at least ten years has been a part-time band and so with every year, the dates have seemed to be doing less and less. And I think that's by choice. I think that's what they want to do. But they only did 30 dates last year. That was what was on the calendar, around 30 dates. And I did about 250 dates on my own, so I couldn't by the time it was the smoke cleared, I did about 290 performance dates last year. And so it got to it just got to a place in my career where instead of doing a couple of part-time things, the opportunity presented itself for me to play music full-time and focus on my full-time solo career. And to be honest with you, it was a no-brainer. I had to do it for my business, and then I had to do it for my mental health, too. It's hard juggling a schedule and setting a calendar because people would try to book me for the fall of next year. And I was constantly in limbo with their schedule and what they may or may not do. It was a difference in direction of my career. And it's nothing personal, it's nothing against them. They're going to continue doing what they do, and I wish them well. But I've got a singular focus. I'm a lot happier and it's a lot less stressful trying to juggle a bunch of things, so I'm in a much better place. 

00:06: 26--00:07:07  Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  I remember last time we talked, I listened to quite a bit of your solo stuff, right?  There were some of the American, almost country music things that I really liked a lot. And you had a little bit of sort of bluesy parts to it and some real almost southern rock rifts and things like that. I thought, wow, you should be out there doing a lot on your own, which of course you were, but I think you keep rising higher, just mean yourself, right?

 00:07:10 --00:09:58 Darren Nicholson:  That's it.  Well, that seems to be knock-on-wood, the direction things are going. And part of it is if you're always comfortable, that means you're not growing. And so I don't want to get into a place with my music where I'm doing the same sets all the time, or I'm just doing the same thing. I wanted to get outside the box, and get outside of my comfort zone. I'm writing songs. So the record you're talking about is called the man on a Mission. And that album, I had another guy produce it, Jeff Collins. And I had a whole cast of musicians that I don't normally use, and it forced me in a different direction. And that's what I wanted.  I wanted something new and organic to get me out of my comfort zone and push my own creativity and my own growth, to push my boundaries a little bit. And it was a great experience. And so with this new bluegrass record, I did the same thing, but in a different direction. I've produced several records on my own, and so I know what that sounds like. So I got a young guy, a guy I play a lot of music with named Colby Laney. He's from Marion, North Carolina, and he's probably the best acoustic guitar player on the planet. Or if he's not, he's one of the leading three. He's incredible. But I had him coproduce it with me and he brought this new energy and new life to my bluegrass recordings, and that's what I wanted. I picked all musicians I'm only 39, but all musicians who were younger than me and who were all more progressive players.  I did. And it just put me I'm still doing what I do. I play like I play, I sing like I sing. But with this other cast, with different musicians, it's going to have a different sound, and I want to keep doing that. There are musicians that I look up to, like Marty Stewart and Darryl Scott who marty Stewart will do a black gospel record, then he'll do a rock record, then he'll do a country record. But it's always good. But it's got a different feel. And in the last record he did, he had Mike Campbell from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. He had him produce it. And I like the even for seasoned musicians who have a style and an idea of music, it's good to get out of your comfort zone. And so that's what I do. 

00:9: 59--00:10:47  Joseph Franklyn McElroy:   I agree. One of the things that surprised me in talking to you is that you really have an artistic mind. Right. There are a lot of artists that are really focused on the craft, and you are great at your craft. There's nothing to short you there. But you also get into the whole conceptual, artistic thinking as well, about the concept of what you're doing, the concept of what you're playing, like partnering with the younger players, I think it makes your work have a depth that is unique a lot of times. So I'm pretty excited about what you're doing. How do you think it'll change your live performances? 

00:10:48 --00:013:37 Darren Nicholson:   It already has. Playing with Colby and just the last few years, it's reinvigorated my interest in music. And so for years and years, I would do shows and I would just show up and play, and I would go home or go do whatever. But during the pandemic, when I had some personal changes and some lifestyle changes, I've almost had this rebirth and this fire reignited in me for music. And so I find myself every day writing songs or getting my instruments out of the case and practicing at home. Plus, I play shows five or six days a week somewhere. I'm doing a lot of traveling, a lot of playing, but I'm really inspired to get better and being with young musicians with different ideas and new ideas to kind of get me out of my thing, I think it's important.  I love that saying, if you do what you've always done, you'll have what you've always had. And so I want to get out of my comfort zone a little bit. I want to grow my business. I want to grow my music. And the biggest thing for me is not about when I say grow my music, I don't necessarily mean I want my name in the Marquee Lights, playing in front of 10,000 people or playing arenas. I want to do more shows, and I don't care if the shows are for less people. I like the intimate listening rooms, and I like smaller crowds. I've been doing a lot of solo and due at shows, and a lot of this came out of the pandemic where I was doing house concerts and these smaller things, and it just clicked with me.  I'm like, man, this is how this music was intended. When I look at your background, what I see is I see people in these mountains, on their porches and in their living rooms playing music. That's how I grew up. And then when we started doing that during the pandemic, there's a connection that happens with the music that does not happen at a big theater show or a big arena. There's a connection that happens when you can almost reach out and touch the artist with the music that's so organic. And I'm like, that is what I want to grow into. I want to be the guy who takes music everywhere.  I want to share the joy and share music and share culture, and I want to be an ambassador for Western North Carolina music and for the culture that I love and make people happy in the process. 

00:13: 38--00:14:09  Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  That's pretty fantastic. You mentioned songwriting. I saw on your Facebook the other day you had just written a song with Charles Humphrey III, who's also been on this show and is a friend of the gateway that smoked his podcast, and you sang it. It was really nice. So you're doing a lot of songwriting, and you talk about it quite a bit, but did you start playing first or songwriting first, and what inspired your interest in spotting songwriting? 

00:14:10 --00:014:18   Darren Nicholson:  Well, are you talking about, would I get interested in just performing music first or songwriting? 

00:14: 18--00:14:58  Joseph Franklyn McElroy:   Well, it's interesting the question is, I think some people in my craft, which is doing painting and things like that, some people become just interested, really drawing well, or really painting a rose and doing it really well, or other people have a purpose that they're doing it for. They want to communicate something, they want to say something and have meaning behind the craft. So what is your approach? 

00:14:59 --00:017:15   Darren Nicholson:  Well, that is my approach to songwriting is I love songs that tell stories and songs that have a deeper meaning. I don't like songs that paint pictures. Like my grandpa's cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountain hills. We played there when I was a kid, like nostalgia songs and things like that. To me, anybody can write those. But when you start getting into deeper meaning, like talking about love or hope or inspiration or a message in a song or telling a story, basically turning a three and a half minute musical piece, it's basically like a three and a half minute sitcom. I think those kind of songs connect on a deeper level, and that's usually what I'm going for. We don't always do it. Sometimes we write silly songs, sometimes you're not going to change the world with every song. But those are the songs that I like, and that's what I'm trying to do with my songwriting, is write something that's meaningful to somebody. But for the song we wrote the other day, I put a really rough video out on Facebook, and it was not the greatest singing or playing, it was just really rough and raw. And to do that, it takes vulnerability. There are some artists who really hide behind going into the recording studio, you know what I mean? Once Pro Tools and everything's run through, they sound like a million bucks. But you don't ever see them sing live. You don't ever see them. You get on there with just them and their instrument and perform. And I think there's a vulnerability about that. If you can translate it well enough to convey the emotion.  I think people are connected to the wrongness of that on a certain level. And I be dang. I put that video out and I got a call from a national touring act. That's one of the biggest acts in bluegrass. And before the day was out, they're going in next week and recording that song. 

00:17: 16--00:17:18  Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Oh, my gosh, 

00:17:18 --00:017:20   Darren Nicholson:  We wrote that song two days ago. 

00:17: 20--00:17:22  Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  That's fabulous. That's the way to do it. 

00:17:24 --00:017:38  Darren Nicholson: They said, do you have a work tape of it? And I said, well, we just wrote it like 30 minutes ago, and I had a rough work tape of it on my phone. I sent it, that and the lyrics, and they called me right back and said, we're going to cut it next week. 

00:17: 38--00:18:38 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  Wow, fabulous. There you go. My conversations with you. We're planning a performance, and this is my little pitch for the Meadowlark I'm weaving it in here, but the Meadowlark Motel has a speakeasy called the Skylark SpeakEasy. And we've been talking to you about it. We've been doing some great musical acts there and talking to you. You really had the idea of saying, I'll do some set of music, but then I want to have conversations with the audience and then I may even jam with some people that might show up. It seems to be that this sense of community and intimacy is central to what you do and why you left Balsam Range and why you're performing and you said small clubs and things like that.  I think one of the essences of what you're trying to be is a community and having intimacy with your community. 

00:18:38 --00:020:42  Darren Nicholson:  It's an organic approach, but I think that's how you build long-term fans. And when I was talking about that vulnerability, like in that video, when you connect with people on a personal level, people would see me with Balsam range, and they only saw probably really about 5% of what I can do. If you want to get to know me and my personality and my ability, my talent, you would come to see me at a solo show or one of my other performances. And that's not for everybody. Some people don't like my music or my personality, and that's fine. They don't have to come. But for the people who do and come see me in that capacity, that's the way to build relationships. And I'm not really interested in making fans. I want to make friends and I want to perpetuate the kind of culture that I was brought up in. That very much is a sense of community. The technological world has created a place where people are missing a sense of belonging, and that's why they join these little groups, and that's why there's a division in politics and there's a division in social issues. Because anytime people are so disconnected in a way, it's way that they can feel a part of any kind of group, it's almost like, this is my family online, this is my tribe. And so I want to kind of do that with music. I want to make a place where people can come together with music.  And you don't have to worry about politics, you don't have to worry about social issues, you don't have to worry about enjoying music and just having fun. A night of entertainment. 

00:20: 42--00:22:20 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:   I grew up in the smoking mountains here, and I get it really well. Recently, my family first got the Meadowlark Motel, my grandmother, first of my parents, and they hired maid who was with us for a long time, and us kids would actually work with her and clean and became good friends. She actually sort of babysitters and things like that. And then her sister was much younger than her, came and did some things here. Well, recently her sister showed back up here to come to the restaurant, and she saw pictures on the wall community. She came to talk to me, and her sister had died.  And the fact that we're celebrating the culture that was here and is still here, she started crying, and she started talking and being part of it, and other people communicate, but even with the people that you worked with, there was a sense of community and intimacy and understanding that existed here. And I really appreciate that. You are perpetuating. I can remember the old timers would get together in a basement and have a little party, right, and bring out their instruments and sing, and then people would start clogging and dancing. That sort of is a way of life and a way of being that you felt connected. And I understand what you're talking about. Right. Do you think the way you design this program that you're going to do with Meadowlark is stemming from directly from that culture? I think it does. 

00:22:21 --00:023:45  Darren Nicholson:   It does. Yeah. And that's what I want people to get to know me especially. There are fans of Balsam Range who are like, why in the world would you leave why would you leave that band when they seem to be doing all these things? And it's like, well, this is a good opportunity. If people have questions about my career, like what I want to do, why I want to play music, why I want to do more shows, or why I want to do the things that I want to do, I can explain it to them, and then they don't have to keep guessing. I don't expect questions about Balsam Range, but they can ask me questions about my childhood, how I got into music, the music business, instruments, whatever.  I think when you have an evening like that with people, it's different than just buying a ticket, sitting in a seat, watching somebody play for an hour, and then going home and be like, hey, that was good. There's a connectivity that I think goes along with the music that is just as important. 

00:23: 46--00:24:17 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:   Well, we've been having some weekly jams here on Sundays, five to seven people listening, and I'm hoping some of them old-time players we had this last Sunday old time, like 70 something, 75 something people show up and just started clogging, and they're, you know, singing and playing. I hope some of them come and take you up on the offer to jam with them at the end. That would be a major, I think, cultural moment. 

00:24: 18 --00:024:45  Darren Nicholson:  So that's what it's all about. And I remember, like, players that I looked up to and players that I wanted to play. I remember when people like Steve Sutton or Mark Pruitt or Arvill Freeman were like, hey, man, get your manly. And Ralph Lewis would always take his Manlyn off and hand it to me, and that was a big deal. He's like, get up and play one with the band that meant so much to me, to a young budding musician. And it's like, man, that was a self-esteem builder. That was a motivator. And I also remember the musicians that were kind of like, who made me feel less than, too, you know what I mean? Who made me feel like, hey, you're not good enough to play with me or don't talk to me. And I do not want to perpetuate and I don't want to come across with that kind of attitude because I have zero tolerance for that. And I'm sure I've probably people the wrong way if I've been in a bad mood after a show or something. I've not lived my life perfectly, but I've never intentionally ever wanted to make someone feel bad or not make someone feel welcome. People remember how you make them feel. I love that. I love that about my musical heroes, Steve and Ralph. Those are the kind of things that I don't want to die. These old times. 

00:25: 46--00:26:18 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: That's right. The reason I'm here, too, is because I don't want that culture to die. I'm trying to do my part also, my little tiny part, to try to perpetuate and progress it. It doesn't have to be these mummified things. It can be a thing that grows right. And I'm glad that you are helping grow that now. I was trying to keep this to about 30 minutes, so we're about at that time, what do you want to tell people? Shout out to people to find out more or look you up or what do you want to tell them? 

00:26: 18 --00:027:29  Darren Nicholson:  Well, a couple of things going on. I've been working really hard on doing a benefit. It's going to do a lot to help the community. The Steve Sutton Fest is going to happen June 3rd at Silverado in Black Mountain, and proceeds are going to go to Haywood County schools, Buckham county schools, and the IBMA trust fund. That's going to be on June 3 at Silverado with Perpetual Groove being the headliner. But then also I have a brand new single out. It's called Arkansas without you. You can stream it anywhere. Spotify pandora apple Music Arkansas Without You I've got a brand new bluegrass record out with songs that I've written. And if you go to my website dear Nicholson Net, I've got about 120 dates on the books for next year and going to be going all across the country and probably we're going to do over 200 when the smoke clears the road dates, and going to be traveling out further, doing a tour out west. Going to Canada. It's a really exciting time, so I encourage people to come out and see some live music. 

00:27: 30--00:29:00 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  Well, thank you very much for being on the show. I might mention that Darren also plays a lot here in the Smoky, especially in Hayward County. So if you can't find a place in the country, just come here and visit and stay at the Meadowlark Motel he might be here or he'll be some other great place here in town. There are a lot of wonderful music venues and things in Hayward County that are worthwhile and have a lot of authenticity. Right. Haywood County has not become a dramatically corporate tourist county. It's still pretty authentic in terms of the way of life and how people live here and how people enjoy music. So come on down to hear them out, either on the road or here. I'll just shout out if you can find out more about the Meadowlark Motel@ meadowlarkmotel.com and if you go slash homecraft, you'll find out about a restaurant, which is almost it's a mountain heritage food with a twist. My wife is from Trinidad, and we do a lot of Caribbean Trinidad spices and things like tomato gravy or cream corn. We just twisted a little bit. But you still taste the authenticity of these mountains in there. People are just raving about it. And we're getting great reviews online and some newspapers are great. And when you come here, you're going to get some Darren. All right. I hope I'll get a testimonial out of that. 

00:29:00 --00:029:01  Darren Nicholson: I like your haircut.

00:29: 02--00:29:57 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  It's the perfect haircut. The Gateway to Smokies podcast exists on Smokiesadventure.com. It has its own Facebook page, but all the episodes, the previous ones had a couple of different series, longer episodes, but these are going to be shorter but more fun episodes. And you can go there and find more about everything in the Smokies because it's also a great site for directories of things like places to stay, lodging all over the Smokies, not just Haywood County, and what to do, and attractions and things like that. So thank you all for listening. This has been the gateway to the Smokies podcast. You can go to Facebook.com, Gatewaytothesmokiespodcast, or you can go to Smokiesadventure.com to find out more about this. And I'll see you all next week. 

00:29:59 --00:030:00 Hey, thanks for having me. Bye. 

Joseph Franklyn McElroy got a chance to interview our special guest this week, Jim Lauderdale. Jim won two Grammys, released 34 full-length albums, and took home the Americana Music Association’s coveted Wagonmaster Award. But his forthcoming album Game Changer is convincing evidence that the North Carolina native is only continuing to hone his craft.

Check out this episode to hear about how he’s been making music, the strategies and techniques that help him stay inspired and focused on his craft, and what advice he’d have for other musicians in their own creative pursuits.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Also, we’ve got something special for all of you #music lovers, and it’s a bit of a collaboration between Jim Lauderdale and friends. The #Songwriters Camp and Concert on August 12- 13,2022, will feature our own special guest Jim Lauderdale with Charles, Humphrey III, Darren Nicholson, Clay Mills, and Charles Chamberlain, who will be instructing on songwriting techniques and helping out with some live performances. This event is going to be jam-packed full fun, so be sure to check it out!

https://meadowlarkmotel.com/event/songwriters-camp/

#smokymountainsnationalpark #songwriter #northcarolina #maggievalley #podcast

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TRANSCRIPT

00:00: 27--00:00: 47 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Howdy. Welcome to the gateway to the Smokies podcast. This podcast is about America's most visited national park, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. In the surrounding towns, this area is filled with ancient natural beauty, deep-storied history, and rich mountain cultures that we explore with weekly episodes.

 00:00: 48--00:01: 01 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: I am Joseph Franklin McElroy, a man of the World, but also with deep roots in these mountains. My family has lived in the Great Smokies for over 200 years. My business is in travel, but my heart is in culture.

00:01: 02--00:01: 27 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: First a few sponsor messages and some events coming up. I want you to imagine a place evocative of motor courts of the past, yet modern and vibrant, with a chic Appalachian field. A place for adventure and for relaxation. Imagine a place where you can fish in a mountain heritage, trout stream, grill to catch on fire and eat accompanied by fine wine or craft beers.

00:01: 28--00:01: 39 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Imagine a place with old-time music and world cultural sounds. There is no other place like the Meadowlark Motel in Maggie Valley, North Carolina. Your Smoky Mountain Adventure Starts with Where you Stay.

00:01: 40--00:02: 07 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Another sponsor is Smokiesadventure.com. That's smokies plural. Adventure, singular. The Smoky Mountains and surrounding area is a vacation destinations for all seasons. Some of the nation's best hiking trails, waterfalls, outdoor adventures, and family entertainment can be found right here. Start your adventure by using Smokiesadventure.com to explore all the wonderful features of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

00:02: 08--00:02: 18 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: The trails, the waterfalls, the caves, cove, the elk, and more. Then check out all the awesome family attractions and entertainment you and your family can enjoy.

00:02: 19--00:02: 35 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Find lodging, find places to stay. Find places to eat. Find where you can do outdoor life events like weddings and honeymoons. It's all at Smokiesadventure.com, which is the leading information portal for adventure experiences in the Great Smoky Mountains.

00:02: 36--00:02: 54 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: So, events coming up at the Meadowlark, August 12 to 13th we're having a Songwriters Camp it's a songwriter’s camp in concert with Grammy-winning artists Jim Lauderdale and Charles Humphrey III, along with award-winning artists such as Darren Nicholson, Clay Mills, and Charles Chamberlain.

00:02: 54 --00:03: 10 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  It's a two-day event of interactive songwriting instruction for world-class musicians, and a demo tape will be produced for each participant. And there'll be a concert of songs from the Rogue Band on Friday night and a barbecue dinner and also our concert on Saturday night.

00:03: 10 --00:03: 50 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  This is going to be a unique event like no other, and space will be limited to ensure individual tension is given to all participants. The price is $675 per person, including all the activities and demo tapes and concerts, and barbecue dinner. And then there's special pricing for rooms, and there'll be room packages as well. Call 828-926-1717 for details. And there's also a limited amount of concert tickets available for the general public, and those are available on Friday and Saturday nights, and they're $30 each. And again, you can reserve your spot by calling 828-926-1717.

00:03: 50 --00:03: 56 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  Welcome to the Gateway to the Smokies podcast with my guest Jim Lauderdale. Hey, Jim. How are you doing?

00:03: 56 --00:03: 57 Jim Lauderdale:  Great, how are you?

00:03: 57 --00:04: 01 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  I'm doing good. We're huge fans of yours.

00:04: 01 --00:04: 02 Jim Lauderdale: Thank you.

00:04: 02 --00:04: 16 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  And all the artists are coming to that songwriter camp. I'm really thrilled that this came up. Was the songwriter camp your idea, Bob's idea? You guys came up with it together or what happened?

00:04: 16 --00:04: 30 Jim Lauderdale: I think Bob approached Charles Humphrey about it and then he asked me. And so luckily, timing-wise, it worked out

00:04: 30 --00:04: 36 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: cool. Yeah. I see that you do another couple of other camps, like one out west somewhere, don't you?

 00:04: 36 --00:04: 49 Jim Lauderdale: I did. I did Steve Polt's camp out in Joshua Tree in May. And I just did the Swannanoa gathering and November

00:04: 49 --00:05: 05 Jim Lauderdale:  I Believe it is. I'll be at Jorma Calconin's Fur Piece Ranch. Cool. Yeah. But I enjoy it a lot. I really do. Yeah.

00:05: 05 --00:05: 19 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Cool. I have a friend of mine I think is going to make it who's been doing music for a number of years but really wants to learn from some real professionals. I got some people that are fairly excited. It's an exciting thing, I think, for people to get to work with some great artists like yourself.

 00:05: 19 --00:05: 39 Jim Lauderdale: It's exciting for me to see people it means a lot to people that are writing songs, and I think they're just as valid as somebody that's been doing it for a long time.

00:05: 19 --00:05: 39 Jim Lauderdale: And so, it's great to see that enthusiasm and the ideas and to see where these songs can go, too well.

00:05: 39 --00:05: 49 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: it's nice to bring it to Western North Carolina. You grew up with Westville, right?

00:05: 49 --00:06: 19 Jim Lauderdale: I lived around the Piedmont area and then in South Carolina for a few years not too far from Greenville in due west. And I've been coming to Flat Rock every summer of my life since I was born and have continued to come here a lot.

 00:06: 19 --00:06: 36 Jim Lauderdale: And then other times in North Carolina. Winston Salem and Chap Hill for school. So, yeah, North Carolina is my home. Yeah.

00:06: 36 --00:06: 43 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Well, I'm glad that you're bringing the art of songwriting here. So, when did you get involved in writing songs? Did you start pretty young?

00:06: 43 --00:07: 03 Jim Lauderdale: I guess I was going through my last year of high school and the idea came to me when I was visiting Troutman, North Carolina, where I lived my first five years.

00:07: 03 --00:07: 34 Jim Lauderdale: And so, this melody and a title came to me in a few lines here and there. It was kind of an old, tiny, like, string band type thing. I'd been doing bluegrass banjo for a few years, but that type of melody hit me first, and then I had some melodies I gave to one of my classmates when I was a freshman at the North Carolina School of the Arts.

00:07: 34 --00:07: 55 Jim Lauderdale: And he wrote some lyrics. And from there then I started writing on my own and doing a few demos produced by a guitar-playing friend of mine named Zan McCloud, who I knew in Chapel Hill.

00:07: 55 --00:08: 33 Jim Lauderdale: I had a duo when I was in high school with a mentor named Rick Bowley who started a music store called Oxpo Music. And I would travel around with him to festivals and help him sell stuff, and we played as much as we could. And then I went off to college, and these songs were coming to me. So Zan took me to a place kind of out in the country there, outside of Chapel Hill fella named Steve Grandback, who later moved to Charlotte and opened up a studio.

00:08: 34 --00:09: 08 Jim Lauderdale: And I thought, just doing three songs and six songs, I thought, well, hey, a record deal is going to come any day. I'll be touring all over the place. I'll have to quit school, but this is what I want to do. I was naive about that process. Like everybody, it took a while, but that's where my passion for songwriting started, really.

 00:09: 08 --00:09: 21 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: I've always wondered. I've been a visual artist, and I've done a few things as a visual artist. I learned that there are different kinds of visionaries.

00:09:21 --00:09: 42 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: There's, like, people that are haptic and there are people that are not haptic and non- haptic. Non-Haptic are people get the vision of the painting in their head, and then they just go create the vision, whereas a haptic artist gets the idea and sort of the sense of a painting, but then they have to work it with their hands.

00:09:42 --00:09: 50 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Haptic, they got to do it. Is that similar to songwriting? Do some people get, like, just the whole thing in their head and just put it on paper and other people have to work it?

 00:09:50 --00:10: 25 Jim Lauderdale: That's right. It's different, really, for everybody. For me, a melody usually comes first, sometimes along with the title, but sometimes just a melody. I know some people who write down whole songs on paper and don't have a melody, or else then a melody comes to them or kind of simultaneously. So, it happens a lot of different ways.

00:010:25 --00:10: 36 Joseph Franklyn McElroy That's interesting. So, in a songwriter camp, how would you help the different types of creators with the different ways of doing their creating of songs? How do you help them?

00:10:38 --00:12: 33 Jim Lauderdale: I kind of feel like because usually these camps, there's so much to kind of cover in a short amount of time. I like to do things kind of spontaneously. I don't really have much of a format I follow. And it's kind of like that with me. With writing songs, if I'm co-writing or writing alone, it just kind of is spontaneous. And so, I kind of have to evaluate those writers in front of me at that time and ask them what they need, what do they need to learn, or to help them. And it's funny. My friend Steve Polts was saying at the start of this camp we did a few months ago, it's like, I can't teach you how to write songs, but I can help facilitate them, we'll kind of go through certain very briefly personal experiences of like well, this happened to me one time and that's how I got out of this block or something like that to help them. But I really make it about them. Usually, people have things that question of places where they need to work through.

00:12:33 --00:012: 43 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Now, does every songwriter really need to practice the discipline or can they come and go from it? How does the discipline work in the songwriting craft?

00:12:43 --00:014: 03 Jim Lauderdale: I think it happens in all different ways too. Some people are super disciplined and I try to be putting and everything I've got into it, but I don't have necessarily set times. Like I don't have a schedule where I go okay, I'm going to get up at eight, have a cup of coffee, right, for 2 hours. Some playwrights and novelists and people like that. It's like I get up at five, I write for 3 hours, that's it. And some people I've also written really late at night with co-writers. We will have tried to write at nine and then we kind of plugging along and then as I'm about to leave or something, somebody will say something and an idea comes out. And then you stay till two or three in the morning. If you're on a role, it's good if you can go ahead and capture that magic.

00:14:03 --00:014: 15 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Now, when you are just going about your life and living, do thoughts for a song come to you all the time and you write them down and put them into snippets? Do you save those?

00:14:03 --00:015: 25 Jim Lauderdale: My song ideas do come to me quite often in conversation or hearing something or just the thought will come into my head. So, I record them on my phone, on an app, on a voice memo app and refer to them later. I go back to them sometimes if I'm then though just playing also something comes out and then you've got your guitar there. But a lot of times I'll just hum the melody. I'm kind of old school. Instead of doing everything on my phone or computer as far as writing out lyrics, I write them down with a pen on if I have a notebook with me or just a scrap of paper. Sometimes I've lost a movie about that. Was there really somebody lost it.

00:15:25 --00:016: 15 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Some creative piece and they spent the whole movie trying to find it? Yeah, it was a silly movie, I'm sure. But it's true. When you're in the visual arts is the same thing. You wake up in the middle of night and think you have solved the mystery of the perfect painting. You write down the thing and then you lose that piece of paper and you're searching for it forever. the creative process is really interesting. If you do voice memos, how do you remember what to search for to find the thing that you went?

00:15:25 --00:017: 23 Jim Lauderdale: I labeled them. I labeled them like if it's a bluegrass song, I say BG. If it's a country song, I say c. If it's for donna the buffalo, I say donna. Songs from the road band SFRB. So different thing. If it's a soul thing, I'll say royal or soul. I do have a bunch of unfinished things. I've recorded a few albums at royal studios in Memphis, which was a great sole studio. If I have a studio booked in advance and I'm trying to write for that outright, like, for instance, blackbird for blackbird studio for those sessions. So, I'm not very organized, but at least I can reference those. Then when I'm flipping through the phone, trying to find something to have ready,

00:17:25 --00:18: 00 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: I mean the human database is the most complex and sometimes also the most infuriating product. We own mine, trying to remember what it was you had thought of. Yeah.

So, given that you're going to be working with some people in a collaborative manner here at the Meadowlark Motel August 12, 13th, but then you also write by yourself, what do you prefer? Do you prefer to write solo or with a partner or with a group?

00:18:00 --00:18: 40 Jim Lauderdale: When you're writing with somebody else, I feel like you always come up with something that neither one of you could do alone, necessarily. There's some different strength about that collaboration, but I still like to write alone to kind of challenge myself to do it because it's harder for me to write a loan. It's slower and sometimes more tedious, but I enjoyed both.

00:18:40 --00:20: 07 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Cool. You've written with some really great people, and I know that you have a podcast with another legend, Buddy Miller. Have you written with him? Yes. We've got a radio show on Sirius X outlaw country on channel 60 called the buddy and gym show. We have written it's been a few years. The last time we wrote, we did a record together, gosh, I think it was eight years ago, and we wrote for that record, and before that, we'd written some things for his albums. He'd usually save a song or two and say we'd work backwards. Usually somebody gives me lyrics and I put a melody to them, but he gave me melodies and I put lyrics to them, and then he'd be under a deadline, too, so I put deadlines on myself also. But he would be like, hey, I've got to finish this record. How are those lyrics coming along? You have to deliver in those situations,

00:20:07 --00:20: 10 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Especially professional and the legend.

00:20:10 --00:20: 12 Jim Lauderdale: Yeah, absolutely.

00:20:12 --00:20: 15 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: You have a reputation to meet now.

 00:20:15 --00:20: 17 Jim Lauderdale: Yeah, that's right.

00:20:19 --00:20: 25 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Is there any other people that you have co-written with that are sort of favorite co-writers?

00:20:25 --00:21: 32 Jim Lauderdale Yes. The man I've probably written the most songs with is Robert Hunter, who used to write with Jerry Garcia and wrote kind of just so many of the grateful dead songs. And we've probably written about 100 together. And sadly, Robert passed a few years ago, and I've written a lot with John Levanthal, great writer and producer, guitar player, and a lot with OD Blackman and several songs with Harlan Howard, who was one of my songwriting heroes, and also Melbourne Montgomery and Charles Humphrey that will be there at the camp. I really enjoy riding with him a lot.

00:21:32 --00:21: 36 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: He's a good guy. I've had him on the sales.

00:20136 --00:22: 38 Jim Lauderdal: He really is. He's a good he really is. He's really a really great writer. And we have a few things. I did a bluegrass record at Echo Mountain a few years ago here, and my concept of it was to have North Carolina bands and North Carolina artists do tracks with me for this record. And so, Charles and I have a couple of cowrites on that. And then I've got a song coming up on a country record that's coming out in August of Charles. And I wrote that original I was thinking it was going to be more acoustic and bluegrass, and then now it's kind of more of a western not western swing, but slight swing thing. Well, I guess you could call it a western swing. Swing to it, right? Yeah. So that's going to be great to work with him at this camp.

00:22:38 --00:22: 42 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Is the swing a hard thing to get into performing?

00:22:42 --00:22: 52 Jim Lauderdale: No, it's good. Not think it breaks up the other grooves you might be doing. I really like it a lot.

00:22:52 --00:23: 16 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Yeah. The reason I asked is my wife is actually a Brazilian percussionist, a swing in that that you have to have or it's just no good. Right. She's done all right with that. It's an advocation, but she got to be on Saturday Night Live and that sort of thing.

 00:23:17 --00:23: 18 Jim Lauderdale: Oh, that's awesome.

00:23:18 --00:23: 20 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: That's a great hobby.

00:23:20 --00:23: 25 Jim Lauderdale: Yeah, that's terrific.

00:23:26 --00:23: 29 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Which do you prefer? Do you prefer writing or do you prefer performing?

00:23:29 --00:24: 15 Jim Lauderdale: I like them both. They both have their attractions and fulfilling things about them. It's a great feeling to write a song and then it's great in those circumstances when you're on stage and then you get to do those songs and interact with people, interact with the audience. And if you're playing in a band setting, those other musicians. So, I wouldn't be able to choose one from the other.

00:24:16 --00:24: 18 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Have you done, like, over 30 albums? Is that right?

 00:24:19 --00:24: 22 Jim Lauderdale This will be my 35th coming out in August.

00:24:22--00:24: 23 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Wow. Yeah. What's the name of that one coming out in August?

00:24:23 --00:24: 24 Jim Lauderdale Game Changer.

 00:24:24--00:24: 25 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Game Changer. And

00:24: 32 --00:24: 56 Jim Lauderdale: it's a country record. I consciously I kind of go in different cycles with records, whether it's country, bluegrass, kind of singer-songwriter, soul or blues rock, or whatever. And this is a consciously focused country record.

00:24:56 --00:24: 58 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: That's fabulous. Of all your records, which one is your favorite?

00:25:01 --00:25: 14 Jim Lauderdale: I can't decide. I mean, I really don't have a favorite because a lot of times the most current record is the favorite one.

00:25:14 --00:25: 42 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  It said as the tea surpasses. People would ask the question, what's your favorite painting and they say, the last one. But I think there's a lot of truth to that. Yeah. When you hear a song or you see a song that you've written or listen to it, do you think, oh, I could improve it? There's something I should have done to improve it here?

 00:25:42 --00:26: 10 Jim Lauderdale: Not really, no. I'm always if I hear somebody doing one of my songs, I'm just so elated that somebody else is doing, and I've never heard I've been asked before if I've ever been disappointed in a song offer, and I never have. It's always just real rewarding to hear somebody else's take on it.

00:26:10 -00:26:14 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  Cool. Well, people come into the songwriter camp. What kind of things can we expect?

00:26:17--00:26: 55 Jim Lauderdale: I think hopefully they'll walk away from that camp with a different take on their own writing and that they will be able to incorporate some of the tips and methods and things like that and suggestions and that. They'll walk out of there feeling more confident about their writing and their minds will be more open to things and their creativity, hopefully, will expand.

00:26:55 -00:27:00 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: And will you give them insights on how to pursue a songwriting career and that sort of thing?

00:27:00 --00:28: 59 Jim Lauderdale: I think first somebody's got to develop their catalog. They've got to have a body of work to and it doesn't have to be hundreds of songs or anything. You could have ten or 15 songs and go out there and try, but it's a process we won't get into because, see, the business part of things changes a lot all the time. But, basically my thing to people, and to myself, too, is that you have got to constantly challenge yourself. If you feel like, hey, this one song am I, this is it. This is going to change everything. It's going to change my life. This is going to open up the doors. That's terrific that you've got that song, but you've got to keep going and create another one and another one and another one. Not to just set that aside and go, well, Madison, but to build on what you're doing. And I feel like it might be naive or old fashioned or something, but I feel that when the songs are there, then those doors open. But it doesn't matter what kind of contacts you have or this or that. The songs have to be there.

 00:28:59 -00:29:02 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Well, there's less than people write a good song, they can sing a good song, right?

 00:29:02 -- 00:30:22 Jim Lauderdale Well, maybe, possibly, but sometimes it's mentioning that one song that somebody has. Some people have had careers, though, off of one song, but I think it's good to kind of be well rounded and have, let's say if you're outperforming, if you're a performing singer-songwriter, you've got to have a whole set of songs that you really feel are stand up to other people, other writers that you really like, and to your other good ones. And of course, that's a process. It doesn't happen all at once. It's like an art show. You've got to have a room full of art. You might have that one painting in the show. Yeah. And hopefully, those paintings in the room will be just as compelling.

00:30:24 -00:30:31 Joseph Franklyn McElroy Your whole body of work. I know in other writing professions, there's writer's block. There's a writer's block in songwriting as well.

00:30:32 -- 00:31:17 Jim Lauderdale: Oh, yeah, definitely. Yes. If we only had a series, we could do, Right? It would be a marathon. Yeah. I think that anybody that's riding something, will come across that rider block. That's one of the secrets I will talk about during this songwriter’s workshop of how to break free of that rider's block.

00:31:18 -- 00:31:19 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Oh, wow.

00:31:21 -- 00:31:34 Jim Lauderdale I would say right now, but people will have to come to see that one time.

00:31:34 -- 00:31:43 Joseph Franklyn McElroy:  That's the magic sauce, folks. Now you can learn, especially if you're starting out, you probably have riders block a lot.

00:31:43 -- 00:32:45 Jim Lauderdale: Yeah, you do. But it takes practice and getting through growing as a writer, and you'll go through different steps and stages and things and just keep

expanding your abilities as time goes on. The more you do it, that 10,000. What is the expression when you do something for 10,000 hours, then you are good at something like that? Now you won't have to do that long, especially with the techniques people will be learning at this camp. They'll take a shortcut of 10 hours instead of 10,000.

00:32:45 -- 00:33:06 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: There you, That's a big promise, man. I knew you had that big thing in you. Oh, that's great. And then you guys can have an all- star concert on the finale, right?

00:33:06 -- 00:32:08 Jim Lauderdale: Yeah.

00:33:08 -- 00:33:12 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: So, have you prepared to play this?

00:33:012 -- 00:33:58 Jim Lauderdale: Yeah, we'll jam. I'm sure we'll talk about it before we get up there but on stage. But that's the cool thing about people can pick up. They can look at you while you're playing, or you can just say, Kia, this is like a one, four, five progressions. I'll kick it off. Whatever. It's fun to jam like that with people and hear what comes out.

00:33:58 -- 00:34:25 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: So, it's going to be a fabulous time. I've got my whole family booked in at our motel, Meadowlark Motel, where it's going to be. That's great to be here because we're excited just to be around it. It's a two-day thing. It's two concerts. I imagine there'd be some jamming as well. Oh, yeah. Wonderful meals. I'm a cookie guy. Breakfast on Saturday morning.

00:34:25 -- 00:34:28 Jim Lauderdale: Oh, nice. Yeah. Great. I'm a supporter of that. I'm a big breakfast guy.

 00:34:28 -- 00:34:33 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Have your requests? What do you like for breakfast?

00:34:33 -- 00:34:40 Jim Lauderdale: You know what? Whatever you have I'm sure will be delicious.

00:34:43 -- 00:34:50 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Well, I can range from chicken fried steak to tomatoes with a smoked trout dip. Whatever slowed to you folk.

00:34:50-- 00:34:52 Jim Lauderdale: Stop. You making me hungry.

00:34:54 -- 00:34:56 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: So, what's next for you?

00:34:56-- 00:35:23 Jim Lauderdale: I am working on my follow-up to the Game Changer record, and that's coming out, and several bluegrass things right now. And I have a fair amount of gigs coming up starting in September until the rest of the year.

00:35:24 -- 00:35:36 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: Okay. Yeah. Cool. And are there any shoutouts you want to do? Any websites or anything you want to mention for people checking things out?

00:35:36-- 00:36:02 Jim Lauderdale:  I guess my website is Jimlauderdalemusic.com and then all the social media things, I've got stuff on those. Yeah. So that's kind of got the current things that will be happening on there listed.

00:36:02 -- 00:36:19 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: I will be sure to follow some of that. That is exciting for us. I want to thank you for being on this podcast and also thank you for doing this campaign.

00:36:20-- 00:36:56 Jim Lauderdale: Guess I'll say one more thing about the camp. When you're a kid and you went camping and how much you enjoyed it and everything, this camp will make those times when you're a kid look like a Greek tragedy. This camp is going to be even though it's short, we don't have time these days to go to a summer camp for two weeks. We cram all the gusto in two days.

00:37:02 -- 00:37:35 Joseph Franklyn McElroy: In a day and two- days, it'll be the center of your life for the rest of your existence. That's right. It'll be the sun about which your life repeats. Yes. Well, that's fabulous. We are about to change people's lives and looking forward to it. Well, thank you. This has been the Gateway to the Smokies podcast. You can find us@ facebook.com GatewaytotheSmokies and also smokiesadventure.com and there'll be this episode as well as other episodes on that website that you can find. Thank you much. And that's it.

00:37:35-- 00:37:36 Jim Lauderdale: Thanks a lot.

Bye!

We had the opportunity to sit down with Zeb “The Legend” Ross and his partner, Ashley Ross, of JCreek Cloggers on Gateway to the Smokies Podcast before their amazing performance in Meadowlark Motel.

Enjoy this fun interview with the stars of JCreekCloggers! We talk about their unique dance style, how they began dancing together, touring around the world, how they became Viral on #Tiktok, and much more.

#smokymountainsnationalpark #northcarolina #mountaindance #jcreekcloggers #podcast #mountainlife

WHAT WILL THE AUDIENCE LEARN?

What does Agritourism mean for farmers, entrepreneurs, and residents in the mountains? Tune in to find out the answer to this question from our guest today, Laura Lauffer as we go on with our conversation with her.

EPISODE SUMMARY:

Joseph will interview our special guest, Laura Lauffer, Project Director of EmPOWERing Mountain Food Systems and Appalachian Regional Commission Power Project Center for Environmental Farming Systems sponsored by North Carolina State University – an organization whose objective is to offer financial, technical, and business support to regional farms and food-related businesses, while also being an advocate for agritourism. 

This conversation will cover the process of creating and implementing a business model that emphasizes community development, as well as the relationship between public policy and economic development in Appalachian communities.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/empowermtnfood/

Website: https://cefs.ncsu.edu/food-system-initiatives/emfs-empowering-mountain-food-systems/

EPISODE QUOTE: “ Everybody’s got a yellow squash in July, so maybe planta different kind of beet instead. You have to be smart.” 

Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

Segment 1

Lauffer is a native of North Carolina, her father retired when she was in elementary school. She gotta enjoy the tightly knit community of soldiers and their families. Whilst taking part in the Peace Corps she got to visit Zaire, a country in Africa.

In Zaire she was an extension agent. She would get seeds and extend them to farmers in the area to increase protein consumption as it was lacking in the people’s diet. The Peace Corps also gave her the opportunity to learn the local dialect and also used French. She goes on to share that she earned a minor in Spanish in Montreal. Before starting a farm in Garner in Hohnston County she toured around Europe. She then became a Peace Corps recruiter in Grad school. Her area of expertise is food systems and economic development. She started a program at North Carolina Community College where she taught sustainability. She left the classroom and applied her skills in the field as a program director at NCA&T for regional food systems. Agritourism is tourism that is added to an existing farming operation.

Using her website people can create appointments to get hooked up with different resources being offered by the program. One of the resources includes Advanced Business Services which helps local businesses that are advanced. The small business centers are partners that community colleges host to offer free business counseling. In agriculture, she is noticing carbon sequestration, which is recognizing farmers as a solution to climate change instead of as a factor of climate change.

She uses storytelling to give people background and context to farms and agriculture including their purpose. The ideal farm-to-table program is where the farmer and chef are expressing creativity and have a relationship of understanding. An example is Silva Ilda, they change their many every week according to what’s coming in fresh.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

00:00:40.740 –> 00:00:57.240 Joseph McElroy: howdy this is Joseph Franklyn McElroy, welcome you to the gateway to the smokies podcast this podcast is about America’s most visited National Park, the great smoky mountains National Park in the surrounding towns, this area is filled with H in that.

00:00:59.460 –> 00:01:03.690 Joseph McElroy: Deep-storied history filters that we explore with the weekly episode.

00:01:04.500 –> 00:01:11.850 Joseph McElroy: As I said, I’m Joseph Franklin McElroy man in the world, but also deep roots in these mountains by families living the great smokies for over 200 years.

00:01:12.270 –> 00:01:20.160 Joseph McElroy: My businesses and travel, but my heart is a culture today we’re going to talk about agritourism and farm to table with Laura lot left.

00:01:20.910 –> 00:01:29.220 Joseph McElroy: The first, you know a few sponsors and things like that you know when you start planning a trip.

00:01:29.790 –> 00:01:38.310 Joseph McElroy: After you decide where you’re going to go usually the first things you do is, you choose a book your flight you book your place you’re going to stay.

00:01:38.820 –> 00:01:47.010 Joseph McElroy: As because you need to have a place to start your vacation adventure and then you can get done you get to work on it in Tenerife now I place.

00:01:47.880 –> 00:01:52.740 Joseph McElroy: and finding a place to stay, I want you to imagine a place evocative of motor courts of the past.

00:01:53.550 –> 00:01:58.920 Joseph McElroy: Modern and vibrant with a Chic Appalachian feel a place for adventure and for relaxation.

00:01:59.520 –> 00:02:07.410 Joseph McElroy: Imagine a place where you efficient a mountain heritage trout stream grill to catch on fire and eat accompanied by fine wines or craft beers.

00:02:07.800 –> 00:02:20.100 Joseph McElroy: So imagine a place with old-time music and world cultural sounds, there is no other place like Meadowlark Motel in Maggie Valley North Carolina your smoky mountain adventures start with where you stay.

00:02:20.940 –> 00:02:27.720 Joseph McElroy: Now, one of the things that we can help you with is to help you build your itinerary once you decide that you’re going to stay.

00:02:28.080 –> 00:02:39.780 Joseph McElroy: and come to the smoky mountains for vacation state the middle art we actually have a site called smokies adventure calm, that you can actually do your research on to find out about.

00:02:40.950 –> 00:02:46.920 Joseph McElroy: The best hiking trails waterfalls outdoor adventures and family entertainment that you can find here.

00:02:47.910 –> 00:02:59.940 Joseph McElroy: And you can find a lot about the great smoky mountains National Park, you have the best trails the best waterfalls and what you can do in caves code, you find out about the history of the smokies and how to explore that.

00:03:00.960 –> 00:03:04.290 Joseph McElroy: That smokies adventure smokies plural adventure com.

ew-]\00:03:05.490 –> 00:03:16.620 Joseph McElroy: For your research pleasure and then when you get here will be more than happy to sell to set you up with tours or other things to do, and of course, we have a lot of things going on here we have the metal dark smoky mountain.

00:03:17.730 –> 00:03:20.070 Joseph McElroy: Historical Center here with lots of.

00:03:21.150 –> 00:03:27.390 Joseph McElroy: Events coming about mountain heritage and music and culture, here in the mountains and I’ll tell you about a couple of

00:03:28.170 –> 00:03:39.810 Joseph McElroy: Recently there was a viral event on TikTok and Instagram with some cloggers and specifically one color flogger I live, right here and Maggie Valley, the valley Jonathan.

00:03:41.490 –> 00:03:52.500 Joseph McElroy: And we’re going to actually bring those cloggers here this weekend to the Meadowlark Motel to do performance the J creek cloggers and.

00:03:53.100 –> 00:04:03.210 Joseph McElroy: And they are going to be here on Friday night on Saturday night and your father, going to be performing at 730 but previous to that you can have a free Barbecue.

00:04:04.050 –> 00:04:20.730 Joseph McElroy: There is sort of an iconic dance group that has been forming for a number of years, but zip the legend Ross was just picked up on tick tock and Instagram doing some solo buck dancing that was reminiscent of a lot of.

00:04:21.750 –> 00:04:31.440 Joseph McElroy: Urban dancing going on, and he became sort of a hero and he’s actually got a nickname now in the army online things he says he’s called the legend.

00:04:32.550 –> 00:04:34.710 Joseph McElroy: Is he doing something called any call it, Chris walked.

00:04:35.910 –> 00:04:42.750 Joseph McElroy: that’s an urban culture but it’s part of the clogging that he does here so so it’s kind of cool.

00:04:43.500 –> 00:04:56.850 Joseph McElroy: That that happened I don’t think they’ve had I think they’ve had 100 million views it’s crazy, so you know we invite you to come out and see it live on Saturday night July 30 here at the Meadowlark

00:04:58.110 –> 00:05:11.160 Joseph McElroy: admission is free for the motel guests and for heritage club members and it’s $20 for people that are just visiting it’s called 8289261717 to find out information reverse to reserve your room.

00:05:12.390 –> 00:05:22.320 Joseph McElroy: Now, another thing that on August six that we’re doing a smoky mountain heritage Center is putting on starting a Cherokee heritage series and they’re bringing in.

00:05:23.910 –> 00:05:34.530 Joseph McElroy: What true Appalachian Appalachian treasure baby arch and Davey is a world-famous Cherokee tribal historic and storing and Ward winning craftsman.

00:05:35.070 –> 00:05:43.410 Joseph McElroy: Traditional Cherokee crafts, especially mass and baskets and he’s a beloved spokesman for the Eastern Cherokee tribe.

00:05:43.980 –> 00:05:56.520 Joseph McElroy: And this will be on August six starting at six the Barbecue dinner and music and then there will be a whole presentation that you will find very interesting.

00:05:57.240 –> 00:06:08.160 Joseph McElroy: Michigan is $20 for guest three for hotel guests in here to close my hair does club Members call eight to 89261717 to reserve your seat.

00:06:08.820 –> 00:06:22.080 Joseph McElroy: One of the events coming up that I’ve been promoting for a while now is a songwriters camp I don’t know if you’ve heard of Jim Lauderdale but he’s a grammy award-winning artist I think 30 hit songs under his belt.

00:06:23.340 –> 00:06:39.630 Joseph McElroy: That he’s written for various artists or more he wrote a lot of George strait’s songs he wrote king of the broken hearts might be one of the big ones that you know so and he’s leading a crew of grammy award-winning artist here there’s gonna be Charles Humphrey the third.

00:06:41.370 –> 00:06:57.330 Joseph McElroy: And then there’s gonna Be daring Nicholson of Balsam Range les mills and Charles Chamberlain it’s like a dream team of songwriters and top musicians here at the metal art and it’s a two-day event, where you have a meet and greet and have a.

00:06:58.590 –> 00:07:08.910 Joseph McElroy: concert by the songs from the road band and Barbecue dinner and all star concept on a Saturday night and then you’re going to have.

00:07:09.660 –> 00:07:29.640 Joseph McElroy: An all day intensive workshop where you actually walk away with a DEMO tape of one of your songs and it’s gonna be it’s gonna be incredible it’s a great way to meet and learn from some of the top in the business so call eight to 89261717 to reserve your space and to get a ticket.

00:07:31.440 –> 00:07:42.810 Joseph McElroy: get a space for the workshop and the two concerts are also available to the public, just to come and enjoy the music so again eight to 89261717 to get your spot.

00:07:44.940 –> 00:07:51.420 Joseph McElroy: So today we’re going to be talking about tourism with lunch.

00:07:54.810 –> 00:07:55.560 Joseph McElroy: it’s with.

00:07:56.670 –> 00:08:10.050 Joseph McElroy: Our guest his name is Laura laufer is and she is the project director of empowering mountain food systems at appalachian regional convinced Commission power project Center for environmental party farming systems.

00:08:11.250 –> 00:08:13.260 Joseph McElroy: You can’t say that a lot of times fast.

00:08:15.000 –> 00:08:15.750 Laura Lauffer she/her: Natural.

00:08:15.990 –> 00:08:26.670 Joseph McElroy: sponsored by North Carolina State University an organization, whose objective is to offer financial, technical and business support to regional farms and food related businesses.

00:08:27.090 –> 00:08:35.820 Joseph McElroy: while also being an advocate for agritourism, she holds degrees from Western Carolina university nc State University speaks for language.

00:08:36.180 –> 00:08:47.340 Joseph McElroy: And there’s a webinar producer blogger and Community activists she resides in western North Carolina enjoys hiking and spending time with family or friends Hello Laura how are you doing.

00:08:47.370 –> 00:08:49.710 Laura Lauffer she/her: hey hey guys.

00:08:49.920 –> 00:08:51.270 Joseph McElroy: I pronounce your last name right.

00:08:51.570 –> 00:08:52.140 Laura Lauffer she/her: Now offer.

00:08:52.410 –> 00:08:56.730 Joseph McElroy: offer okay so we’re very thrilled to have you here today.

00:08:57.990 –> 00:09:02.400 Joseph McElroy: You know, we are, we are getting in into farm to table here it’s of lr.

00:09:03.480 –> 00:09:11.100 Joseph McElroy: we’ve actually put in a raised garden back in the back here and then yeah I went out to my old family farm wish I owned.

00:09:12.120 –> 00:09:22.950 Joseph McElroy: A third of it and on my on my land grant visible where my grandfather farm I put in my first field and now i’m a farmer feeling so proud of myself.

00:09:24.480 –> 00:09:31.140 Joseph McElroy: As I got a lot to learn, but I did, I do have some candy roasters and things like that.

00:09:31.980 –> 00:09:43.200 Joseph McElroy: Growing there so i’m looking forward to this conversation because i’m sure you can teach me how I could do this much better so, but first I want to get a little bit of your background you’re a native of fayetteville North Carolina right.

00:09:43.890 –> 00:09:44.850 Laura Lauffer she/her: Yes, I am.

00:09:45.030 –> 00:09:46.140 Joseph McElroy: yeah and then.

00:09:47.160 –> 00:09:54.090 Joseph McElroy: You know I whenever I think of that area I automatically think it for broad were you were you an army brat by chance.

00:09:54.660 –> 00:09:58.170 Laura Lauffer she/her: My dad was in the army, yes that’s how I like to answer that.

00:09:59.160 –> 00:10:01.530 Laura Lauffer she/her: I did I did grow up more closer to.

00:10:01.530 –> 00:10:12.390 Laura Lauffer she/her: Fort bragg and my dad was career special forces, and it was a really wonderful wonderful way to grow up, it was a really nice Community there on base.

00:10:12.660 –> 00:10:15.000 Joseph McElroy: So you got to stay in one place for your whole childhood.

00:10:15.360 –> 00:10:16.200 Laura Lauffer she/her: I did.

00:10:16.410 –> 00:10:17.400 Laura Lauffer she/her: My dad died.

00:10:17.430 –> 00:10:24.330 Laura Lauffer she/her: yeah my dad I was a kind of a late comer as far as the in the order of children, so my dad retired.

00:10:25.620 –> 00:10:35.070 Laura Lauffer she/her: When I was still in elementary school, but we stayed there because of the tight Community bond with all the soldiers families so well.

00:10:35.340 –> 00:10:46.650 Joseph McElroy: yeah I was just recently out there, my son my 13 year old son is happens to be a power lifter and there was a there was actually a major power lifting event out there, so.

00:10:47.880 –> 00:10:54.000 Joseph McElroy: You know I I it’s interesting mixed bag place or some really beautiful places in some places that.

00:10:55.590 –> 00:10:55.950 Joseph McElroy: But.

00:10:57.030 –> 00:11:00.960 Joseph McElroy: All of North Carolina is it beautiful so.

00:11:01.440 –> 00:11:04.080 Laura Lauffer she/her: yeah I used to consider myself a beach girl.

00:11:04.500 –> 00:11:04.800 Laura Lauffer she/her: And then.

00:11:05.280 –> 00:11:16.350 Laura Lauffer she/her: To the mountains and I was coming back from the beach a couple years ago and I, and I was so happy to come to the mountains, so I just decided, I was in North Carolina girl.

00:11:16.740 –> 00:11:18.330 Joseph McElroy: There you go you got everything here.

00:11:18.360 –> 00:11:18.630 yeah.

00:11:19.890 –> 00:11:25.980 Joseph McElroy: We have a rain forest, we have snow ski mountains and we have a white this white sand beaches.

00:11:26.790 –> 00:11:36.270 Joseph McElroy: You can’t really beat that yeah so how did you end up going to Western Carolina university from high school and fayetteville.

00:11:37.590 –> 00:11:40.860 Laura Lauffer she/her: Well, it was a circuitous route as you.

00:11:41.910 –> 00:11:44.490 Laura Lauffer she/her: can imagine, and there was a boy involved in.

00:11:44.490 –> 00:11:44.760 So.

00:11:47.070 –> 00:11:47.760 Laura Lauffer she/her: yeah.

00:11:47.850 –> 00:12:04.560 Laura Lauffer she/her: But I was very glad I ended up here, and so this was a sweet homecoming for me since I graduated there in 1988 and another boy I met and I took off to the Peace Corps from from cali so.

00:12:05.970 –> 00:12:15.540 Laura Lauffer she/her: So 30 years later i’m back and really, really appreciating it more you know in my advanced age, the beauty.

00:12:15.960 –> 00:12:28.770 Laura Lauffer she/her: Of the region, you know, back then, I you know we were hiking and kind of go into paradise falls and stuff like that, but this time i’m really, really enjoying the beauty of the of the region.

00:12:29.340 –> 00:12:31.530 Joseph McElroy: Peace Corps where’d you go in the Peace Corps.

00:12:32.010 –> 00:12:33.210 Laura Lauffer she/her: went desire.

00:12:33.420 –> 00:12:33.990 Joseph McElroy: wow.

00:12:34.140 –> 00:12:43.200 Laura Lauffer she/her: it’s this country in the middle of Africa it’s a probably the one of the most difficult posts, you can have honestly and.

00:12:44.460 –> 00:12:50.970 Laura Lauffer she/her: It was an amazing experience and many volunteers don’t have that experience anymore being.

00:12:50.970 –> 00:12:52.140 Laura Lauffer she/her: So rural.

00:12:52.920 –> 00:12:58.050 Joseph McElroy: Well, I gotta I want to hear a little bit more about the experience but we got to take a break right now and then.

00:12:59.640 –> 00:13:01.950 Joseph McElroy: And then and talk a little bit more about that.

00:13:02.040 –> 00:13:04.380 Joseph McElroy: and other than, of course, Western North Carolina.

00:13:04.920 –> 00:13:05.520 Great.

00:15:21.300 –> 00:15:36.300 Joseph McElroy: Howdy! this is Joseph Franklyn McElroy back with the Gateway to the Smokies podcast my guest is Laura Lauffer so Laura you are the peace corps and you were in Africa and what you were doing, and they have anything related to agriculture, what.

00:15:37.080 –> 00:15:38.430 Laura Lauffer she/her: It did and.

00:15:38.940 –> 00:15:53.520, Laura Lauffer, she/her: We were extension agents what most people know what extension agents do here is extend the research from the land grant university to farmers and enzyme air, which is now the Democratic Republic of Congo.

00:15:54.630 –> 00:15:59.760 Laura Lauffer she/her: There was a Research Station but there were no agents, and so my husband and I.

00:16:01.290 –> 00:16:08.040 Laura Lauffer s: would get seeds and extend them to farmers in the region, mostly corn and soybeans.

00:16:08.550 –> 00:16:22.110 Laura Lauffer she/her: To try to increase the protein content of diets because malnutrition, was an issue there, so it was a lovely amazing experience, who lived in a mud hut with no plumbing and no electricity and only got around on bikes.

00:16:22.560 –> 00:16:27.690 Laura Lauffer she/her: Oh, it was It made me appreciate all that we have.

00:16:28.470 –> 00:16:38.670 Joseph McElroy: Well, that sounds like a fantastic experience I see that you spoke four languages, you know romantic languages and then this one called Chiluba

00:16:39.210 –> 00:16:56.250, Laura Lauffer, she/her: Chiluba, yeah I was in a gas station in Raleigh once and the guy behind the counter was speaking to Buddha and I started speaking to him is like a so yeah it’s a that’s The great thing about peace corps is they, they teach you the local dialect.

00:16:56.700 –> 00:16:57.390 Joseph McElroy: Oh wow.

00:16:58.110 –> 00:17:04.440, Laura Lauffer, she/her: yeah so it was really great I think it’d be hard for me to carry on a conversation, and most of those languages.

00:17:05.820 –> 00:17:16.530 Laura Lauffer she/her: I grew up spending a lot of time in Montreal and got a minor in Spanish, and then spoke French and spoke Chiluba are so it’s a mix match in there.

00:17:16.770 –> 00:17:19.290 Joseph McElroy: wow how long did you stay inside here?

00:17:19.920 –> 00:17:20.640 Laura Lauffer she/her: Three years.

00:17:22.410 –> 00:17:23.520 Joseph McElroy: becomes almost all right.

00:17:24.150 –> 00:17:44.370, Laura Lauffer, she/her: yeah it was we stayed on we extended a little at the end and worked in the itinerary rain forest with john interests heart and they were doing research with the band booty tribe, which is also known as the pygmies way deep in the rain forest and.

00:17:45.660 –> 00:17:53.490 Laura Lauffer she/her: It was an amazing experience, but we were ready to go and we hitchhiked across the continent it’s something you can’t do really anymore.

00:17:54.780 –> 00:17:58.650 Laura Lauffer she/her: It was a true vagabond experience for some young people.

00:17:59.460 –> 00:18:01.770 Joseph McElroy: And then you came back to the United States after that.

00:18:02.370 –> 00:18:14.280, Laura Lauffer, she/her: We did we thought we would travel a lot more, but the Gulf War was going on in our family, you know, is ready for us to come back, but we toured around Europe for a little bit and then came back.

00:18:14.640 –> 00:18:15.810 Joseph McElroy: And we’re to settle settle.

00:18:17.400 –> 00:18:29.850, Laura Lauffer, she/her: Actually, we stayed in wake county for a while, and then we moved out into the country and the head started our first little farm in garner and Johnston county.

00:18:30.090 –> 00:18:30.510 Joseph McElroy: Oh wow.

00:18:30.810 –> 00:18:45.000, Laura Lauffer, she/her: And, and I worked in Durham I’ve worked for Africa, new service until I went to Grad school and became a peace corps recruiter in Grad school at NC state, and that was really wonderful experience.

00:18:45.300 –> 00:18:53.280 Joseph McElroy: And that’s where you got even further into understanding at the Grad school you got into the agriculture-related studies.

00:18:53.940 –> 00:19:04.410 Laura Lauffer she/her: no, mostly sustainability so I’m not an ag-technician food systems person and Community development and economic development.

00:19:05.340 –> 00:19:18.540 Laura Lauffer she/her: So I’m not the I do have you know a little bit of knowledge, you know enough to get by on animal husbandry and crop production, but my area of emphasis is food systems and economic development.

00:19:18.690 –> 00:19:27.870 Joseph McElroy: wow you know what are the, what are the only three pine-rated logic facility, the Western Asheville by the state of North Carolina in terms of sustainable yeah.

00:19:28.110 –> 00:19:42.690 Laura Lauffer she/her: Fantastic yeah I taught sustainability for a while I started a program at Central Carolina Community College, where the few sustainability degrees in the state, and that was a wonderful experience.

00:19:43.020 –> 00:19:48.180 Joseph McElroy: And then you worked as a program coordinator of local farms of food within see at antique

00:19:48.960 –> 00:19:57.690 Laura Lauffer she/her: I did that’s when I got I left teaching because I really was kind of tired of talking about sustainability so much in the classroom every day and I was.

00:19:58.560 –> 00:20:14.310 Laura Lauffer she/her: missing the application in the field, and so I took a leap of faith and left teaching and was brought on for this regional food systems work at NCAA empty and their extension Program.

00:20:14.760 –> 00:20:21.840 Joseph McElroy: cool and what is the regional food system work, what is it you do there?

00:20:21.930 –> 00:20:28.980 Laura Lauffer she/her: Well, so one of the things that we like to focus on is helping farmers with their supply chain.

00:20:29.910 –> 00:20:38.550, Laura Lauffer, she/her: If they want to diversify their source of funding, do they want to diversify markets this happened a lot during covid where.

00:20:38.940 –> 00:20:56.730 Laura Lauffer she/her: You know the one-on-one marketing say at farmer’s markets when a way, so we help folks establish their web presence, maybe, establish a pickup and so, for that they needed coolers, and so we had a program our funder came to us during cove it and said.

00:20:58.050 –> 00:21:13.680 Laura Lauffer she/her: What, what do you need to do you know, because everything this of course it was not our plan to have a pandemic in this project, and so I went to the farmers, and I was like what what do y’all need most and it was cold storage so because they were like.

00:21:14.190 –> 00:21:15.810 Laura Lauffer she/her: had to hold on to things a little bit.

00:21:15.810 –> 00:21:30.960 Laura Lauffer she/her: Longer and have a different distribution method so um so supply chain is very important, you know, maintaining that quality and diversifying income so that’s kind of a snapshot that’s one of the things we do.

00:21:31.710 –> 00:21:42.030 Joseph McElroy: So the new so you ended up then coming to Western North Carolina and leading leading be coming the project director of this up God awful lot.

00:21:45.360 –> 00:21:48.600 Laura Lauffer she/her: it’s empowering that with IT systems that says it all.

00:21:50.040 –> 00:21:55.860 Joseph McElroy: Of that is an applicant Appalachian Regional Commission our project Center for environmental party system.

00:21:56.430 –> 00:22:01.230 Laura Lauffer she/her: yeah you always have to mention your funders you know they like that and it’s important.

00:22:01.530 –> 00:22:01.920 Laura Lauffer she/her: So yeah.

00:22:02.520 –> 00:22:09.210 Laura Lauffer she/her: We are funded by the appalachian regional Commission it’s a over a million dollar grant over four years.

00:22:09.810 –> 00:22:28.440 Laura Lauffer she/her: To do this work, and we also very importantly, got funding from the cherokee preservation foundation to work with cherokee farmers and cherokee food systems and my office is actually in the Qualla boundary of the eastern band of Cherokee so we’ve had the great pleasure to work with.

00:22:29.760 –> 00:22:38.310 Laura Lauffer she/her: tribal government and and are our allies there to help Cherokee farmers and cherokee businesses grow.

00:22:38.790 –> 00:22:43.980 Joseph McElroy: So you work do you do you work with pharmacy work with other businesses like restaurants groceries.

00:22:45.120 –> 00:22:45.450 Joseph McElroy: yeah.

00:22:46.650 –> 00:22:48.540 Laura Lauffer she/her: um so like during covid

00:22:49.830 –> 00:22:58.650 Laura Lauffer she/her: Some restaurants transition to be the grocery stores, so I hope folks know about Guadalupe CAFE and downtown Silva

00:22:58.770 –> 00:22:59.820 Joseph McElroy: Oh that’s a great CAFE.

00:22:59.820 –> 00:23:00.300 yeah.

00:23:01.440 –> 00:23:04.590 Joseph McElroy: I look at like the multiple salsa salsa.

00:23:04.830 –> 00:23:08.460 Joseph McElroy: yeah good you can bring a great day yeah.

00:23:08.730 –> 00:23:16.110 Laura Lauffer she/her: yeah yeah yeah Jen is wonderful and she’s always been super committed to local food systems and so.

00:23:17.100 –> 00:23:21.570 Laura Lauffer she/her: And she was only doing take out but folks will come get their takeout they can get coffee.

00:23:22.080 –> 00:23:41.520 Laura Lauffer she/her: butter cheese bacon and so, for that she needs more cold storage, and so we help with that, and then we also help with Yonder, which is a fabulous market up in Franklin, and so they during covid they transition from a from a restaurant to a.

00:23:43.020 –> 00:23:48.870 Laura Lauffer she/her: Community supported agriculture, where they were selling bags of food and and a little grocery store.

00:23:49.320 –> 00:24:06.030 Laura Lauffer she/her: So yeah absolutely so it’s you know it’s all along we’d like to work all along the supply chain were even work with Western Carolina university, we had an event there a few weeks ago, talking to their catering directors about buying local for events there.

00:24:06.390 –> 00:24:10.500 Joseph McElroy: Well, so a little, so our little planet, the building a.

00:24:12.090 –> 00:24:22.680 Joseph McElroy: Small essentially a small farm to help support our plans to make this restaurant would be something we could actually work a little bit with you on.

00:24:23.190 –> 00:24:31.170, Laura Lauffer, she/her: Absolutely, I mean you’re in Haywood county this project is only goes from Haywood to Cherokee county.

00:24:32.310 –> 00:24:39.600 Laura Lauffer she/her: there’s often not a lot of attention out here in this little piece of heaven, you know there, there is a lot of mountains west of Asheville.

00:24:39.870 –> 00:24:40.200 Right.

00:24:41.280 –> 00:24:45.510 Laura Lauffer she/her: And yeah yeah we love, we have some great partners in Haywood county.

00:24:45.960 –> 00:24:46.710 Joseph McElroy: cool yeah.

00:24:47.880 –> 00:24:49.890 Joseph McElroy: Totally yeah totally.

00:24:51.660 –> 00:24:56.430 Joseph McElroy: Totally enamored by you know the concept of agritourism.

00:24:57.750 –> 00:25:00.930 Joseph McElroy: And you how do you guys promote agritourism

00:25:02.040 –> 00:25:17.490 Laura Lauffer she/her: Well agritourism what’s really essential is that agritourism is tourism that is added on to an existing farming operation so it’s not this case where.

00:25:18.480 –> 00:25:35.520 Laura Lauffer she/her: Laura goes and buys a piece of land and puts up a beautiful barn and it’s a wedding venue that is not agritourism so agritourism, is a working farm or you know farm production business where they’re adding agritourism.

00:25:36.330 –> 00:25:46.740, Laura Lauffer, she/her: To increase knowledge and, hopefully, of course, in increase revenue, and you know people are very interested to learn, you know where their food comes from.

00:25:47.400 –> 00:26:08.670 Laura Lauffer she/her: And, and you know children love to go walk along or shear a sheep Jehovah raw farm and Haywood county has a fantastic agritourism operation, where you can stay in their cabin and she and use the wool from a shared sheep and make your own rug oh.

00:26:09.480 –> 00:26:10.410 Laura Lauffer she/her: that’s cool yeah.

00:26:10.470 –> 00:26:12.750 Laura Lauffer she/her: So look up Jehovah raw form they are.

00:26:13.440 –> 00:26:15.060 Joseph McElroy: All yeah you know.

00:26:16.410 –> 00:26:17.670 Joseph McElroy: I was i’m a beekeeper.

00:26:17.790 –> 00:26:27.300 Joseph McElroy: Without fantastic I actually learned it I did beekeeping a little bit when I was a kid here in the mountains back she learned to do be pretty good at it in the south bronx in New York City.

00:26:27.570 –> 00:26:37.800 Joseph McElroy: Oh, my goodness, I would put bee hives and in Community arts and we were near the at the botanical gardens.

00:26:38.190 –> 00:26:38.790 Joseph McElroy: I know.

00:26:38.880 –> 00:26:43.530 Joseph McElroy: I got I got all sorts of interesting flavors, but do you work with beekeepers is that.

00:26:43.980 –> 00:26:58.200, Laura Lauffer, she/her: yeah absolutely one of our first grants, we made was to Ferguson farms in haywood county and they are 100 year farm, there is a historical farm and Haywood county and.

00:26:59.100 –> 00:27:11.880 Laura Lauffer she/her: They started beekeeping, excuse me in 2019, I believe, when we first started and their operation, they are now getting ready to add blanton to their farm.

00:27:11.910 –> 00:27:25.440 Laura Lauffer she/her: yeah so you can go in and have a beautiful tent on the river and you know hang out in your tub and then go and get on a four-wheeler and go visit the horses and learn about beekeeping.

00:27:26.640 –> 00:27:28.680 Laura Lauffer she/her: learn about you know beef production.

00:27:29.100 –> 00:27:40.020 Joseph McElroy: I did a lot of education about beekeeping to kids in the bronx in the Community garden so i’m looking to start doing that, here too, because I enjoyed it.

00:27:40.410 –> 00:27:48.060 Joseph McElroy: And I have you know I have, I have four year old twins now how am I have a 30-year-old son that four-year-old twins and.

00:27:48.600 –> 00:27:54.390 Joseph McElroy: I think I look forward to being able to show them about these things so but I think, making it a part of a program I might even.

00:27:54.960 –> 00:28:07.260 Joseph McElroy: You know, I think that I can do, because I figured out how to do it, the Community garden how to have a number of beehives here at the Meadowlark, because you can create beef like you know you create barriers that regulate wearing the bees fly.

00:28:07.620 –> 00:28:09.840 Joseph McElroy: Right at the height and everything else, so you can get.

00:28:09.840 –> 00:28:12.210 Joseph McElroy: them to fly above people for the most part.

00:28:13.440 –> 00:28:20.340 Joseph McElroy: And so that you can have been very densely populated areas, and a lot of you know, and so people didn’t know that but I got we got to take another break.

00:28:20.400 –> 00:28:23.940 Joseph McElroy: Okay, and then we’ll come back and talk more about what you’re doing okay.

00:28:24.330 –> 00:28:25.230 Laura Lauffer she/her: Okay, thanks.

00:30:30.750 –> 00:30:39.090 Joseph McElroy: howdy this is Joseph Franklin McElroy back with the gateway to the smokies podcasts that my guest Laura Lauffer so Laura you know I.

00:30:40.140 –> 00:30:56.880 Joseph McElroy: assume I’m a neophyte business person, and you know and it’s trying to get into agritourism, and some of the agriculture, how does, how does, how does somebody approached your organization and find out about assistance and special programs and things like that.

00:30:58.110 –> 00:31:01.980 Laura Lauffer she/her: Well, just Google empowering mountain food systems and.

00:31:03.150 –> 00:31:12.030 Laura Lauffer she/her: You will come up in our homepage will come up and on the right, there’s a little purple button that says apply here, and that will take you.

00:31:12.510 –> 00:31:30.510 Laura Lauffer she/her: straight into our portal and then you have an appointment with me and I talked to folks about what they’re up to and I hook them up with the different resources that they have we have a really cool program right now it’s called Advanced business services that are helping.

00:31:31.800 –> 00:31:36.660, Laura Lauffer, she/her: Local businesses who are kind of advanced, so we just helped.

00:31:37.830 –> 00:31:44.940 Laura Lauffer she/her: Oh valley view farms she’s a verbal culture operation, do you know what permaculture is.

00:31:44.970 –> 00:31:46.140 Joseph McElroy: No, I have no idea.

00:31:46.350 –> 00:31:48.210 Laura Lauffer she/her: permaculture is worm farming.

00:31:48.600 –> 00:31:51.270 Joseph McElroy: Oh wow for me, but yeah.

00:31:51.480 –> 00:32:04.980 Laura Lauffer she/her: yeah and she has an amazing worm farming operation, and so we assisted her with her new logo and her sign she has classes at her farm she’s actually teaching a class Mary Ann Smith.

00:32:06.240 –> 00:32:09.480 Laura Lauffer she/her: August 2 and clay county.

00:32:10.200 –> 00:32:11.640 Laura Lauffer she/her: So she’s at the haywood.

00:32:12.000 –> 00:32:21.300 Laura Lauffer she/her: county historic farmers market every Saturday selling worm castings which is worm poop and it’s just some of the most rich.

00:32:23.010 –> 00:32:38.100 Laura Lauffer she/her: fertilizer you can use you really need to only use a very little so anyhow so that’s a an example of a client we just helped and we’re helping bear waters brewing there and Maggie.

00:32:39.060 –> 00:32:48.750 Laura Lauffer she/her: They want to expand purchasing local products and so will be helping them with some refrigeration so that they can refrigerate more local products.

00:32:48.840 –> 00:32:54.630 Joseph McElroy: Oh fabulous now do you offer do you offer education classes things training things like that.

00:32:55.290 –> 00:33:03.390 Laura Lauffer she/her: that’s mostly left to extension and one of our key partners in this project is the small business centers.

00:33:04.230 –> 00:33:18.450 Laura Lauffer she/her: Every Community college in the state hosts a small business Center offering free business counseling and so, because this is an economic development project we really focus on that business side of of agriculture.

00:33:19.290 –> 00:33:30.360 Laura Lauffer she/her: And we partner with with each small business Center so there and haywood county we partner with haywood Community college and Ashley swagger to have classes there.

00:33:31.380 –> 00:33:37.470 Laura Lauffer she/her: But extension, and you know you’re so fortunate here we’ve got mills river Research Station.

00:33:38.220 –> 00:33:54.990 Laura Lauffer she/her: nearby and the mountain horticulture Research Station is on raccoon road there and haywood county and just they you know, keep keep in touch with them and their calendar and your local extension office so that’s that they do that technical training piece.

00:33:55.470 –> 00:34:00.720 Joseph McElroy: yeah that’s that’s cutting this nice i’ve been i’ve been noticing that there are some things out here we go cuz.

00:34:01.980 –> 00:34:11.910 Joseph McElroy: I know pretty much what to do with beekeeping, but in terms of actually you know what the neck how to evolve a farm is now is not something i’ve ever done before.

00:34:13.260 –> 00:34:13.650 Laura Lauffer she/her: yeah.

00:34:13.710 –> 00:34:24.420 Laura Lauffer she/her: Well, you gotta you gotta come up with a marketing plan, like any good business, you know, come up with your dear cost benefit analysis and figure out if you’re making money or losing money and.

00:34:26.250 –> 00:34:28.260 Laura Lauffer she/her: And kind of go from there.

00:34:28.530 –> 00:34:35.970 Joseph McElroy: Well, I think my my challenge is, I mean i’ve been doing a lot of marketing, so my challenge, though, is actually, how do you grow the best stuff.

00:34:37.290 –> 00:34:38.190 Joseph McElroy: Right yeah.

00:34:38.280 –> 00:34:39.840 Laura Lauffer she/her: Well, you start with good soil.

00:34:39.930 –> 00:34:42.600 Joseph McElroy: Good soil and the worm sounds like a good addition.

00:34:42.630 –> 00:34:44.070 Laura Lauffer she/her: yeah yeah.

00:34:44.280 –> 00:34:50.130 Joseph McElroy: yeah i’ve been using I think mushroom based stuff or or beef of based stuff right.

00:34:50.520 –> 00:34:57.510 Laura Lauffer she/her: Nice nice yeah we’re we’re blessed with fantastic wild mushroom foraging in this region.

00:34:58.320 –> 00:35:04.650 Joseph McElroy: So you’ve mentioned a few agriculture agritourism business examples around the area.

00:35:05.760 –> 00:35:10.710 Joseph McElroy: I think there’s also another one, you probably know about darnell farms over swaying county.

00:35:10.800 –> 00:35:21.090 Laura Lauffer she/her: Right yeah yeah the Dardanelles are fantastic partners in our in our work and I always highlight them when I do teach a marketing class because.

00:35:21.480 –> 00:35:33.330 Laura Lauffer she/her: You know I encourage anybody to go to the darnell farm is Facebook page because they do live video all the time and and one of the best ones I saw was on.

00:35:34.440 –> 00:35:42.330 Laura Lauffer she/her: They went out in the field picked a tomato sliced it put it between two pieces of wonder bread with semantics and.

00:35:42.330 –> 00:35:44.640 Joseph McElroy: Probably good old southern Mayo and.

00:35:45.150 –> 00:35:47.700 Laura Lauffer she/her: It was just running down his.

00:35:47.700 –> 00:35:48.330 Laura Lauffer she/her: hand and he.

00:35:49.350 –> 00:35:50.700 Laura Lauffer she/her: And he was loving it.

00:35:51.060 –> 00:35:54.960 Laura Lauffer she/her: You know just folks just lined up for miles to count on your sandwich.

00:35:55.230 –> 00:35:59.280 Joseph McElroy: I eat a tomato sandwich about every every other week I love it to me.

00:36:01.080 –> 00:36:09.210 Joseph McElroy: So I put mine on yeah wheat bread, I put spinach on the right, you know i’m a little bit more elaborate still but the basis of it is still tomato mail on.

00:36:10.350 –> 00:36:10.620 Joseph McElroy: yeah.

00:36:11.700 –> 00:36:24.840 Laura Lauffer she/her: yeah they’re fantastic Community members, they support a lot of food pantries they’re great place to work, and it really is a fun event venue with live music or river.

00:36:25.950 –> 00:36:31.500 Laura Lauffer she/her: Picking pumpkins and strawberries and hayride so that that is a lot of fun and.

00:36:33.420 –> 00:36:36.810 Joseph McElroy: So uh so any other places that you think.

00:36:37.140 –> 00:36:38.790 Laura Lauffer she/her: highlight that are really great yes.

00:36:38.910 –> 00:36:40.650 Laura Lauffer she/her: Yes, there’s a new one.

00:36:41.040 –> 00:37:00.420 Laura Lauffer she/her: And I just found out today i’m a with from appalachian sustainable LIFE project, which is a sister organization they’re having a farm tour this year that will have a few stops and haywood county and they’re going to go to smoky mountain manga least talk about a mouthful.

00:37:01.740 –> 00:37:09.150 Laura Lauffer she/her: So the manga least a pig is the cutest pig it’s a pig with with tight tight curly hair.

00:37:09.540 –> 00:37:09.780 Joseph McElroy: But it.

00:37:09.840 –> 00:37:15.030 Laura Lauffer she/her: Has like the highest fat content, the large chefs love it.

00:37:15.120 –> 00:37:27.930 Laura Lauffer she/her: love it love it so but during cove it, you know things changed for them and they lived on a beautiful piece of land with the river and people wanted to Camp so like well let’s try camping.

00:37:28.410 –> 00:37:29.310 Laura Lauffer she/her: And so they.

00:37:29.850 –> 00:37:38.820 Laura Lauffer she/her: I believe their platform is hip camp hai PC emp is kind of like an airbnb for farmers who have land.

00:37:39.090 –> 00:37:39.450 Laura Lauffer she/her: So you.

00:37:39.510 –> 00:37:51.900 Laura Lauffer she/her: roll up in your camper you roll up with your tent and you have this beautiful experience on a farm So yes, smoky mountain manga Lisa and you can buy some amazing pork chops while you’re there.

00:37:52.320 –> 00:38:10.380 Joseph McElroy: Oh that’s that’s pretty cool yeah i’m looking at putting some yeah some cabins are clapping out and I earned us now, because now, I have the whole facility to do all the management and all that so yeah It makes sense, where do you see the future of tourism in the next few years.

00:38:11.670 –> 00:38:22.200 Laura Lauffer she/her: I think i’m ECO tourism for sure i’m talking about sustainability and one of the really exciting things that’s happening.

00:38:22.680 –> 00:38:28.230 Laura Lauffer she/her: In agriculture is carbon sequestration is you know, recognizing farmers.

00:38:28.860 –> 00:38:40.800 Laura Lauffer she/her: As a solution to climate change, and not a problem for climate change, and so you know going and seeing you know what are these sustainability measures, you can take with your cattle.

00:38:41.490 –> 00:38:47.700 Laura Lauffer she/her: and your pastures, how can we, you know, can you know use practices that.

00:38:48.390 –> 00:39:00.210 Laura Lauffer she/her: create a better habitat for birds and pollinators things like that so i’m hopeful that consumers will will want to do that and take your children to see you know you and.

00:39:00.780 –> 00:39:10.080 Laura Lauffer she/her: I took some nutrition students to interview some farmers and they had no idea that I think that potatoes grew into ground.

00:39:10.350 –> 00:39:19.500 Laura Lauffer she/her: Or that you know I know the first time I saw how Brussels sprouts sprouts grew I was like oh wow that’s kind of cool that they grow on a stock.

00:39:19.770 –> 00:39:32.640 Laura Lauffer she/her: yeah um yeah it’s fun and you know we have these beautiful rivers and all of this, recreation, so what I would like to see is folks combine you know come out.

00:39:33.360 –> 00:39:44.700 Laura Lauffer she/her: enjoy the River enjoy the mountains and leave maybe leave some of your resources behind leave some of your money behind with a local farm that conserves that beauty that you love to see.

00:39:45.210 –> 00:40:01.110 Joseph McElroy: Right, I think it’s a great idea for children, you know that used to be the children were a big mainstay of tourism here and haywood county but because he had the ghost town in the sky, but you know now research shows that hey the predominance demographic now comes out as over 45 right.

00:40:01.410 –> 00:40:02.820 Laura Lauffer she/her: yeah the motorcycle people.

00:40:03.000 –> 00:40:12.510 Joseph McElroy: The motorcycle people and you got the pet friendly crowd you’ve got the hikers and you got but, in general, there there there it’s an older demographic now so but.

00:40:13.230 –> 00:40:23.430 Joseph McElroy: Since coven we’re starting to see families come out and I think having things like agritourism, where they learn a lot of stuff go going from penny.

00:40:23.850 –> 00:40:37.890 Joseph McElroy: petting sheep to you know, seeing how things grow to you know camping I think those are all great visions for do for really vital revitalizing tourism across the board.

00:40:38.490 –> 00:40:40.110 Joseph McElroy: I also I also saw that you.

00:40:40.320 –> 00:40:48.450 Joseph McElroy: You encourage diversity i’ve been doing a lot of work involving women in pursuing the field So how do you do that, and what do you do for them.

00:40:49.410 –> 00:40:59.250 Laura Lauffer she/her: I really don’t have to do anything for them, they are leaders in the field, and they are dynamic savvy business people.

00:41:00.990 –> 00:41:16.200 Laura Lauffer she/her: So they don’t really require any extra attention any extra programming I just you know I work to serve them the way I serve anybody else I did write an article for smoky mountain news a couple years ago about.

00:41:17.310 –> 00:41:29.160 Laura Lauffer she/her: You know the dynamism of women in agriculture in the region and katie from katie’s orchard Patricia Taylor told a story about being with a few women that went to the apple meetings.

00:41:30.030 –> 00:41:38.490 Laura Lauffer she/her: You know, years ago, and that the male apple farmers are kind of like looking at her about speaking up and she’s like i’m here to learn.

00:41:39.270 –> 00:41:50.640 Laura Lauffer she/her: And and she’s an amazing amazing farmer, I absolutely recommend you go by katie’s orchard in canton and you can pick apples and pears and blackberries and blueberries and.

00:41:51.180 –> 00:42:08.730 Laura Lauffer she/her: Get jam and honey and so that’s another another great asset at katie and so she she’s a leader, she counsels other farmers and yeah women, women are natural leaders, and so they don’t need me for much.

00:42:09.120 –> 00:42:19.350 Joseph McElroy: But sometimes they have unique challenges I mean maybe not as much as they used to, but like my grandmother when she moved here back in the 40s 50s he became like the first one is broker.

00:42:20.130 –> 00:42:29.880 Joseph McElroy: State of North Carolina but they would let her open her own bank account to her husband came in and open it yeah is there any unique challenges that women face down the an agritourism.

00:42:30.570 –> 00:42:40.650 Joseph McElroy: No oh good all right cool all right, well, we have to take another break and then we’ll come back we’ll finish up with you know some some things you want to make people aware of.

00:42:41.070 –> 00:42:42.420 Laura Lauffer she/her: Okay excellent Thank you.

00:44:43.980 –> 00:44:54.780 Joseph McElroy: howdy this is Joseph Franklin McElroy back with a gateway to the smokies podcast my guest is Laura Laufer so Laura, you know my business that’s funded my.

00:44:55.560 –> 00:45:07.050 Joseph McElroy: This move them into the back end of my childhood home and this motel and things originated in marketing and you know, a big part of what we do is content storytelling.

00:45:07.590 –> 00:45:14.010 Joseph McElroy: And and and we’ve built the Meadowlark you know we tripled revenue tripled things through storytelling essentially through.

00:45:14.430 –> 00:45:27.420 Joseph McElroy: The mountain heritage is the common theme throughout what we do so, I noticed that you emphasize storytelling in your agritourism businesses as a way to build it what, what do you, what do you tell them.

00:45:28.470 –> 00:45:40.440 Laura Lauffer she/her: Absolutely, I mean that’s what you know you clinch folks with you know this goat is named Beatrice after my grandma because my grandma was hard-headed and this goat.

00:45:40.740 –> 00:45:52.950 Laura Lauffer she/her: is hard-headed and that’s why we call her Beatrice well how is she hard-headed well she’s hard headed to because she figured out how to get out of the fence, and you know, and you just go on and tell that story about.

00:45:53.850 –> 00:46:04.350 Laura Lauffer she/her: About unique things about your farm and, like you, you know you’re talking about your grandmother, you know, especially if it’s a heritage farm let folks know you know how long.

00:46:04.710 –> 00:46:14.460 Laura Lauffer she/her: Has this been here, this is why we’re here, this is why we do that, and you know it can be as simple as the story of where your food comes from you know, like.

00:46:14.880 –> 00:46:32.970 Laura Lauffer she/her: Oh, you enjoy bread, do you know that bread comes from wheat, and this is where we grow wheat in western North Carolina and wheat can also be used for this, and so so contextualizing agriculture so folks understand what it means to their everyday life.

00:46:33.990 –> 00:46:39.120 Joseph McElroy: that’s cool that’s cool they know I that’s yeah that’s what we tell people.

00:46:40.320 –> 00:46:47.970 Joseph McElroy: When they’re wanting to do things in social media like tick tock and stuff like that and Instagram it’s all about telling a narrative right.

00:46:48.750 –> 00:46:58.680 Joseph McElroy: about telling the story yeah and so that’s you know that’s the way to help people a lot I think in terms of get their story out there.

00:46:59.790 –> 00:47:09.600 Laura Lauffer she/her: We say on when folks do social media on Facebook, that it should be the content should be 80% storytelling and 20% selling.

00:47:09.900 –> 00:47:13.710 Laura Lauffer she/her: You know, you know it’s like oh here’s pictures of.

00:47:14.340 –> 00:47:30.150 Laura Lauffer she/her: You know, we want the best picture of your child eating a strawberry from our strawberry patch you get thousands of pictures of kids with strawberry all over their face and people love it and then you say Oh, by the way, you know still pick in until dark until August it.

00:47:30.480 –> 00:47:38.130 Joseph McElroy: You know cool so um, how do you define the ideal farm to table Program.

00:47:38.700 –> 00:47:41.160 Laura Lauffer she/her: Oh that’s a good one um.

00:47:42.450 –> 00:47:52.650 Laura Lauffer she/her: When the chef works with the farmer, before anything goes into the ground, and so you know say chef is reading.

00:47:53.790 –> 00:48:04.470 Laura Lauffer she/her: So fancy culinary you know fine dining magazine, and he sees this beautiful ready CIO and he’s like I want that you know, on my plate, it looks beautiful.

00:48:04.800 –> 00:48:16.710 Laura Lauffer she/her: So he and his the farmer that he works with they sit down with maybe the Johnny seed catalog and and they’re talking about it and they’re like okay well i’ll try it i’ll plant simply, you will see how that goes.

00:48:17.190 –> 00:48:27.060 Laura Lauffer she/her: And it is a relationship like that it’s it’s truly creativity on both ends and you know the chef has to have some.

00:48:28.050 –> 00:48:41.850 Laura Lauffer she/her: expectations and understanding of the challenges of disease water, you know things that happen that some things can go wrong, but it’s truly truly a relationship, you know the chef is visiting the farm.

00:48:43.080 –> 00:49:02.670 Laura Lauffer she/her: The farmers going in to have a great meal at the restaurant, so that is absolutely the ideal where the the chef’s menu like here in Silva El de is a fantastic example they changed their menu every couple of weeks to what’s what’s what’s fresh and what’s coming in the door.

00:49:03.570 –> 00:49:11.160 Joseph McElroy: that’s I mean yeah the when you’re doing the farming you’d have to you have to you have to deal with the dynamics of what’s available.

00:49:11.700 –> 00:49:15.390 Laura Lauffer she/her: yeah well everybody’s got yellow squash in my.

00:49:16.740 –> 00:49:24.270 Laura Lauffer she/her: Maybe plant, you know, a different kind of beat instead so you have to be smart like that.

00:49:24.690 –> 00:49:28.230 Joseph McElroy: Right or come up with unique recipes for yellow squash.

00:49:29.070 –> 00:49:30.510 Joseph McElroy: yeah yeah.

00:49:30.720 –> 00:49:32.160 Laura Lauffer she/her: I think they’re out there somewhere.

00:49:32.640 –> 00:49:37.110 Joseph McElroy: Well i’m i’m loving yellow squash soup cream soup.

00:49:38.880 –> 00:49:39.390 Joseph McElroy: it’s good.

00:49:41.010 –> 00:49:42.000 Joseph McElroy: So, but.

00:49:47.160 –> 00:49:47.460 Joseph McElroy: You.

00:49:48.720 –> 00:49:49.050 Joseph McElroy: You.

00:49:50.970 –> 00:49:55.710 Joseph McElroy: You sorry I lost my place in my my questions here so.

00:49:57.240 –> 00:50:02.760 Joseph McElroy: So you have a website right what’s the website again you just say Google is easiest way.

00:50:03.120 –> 00:50:06.570 Laura Lauffer she/her: yeah empowering mountain foods.org I believe.

00:50:06.840 –> 00:50:16.620 Laura Lauffer she/her: Okay i’m done and there’s two other websites I wanted folks to be aware of that, I hope we can put on the Facebook page one is the visit nc farms APP.

00:50:17.190 –> 00:50:26.400 Laura Lauffer she/her: So this is an APP sponsored by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and in haywood county it’s sponsored by cooperative extension.

00:50:27.090 –> 00:50:37.230 Laura Lauffer she/her: And bunkum county it’s sponsored by soil and water and in Jackson county it’s funded by the tourism development authority and so.

00:50:37.620 –> 00:50:47.730 Laura Lauffer she/her: You download this APP and wherever you’re driving in North Carolina you can you know type in you know alpaca farm or strawberries, and it will come up.

00:50:48.090 –> 00:51:02.730 Laura Lauffer she/her: With the map hours what’s available, so the visit nc farms APP and then the other one i’m super excited about, especially for your out of town folks is vacation or supported agriculture and.

00:51:04.260 –> 00:51:08.880 Laura Lauffer she/her: I put that link in the chat so I don’t quite remember that I hope i’m not messing this up.

00:51:09.390 –> 00:51:20.400 Laura Lauffer she/her: So P one provisions visit and see smokies and so hopefully we can put that in the in the stream and what’s so exciting about this is before you get to town.

00:51:20.910 –> 00:51:32.670 Laura Lauffer she/her: and say you’re staying in a cabin and you would like a bag of fresh freshly picked produce from a farm right down the road and.

00:51:33.450 –> 00:51:45.780 Laura Lauffer she/her: And haywood county it’s mark mcdonough at mighty know mark and Danielle at mighty known and Christine Christine braswell of outlaw acres so these two farmers are supplying.

00:51:46.890 –> 00:51:58.200 Laura Lauffer she/her: Visitors with a beautiful bag of produce eggs and flowers and it’s there for them to pick up at bear waters brewery in bosu wine shop in waynesville when they get to town.

00:51:58.740 –> 00:52:01.980 Joseph McElroy: So those are the waters with the cannon or the one advantage.

00:52:02.280 –> 00:52:03.150 Laura Lauffer she/her: The one in Maggie.

00:52:03.480 –> 00:52:04.530 Joseph McElroy: Really yeah.

00:52:04.860 –> 00:52:13.500 Laura Lauffer she/her: yeah so yeah we met with Kevin he’s really excited to support us he’s a big supporter of of local farmers.

00:52:14.010 –> 00:52:17.520 Joseph McElroy: piggy backs have to have that list so they’d have this produce while they’re here.

00:52:17.760 –> 00:52:19.080 Joseph McElroy: yeah what to say.

00:52:20.160 –> 00:52:20.430 Laura Lauffer she/her: yeah.

00:52:21.000 –> 00:52:24.630 Joseph McElroy: Well, you know we have Kevin tier two middle of we should talk to bear waters and.

00:52:24.840 –> 00:52:37.770 Laura Lauffer she/her: Absolutely yeah you will send you the link and when some for all your folks who are coming in August, you can go ahead and send them the link and say hey do you want to pick up a bag of produce here you go.

00:52:38.340 –> 00:52:39.420 Joseph McElroy: Oh that’s a great yeah.

00:52:39.510 –> 00:52:46.800 Laura Lauffer she/her: It is it’s a it’s happening it’s been happening at nc state sponsored program it’s been happening on the coast, for five years.

00:52:47.250 –> 00:52:48.300 Joseph McElroy: and pay for it right.

00:52:48.720 –> 00:52:49.230 Joseph McElroy: Oh yeah.

00:52:49.500 –> 00:52:52.170 Laura Lauffer she/her: Oh yeah I believe it’s $45 a bag.

00:52:53.310 –> 00:53:10.170 Laura Lauffer she/her: And you get your own you know kick insulated pooler carrier and haywood county and Jackson county are pioneers in western North Carolina it’s been happening on the coast, for five years, so we were really appreciative.

00:53:10.560 –> 00:53:16.740 Joseph McElroy: Well it’s great I mean anybody out there, doing airbnb should seriously seriously think about this, you can wait.

00:53:17.490 –> 00:53:18.810 Joseph McElroy: For your clients right.

00:53:18.840 –> 00:53:21.000 Laura Lauffer she/her: yeah I can I can hook them up.

00:53:21.300 –> 00:53:21.690 Joseph McElroy: yeah.

00:53:22.020 –> 00:53:29.040 Laura Lauffer she/her: We just met with some airbnb owners last week and they’re very, very excited about this.

00:53:29.310 –> 00:53:34.380 Joseph McElroy: Well, oh yeah I mean I like the idea I like the idea is, we could put in our cabin.

00:53:34.710 –> 00:53:38.340 Joseph McElroy: yeah we actually go pick it up for them and have it there when they arrived.

00:53:38.400 –> 00:53:40.290 Laura Lauffer she/her: yeah that’d be great right down the road.

00:53:40.500 –> 00:53:46.530 Joseph McElroy: You know, right down the road from us so cool so everybody out there Miller moto soon gonna have produce available in the rooms, where you go.

00:53:49.290 –> 00:53:52.980 Joseph McElroy: cool any other any other thing you want to shout out before I close up.

00:53:53.910 –> 00:54:06.270 Laura Lauffer she/her: Just you know go to your local farmers market check them out um when you go and eat out at a restaurant ask them do you have any local products on your menu.

00:54:07.170 –> 00:54:25.920 Laura Lauffer she/her: This really is up to, we as consumers to drive the markets to these farms, I mean we we drive around the smokies we see these beautiful venues, and some of them are venues that are beautiful because farmers are being conservation minded and keeping land and production.

00:54:26.250 –> 00:54:28.560 Laura Lauffer she/her: So, so I say eat your view.

00:54:29.160 –> 00:54:32.190 Joseph McElroy: yeah cool well Thank you so much for being on my show.

00:54:32.250 –> 00:54:37.560 Joseph McElroy: it’s planning, I want to talk further I will go to your website do the application to come talk to you.

00:54:37.830 –> 00:54:42.330 Laura Lauffer she/her: yeah we have a little bit of funding left we’re really excited about it.

00:54:42.330 –> 00:54:43.080 Joseph McElroy: So oh.

00:54:43.950 –> 00:54:55.140 Joseph McElroy: yeah Thank you so this is the gateway the smoke these podcasts were streamed live on [email protected] slash gateway to the smoke these podcasts every Friday every.

00:54:55.920 –> 00:55:04.350 Joseph McElroy: Every Tuesday at six to seven it’s also in the talk radio dot nyc network, which is a network of live podcasts every day.

00:55:04.920 –> 00:55:17.670 Joseph McElroy: ranging from help for small business to sell help to pet help to any number of subjects and it’s very dynamic, because every podcast is live, so I recommend you take a look at what are the offerings they have and it’s.

00:55:18.300 –> 00:55:22.020 Joseph McElroy: it’s it’s a good network, you can also find all the old.

00:55:22.740 –> 00:55:32.370 Joseph McElroy: episodes for this organized long transcripts on the smokies adventure COM site you go there and there’s a link at the top, for the gateway to the smoke these podcasts and.

00:55:32.910 –> 00:55:44.820 Joseph McElroy: I look forward to you coming and listening to us again next week I think we’re about to take a month off so it’d be rerun for a month and a half until September but I’ll be back in September with new shows and new.

00:55:45.300 –> 00:55:50.850 Joseph McElroy: New people to talk to as well, some old friends and old subjects to go over again.

00:55:51.870 –> 00:55:54.630 Joseph McElroy: So until next time, thank you for listening.

WHAT WILL THE AUDIENCE LEARN?

Learn about folk culture and heritage with Evan Hatch, Executive Director of Folkmoot USA. Listen to this episode, as he dedicated this to all folks who carry forward their heritage through music, dance, and song!

EPISODE SUMMARY:

What's the Folkmoot USA all about? 

Discover all about the Folkmoot USA with Evan Hatch on our podcast! Tune in as Joseph interviews Mr. Hatch, an expert folklorist with almost two decades of experience as a Grammy Award-winning record producer, event production coordinator, vernacular artist, documentary filmmaker, and recorder of oral history, as well as holding high-level management experience with some of the most prestigious cultural organizations in the Southeast. 

Hatch is currently the Executive Director of one of the oldest and most popular educational centers and festivals in the Southeast—Folkmoot – with headquarters in Waynesville, N.C. He holds degrees from both UNC and Ole Miss and resides in Waynesville. 

He's going to tell us all about the Folkmoot USA, including what it is and how you can get involved! He will also share what makes this festival so unique, as well as how he got involved in this industry and how he got started. 

Don't miss this episode! 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evanhatch22/ 

Website: https://www.folkmoot.org/

‍

EPISODE QUOTE: “If you want to get to know your future ancestors I would definitely talk about going to my website, Narrate Project, which is a business I;’m still running and still love to do.”

Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

 SHOW NOTES

Originally from North Carolina, 1980 to 2000. His father was in the military so they traveled a lot as a family and in his retirement, they settled in North Carolina. He returned to school in 1996 to find his career interest. He recalls his teachers as brilliant and experts with interesting backgrounds. High/ popular culture has caused the folk culture to be looked down upon.

He won a Grammy for Best Album Notes in 2008 and goes into detail behind the inspiration of his work for that award. Bill Monroe was inspired by black artists and he praises musicians who are not racists and truly care about music and collaborations. He gets hired to do extensive interviews with families’ loved ones, so they can hold onto their legacy through his work. Ethan gives a shout-out to Folkstream.net, which has the best documentaries of folks from the 1950s. The festival that he had the most fun organizing is The National Folk Festival in Nashville.

Folkmoot has been around for 38 years as a festival and the organization has been around for 50 years. The meaning of Folkmoot is “meeting of people '' and the creator, Dr. Border was inspired by the European folk festivals. The Folkmoot Friendship Center is taking part in renting out a historic school’s classrooms which date back to 1935 and was founded by WPA. People can use it as galleries and workspace. Soar Academy also provides outdoor school.

Since the Folkmoot Summer Fest will be smaller they are enabled to invest in Fal and Spring programming. Hatch has been able to turn something many views as a hobby into a career.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

00:00:37.020 –> 00:00:39.900 Joseph McElroy: howdy welcome to the gateway to the smokies.

00:00:39.900 –> 00:00:48.630 Joseph McElroy: podcast this podcast is about America’s most visited National Park, the great smoky mountains National Park in the surrounding towns.

00:00:49.350 –> 00:00:57.780 Joseph McElroy: This area is filled with ancient natural beauty deep storied history and rich mountain cultures that we explore with weekly episodes.

00:00:58.530 –> 00:01:12.720 Joseph McElroy: I am Joseph Franklyn McElroy man of the world, but also with deep roots in these mountains my family is living the great smokies for over 200 years my businesses and travel, but my heart is in culture today we’re going to talk about.

00:01:13.890 –> 00:01:23.550 Joseph McElroy: Folkmoot USA and beaten with the Executive Director Evan Hatch reversed a few sponsor messages and some events coming up.

00:01:25.380 –> 00:01:32.700 Joseph McElroy: I want you to imagine a place evocative of the motor court of the past, yet modern and vibrant with a chic Appalachian feel.

00:01:33.450 –> 00:01:44.910 Joseph McElroy: a place for adventure and for relaxation imagine a place where you can have fish and mountain heritage trout stream grill the catch on fire and eat accompanied by fine wine or craft beers.

00:01:45.420 –> 00:01:57.690 Joseph McElroy: Imagine a place of old-time music and world cultural sounds, there is no other place like the Meadowlark Motel Maggie Valley North Carolina your smoky mountain adventure starts with where you stay.

00:01:58.920 –> 00:02:09.690 Joseph McElroy: Another sponsor is smokies adventure.com that smokies plural of interesting either the smoky mountains and surrounding area is a vacation destination for all sees.

00:02:10.290 –> 00:02:17.760 Joseph McElroy: Some of the nation’s best hiking trails waterfalls outdoor adventures and fans of family entertainment can be found, right here.

00:02:18.300 –> 00:02:25.410 Joseph McElroy: start your adventure by using smokies adventure calm to explore all the wonderful features of the great smoky mountain National Park.

00:02:25.920 –> 00:02:37.050 Joseph McElroy: The trails the waterfalls the cage coven the elk and more then check out all the awesome family attractions and entertainment you’re retired family can enjoy.

00:02:37.410 –> 00:02:44.940 Joseph McElroy: Fine lodging find places to stay find places to eat find where you can do outdoor life events like weddings and honeymoons.

00:02:45.600 –> 00:02:53.220 Joseph McElroy: it’s all at the smokies adventure calm, which is the leading information portal for adventure experiences of the great smoky mountains.

00:02:53.910 –> 00:03:17.310 Joseph McElroy: So events coming up at the Meadowlark on this coming Saturday, July 23 at 6pm we’re having smoky Blue Rain it’s a trio of Len Graham Fillmore name is Jackson their brand of Americana music is infectious blend folk light rock blues jazz touch of traditional country.

00:03:18.360 –> 00:03:30.990 Joseph McElroy: They met through a mutual friend and that and that first group know realize that they had something special so come on over to the metal or motel and there’s also a Barbecue and and and another find.

00:03:32.640 –> 00:03:41.490 Joseph McElroy: Things to enjoy starting at 6 pm and the mission is free for hotel guests and imperatives club members and it’s just $10 for everybody else.

00:03:42.060 –> 00:03:56.610 Joseph McElroy: So rsvp is required for the Barbecue dinner so call eight to 89261717 for tickets and come enjoy some food and bbq now some of you might know that there was recently a.

00:03:57.750 –> 00:04:01.320 Joseph McElroy: A viral event on tick tock or.

00:04:02.700 –> 00:04:20.520 Joseph McElroy: cloggers from Western North Carolina especially specifically down on Jonathan creek here in a wood county went viral and got seen by like 100 million people’s names ED and he’s part of the J creek cloggers and so they’re coming to the metal Arc motel on July 30 at 7:30 pm.

00:04:21.960 –> 00:04:22.680 Joseph McElroy: We have.

00:04:23.790 –> 00:04:31.200 Joseph McElroy: two great mountain heritage events put on by the metal Arc smoky mountain heritage Center and also include an evening at dinner and dancing.

00:04:32.460 –> 00:04:50.640 Joseph McElroy: begins with the bbq had six and then the performance of the jquery cloggers at 730 and that’s that includes music, they will perform a bunch of examples of traditional mountain dancing as well as teaching the audience several fun dance steps there’s going to be.

00:04:52.200 –> 00:05:00.420 Joseph McElroy: interactive performance or everybody will get to dance and then there’ll also be a short talk by Kim Ross who was on the show here a few weeks ago.

00:05:00.810 –> 00:05:17.130 Joseph McElroy: On the history, and traditions of mountain dancy so Dr you grab your partner and come on by admission is free for hotel guests and parents come Members as 20 bucks for people that are not a standard hotel just call eight to 89261717 to reserve your spot.

00:05:18.180 –> 00:05:31.200 Joseph McElroy: And then, a big event we got coming up August 12 or 13th is a songwriters can, and this is a, this is a serious one, this is a Grammy award-winning songwriters you got Jim Lauderdale who’s written.

00:05:31.680 –> 00:05:42.240 Joseph McElroy: hits many of George strait’s it he wrote that song king of the broken hearts and then you got Charles Humphrey The third is another grammy award winner, along with the.

00:05:42.900 –> 00:05:49.860 Joseph McElroy: Award-winning artists, such as their Nicholson clay mills and Charles chambers.

00:05:50.460 –> 00:05:58.860 Joseph McElroy: And you know Darren Nicholson one of the main musicians and balsam range as big around these parts so it’s going to be a fantastic event.

00:05:59.220 –> 00:06:08.910 Joseph McElroy: it’s going to be a two-day event of interactive songwriting instruction so there’ll be both candles but they’re also be working individually with all the arts.

00:06:09.840 –> 00:06:21.210 Joseph McElroy: world-class musicians and they’ll get a DEMO tape producer one of your songs they’re also a concert on a Friday night by the songs from the road band.

00:06:22.620 –> 00:06:34.290 Joseph McElroy: Which is Charles Humphreys band, and then a Barbecue dinner and all-star concert with all those artists, on Saturday night, this is a unique event like no other and space will be limited, ensure that everybody gets attention.

00:06:35.370 –> 00:06:52.860 Joseph McElroy: So the songwriter campus 678 $75 a person includes all the activities and DEMO tape and everything else, and you also can get yourself a room at the middle like motel if you’re coming from out of town and it also includes dinner and breakfast and things like that.

00:06:54.210 –> 00:07:06.810 Joseph McElroy: If there’s also a limited number of tickets available for just coming to the concerts either on Friday or Saturday night so call eight to 89261717 to get your ticket and reserve your space.

00:07:08.730 –> 00:07:21.360 Joseph McElroy: Somebody knows a lot about events Now is our guest tonight his name is David hatch he’s an expert folklorist with almost two gay two decades of experience as a grammy award-winning.

00:07:21.720 –> 00:07:28.950 Joseph McElroy: record producer event production coordinator vernacular artists documentary filmmaker and recorder of oral history.

00:07:29.370 –> 00:07:37.170 Joseph McElroy: As well as holy high-level management experience with some of the most prestigious cultural organizations in the southeast.

00:07:38.070 –> 00:07:47.790 Joseph McElroy: hatches Evan hatches is currently the executive director, of one of the oldest and most popular educational centers and festivals in the southeast folks.

00:07:48.300 –> 00:08:05.040 Joseph McElroy: With headquarters, right here in haven county in Waynesville North Carolina he holds degrees from both unc and old mess resides and waiting for, where he enjoys cooking camping photography, and reading and is limited spare time I don’t know how he has a spare time how you doing.

00:08:06.360 –> 00:08:09.510 Evan: I’m good Joseph thanks for having me here thanks for making me sound like.

00:08:10.590 –> 00:08:15.480 Joseph McElroy: A listen when you do accomplishments it doesn’t take much does that make you sound good because you are.

00:08:17.460 –> 00:08:20.850 Joseph McElroy: So you said you’re only been here for three and a half weeks and welcome a wood county.

00:08:21.090 –> 00:08:23.490 Evan: Right three and a half months but it.

00:08:24.000 –> 00:08:25.410 Evan: might mean a half yeah.

00:08:27.180 –> 00:08:28.200 Joseph McElroy: it’s all right well.

00:08:28.860 –> 00:08:38.250 Joseph McElroy: Well I’m so excited that you gotta know this new job both books as I used to do some great things, but first I want to talk a little bit about your background.

00:08:38.610 –> 00:08:42.180 Joseph McElroy: sure how you’ve worked, both in North Carolina and Tennessee Where are you originally from.

00:08:43.050 –> 00:08:45.750 Evan: I’m actually from North Carolina I grew up in North Carolina.

00:08:46.830 –> 00:08:55.230 Evan: Graham North Carolina’s my hometown and I was raised there from let’s say 1980 and.

00:08:55.710 –> 00:09:10.290 Evan: to 2000 you know, and so I was born in California actually moved around my dad was in the military for a little while and then he retired and we settled down in a small town North Carolina Graham write down and try.

00:09:11.220 –> 00:09:18.360 Joseph McElroy: it’s right yeah I spent a number of years in the Durham wait for Jerry Raleigh Durham area.

00:09:19.920 –> 00:09:22.950 Joseph McElroy: Though you know a middle stage is also a lovely place.

00:09:24.240 –> 00:09:27.510 Evan: 20 minutes from there, but yes, I spent a lot of time there myself yeah.

00:09:27.720 –> 00:09:28.980 Joseph McElroy: yeah no i’ve.

00:09:29.460 –> 00:09:29.910 Evan: grown it.

00:09:31.860 –> 00:09:36.360 Joseph McElroy: How did your love for folklore cultural history music begin and.

00:09:38.280 –> 00:09:43.710 Evan: Good question man, and you know, sometimes I’ve asked myself that over and over and over again, you know I would say.

00:09:45.210 –> 00:09:53.640 Evan: um I went I started college a little bit too early and I had too good of a time in my first couple of years.

00:09:54.660 –> 00:10:03.090 Evan: After I decided to kind of get serious went back to school and in 1996 and I started taking classes.

00:10:04.380 –> 00:10:16.200 Evan: In what my parents said just try stuff find out what you like see what you enjoy and I started taking classes and folklore and American studies and I found.

00:10:16.680 –> 00:10:26.430 Evan: I really enjoyed these classes, because my teachers were brilliant they were so smart and they were so entertaining and they had just like.

00:10:26.850 –> 00:10:36.270 Evan: They got to study things that I just thought were super cool and one teacher who was an expert on coney island in the 19 you know, in the heyday and.

00:10:39.270 –> 00:10:49.860 Evan: wow yeah another Professor Robert Cantwell wrote a book called ethno mesas and also we’re about a bluegrass break day, so these books, although.

00:10:50.400 –> 00:11:10.320 Evan: Very academic and above my head, it was just cool to be able to study you know stuff that I thought that you know that the common every day the things that surround us all the time and the history of the folk you know I find that to be really, really fascinating I am.

00:11:11.520 –> 00:11:15.990 Evan: You know it’s hard to look at it’s not really a correct way of looking at it, but if you look at.

00:11:17.280 –> 00:11:20.700 Evan: Culture saying you want to look at it through the lenses of.

00:11:21.780 –> 00:11:31.140 Evan: Music you got you to know your high culture, which is very you know very respected and academic and if you look at music, you can say that’s simple.

00:11:32.310 –> 00:11:48.330 Evan: If you’re looking at pop music, you could say well that’s lady gaga or and then you can start looking at folk music and it’s you know it’s traditional fiddles that’s what you know people have been playing for years and years for fun and.

00:11:49.380 –> 00:11:59.490 Evan: And for living and for you know and just to be bearers of culture and I just find that stuff absolutely fascinated often seem that people respected high culture.

00:12:00.810 –> 00:12:02.190 Evan: And that.

00:12:03.300 –> 00:12:11.400 Evan: There is some sort of inherent coolness and outsiders do not have to look at folk culture and I.

00:12:12.300 –> 00:12:12.930 Joseph McElroy: Would you say.

00:12:13.050 –> 00:12:15.060 Joseph McElroy: What do you say hi culture is actually.

00:12:16.110 –> 00:12:23.220 Joseph McElroy: it’s it’s more of a just fashion choices necessarily as a quality choice, I mean I think a lot of folk.

00:12:24.840 –> 00:12:39.870 Joseph McElroy: folk what we consider folk entertainment is actually quite high quality but it’s you know the fashion, is you know Jen driven by you know decisions and not necessarily even in the nature of the music and.

00:12:40.920 –> 00:12:42.810 Joseph McElroy: arts things like that right.

00:12:42.840 –> 00:12:53.190 Evan: The total Joseph that stuff combines right you think Aaron Copeland the great American composer he was writing about American folk subjects you think of Ricard Wagner little ride of the valkyries.

00:12:54.390 –> 00:13:00.930 Evan: he’s a silly wrote a symphony but he wrote it about a German folk tale, so all this stuff online forms one.

00:13:02.070 –> 00:13:06.090 Joseph McElroy: All right, well, we got we were hitting our first break already so um.

00:13:06.570 –> 00:13:07.620 Evan: yeah yeah.

00:13:07.710 –> 00:13:10.590 Joseph McElroy: yeah I I talked to us but.

00:13:12.420 –> 00:13:17.310 Joseph McElroy: So we will come back we’ll talk more about your background and get away with stuff you’re doing today to.

00:13:18.000 –> 00:13:18.630 Evan: That sounds great.

00:13:19.680 –> 00:13:20.190 Evan: Thanks Joseph

00:15:36.450 –> 00:15:52.260 Joseph McElroy: howdy this is Joseph Franklin McElroy back with the gateway to the smokies podcasts and my guest Evan Hutch so Evan so you ended up graduating from Carolina and then a paid your masters at Ole miss.

00:15:52.350 –> 00:15:53.370 Joseph McElroy: And then you had.

00:15:53.880 –> 00:16:05.790 Joseph McElroy: have had a successful two-decade career that’s actually spanned a lot of variety of interesting fields and hopefully, we’ll get into a little bit of that, but the one that jumped out to me, you know, being an artist.

00:16:06.900 –> 00:16:20.700 Joseph McElroy: And performer myself, is that you, you were involved with spring fed records and you want to Grammy Award for producing an album so tell me about the spring federal records and how you became involved and what was the Grammy awards.

00:16:22.140 –> 00:16:40.920 Evan: moved to Tennessee in 2002 we started a record label over at the art Center Camden county the idea was to highlight some of the hillbilly music, that was the pro country that led to the beginnings of bluegrass music and old-time music so.

00:16:42.030 –> 00:16:48.690 Evan: We took a lot of historical recordings that were in archive stuff that hadn’t been heard, except by you know.

00:16:49.230 –> 00:16:58.800 Evan: Musicologists are people who recorded them and years and worked closely with the families to reissue those records and clean them up on audio.

00:16:59.100 –> 00:17:08.190 Evan: offered really strong liner notes, so that people could kind of understand their history of the recordings, the first thing we did was uncle Dave making at home, he was the.

00:17:08.850 –> 00:17:16.620 Evan: King of the hillbillies he was the first superstar of the grand Ole opry and one of the greatest entertainers ever country music.

00:17:17.820 –> 00:17:22.470 Evan: We also did a really strong Corey with salmon Kirkwall key who are.

00:17:23.610 –> 00:17:33.840 Evan: Co conspirators are co creators with uncle Dave making and one of the first brother do those on the grand Ole opry and all those guys I understood showmanship you know kind of that still goes through.

00:17:34.650 –> 00:17:43.800 Evan: That still go through country music today that kind of joking, and the costume where and and and you know people really engage with the audience as entertainers.

00:17:44.310 –> 00:17:44.880 Joseph McElroy: You also.

00:17:45.990 –> 00:17:48.480 Joseph McElroy: Get the legendary blues man john heard on there wasn’t.

00:17:48.660 –> 00:17:53.400 Evan: We didn’t that’s correct, yes, and that was actually a recording that was made in 63.

00:17:54.300 –> 00:17:55.830 Evan: long after john hurt.

00:17:56.130 –> 00:18:03.930 Evan: finished his recording career and this crazy dude from Bob Hoskins excuse me, Tom Hoskins.

00:18:04.410 –> 00:18:16.110 Evan: drove all the way down from Washington DC and he was going to go pay his respect john hurts grave site and when he found up wound up in Avalon Mississippi he found Mr hurts still very much alive.

00:18:17.520 –> 00:18:17.970 Evan: and

00:18:18.300 –> 00:18:21.870 Evan: hit record, and that is, those recordings from 63.

00:18:21.990 –> 00:18:28.680 Evan: From that john, hurt says wow you have a chance to a second career went back and started playing folk festivals.

00:18:29.220 –> 00:18:30.060 Joseph McElroy: that’s fabulous.

00:18:31.290 –> 00:18:33.630 Evan: was pretty lucky to do that work with a family.

00:18:34.200 –> 00:18:37.830 Joseph McElroy: And you have other iconic what you had other iconic black artists on there right.

00:18:38.280 –> 00:18:47.940 Evan: yeah so the one that we won the Grammy for is called john work three recordings that culture john work with third was a classically trained composer.

00:18:49.020 –> 00:18:59.280 Evan: But at the same time it’s 1930s and 1940s, he worked at Fisk University, he also really appreciated folk music the brilliant thing about john work is that.

00:19:00.060 –> 00:19:10.440 Evan: He was a like a trust classically trained composer so he can hear music and then write it down a notation so it didn’t have to be recorded, but he could write it down.

00:19:10.890 –> 00:19:19.050 Evan: So he did all these studies of a folk music can eat record and frazier and Patterson is a black string band country string band and nashville.

00:19:19.500 –> 00:19:30.450 Evan: He recorded blues music in Georgia and sacred heart sing in northern Alabama just stuff that people, no one ever heard about he then came to be known, he was picked up.

00:19:31.620 –> 00:19:47.010 Evan: befriended by Alan lomax who some of your viewers are probably know the right folklorist and together they recorded the Co houma county study in Mississippi and the Center of that study was a gentleman named mckinley Morgan field.

00:19:48.090 –> 00:19:49.920 Evan: Who was later, known as muddy waters.

00:19:50.490 –> 00:19:52.830 Evan: wow yeah somebody.

00:19:55.410 –> 00:19:55.830 Joseph McElroy: Was.

00:19:55.860 –> 00:19:59.910 Evan: very flattered to be recorded by these gentlemen, he said, well these guys want to hear me.

00:20:00.690 –> 00:20:16.080 Evan: Maybe i’ll grow up Chicago and become muddy waters and that’s what he did so that was a 1942 record was made some of the end all those recordings were john works, and so we reissued those cleaned up the sound recordings and.

00:20:17.160 –> 00:20:24.450 Evan: get some really extensive liner notes Bruce number of that wrote those that’s what we won that grammy for best liner notes best.

00:20:24.450 –> 00:20:26.340 Joseph McElroy: album what were you did you win the grammy.

00:20:27.150 –> 00:20:29.550 Evan: oh eight I guess you could say.

00:20:30.240 –> 00:20:42.990 Joseph McElroy: All right, so uh I don’t know I don’t have all your career milestones in chronological order, but you had you were an assistant director of an organization called black and global roots, can you tell me about that.

00:20:44.850 –> 00:20:54.060 Evan: Yes, I worked with Dr CC conway CC is she’s a professor at appalachian state and is one of the leading experts on.

00:20:55.110 –> 00:21:05.430 Evan: The banjo and black culture and so she actually is one of the first people to trace those roots of the the banjo as it came from Africa and started to influence American music.

00:21:06.390 –> 00:21:12.180 Evan: Actually, she is, I think, probably the most in most senior we’re putting together the Carolina chocolate drops so she.

00:21:13.440 –> 00:21:14.940 Evan: hosted them at the.

00:21:16.080 –> 00:21:25.920 Evan: Black banjo gathering and appalachian state a few years ago and kind of put them all together and they went off to become the Carolina chocolate drops.

00:21:26.580 –> 00:21:39.420 Evan: So what she wanted to do a data conway wants to do is to give venues and give audiences to underrepresented folk performers so so she would.

00:21:39.900 –> 00:21:50.700 Evan: We be playing concerts and being able to pay, working artists to give them an audience they wouldn’t usually here and that range from blues to cajun zydeco to.

00:21:51.870 –> 00:21:56.550 Evan: Country music but mostly from underrepresented artists yeah and that was.

00:21:57.030 –> 00:22:06.900 Joseph McElroy: It wasn’t the introduction of the banjo really brought up the custom element to say a scratch iris ballad during and really created bluegrass.

00:22:07.950 –> 00:22:15.240 Evan: I would say, so I mean I know the bill Monroe created bluegrass is definitely learned a lot that he learned from black musicians for sure.

00:22:16.530 –> 00:22:31.020 Evan: And I think that’s the coolest thing about musicians right is that they are kind of the first anti racist they don’t care what color you are they don’t care where you’re from as long as you can play music you speak a common language and that gets passed a lot of stuff you know.

00:22:31.740 –> 00:22:42.840 Joseph McElroy: Oh yeah so I was looking at a new, I was looking at your linkedin profile and you’ve been until you know you ever had a company called Mary what is nary.

00:22:43.800 –> 00:22:44.280 well.

00:22:45.420 –> 00:22:50.760 Evan: That was a probably ill conceived business that I started during during the coven.

00:22:52.890 –> 00:22:55.740 Joseph McElroy: What better time to create a business that feel.

00:22:56.280 –> 00:22:56.850 Evan: Like everybody.

00:22:58.260 –> 00:22:58.650 Evan: Every.

00:22:58.980 –> 00:23:04.230 Evan: Every feeble minded person I know started the business now i’m just kidding it’s been a really great.

00:23:04.770 –> 00:23:06.090 Joseph McElroy: run my business went to die.

00:23:08.430 –> 00:23:19.080 Evan: Well yeah so we had lots of time and essentially it’s all history business so families or people hire me to do extensive interviews with their loved.

00:23:19.110 –> 00:23:28.470 Evan: ones, so that those interviews wow there are well researched and you know and deeply conducted then.

00:23:29.010 –> 00:23:38.730 Evan: By doing that interview and recording that and essentially gives the legacy to the family, so that they can hold on to those recordings somebody.

00:23:39.150 –> 00:23:50.220 Evan: yeah loved one before they pass away and the idea came, you know there’s everybody always has a story about I wish i’d listened to my grandmother I wish I had saved.

00:23:50.880 –> 00:24:00.390 Evan: Her last storytelling or I wish i’d say that last phone message, and if you don’t it’s too late and it happens to everybody so try not to wait.

00:24:01.710 –> 00:24:14.580 Joseph McElroy: Now I I felt that you know I I recorded I did video tapes my grandmother and her brother, you know just a year so before she died because I i’ve always felt that need yeah.

00:24:15.060 –> 00:24:22.530 Evan: Yes, it did it i’m glad this everybody’s got a story to tell everybody’s got knowledge to pass on.

00:24:23.340 –> 00:24:33.180 Joseph McElroy: Now I don’t know this term Bob you know plot who works with me, you know put together some information, he said, this is called vernacular art Is that correct.

00:24:34.290 –> 00:24:41.580 Evan: um yeah I think that’s a really good way of looking at it, I think that term to me, you know, because the vernacular as a as a as a way of speaking.

00:24:42.120 –> 00:24:57.390 Evan: And that’s what this artwork does is it a you know it puts it in a Community puts it in a place, but it also it’s how it’s how it’s a common language that people share and that’s communicated so yeah I think vernacular what’s fair and good way this fabulous.

00:24:58.500 –> 00:25:10.710 Joseph McElroy: Now shift yeah The more I look at your your your your history of us just a lot of things, I mean you are also been an event festival director and coordinator.

00:25:11.910 –> 00:25:17.190 Joseph McElroy: Right and then you create a document documentary film on southern music what was that.

00:25:18.240 –> 00:25:24.420 Evan: um well, let me say I did a couple of we did do a couple of documentaries.

00:25:25.500 –> 00:25:28.230 Evan: And just I think your viewers my liking if I could plug.

00:25:29.790 –> 00:25:34.830 Evan: Great website called folk streams.net.

00:25:35.130 –> 00:25:35.580 Joseph McElroy: Oh it’s.

00:25:36.690 –> 00:25:53.730 Evan: The best collection of folk documentaries made from the 1950s forward and they’re all available for free just for streaming on that website, you will find the coolest vernacular art forms on there anything from music to basket tree to.

00:25:54.780 –> 00:26:01.050 Evan: You know pottery to dance, you know so all that stuff guys covered very well.

00:26:02.790 –> 00:26:14.850 Evan: a couple of music documentaries that we made were they were again those three issues, so one my favorite I guess was Raul mash and that was a.

00:26:16.290 –> 00:26:31.410 Evan: Sol Sol Korean and blame Dunlap had produced in the 1970s, a portrait essentially a video portrait of hamper mech be who is Tennessee’s popcorn Sutton.

00:26:32.040 –> 00:26:42.810 Evan: Essentially, he was like the greatest moonshot are the most famous moon shatter in Tennessee history, not to mention a fine balance Center he was a great.

00:26:43.290 –> 00:26:58.080 Evan: roaring baritone acapella ballad singer and that movie raw mash which is available and folks streams, is basically a 30 minute portrait of hamper but also how to make moonshine from start to finish.

00:26:58.650 –> 00:26:59.160 wow.

00:27:01.350 –> 00:27:11.430 Joseph McElroy: That sounds good, thank you for the reference for that i’m gonna go i’m gonna go to that site start doubting my my new passion for vernacular art.

00:27:13.230 –> 00:27:14.610 Evan: Do you like it.

00:27:15.330 –> 00:27:26.730 Joseph McElroy: yeah and you’ve done a lot of festivals, he did the local fast and hillsborough and some others, what is the most notable or fun festival that you helped to originator develop.

00:27:27.330 –> 00:27:36.750 Evan: Tom and it was it was a total failure, but it was the best festival I ever did it was a national boat festival in Nashville Tennessee and.

00:27:38.070 –> 00:27:45.180 Evan: We didn’t have like people we did it on Labor day weekend, not a great idea or nationals of free music town so.

00:27:45.660 –> 00:27:50.310 Evan: Not everybody came out to it, because you can see, you know you can see, free music everywhere in nashville but.

00:27:50.970 –> 00:28:10.740 Evan: content was amazing and we did the history of the music business, so we had tour buses, we had flatt and scruggs tour bus that people could tour, we had a modern tour bus we had hair cutters and hat show France costume makers like man well was out there, it was an amazing show.

00:28:11.040 –> 00:28:11.580 Evan: wow.

00:28:12.060 –> 00:28:24.120 Joseph McElroy: really well i’m i’m i’m impressed and, but I want to do now is take a break and then we’ll come back and talk about your new position and what you’re doing with the folks who ne ne we can.

00:28:24.900 –> 00:28:25.980 Evan: Thanks Joseph sounds good.

00:30:32.220 –> 00:30:39.240 Joseph McElroy: howdy this is Joseph Franklin McElroy back with the gateway to the smokies podcasts and my guest Evan Hatch, So Evan,

00:30:39.780 –> 00:30:44.760 Joseph McElroy: I’ve been we’ve been talking about your career and some of the things we didn’t get into but they’re incredible is that you’re.

00:30:45.120 –> 00:30:52.740 Joseph McElroy: A director of programming in a forest folk art Center in Tennessee and then you were the director of programming for procedures organizations like the North Carolina.

00:30:53.130 –> 00:31:09.150 Joseph McElroy: folklife life Institute, but what’s exciting to me and those of us around the game with his focus is that you’re now taking on a new role as the Executive Director of folk I’m sure you’re excited about that.

00:31:11.100 –> 00:31:17.430 Joseph McElroy: And, and for the sake of our audience may not know about it, can you tell us what Folkmoot is?

00:31:18.510 –> 00:31:19.890 Evan: yeah you know.

00:31:21.030 –> 00:31:30.450 Evan: I feel challenged by this task because there are so many people in this in this county and Haywood county you know so much more than I ever will about it.

00:31:30.870 –> 00:31:35.880 Evan: And because I’ve taken this job three months ago it’s become my job to talk about it.

00:31:36.570 –> 00:31:47.580 Evan: My understanding of folkmoot is that it is a festival that has been around for 38 years and the Organization has been around close to 50 gentlemen named.

00:31:48.270 –> 00:32:02.730 Evan: Dr. Borders, who was a surgeon here and Haywood county was a great lover of folk music and took some trips to Europe and experienced some folk festivals at the old English folk festivals.

00:32:03.510 –> 00:32:07.200 Evan: which were also named folkmoot over there and then I felt moved.

00:32:07.710 –> 00:32:22.980 Evan: As an old English term for a meeting of the phone so essentially it means folk meet that’s what people come together they exchange ideas they exchange culture and dance and music probably some beer to I wouldn’t be surprised.

00:32:25.980 –> 00:32:34.230 Evan: So after seeing that he realized Dr border realizes that it’s not that dissimilar from what’s going on here and.

00:32:34.620 –> 00:32:42.510 Evan: You know, in the great smoky mountains, there are people who play music who get together we share this dance through you know.

00:32:43.320 –> 00:32:55.500 Evan: folk code culture, they get together they sing on front Porches they practice religion together they dance together and he thought that this was.

00:32:55.950 –> 00:33:05.760 Evan: The parallels between English culture European culture and other folk cultures around the world was just all the same, and so it was a great opportunity to get all these folks together.

00:33:06.660 –> 00:33:21.240 Evan: To you know to do this to bring the world to Main Street in Waynesville so 1984 was the first festival he had six-seven groups, I think, from around the world, Europe.

00:33:21.900 –> 00:33:36.930 Evan: Asia, Africa, and South America, who came here and stayed with local audience day with local audience members and got together and dance for one another, they all realize.

00:33:37.980 –> 00:33:43.800 Evan: stuff’s all on the phone we all experienced this it’s not that different it doesn’t matter what color your skin is it doesn’t matter.

00:33:44.970 –> 00:33:50.550 Evan: What language do you speak there are things that cross all, yeah and that’s the coolest thing about folk culture than.

00:33:51.180 –> 00:34:08.790 Joseph McElroy: I was you know I got to see that the one I think I think in the first year back then yeah I love food for many years yeah I just I was just graduated from Duke and coming back and got the experience it before I head to head off to my career.

00:34:09.960 –> 00:34:12.870 Evan: More than I do that’s what were the two.

00:34:13.230 –> 00:34:24.480 Joseph McElroy: I grew up with it yeah so I mean now I mean I think back then, it was just in Haywood County right is, I think I think it was at the stamping grounds right the first few.

00:34:26.280 –> 00:34:28.770 Evan: yeah you stamping ground was historic.

00:34:28.800 –> 00:34:31.170 Joseph McElroy: For performances it.

00:34:31.470 –> 00:34:39.690 Joseph McElroy: started out the software now, which is about you know about three quarters, I mean less than half a mile away from the metal Arc where I’m sitting right now.

00:34:40.170 –> 00:34:42.810 Joseph McElroy: So it was easy for me to walk up there and go to.

00:34:45.600 –> 00:34:52.290 Joseph McElroy: But now, what is it it’s in cities, all over the smoky reasons and as far east as hickory is that still the truth, the case.

00:34:52.950 –> 00:34:57.540 Evan: A little bit changed, as you may know, Koba changed everything and.

00:34:58.890 –> 00:35:07.590 Evan: So the festivals, in the past, the idea was to bring dancers from around the world to bring them to Waynesville as a central point.

00:35:07.860 –> 00:35:23.430 Evan: And then to take that culture, cultural Gatorade and spread it out, you know hickory you know even down in the South Carolina but all you know counties all around North Carolina and Tennessee and those things so.

00:35:24.660 –> 00:35:36.120 Evan: it’s gotten hard to bring in international groups, especially since covid and so the festival over the years, became smaller just by necessity.

00:35:36.570 –> 00:35:46.140 Evan: So this year we’re focusing strictly on Haywood county and a lot in Maggie that so half of the festival is going to be down here in.

00:35:46.590 –> 00:36:00.450 Evan: In Waynesville downtown and also the food friendship Center and hazelwood and then the other two performances are going to be at the magic valley festival ground which is probably another half a mile away from the song.

00:36:01.590 –> 00:36:03.510 Evan: Beautiful as we just out there today.

00:36:04.380 –> 00:36:12.120 Joseph McElroy: But actually very close to each other we’re only half a mile from the festival grounds so we’re all in with you guys on that yeah.

00:36:13.380 –> 00:36:17.430 Joseph McElroy: yeah yeah you got to staging ground here, if you want to take advantage of it.

00:36:19.170 –> 00:36:23.250 Joseph McElroy: yeah worry, we got a nice little pavilion for small three cursor shows.

00:36:24.360 –> 00:36:25.320 Evan: To get an idea.

00:36:25.680 –> 00:36:31.200 Joseph McElroy: yeah right yeah no I mean that I’m always a big believer in creating tastes before you create something.

00:36:31.800 –> 00:36:42.030 Joseph McElroy: Do the big one, because it gets people all involved in stuff like that, but yeah This must be a logistical nightmare, because you bring in all these people from all over the world, and you have to house them.

00:36:43.350 –> 00:36:44.760 Joseph McElroy: How do you manage all that.

00:36:45.510 –> 00:36:56.940 Evan: So, again this year wasn’t too hard, well, it is it, no it’s a logistical nightmare that’s fair, I think I have it easier than a lot of the festivals, in the past, and the fact that.

00:36:57.390 –> 00:37:04.830 Evan: We don’t have a lot of international groups, this year, so we haven’t had to get folks to help with visas or anything like that we have.

00:37:05.250 –> 00:37:14.670 Evan: International groups from within the US so we’ve got an Irish group coming from Chicago we’ve got a bit and swelling group coming from Miami we have.

00:37:16.200 –> 00:37:30.270 Evan: A Ukrainian group promo and they’re going to be driving down from Wisconsin all authentic you know of their country, but people who are just living here in the US now practicing it.

00:37:32.070 –> 00:37:38.340 Evan: We also are going to be running a big old hotel that weekend, we have a lot of people staying with us at the folkmoot friendship Center.

00:37:38.400 –> 00:37:44.190 Joseph McElroy: Oh that’s right you guys got a big old building there right, so you can set up some campground sort of thing in there right.

00:37:45.030 –> 00:37:55.230 Evan: we’ve actually got some books, probably a little better than army style last got a great big cafeteria here we’re going to be feeding everybody trying to use local produce.

00:37:56.250 –> 00:38:02.070 Evan: local food makes sure that everybody gets good, healthy meals before they go out and dance and perform so.

00:38:04.080 –> 00:38:06.690 Evan: yeah everybody stay in here it’s going to be a hootenanny.

00:38:07.350 –> 00:38:12.930 Joseph McElroy: When you go international good I put in a plug for wife she has a travel agency, they do all that stuff.

00:38:14.610 –> 00:38:16.110 Joseph McElroy: Oh yeah big time.

00:38:16.890 –> 00:38:17.610 Evan: right there.

00:38:17.640 –> 00:38:26.670 Joseph McElroy: that’s great services that just do that all that’s All they do is manage that the story I tell is that when we first got together, we wanted to go to.

00:38:28.110 –> 00:38:40.500 Joseph McElroy: All of a sudden, we decided like at the beginning of the week, they wanted to go down to cartoon to mardi gras well essentially mardi gras it’s called a carnival and that.

00:38:41.280 –> 00:38:42.360 Joseph McElroy: Right, where she’s from.

00:38:42.390 –> 00:38:43.140 Evan: 20 years ago.

00:38:43.410 –> 00:38:53.910 Joseph McElroy: yeah and turns out my passport is expired, but she arranged everything and within three days I get everything I was.

00:38:54.990 –> 00:39:02.640 Joseph McElroy: Within you know from the moment of the decision to be another plane going down there were three days so but anyway.

00:39:03.810 –> 00:39:04.620 Joseph McElroy: things can be done.

00:39:06.300 –> 00:39:15.330 Joseph McElroy: But let’s talk about we’re talking about yeah I’m interested in funding your nonprofit, but this has to be costly and where’s your funding coming from.

00:39:16.950 –> 00:39:25.770 Evan: Well it’s got you know the Organization has changed over time and one of the things that I am very proud of.

00:39:27.750 –> 00:39:35.220 Evan: And I’ve grown up in this we don’t see too many nonprofits that are entrepreneurial or as entrepreneurial as we are.

00:39:35.730 –> 00:39:45.210 Evan: So that’s how I learned a long time ago that nonprofits need to generate income to survive their business, just like any other business.

00:39:45.840 –> 00:39:57.810 Evan: So some things that we’re doing here at the folk move friendship Center, which is a 40,000 square foot historic school digging in 1935 built by the WPA Thank you, Roosevelt.

00:39:59.490 –> 00:40:19.470 Evan: We have a large selection of school rooms former classrooms that are being rented out by some very talented artists, so we have really great rates, where people can come in rent the space use it as a gallery but also use it as a.

00:40:20.640 –> 00:40:36.780 Evan: As a workspace or workshop, if you will, so we’ve got weaver’s painters, we have glass artists costumes and and jewelers who rent space here and that helps to bring in income for us to.

00:40:36.840 –> 00:40:45.420 Joseph McElroy: keep this building, but don’t you ever been when i’ve got a tour of that place of a couple years ago and they were going to put it, a huge coffee shop there was somebody who do that, that that happened.

00:40:46.080 –> 00:40:47.040 Joseph McElroy: Or to Coca Cola.

00:40:47.220 –> 00:40:48.330 Joseph McElroy: Coca Cola and.

00:40:48.330 –> 00:40:49.950 Evan: no idea what happened sounds like a good.

00:40:49.950 –> 00:40:51.270 Joseph McElroy: idea Oh, they were gonna.

00:40:51.300 –> 00:40:55.920 Joseph McElroy: They had planted has there been some remember, they were put into this like big coffee.

00:40:57.060 –> 00:41:04.380 Joseph McElroy: shop and look it was gonna be really interesting there’s a there’s some place there that’s a big open space, probably the previous cafeteria.

00:41:05.640 –> 00:41:07.080 Joseph McElroy: Absolutely yeah so.

00:41:08.700 –> 00:41:09.120 Joseph McElroy: yeah.

00:41:09.450 –> 00:41:13.440 Evan: Well, another cool thing about is one of our renters is the soar Academy.

00:41:13.800 –> 00:41:28.140 Evan: Which is experiential outdoor education group similar to say an outward bound, but actually that school is based here at folkman friendship Center so half of our building is a school nine months out of the year.

00:41:28.920 –> 00:41:43.230 Evan: For kids who are you know the benefit from outside of classroom educational so they’re all out in the woods learning survival and you know learning how to cook for themselves and learning how to you know.

00:41:43.830 –> 00:41:57.360 Evan: To go to Costa Rica and speak Spanish and experiential education is where it’s at you know really great program that they’re here to and they use our cafeteria so that’s, the problem is that that’s why we don’t have a coffee shop is they use that.

00:41:58.470 –> 00:41:59.100 Joseph McElroy: I see.

00:41:59.730 –> 00:42:00.030 Evan: That there.

00:42:01.980 –> 00:42:17.280 Joseph McElroy: You got a lot of wonderful stuff going on, and you know, one of the things that I do is i’ve become something of an expert memorable tourism experiences and that’s how i’ve you know def triple the size of the the meadowlark motel and what we’re doing yeah focusing on.

00:42:17.550 –> 00:42:26.670 Joseph McElroy: Just how do you how do you stimulate flash flashbulb memories that people keep coming back and it creates brand loyalty and revisit intention.

00:42:27.270 –> 00:42:36.690 Joseph McElroy: there’s a whole part of that academic studies about cultural and heritage, tourism, which I think you should be aware of, because there is.

00:42:37.080 –> 00:42:46.680 Joseph McElroy: A way to really trigger that to bring people back again and again again and i’m gonna send that to you because I think what you’re doing it’s it’s actually perfect.

00:42:48.810 –> 00:42:49.140 Joseph McElroy: So.

00:42:49.590 –> 00:42:50.310 Evan: The partnership.

00:42:50.910 –> 00:42:55.170 Joseph McElroy: yeah well hey i’m always looking for the angle, you know what I mean.

00:42:59.010 –> 00:43:08.130 Joseph McElroy: So we got to take another break and then we’ll come back finish up with you know things that you might want to talk about things that you’ve learned about Western North Carolina while you’ve been here.

00:43:08.670 –> 00:43:11.610 Evan: it’s cool man, thank you, Joseph sounds good yeah.

00:43:14.280 –> 00:43:14.880 www.TalkRadio.nyc: hey everybody.

00:43:14.910 –> 00:43:25.500 www.TalkRadio.nyc: Its cami D, the nonprofit sector can actually coming at you from my attic each week here on talk radio dot nyc I host the program will advocate for nonprofits in Caucus.

00:43:26.790 –> 00:43:37.620 www.TalkRadio.nyc: And it’s my focus on helping to amplify their message tell their story listen each week at 10am Eastern standard time at 11am Eastern standard time right here on talk radio dot nyc.

00:43:41.310 –> 00:43:44.040 www.TalkRadio.nyc: You may have many unanswered questions regarding your health.

00:43:44.460 –> 00:43:50.430 www.TalkRadio.nyc: Are you looking to live a healthier lifestyle, do you have a desire to learn more about mental health and enhance your quality of life.

00:43:50.760 –> 00:43:59.970 www.TalkRadio.nyc: Or do you just want to participate in self understanding and awareness i’m frank art Harrison host of frank about helping each Thursday I will tackle these questions and work to enlighten you.

00:44:00.360 –> 00:44:06.600 www.TalkRadio.nyc: tune in every Thursday at 5pm on talk radio dot nyc and I will be frank about help to advocate for all of us.

00:44:12.930 –> 00:44:14.640 www.TalkRadio.nyc: Knowing all that lovers.

00:44:15.780 –> 00:44:26.100 www.TalkRadio.nyc: avengers assemble on the professionals and animal lovers show we believe the bond between animal lovers is incredibly strong it mirrors that bond between X and their owners.

00:44:26.400 –> 00:44:36.480 www.TalkRadio.nyc: Through this program we come together to learn educate and advocate join us live every Wednesday at 2pm and talk radio dot nyc.

00:44:40.560 –> 00:44:47.040 www.TalkRadio.nyc: To talk radio nyc at www talk radio dot nyc now broadcasting.

00:45:12.270 –> 00:45:20.370 Joseph McElroy: howdy this is Joseph Franklin McElroy back with the gateway to the smokies my guest Evan hat so Evan.

00:45:22.260 –> 00:45:27.930 Joseph McElroy: Talking about you just getting your feet underneath here three months three and a half months into your new position.

00:45:28.440 –> 00:45:39.600 Joseph McElroy: but can you become the great progress and prognosticator tell me what’s going to happen, the rest of this year in 2023 and beyond, if you’ve been able to form a vision of the future of the phone booth.

00:45:40.950 –> 00:45:47.130 Evan: A that’s a great question, you know as far as vision.

00:45:47.820 –> 00:46:03.090 Evan: I have to defer to the board of directors on that they set the vision for the organization and they’ve done a great thing, and that is to make this Center the folk new friendships Center an inclusive organization for the arts and cultural exchange it’s simple.

00:46:04.380 –> 00:46:12.900 Evan: that’s simple well simple but it’s not easy one, so several ways that we’re going to be doing on by making this photo booth.

00:46:13.500 –> 00:46:27.180 Evan: Summer fest smaller festival then that’s going to enable us to do some different kinds of programming in the fall and spring, so we can do other short smaller festivals, with different things could be beer could be food, it could be.

00:46:28.890 –> 00:46:37.950 Evan: It could be strictly dance, it could be, you know a number of things any ideas i’m happy to hear about in addition we’ve got the.

00:46:39.000 –> 00:46:46.770 Evan: We have monthly concerts through folk mood live, and those are here at the Queen auditorium 235 seat.

00:46:47.100 –> 00:47:02.010 Evan: theater right here at folk move friendship Center actually we’ve been working with a friend of yours, Mr Bob plot, but the other mountain memories, which are themed shows where storytellers and musicians come together explore.

00:47:02.820 –> 00:47:16.560 Evan: You know tributes to pass musicians, or you know themes such as you know, it could be civil war history of food or anything but really great idea that came from Bob plot, and my plane, really, really strong stuff.

00:47:18.060 –> 00:47:25.200 Evan: I know that August is going to be really busy i’ve got an incredible Ethiopian string band coming in September 3.

00:47:26.250 –> 00:47:36.270 Evan: That are not to be fooled with her name is quote unquote we have country music songwriters nights and we on August 23.

00:47:37.470 –> 00:47:46.410 Evan: Forgive me, I may not have that date right, but all those all those things are going to be lined up we’re going to be doing some great holiday performances it’s basically stay busy.

00:47:48.660 –> 00:48:01.950 Evan: keep the lights on and keep the money coming in and then write grants for special projects that you know we really want to see happen it’s just staying busy it’s like that duck you know it doesn’t look busy on the top but underneath his pattern.

00:48:02.370 –> 00:48:12.090 Joseph McElroy: I mean you got me you got a beautiful facility, and I mean you got a great history, and you know I know that there’s been some cutbacks and.

00:48:12.750 –> 00:48:18.210 Joseph McElroy: You know, in certain political organizations here and in the in the area, but.

00:48:18.990 –> 00:48:37.020 Joseph McElroy: i’m 100% behind building to helping you guys build that up because it’s a great cultural resource that people should get the opportunity to take advantage of it yeah and i’m 100% behind you, I think it’s a fabulous same.

00:48:38.160 –> 00:48:39.270 Evan: thing going to man.

00:48:40.020 –> 00:48:41.310 Joseph McElroy: hey listen.

00:48:41.460 –> 00:48:42.390 yeah metal.

00:48:43.590 –> 00:48:58.890 Joseph McElroy: The Middle Arc is yeah it’s it’s about you know celebrating the mountain heritage and creating memories for people yeah and yeah and starting adventures and but you know i’m an artist, as well as a businessman.

00:49:00.420 –> 00:49:02.610 Joseph McElroy: Oh yeah I actually you know this, if you.

00:49:02.610 –> 00:49:13.470 Joseph McElroy: Can if you come to the speakeasy you’ll see a lot of my artwork on the walls my early artwork from when I was a student there’s a lot of you know, because it’s a speakeasy there’s a lot of news.

00:49:14.940 –> 00:49:16.440 Joseph McElroy: But yeah but.

00:49:18.840 –> 00:49:32.550 Joseph McElroy: I was as a painter but you know where I got this unknown I created I created on I created online performance art, where you physically and interact with computer and and doing it and i’m actually in some museums, for that.

00:49:33.180 –> 00:49:33.390 Evan: Oh.

00:49:34.350 –> 00:49:50.700 Joseph McElroy: that’s fantastic oh yeah yeah so but yeah back in the audience late 90s and audio doing that it was great I got a lot of attention, but it didn’t make a bit of money, because nobody knew how to buy a digital PR for this thing, so I ended up becoming a businessman.

00:49:51.900 –> 00:49:58.320 Joseph McElroy: I still do a lot of interesting art stuff like that, but it’s now an APP is an avocation not a vocation.

00:50:00.060 –> 00:50:00.960 vocation was.

00:50:02.580 –> 00:50:03.060 Joseph McElroy: that’s.

00:50:03.390 –> 00:50:12.960 Evan: that’s what I thought folklore was to essentially I try to make a living out of what other people consider a hobby so it may not be the smartest thing in the world, but I think.

00:50:12.990 –> 00:50:14.610 Evan: A link what content.

00:50:15.810 –> 00:50:23.160 Joseph McElroy: Well, I think I think you know, I think that cultural institutions and hospitality has share thing where.

00:50:23.610 –> 00:50:28.200 Joseph McElroy: You can actually express your creativity right and the things that you’re interested in.

00:50:28.770 –> 00:50:38.640 Joseph McElroy: yeah so I’m expressing my creativity, through hospitality, you know, in terms of how you design the rooms, how you design you know, the thing the amenities, and things you’re giving people so.

00:50:39.240 –> 00:50:49.050 Joseph McElroy: You know so you’ve been here Bo and Haywood county now for about three months, and besides folk mood what’s your favorite?

00:50:50.010 –> 00:50:57.930 Joseph McElroy: Somebody coming visit here what you, what do you recommend them go do or go eat or something that you think is a good tip for somebody new coming here.

00:50:59.310 –> 00:51:16.770 Evan: Man I’m shameless self-promotion I love pumpkin beers great Mexican food I first had in Asheville amazing stuff the magic galley I’ve been there, I can’t stop myself I keep going back and eating their fresh seafood.

00:51:17.040 –> 00:51:26.130 Evan: seafood place yeah really great, and of course the Haywood county smokehouse hey we smoke glasses remarkably good place as well.

00:51:28.620 –> 00:51:34.380 Evan: You know I would say sit on a porch somewhere and watch the sunset it’s probably the best thing you can do in this county.

00:51:35.580 –> 00:51:40.620 Evan: You know and or get up really early and have some coffee and watch the sunrise get either one.

00:51:41.790 –> 00:51:42.150 Evan: and

00:51:42.210 –> 00:51:42.540 Evan: that’s.

00:51:42.570 –> 00:51:50.850 Evan: Probably my favorite thing to do, since I’ve been here just sit down and take a breath.

00:51:53.130 –> 00:51:58.410 Joseph McElroy: The relaxation, the people sit back and just enjoy the natural beauty here people love that.

00:51:58.950 –> 00:52:10.410 Joseph McElroy: I mean a lot of it, you know we have a lot of front Porches here right because we’re classically and motel so that’s a lot of people just come just to sit out and have a party on the stoop.

00:52:12.450 –> 00:52:13.830 Joseph McElroy: yeah we’re just looking at it out and.

00:52:14.580 –> 00:52:15.990 Joseph McElroy: talk with friends and.

00:52:16.290 –> 00:52:22.320 Joseph McElroy: sit in a rocking chair and enjoy the country limited try this you know.

00:52:24.240 –> 00:52:29.160 Evan: Gathering spot the stoop or the porch that’s anyway and share.

00:52:30.150 –> 00:52:38.010 Joseph McElroy: That well you know what you know growing up that was it the how the cupboard porch out front with rocking chairs sometimes people would couch the couch out there.

00:52:39.210 –> 00:52:53.040 Joseph McElroy: And then enjoying life so is there some shout out some things you have to recognize our ways you want people to look you up or look at what you’re doing or what what what’re the things that people can find out more information.

00:52:54.150 –> 00:53:04.770 Evan: Well, if you want to get to know your future ancestors I would definitely talk about going to my website and narrate project, which is a business I’m still running and still love to do.

00:53:05.820 –> 00:53:22.770 Evan: Just this week, I interviewed a former provost at the University of North Carolina who has lived an absolutely fascinating life and just got able to talk to people and learn about them, I tell you there’s wisdom all around folks it’s around everybody and.

00:53:24.000 –> 00:53:25.470 Evan: it’s a great way to get to know your people.

00:53:27.180 –> 00:53:31.710 Evan: shout out we love orchard coffee downtown.

00:53:33.000 –> 00:53:38.760 Evan: run by one of our board members Cabo tice good folks down there, I wanted to say hello.

00:53:39.960 –> 00:53:43.470 Evan: All the people I’ve met you know in this area.

00:53:44.760 –> 00:53:56.160 Evan: I guess you know Bob plot being one of them, the gentleman and a scholar and really good, as you know, good gentleman work with I guess my biggest shout out would be to the staff.

00:53:56.700 –> 00:54:13.110 Evan: Here at folk mood USA beth Harvey Mike McClain Jody Nichols Vivian pompous and Brett Pinkston all of who are just incredible people to work with.

00:54:13.530 –> 00:54:13.950 Joseph McElroy: And so what’s.

00:54:14.760 –> 00:54:16.470 Joseph McElroy: what’s the website, by the way.

00:54:17.070 –> 00:54:18.150 Evan: folks move.org.

00:54:18.660 –> 00:54:20.040 Evan: Okay sounds good.

00:54:21.030 –> 00:54:22.050 Joseph McElroy: Facebook page too.

00:54:22.860 –> 00:54:37.590 Evan: yeah there’s Facebook I’m not a social media person I’m sorry yeah there’s definitely you can search Facebook and hit folk maybe the USA all that stuff on social media is fantastic and that’s all because of beth Harvey and the work that she does.

00:54:38.790 –> 00:54:51.390 Evan: You know, it helps to be surrounded by people who are smart engaged engaging and dedicated yeah really helpful.

00:54:51.750 –> 00:54:57.150 Joseph McElroy: Well, I wanna, thank you for being on the show today it’s been a real pleasure, we should definitely have more conversations after this.

00:54:59.040 –> 00:55:08.580 Joseph McElroy: Okay cool hey this podcast is on fate is on the talk radio dot nyc network, which is a live network of podcasts.

00:55:08.910 –> 00:55:09.540 Evan: I recommend you.

00:55:09.930 –> 00:55:16.710 Joseph McElroy: Take a look at everybody take a look at it and find some there’s small business there are all sorts of things.

00:55:17.370 –> 00:55:29.790 Joseph McElroy: it’s also streamed live on [email protected] slash gateway to the smokies podcast right and it’s the all the episodes are on.

00:55:30.480 –> 00:55:42.060 Joseph McElroy: smokies adventure calm you’ll find a link at the top of the gateway to smoke this podcast and you will also see the transcripts and other related information there on each of the different episodes.

00:55:43.170 –> 00:55:48.180 Joseph McElroy: I actually run another podcast on this network called wise content creates wealth, which is about a.

00:55:48.990 –> 00:56:03.570 Joseph McElroy: Marketing and things like that if you’re if you like, that that’s on Fridays from noon until one, but this podcast is every Tuesday from six to seven, and I look forward to seeing you next week and everybody bye bye.

00:56:04.860 –> 00:56:05.640 Evan: bye Thank you.

WHAT WILL THE AUDIENCE LEARN? Tune in as you'll learn about how folklife preservation is manifested in building community and cultural engagement through the rich culture of North Carolina.

EPISODE SUMMARY: In today’s episode, Joseph is joined by our special guest Sarah Bryan, who is the Executive Director of the North Carolina Folklife Institute, an organization that for more than four decades has been dedicated to the preservation, appreciation, and understanding of folklife heritage and culture in North Carolina. Sarah will share with us the importance of preserving cultural heritage, the amazing work that NC Folklife does in the community, and what it's like to be a writer and a musician.

https://sarah-bryan.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahbryannc/

https://twitter.com/sarahbryan

‍

EPISODE QUOTE: “ That makes it all the more essential for organizations like both of ours to create these opportunities whenever we can to help young people find out about traditions in their communities.” 

Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

Bryan spent most of her childhood in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. She can trace back her lineage all the way back to colonial times in both Carolinas. She fondly describes her mother as a busy historical fiction writer.

She got a lucky break with the NC Folklife Institute shortly after her graduation form grad school. Her first job was in the Arts Directory. Bryan was also a fiddler player starting in her teens. She got the opportunity to play on stage with Chris Brashear. Bryan goes into detail about her bumpy and exciting experience performing with him in front of a live audience.

Bryan was one of the co-authors for African American Music Trails of Eastern North Carolina. It was about the history and tradition of black music in the 80s in North Carolina. She is currently co-authoring a book about historical Southern traditional pottery. Despite being a vegetarian she interviewed Mr.Stami and Mr.Monk from Greensboro and Lexington about barbecue pits at their restaurants. Bryan’s favorite festival is Mount Airy Fiddlers Convention.

She aims to educate younger members of the community to find out about traditions through elder artists and storytellers. One of the programs providing that support is the Junior Appalachian Musicians. The Blue Ridge Heritage Trail is a project Bryan hopes to revisit to give artists the ability to promote themselves.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

00:00:37.980 –> 00:00:45.720 Joseph McElroy: Welcome to the gateway to the smokies podcast this podcast is about America’s most visited National Park.

00:00:46.170 –> 00:00:58.980 Joseph McElroy: The Great Smoky Mountain National Park and the surrounding towns there’s areas filled with ancient natural beauty a deep storied history and rich mountain cultures that we explore with weekly episodes.

00:00:59.520 –> 00:01:10.830 Joseph McElroy: I’m Joseph Franklyn McElroy man of the world, but also deep roots in these mountains my family is living the great smoky for over 200 years my business is in travel, but my heart is in culture.

00:01:11.610 –> 00:01:18.420 Joseph McElroy: Today we’re going to talk about the North Carolina folklife it’s to with director Sarah Brian but, first a few messages.

00:01:19.710 –> 00:01:29.640 Joseph McElroy: Imagine a place evocative of the motor court of the past a modern environment with a Chic Appalachian feels, a place for adventure and for relaxation.

00:01:30.210 –> 00:01:39.090 Joseph McElroy: Imagine a place where you can fish in a mountain heritage trout stream grill the catch in a fire accompanied by a fine wine or craft beers.

00:01:39.570 –> 00:01:52.500 Joseph McElroy: Imagine a place with old-time music and world cultural sound, there is no other place like the Meadowlark Motel Maggie Valley North Carolina your smoky mountain adventures start with where you stay.

00:01:54.210 –> 00:02:06.720 Joseph McElroy: The smoky mountains and surrounding area is a vacation destination for all sees some of the nation’s best hiking trails waterfalls outdoor adventures and family entertainment to be found, right here.

00:02:07.500 –> 00:02:18.240 Joseph McElroy: start your adventure by using smokies adventure calm smokies plural adventure calm to explore all the wonderful features of the great smoky mountains natural part.

00:02:18.750 –> 00:02:25.110 Joseph McElroy: You know, get trail maps and find out about waterfalls and kids coven elk, and much more.

00:02:25.590 –> 00:02:35.220 Joseph McElroy: And then check out all the awesome family attractions and entertainment, you and your entire family can enjoy and all of the smoky mountain and surrounding areas.

00:02:35.790 –> 00:02:43.110 Joseph McElroy: The goal of smokies adventures become the leading information portal for adventures and experiences and the great smoky mountain.

00:02:45.000 –> 00:02:46.350 Joseph McElroy: There are some events coming up.

00:02:47.850 –> 00:03:02.190 Joseph McElroy: Well, first one, I will talk to you about his music and it’s called smoking BLU Ray and it’s on July 23 third at 6 pm it’s a blue smoky blue rain is a trio of led by.

00:03:04.890 –> 00:03:19.230 Joseph McElroy: With the three music great musicians land Graham Fillmore and Amos Jackson, their brand of American amuses music is an infectious blend of folk light rock blues jazz that touch traditional country.

00:03:20.130 –> 00:03:24.930 Joseph McElroy: They met through a mutual friend and from the very force nope realize that they had something special.

00:03:25.980 –> 00:03:36.210 Joseph McElroy: So we’re going to have that event on on a Saturday night on July 23 at the pavilion on the back porch pavilion is the back end and the back.

00:03:37.020 –> 00:03:48.120 Joseph McElroy: recreation area, the metal art motel we have a sort of a wonderful performance venue and we’re also going to free Barbecue and.

00:03:48.870 –> 00:04:01.770 Joseph McElroy: And and and there’ll be music after the show to up until whatever the night provides so admission is free for hotel guests and heritage club members and it’s $10 for all others.

00:04:03.090 –> 00:04:13.680 Joseph McElroy: As you need to do an rsvp so call eight to 8926171 second one seven to get your tickets again eight to 89261717.

00:04:14.790 –> 00:04:35.340 Joseph McElroy: Now some of you have heard about tick tock and and and and Instagram especially tick tock and a local guy here named Zeb who’s part of the Jay Jay creek cloggers is gone viral with hundreds of millions of views, for his clogging style.

00:04:37.230 –> 00:04:50.730 Joseph McElroy: And so the Meadowlark Smoky Mountain Heritage Center in the Meadowlark Motel proudly announced a heritage event that features an evening of dinner and then dancing from the legendary J Creek Cloggers.

00:04:51.390 –> 00:05:01.740 Joseph McElroy: featuring Zeb Ross on Saturday night July 30 and started again the Night starts with a delicious Barbecue dinner at six and then column.

00:05:02.160 –> 00:05:15.390 Joseph McElroy: cook culminates with a rollicking performance by the jquery clockers at 7:30 pm they will perform multiple examples of traditional mountain dancing as well as teach the audience several fun dance steps.

00:05:16.380 –> 00:05:25.890 Joseph McElroy: group leader Kim Rasa was here a week or so go on on our podcast and will also give a short talk on the history and traditions, of a mountain man.

00:05:26.490 –> 00:05:33.720 Joseph McElroy: grab your partner and come and join us for a memorable fun-filled classic mountain heritage evening of dining and dancing.

00:05:34.230 –> 00:05:41.100 Joseph McElroy: admission is free for hotel guests and heritage members and $20 per person for folks not staying in a hotel.

00:05:41.550 –> 00:05:58.320 Joseph McElroy: Could you know, give us a call at 828-926-1717 to reserve your room or just to get a ticket to the dinner and dance this week’s classic old old mountain type dancehall stuff and you can have a great time and then it’ll be put up on tick tock maybe we’ll go viral good.

00:06:00.060 –> 00:06:05.340 Joseph McElroy: Now the big news is on August 12 through the 13th there’s going to be a songwriters camp.

00:06:05.760 –> 00:06:20.580 Joseph McElroy: That features Grammy award-winning artist Jim Lauderdale and Charles hunter the third law with Ward winning artists, they are Nicholson clay mills and Charles Chamberlain it’s a two-day event of interactive songwriting instruction.

00:06:21.810 –> 00:06:32.820 Joseph McElroy: With world-class and you’ll get a DEMO tape produced for your participation for your what you write what you perform and then also be a concert.

00:06:33.330 –> 00:06:49.620 Joseph McElroy: By the song from the road band on Friday night and then again a Barbecue dinner and an all star concept with all those artists, on Saturday night, this is an event like you’ll never get your life to Jim lauderdale we wrote, most of the hits first artists like Jim George strait and.

00:06:50.640 –> 00:07:00.540 Joseph McElroy: Charles Humphrey is a grammy award-winning himself and has done some major songs it’s just it’s going to be incredible you can learn a lot, the price is 675.

00:07:00.960 –> 00:07:10.470 Joseph McElroy: per person includes all the activities that DEMO tape and the concerts and the dinners and everything else, and under special rooms available for you you’re not from the area.

00:07:10.830 –> 00:07:29.220 Joseph McElroy: And you can call 8289261717 to get the details to get yourself a room get yourself a ticket and come on and there’s just also for people just want to come to concerts there are concert tickets available as well again call eight to 89261717.

00:07:31.260 –> 00:07:36.870 Joseph McElroy: So today we’re going to talk about the new North Carolina Folklife Institute and the Director of that is Sarah Bryan.

00:07:38.550 –> 00:07:39.120 Joseph McElroy: And it’s.

00:07:40.410 –> 00:07:50.550 Joseph McElroy: The folklife institute’s organization that for more than four decades has been dedicated to the preservation of appreciation and understanding of folklife heritage and culture in North Carolina.

00:07:51.300 –> 00:08:05.100 Joseph McElroy: Sarah is an accomplished writer author and musician she was also the editor to notable old-time music publications and enjoys collecting old 78 rpm lps and supporting animal welfare.

00:08:05.790 –> 00:08:18.390 Joseph McElroy: she’s a tar heel basketball and New York mets baseball fan she lives in Durham North Carolina with her family and then it has a pack of dogs and cats to support her efforts hello, Sarah how you doing.

00:08:18.510 –> 00:08:20.370 Sarah Bryan: hey I’m doing good, how are you.

00:08:20.760 –> 00:08:31.410 Joseph McElroy: Fine I’m doing good hey listen I’m not going to hold it against you, that you’re a tar heel born and bred but yeah since I went to do, but you do live in Durham so you gotta live in enemy territory right.

00:08:31.500 –> 00:08:35.550 Sarah Bryan: I live about three blocks from campus so I have to represent extra hard for the.

00:08:35.550 –> 00:08:36.450 Sarah Bryan: target was the air.

00:08:36.570 –> 00:08:38.730 Joseph McElroy: All right, which is the West campus.

00:08:38.820 –> 00:08:42.150 Joseph McElroy: escape and so you’re like near downtown right.

00:08:42.240 –> 00:08:44.400 Sarah Bryan: yeah yeah quite close yeah it all sounds.

00:08:44.790 –> 00:08:47.970 Joseph McElroy: cool there has become a little bit of a foodie town right, just like national.

00:08:48.240 –> 00:08:55.770 Sarah Bryan: It really is It reminds me a lot of Asheville yeah and just a huge number of people moving here every year.

00:08:56.220 –> 00:08:56.850 Joseph McElroy: Oh yeah.

00:08:57.420 –> 00:08:58.110 Sarah Bryan: Look asheville.

00:08:58.410 –> 00:09:05.160 Joseph McElroy: After Duke I lived in Durham for about seven years and I enjoyed it very much you know it’s a cool little town.

00:09:06.240 –> 00:09:06.930 Joseph McElroy: you’re busy north.

00:09:06.960 –> 00:09:10.470 Joseph McElroy: Carolina you want to go across the whole state, you know I say Wilmington.

00:09:12.000 –> 00:09:16.650 Joseph McElroy: Durham and then national and then, of course, Maggie valley for the small town experience.

00:09:17.730 –> 00:09:18.150 Sarah Bryan: sure.

00:09:18.570 –> 00:09:25.440 Joseph McElroy: Alright cool we’re especially excited to talk to you about you, your role in the North Carolina folklife Institute.

00:09:25.860 –> 00:09:39.600 Joseph McElroy: As you, as we have we share many of the same core beliefs and with the Heritage Center and at the motel first let’s learn a little bit more about you, you and you have an interesting background and amazing resume.

00:09:41.160 –> 00:09:47.340 Joseph McElroy: So you were born in myrtle beach South Carolina has How was it like being born in a beach town.

00:09:48.690 –> 00:09:52.860 Sarah Bryan: Yes, but most of my childhood myrtle beach and.

00:09:54.000 –> 00:09:56.850 Sarah Bryan: You know when you’re born into play, or I was, I was actually.

00:09:58.170 –> 00:10:11.490 Sarah Bryan: We moved there when I was two weeks old, but my father’s family going back many generations is from that little part of South Carolina and myrtle beach in particular, and I think when you grow up in a place like that you kind of don’t know how weird it is.

00:10:11.910 –> 00:10:20.550 Sarah Bryan: yeah I know, I have a friend who is a childhood friend, we were talking years after we both left myrtle beach about.

00:10:21.420 –> 00:10:31.680 Sarah Bryan: What it’s like to be from somewhere like that, and she pointed out that it gives you kind of an altered sense of reality if you grow up like down the street from Ripley’s, believe it or not.

00:10:34.320 –> 00:10:36.750 Sarah Bryan: giant fiberglass octopus statues.

00:10:37.650 –> 00:10:46.830 Joseph McElroy: Oh, you know growing up in a little tourist and I sort of get an idea of what she did you know, and you know from Duke we always went to myrtle beach after yeah for the spring break it was like.

00:10:47.310 –> 00:10:55.800 Joseph McElroy: You know how how how bad can replace be when yeah you can take a back road and find all you can eat seafood place in the middle of nowhere.

00:10:58.380 –> 00:11:01.110 Joseph McElroy: And you paid a paid as you went in because they.

00:11:02.190 –> 00:11:04.260 Joseph McElroy: expect you to just stay there till your fault.

00:11:06.090 –> 00:11:12.870 Joseph McElroy: But you also spend some time and grew up the Carolinas in Virginia beach Virginia what were those.

00:11:13.560 –> 00:11:31.200 Sarah Bryan: yeah well I’m most of my family going back you know since early colonial times have been in the Carolinas both Carolinas and um when I was about nine we moved up to northern Virginia, which is where my mother grew up and.

00:11:32.340 –> 00:11:35.370 Sarah Bryan: I missed the Carolinas badly when I lived there.

00:11:35.520 –> 00:11:46.770 Sarah Bryan: Especially in the springtime but because you know just that little bit of geographical distance makes all the dust all the difference in a climate when the flowers come out and when it gets warm.

00:11:47.640 –> 00:11:54.360 Sarah Bryan: It was a great place to spend my teens and my college years, so I feel fortunate to have been up there.

00:11:55.080 –> 00:12:04.770 Joseph McElroy: With your parents surely must have influenced your love of history writing your mom is a distinguished author publisher story or own right, what can you say about that.

00:12:05.970 –> 00:12:19.140 Sarah Bryan: yeah my mom is a wonderful writer her name is Christina freeman Brian and she is she has had an interesting career just 72 now and lives with me and my husband here in Durham and.

00:12:20.310 –> 00:12:22.680 Sarah Bryan: yeah she went to Carolina and.

00:12:23.700 –> 00:12:39.600 Sarah Bryan: studied originally to be a medievalist medieval Latin is her specialty from college and but has done all sorts of things over the years, she ran a school for several years and myrtle beach.

00:12:40.830 –> 00:12:44.160 Sarah Bryan: Montessori school that I went to as a small child and.

00:12:45.300 –> 00:12:46.440 Sarah Bryan: has written.

00:12:47.610 –> 00:13:02.250 Sarah Bryan: A lot of really wonderful historical fiction about the civil war era about Jamestown colony about the Lincoln assassination plot and.

00:13:02.730 –> 00:13:10.650 Sarah Bryan: She she’s an amazing researcher fun to just incredible depth of information right, so these great books and.

00:13:11.070 –> 00:13:22.260 Sarah Bryan: Then just move right to the next project she’s so excited about the next thing to learn about so she has the stack of manuscripts, so I hope someday she’ll be shopping to publishers because the world needs to see them.

00:13:23.040 –> 00:13:28.710 Joseph McElroy: that’s great, but we got to take a break down but we’ll come back talk a little more about your personal history and then get into your job.

00:15:45.570 –> 00:15:52.200 Joseph McElroy: howdy this is Joseph Franklyn McElroy back with the Gateway to the Smokies Podcast and my guests Sarah Bryan.

00:15:53.910 –> 00:16:00.870 Joseph McElroy: So, so you know I like to have my craft beers on this show Now I will tell you.

00:16:02.400 –> 00:16:11.400 Joseph McElroy: about the one I’m doing now, but, first, it was mentioned, I was at the wicked weed brewery nationally that day and they got a really great IPA call freak in page or advise you to go there.

00:16:11.820 –> 00:16:15.600 Joseph McElroy: But I just discovered when we have at the Meadowlark it is not at local beer, but.

00:16:16.080 –> 00:16:31.110 Joseph McElroy: yeah I don’t necessarily just dismiss that you know, even though this area is 50 breweries there are people that make good beer elsewhere and I’m liking, this one it’s a double IPA called never better by Coronado brewing company in California.

00:16:33.330 –> 00:16:41.370 Joseph McElroy: But anyway, hey Sarah glad to have you back you know we were talking about your mom with your dad was a professional of American literature.

00:16:42.000 –> 00:16:50.610 Joseph McElroy: But it was also I thought this is interesting we’re now doing a miniature golf course designer including, including Mr the elaborate on the grand strand right.

00:16:51.360 –> 00:17:00.360 Sarah Bryan: that’s true yeah yeah my father dance Brian was his name, he went by the nickname party, which is a long story.

00:17:02.100 –> 00:17:04.560 Sarah Bryan: Was the origin part of her in the Bible.

00:17:06.540 –> 00:17:21.000 Sarah Bryan: yeah he was from myrtle beach grew up there, and his father and grandfather had been involved in developing the area early on, and particularly in building, so the golf courses, they are the big golf courses and.

00:17:22.500 –> 00:17:34.380 Sarah Bryan: Starting around the 1950s I’d say late 50s early 60s, he started working on his own miniature golf courses with his father.

00:17:36.360 –> 00:17:49.890 Sarah Bryan: put him in charge of an old golf driving range they had there, and he had the idea to make it sort of a jungle environment miniature golf course and that’s where that.

00:17:50.970 –> 00:18:10.680 Sarah Bryan: The head deal was born with him and he and partners through the years developed the jungle golf style of miniature golf courses, so if you’ve been to myrtle beach, you know what they look like it’s the big mountain of dirt a middle of the lot with tropical plants waterfalls.

00:18:13.230 –> 00:18:19.830 Sarah Bryan: jungle animals, which includes somehow savannah animals I don’t know why, and so that that.

00:18:21.000 –> 00:18:21.870 Sarah Bryan: That has.

00:18:23.070 –> 00:18:27.630 Sarah Bryan: Over the course of his life that really took off from the late 50s to Stephen.

00:18:29.640 –> 00:18:31.710 Joseph McElroy: He did a couple of value values didn’t.

00:18:33.060 –> 00:18:37.740 Sarah Bryan: You know I am not sure I think he did this before my time he did one in Boone.

00:18:38.190 –> 00:18:41.250 Sarah Bryan: yeah and in the 70s early 80s there’s one.

00:18:41.310 –> 00:18:46.920 Joseph McElroy: that’s there’s one that has been around for a long time and I don’t think that’s a jungle-type golf, but there is one.

00:18:47.940 –> 00:18:50.760 Joseph McElroy: That is more of a general type thing and so.

00:18:51.090 –> 00:18:59.640 Joseph McElroy: He probably looks actually I when I first saw it back 20 years ago, or something like that I said wow that looks more like a myrtle beach.

00:19:02.490 –> 00:19:05.400 Joseph McElroy: thing so but it’s become part of the fabric here, you know.

00:19:06.120 –> 00:19:06.510 So.

00:19:08.040 –> 00:19:17.280 Joseph McElroy: And you’re actually come from a diverse home you grew up and speak Spanish your family’s confused compete Cuban dispense right.

00:19:18.360 –> 00:19:21.240 Sarah Bryan: my mom is half Cuban.

00:19:21.630 –> 00:19:27.420 Joseph McElroy: yeah, and I assume you have a real admiration for cultural diversity.

00:19:29.970 –> 00:19:47.340 Joseph McElroy: That we love for exploring you know for folklife and in Florida, for you know, being a writer and musician in and you got your what your BA degree in American studies from George Washington university an ma degree in folklore unc I won’t hold that against.

00:19:49.980 –> 00:19:51.090 Sarah Bryan: call the truth for that.

00:19:51.630 –> 00:20:04.530 Joseph McElroy: yeah but in 2005 you actually you join the North Carolina folklife institute so is that sort of the first big career move for you read what’s up before that.

00:20:05.070 –> 00:20:11.340 Sarah Bryan: That was an incredibly lucky break for me, I was not long out of Grad school and.

00:20:12.300 –> 00:20:28.920 Sarah Bryan: North Carolina folklife Institute, which at the time was directed by Beverley Patterson who’s a wonderful folklorist in Chapel hill she in the folklife institute we’re working with the Blue Ridge national heritage area on developing their traditional artists directory.

00:20:29.430 –> 00:20:40.560 Sarah Bryan: And she brought on to newly hatched folklorist which were me and Mark Free to you probably know, from when you use a prominent musician and arts leader in the area.

00:20:41.100 –> 00:20:53.070 Sarah Bryan: But we were both you know in and just out of school at the time, this was long ago and yeah my first job was on the artists directory and so basically.

00:20:53.670 –> 00:21:04.470 Sarah Bryan: The folklife institute turned us loose mark was in the northern counties and I was from like Madison and bunk and counties to the State Law and and.

00:21:05.580 –> 00:21:17.130 Sarah Bryan: And, and the cherokee quality boundary area and it was a wonderful job I mean we just explored, each of us separately explored the counties in our.

00:21:18.090 –> 00:21:25.860 Sarah Bryan: assigned region go around ask people who the traditional artists are in some cases, they were.

00:21:26.400 –> 00:21:37.110 Sarah Bryan: You know, prominent people with you know well known careers and their and their art form and in other cases, that would be you know, an elderly person who’d retired from a career and something not at all.

00:21:37.890 –> 00:21:46.890 Sarah Bryan: art or music related but you know kept up their art form just on their own at home because I love doing it, nobody you know.

00:21:48.540 –> 00:21:54.840 Sarah Bryan: haven’t had much publicity before but we got the right profiles of all of these folks and it was incredibly fun.

00:21:55.530 –> 00:22:05.760 Joseph McElroy: Well, you, you must have loved it, because by 2017, which is a fairly short period of time he became executive director of that that that really esteemed organization.

00:22:07.020 –> 00:22:12.570 Joseph McElroy: So I guess that was a That was a lot of hard work right.

00:22:13.980 –> 00:22:15.120 Sarah Bryan: Hard work that really fun.

00:22:17.070 –> 00:22:19.860 Sarah Bryan: The all the projects were involved in, or just.

00:22:21.060 –> 00:22:23.130 Sarah Bryan: Oh it’s such a pleasure to work on.

00:22:24.180 –> 00:22:38.790 Joseph McElroy: Well, but you also here’s The interesting thing you know, and you know found out that you, you became an old time fiddle player during that time, too, so you had to have time to practice right, but you were doing a lot of good work so.

00:22:40.500 –> 00:22:43.260 Joseph McElroy: Have you played with any great Western North Carolina fiddler’s.

00:22:43.830 –> 00:22:48.930 Sarah Bryan: Well let’s see I actually started playing old-time fiddle when I was in my teens.

00:22:49.020 –> 00:22:49.470 Joseph McElroy: I really.

00:22:49.980 –> 00:22:51.960 Sarah Bryan: yeah and actually I’ve been.

00:22:52.080 –> 00:23:10.620 Sarah Bryan: In northern Virginia and yeah but have have continued playing all along yeah moving to North Carolina has I came back down here for Grad school in 2001 of the great things about that was proximity to so many wonderful musicians.

00:23:10.800 –> 00:23:11.430 Joseph McElroy: Well that’s great.

00:23:11.460 –> 00:23:16.470 Joseph McElroy: yeah so did you get to play with any or did you get did you have any mentoring from some of them.

00:23:16.830 –> 00:23:22.950 Sarah Bryan: yeah yeah there it’s it’s hard to narrow down there’s so many amazing fiddler’s in the year I was.

00:23:23.970 –> 00:23:26.400 Sarah Bryan: If I had to pick one fiddler to.

00:23:28.740 –> 00:23:41.850 Sarah Bryan: To mention, in particular, who have a friend who have been lucky enough to play with at times, but not nearly enough not nearly as much said, like is Paul Brown, who lives in Winston Salem.

00:23:42.990 –> 00:23:47.700 Sarah Bryan: He is wonderful fiddler banjo player singer.

00:23:49.470 –> 00:23:55.830 Sarah Bryan: Has the style that I wish I could play and very sort of sweet and rambunctious at the same time.

00:23:56.970 –> 00:23:58.050 Sarah Bryan: And he also.

00:23:59.580 –> 00:24:07.500 Sarah Bryan: he’s he’s been this great conduit between generations, because when he first moved to the Mount airy area.

00:24:08.910 –> 00:24:17.280 Sarah Bryan: He got to know Tommy jerel or honesty’s Fred copper Malta, you know the sort of Pantheon of great musicians in that area.

00:24:18.330 –> 00:24:20.550 Sarah Bryan: And he’s really served as a.

00:24:21.840 –> 00:24:37.680 Sarah Bryan: champion of them over the years, so now, I mean for a lot of us who were not able to know those people through Paul we’ve gotten to know not just what great musicians, they were, but what interesting and knowledgeable people they were.

00:24:39.780 –> 00:24:51.480 Joseph McElroy: Well that’s yeah that’s you know that’s a life-enriching experience to work with people that have such tremendous depth and they’re trying to actually pass it on to you too, and so.

00:24:51.960 –> 00:25:02.190 Joseph McElroy: yeah I think that is probably very, very profound for you, you know I also know that you were on garrison keillor’s prairie home companion that goes out.

00:25:03.720 –> 00:25:23.610 Sarah Bryan: that that was a an exciting experience, not in all the right ways, so I have severe stage fright and which complicated that experience, because it was in front of a you know alive theater audience prairie home companion was going to be in Durham and.

00:25:24.690 –> 00:25:32.220 Sarah Bryan: And the show invited you know, several old-time musicians in the area to be part of it, and of course I couldn’t turn that down.

00:25:34.050 –> 00:25:39.720 Sarah Bryan: But once I once I got there the stage right kicked in and.

00:25:41.280 –> 00:25:49.710 Sarah Bryan: They before the show they we were backstage and Chris for sheer who’s the band fiddler was the band fiddler those days.

00:25:51.330 –> 00:25:53.850 Sarah Bryan: For the show was showing me and the other.

00:25:54.990 –> 00:25:59.490 Sarah Bryan: guests fiddler’s this tune that we were going to play when you know when our segment came on.

00:26:00.510 –> 00:26:10.020 Sarah Bryan: And because I was starting to think about what it was gonna be like a few minutes when there is these hundreds of people looking at me and billions of people listening.

00:26:10.740 –> 00:26:24.240 Sarah Bryan: my mind went blank and I couldn’t learn the two, and he was showing us it was as soon as he played it, it was gone so that was that was the first tune what we’re going to play that evening and.

00:26:25.350 –> 00:26:35.490 Sarah Bryan: Because, as soon as they started I realized I didn’t remember what you just showed us, I was like i’m you know sort of holding the bow a little bit above the strings of pretending to play.

00:26:37.980 –> 00:26:41.340 Sarah Bryan: outside of Andy Griffith when barney’s in the choir.

00:26:41.340 –> 00:26:41.760 To.

00:26:43.110 –> 00:26:57.000 Sarah Bryan: sing it was like that, but that, so the sound the sound engineer was you know kept he was listening and it kept thinking that my microphone is not working, so he came out at one point, and was like tinkering with it and.

00:26:57.990 –> 00:27:03.000 Sarah Bryan: While he was standing there he realized that I wasn’t playing and you sort of like wink to give me a thumbs up and.

00:27:03.660 –> 00:27:18.990 Sarah Bryan: went off stage, but then the next tune that we were to play was soldiers joy, which is my favorite all time fiddle tune, and the one that, like all fiddler’s pretty much know so I really wanted to play on that one but at that, point my microphone was off.

00:27:20.790 –> 00:27:22.350 Sarah Bryan: pretending to play before.

00:27:24.090 –> 00:27:33.720 Sarah Bryan: But the crisper shear and the other fiddler Kenny Jackson who’s a really great North Carolina fiddler um you know they didn’t need a third fiddler between them so.

00:27:36.060 –> 00:27:39.000 Joseph McElroy: Oh that’s so you you play, but you did.

00:27:45.030 –> 00:27:46.740 Joseph McElroy: Okay well that’s a good story.

00:27:48.630 –> 00:27:50.190 Joseph McElroy: At least you got asked to be on there.

00:27:53.220 –> 00:27:58.860 Joseph McElroy: So you’ve also become a writer, a great writer, and you have two books out right and.

00:27:59.550 –> 00:28:07.920 Joseph McElroy: So when we come we got to take a break down, but once you tell us about the two books and then we’re going to talk about some of the you know the stuff in the mountains in western North Carolina that you know that.

00:28:08.220 –> 00:28:08.550 Great.

00:30:15.150 –> 00:30:24.420 Joseph McElroy: Howdy, this is Joseph Franklyn McElroy back with the Gateway to the Smokies podcast and my guest Sarah Bryan who’s the Executive Director of the North Carolina Folklife Institute.

00:30:24.870 –> 00:30:32.670 Joseph McElroy: So so Sarah you’re a writer you’ve got a couple of books out one coming out soon, what were the What are those titles and what they’re about.

00:30:33.330 –> 00:30:38.160 Sarah Bryan: Thanks um there, there are two titles of co-written.

00:30:39.300 –> 00:30:49.680 Sarah Bryan: I was one of the three co-authors, along with Beverly Patterson and Michelle Lanier, who is now the Director of historic sites for North Carolina.

00:30:50.160 –> 00:30:59.250 Sarah Bryan: I’m a book called African American music trails of Eastern North Carolina and that came out of a North Carolina Arts Council project of the same name.

00:31:00.570 –> 00:31:07.080 Sarah Bryan: about the historic and living black music traditions in Eastern North Carolina counties.

00:31:08.700 –> 00:31:16.560 Sarah Bryan: And you know just the incredible impact musicians from there have had it hasn’t always been more widely recognized.

00:31:17.040 –> 00:31:17.580 Sarah Bryan: That was.

00:31:18.690 –> 00:31:24.000 Sarah Bryan: 2014 2015 my husband Peter Hoenig and I.

00:31:25.500 –> 00:31:31.410 Sarah Bryan: co-wrote and co-compiled a collection for us to digital.

00:31:32.490 –> 00:31:53.880 Sarah Bryan: Just a great label out of Atlanta, it was a TC set up the CDS were 78 from Peters collection of mostly old-time mountain music and blues and the book was antique anonymous photos of southern early southern life from my own collections.

00:31:54.390 –> 00:31:55.980 Sarah Bryan: cool that that was.

00:31:57.870 –> 00:32:02.670 Sarah Bryan: 2015 and that’s out of print but it’s still I believe the music is still downloadable.

00:32:02.940 –> 00:32:03.330 Joseph McElroy: It was.

00:32:04.740 –> 00:32:09.420 Sarah Bryan: It was called leap, can we light name for him a.

00:32:11.130 –> 00:32:15.630 Sarah Bryan: Pre-war southern music and photographs I believe was the subtitle.

00:32:16.050 –> 00:32:17.490 Joseph McElroy: cool and then you’re writing one now.

00:32:18.240 –> 00:32:32.520 Sarah Bryan: Yes, yeah I’m co-writing with potter and historian from Randolph county and help you, we are working on a history of southern traditional pottery which is.

00:32:33.870 –> 00:32:41.190 Sarah Bryan: A huge story and we’re you know, having fun figuring out how to fit that all into one book.

00:32:42.690 –> 00:32:45.060 Joseph McElroy: yeah pottery trails all over the north.

00:32:45.060 –> 00:32:45.540 Carolina.

00:32:47.310 –> 00:32:47.970 Sarah Bryan: Especially.

00:32:49.620 –> 00:32:59.520 Joseph McElroy: Well cool well, you also writing and the and the editor for the old time arrow, which is an about old music is also an old-time dancing.

00:33:00.720 –> 00:33:17.490 Sarah Bryan: It is yeah yeah the old time, Harold the musician and field recorder Alice Gerard founded in 1987 when she was living in Gala and yeah it’s about traditional old-time music, particularly in Appalachia but also.

00:33:18.570 –> 00:33:24.570 Sarah Bryan: Other parts of the self, and you know wider traditions elsewhere that are relatable to music.

00:33:25.380 –> 00:33:29.880 Joseph McElroy: Other parts are there any memorable stories you wrote about the smoky mountains areas.

00:33:30.690 –> 00:33:34.200 Sarah Bryan: Oh gosh well not that I’ve written myself, but I would.

00:33:35.580 –> 00:33:46.320 Sarah Bryan: There have been some great articles about Western North Carolina effect our current issue has a cover story about beach mountain musicians from.

00:33:47.220 –> 00:34:00.840 Sarah Bryan: From the Whataburger every county line area and the old fiddler the universe to hicks is the cover girl she’s a great musical matriarch from beach mountain.

00:34:01.560 –> 00:34:03.750 Joseph McElroy: cool Any with Haywood County?

00:34:05.010 –> 00:34:06.360 Sarah Bryan: yeah let me.

00:34:08.580 –> 00:34:20.040 Sarah Bryan: we’ve definitely covered Haywood county stories, there was we had an article sometime back about the Soco gap clockers was that the name of the.

00:34:20.520 –> 00:34:22.320 Joseph McElroy: Joe Sam Queen

00:34:23.460 –> 00:34:23.700 Joseph McElroy: yeah.

00:34:23.820 –> 00:34:24.690 Sarah Bryan: yeah yeah and.

00:34:24.780 –> 00:34:26.940 Sarah Bryan: They danced at the White House and Roosevelt.

00:34:27.780 –> 00:34:30.210 Joseph McElroy: yeah we have him on the show a few weeks ago yeah.

00:34:31.080 –> 00:34:32.640 Sarah Bryan: yeah that’s a great tradition that’s.

00:34:32.730 –> 00:34:34.470 Sarah Bryan: been going on for generations.

00:34:35.490 –> 00:34:48.030 Joseph McElroy: cool so I love that you know that you work with this Folklife institute, I mean it’s there’s a lot of the value and objectives, promoting the preservation appreciation of understanding.

00:34:48.600 –> 00:34:56.880 Joseph McElroy: The folklife heritage and culture in North Carolina yeah we’re spoken we’re focused on the smoky mountains area but it’s the same sort of passion.

00:34:58.440 –> 00:35:09.150 Joseph McElroy: I saw that you had one interesting program documenting the early bbq pitch, so I gotta go find this because I’m getting into I’ve been a big fire based.

00:35:10.170 –> 00:35:19.830 Joseph McElroy: cook for a while and I’ve been getting more and more of that tell me about that what would you find out that that’s fascinating about Barbecue pits early on.

00:35:20.280 –> 00:35:21.360 Sarah Bryan: That was a project.

00:35:22.440 –> 00:35:29.490 Sarah Bryan: Oh gosh probably eight or 10 years ago that the previous director Joy Salinger’s launched and.

00:35:31.080 –> 00:35:35.400 Sarah Bryan: The part that I was able to play was going to interview to

00:35:36.990 –> 00:35:49.500 Sarah Bryan: founding fathers of the western Barbecue tradition, Mr. Damien Mr mountain Conan Greensboro and one and Lexington and I didn’t tell either of them that I’m a vegetarian.

00:35:51.120 –> 00:35:53.070 Sarah Bryan: It was lovely being in their restaurants it

00:35:53.070 –> 00:35:54.120 Sarah Bryan: smelled great.

00:35:55.680 –> 00:36:00.360 Sarah Bryan: Barbecue home for my family and yeah just lovely.

00:36:00.480 –> 00:36:03.690 Joseph McElroy: You could do some wonderful things with vegetables and smoke, you know.

00:36:04.320 –> 00:36:08.970 Joseph McElroy: yeah there’s a recipe that comes out of the middle of the state that I love of US it’s.

00:36:10.170 –> 00:36:23.550 Joseph McElroy: This African American chef I forget her name right now I’ll post it at some point that as smoke beats and then she makes cornbread beats so you think it’s it’s fabulous oh yeah and burnt sugar.

00:36:23.700 –> 00:36:24.750 Sarah Bryan: Smoke oh wow.

00:36:26.130 –> 00:36:36.990 Joseph McElroy: Oh it’s incredible yeah so there’s a lot of vegetables that are really enhanced by the grill experience yeah people know you know about doing just about some things but there’s a lot more that you could do.

00:36:38.220 –> 00:36:42.660 Joseph McElroy: Any programs cooking programs on mountain cooking or Cherokee cuisine

00:36:43.590 –> 00:36:47.730 Sarah Bryan: yeah yeah absolutely that’s where you’re really.

00:36:48.930 –> 00:36:52.620 Sarah Bryan: Love being involved in programs about Appalachian.

00:36:53.670 –> 00:36:54.810 Sarah Bryan: Food in particular.

00:36:55.830 –> 00:37:07.110 Sarah Bryan: Yeah we’ve had some classes, through a program called in these mountains, which is sponsored by South Arts in Atlanta, and have had to have several food-related courses.

00:37:08.400 –> 00:37:16.680 Sarah Bryan: right before the pandemic began, we were working with Nathan Bush, who is a Cherokee herbalist and

00:37:18.480 –> 00:37:29.010 Sarah Bryan: artist and language specialist and his mother, Mrs. Anita Bush is also a really renowned herbalist and so he was given a great class.

00:37:29.910 –> 00:37:41.070 Sarah Bryan: Going into the woods and the area, and you know, showing which plants are edible which you got to stay away from which have different you know medicinal properties and.

00:37:42.000 –> 00:37:51.150 Sarah Bryan: More recently, and in fact, going on now we’re sponsoring an online class called mountain battles and it’s taught by William Ritter

00:37:51.570 –> 00:37:52.140 Joseph McElroy: Oh William,

00:37:52.890 –> 00:37:53.490 Sarah Bryan: know there again.

00:37:53.910 –> 00:37:55.020 Joseph McElroy: we’re able to show you.

00:37:55.080 –> 00:37:56.250 Sarah Bryan: Oh good good.

00:37:56.370 –> 00:38:10.110 Sarah Bryan: yeah yeah yeah William from Mitchell county and he is teaching it’s a great class we’ve only had two so far as and it’s going to go into you know the summer and early fall and we are still taking.

00:38:10.890 –> 00:38:27.870 Sarah Bryan: Taking students can still register anyone 13 and up and it’s a free class just about you know heritage Appalachian crops cooking baking stories having to do with food songs having to do with food.

00:38:29.370 –> 00:38:38.970 Joseph McElroy: We know here to here we’ve built our first guard here, right at the motel, we also put a field in at a farm and what we have.

00:38:39.930 –> 00:38:47.850 Joseph McElroy: we’re starting to really get into you know like I don’t know if you’ve heard of candy roasters we got a whole bunch of candy restaurant or probably even better, believe it or not.

00:38:49.080 –> 00:39:05.100 Joseph McElroy: And we’re planning on doing a lot of those big breads and things like that, for those who don’t know, can you rosters are like the pumpkin or squash family they’re giant but oh long you know and they only really grow well the bounce but they’re really sweet really fantastic.

00:39:06.390 –> 00:39:19.410 Joseph McElroy: So I love that you’re doing this kind of stuff and yeah we’re gonna we’re going to actually open a restaurant focus on merited mountain heritage food with a lot of traditional things and.

00:39:19.680 –> 00:39:21.600 Joseph McElroy: And we just I don’t know if you know Illa hatter.

00:39:21.930 –> 00:39:22.950 Sarah Bryan: yeah yeah.

00:39:23.040 –> 00:39:24.000 Joseph McElroy: He was just here.

00:39:25.050 –> 00:39:29.100 Joseph McElroy: the day before yesterday, she did a program here and we had over 30 people show up.

00:39:29.430 –> 00:39:40.680 Joseph McElroy: right here and learn how to forage and use it to make meals, a day so it’s something that people are very interested in and it’s great to look up that program you guys are doing.

00:39:40.890 –> 00:39:42.660 Sarah Bryan: Definitely yeah join us, please.

00:39:42.840 –> 00:39:54.480 Joseph McElroy: yeah another big thing that you’re involved with this festival productions right documenting and talking about what’s going on, do you have any favorite festivals in the western part of the state.

00:39:55.230 –> 00:40:04.530 Sarah Bryan: Oh gosh yeah that’s what it’d be hard to narrow down my favorite old-time festival in the world is Mount airy fiddler’s Convention and.

00:40:05.580 –> 00:40:17.610 Sarah Bryan: yeah I haven’t gone for the last couple of years because of just pandemic strangeness but yeah I’ve been coming to that since I was about 20 and just fabulous.

00:40:19.320 –> 00:40:26.280 Sarah Bryan: festival it’s one of these events, where the old-time musicians from all over the world really come together and.

00:40:26.670 –> 00:40:35.760 Sarah Bryan: meet the people who grew up in the traditions and you know are carrying it on from home and vice versa it’s just it’s wonderful.

00:40:36.540 –> 00:40:56.700 Sarah Bryan: Another one I love and I’m not certain if it’s still happening in the fading voices festival and takes place in snowbird the Cherokee Community near Robin school and it’s Cherokee Gospel music and wonderful.

00:40:57.720 –> 00:41:06.720 Sarah Bryan: Quartets mostly from the eastern band of Cherokee Indians in North Carolina and Tennessee and also from the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma.

00:41:09.570 –> 00:41:19.020 Sarah Bryan: Court that’s will come from air to this festival and just incredibly beautiful music in this really, really beautiful little mountain cove and snowbird.

00:41:19.800 –> 00:41:21.300 Sarah Bryan: wow that’s still going on.

00:41:22.320 –> 00:41:27.000 Joseph McElroy: look it up, you know, one of the most successful I thought you know the hospitality

00:41:28.140 –> 00:41:46.830 Joseph McElroy: thing I actually saw in Barbados, was a Gospel Gospel brunch on Sunday, and it was huge, it was a big fantastic success people, it was all you know really sort of old time you know Gospel music this surprising place to have it is hugely successful.

00:41:47.310 –> 00:41:49.050 Joseph McElroy: For the idea of doing that here.

00:41:50.460 –> 00:41:57.360 Joseph McElroy: But you know he didn’t you didn’t the folklife it’s two to one point put on the first statewide folk fest folk festival.

00:41:57.930 –> 00:42:11.880 Sarah Bryan: That was our origin actually founded in 1974 to help the actually as an arm at that time of the folklife program with the North Carolina Arts Council and they were putting on.

00:42:12.330 –> 00:42:23.250 Sarah Bryan: A statewide folklife festival here in Durham and it was sort of the lead up to the bicentennial so you know, there was a renewed interest in American traditions of all kinds.

00:42:23.760 –> 00:42:26.460 Sarah Bryan: And that festival and 74.

00:42:27.780 –> 00:42:41.220 Sarah Bryan: It just it’s incredible looking back at who all was there as a Tammi Terrell Elizabeth cotton Willard Watson just yeah just some of the most wonderful let’s kill on artists.

00:42:41.880 –> 00:42:45.210 Joseph McElroy: Have you been involved with the phone booth two senators festival here at Haywood county.

00:42:45.780 –> 00:42:49.260 Sarah Bryan: We haven’t, but I would like to do great work.

00:42:49.770 –> 00:42:52.650 Joseph McElroy: Alright cool I’ll get that Bob did it he does pretty well.

00:42:53.820 –> 00:43:00.810 Joseph McElroy: Well hey listen, we got to take a break and then we’ll come back and talk continue talking about yeah folk folklife here in the mountains.

00:45:02.610 –> 00:45:12.180 Joseph McElroy: Howdy, this is Joseph Franklin McElroy back with the gateway to the smokies podcast and I guess Sarah Brian so Sarah you know, one of the reasons I.

00:45:13.260 –> 00:45:20.520 Joseph McElroy: You know started doing the mountain heritage stuff here and got involved with this, because I really believe in the importance of community education.

00:45:21.120 –> 00:45:36.600 Joseph McElroy: And you know and getting you to know things right, where the Community can be involved with it and even online, you know inner interactions, what do you think about the importance of that and also the importance of oral history documentation that comes out of communities.

00:45:38.280 –> 00:45:47.490 Sarah Bryan: I think I think it’s an essential part of all of our lives and yeah Community arts and oral history and.

00:45:48.510 –> 00:45:54.600 Sarah Bryan: far too few people nowadays experienced that, and you know, in a full way um.

00:45:55.980 –> 00:46:03.180 Sarah Bryan: I’m not one of those people who thinks that you know the old days were better across the board, but, but I do think that the.

00:46:05.130 –> 00:46:08.190 Joseph McElroy: closeness there’s a lot of you there’s a lot of beauty in it there’s.

00:46:08.190 –> 00:46:09.120 Sarah Bryan: Absolutely.

00:46:09.360 –> 00:46:09.870 Joseph McElroy: There was also.

00:46:10.320 –> 00:46:16.290 Joseph McElroy: A hardship and ugliness in there, but you’re trying to preserve the beauty and letting the nastiness go away.

00:46:16.620 –> 00:46:29.310 Sarah Bryan: Exactly exactly, and I think that that closeness of community is something that a lot of ways, many of us have lost and also more so over the last two and a half years with the pandemic.

00:46:30.510 –> 00:46:43.320 Sarah Bryan: But then that makes it all the more essential for organizations like both of ours to create these opportunities whenever we can to help.

00:46:44.070 –> 00:47:00.210 Sarah Bryan: Especially young people find out about traditions in their communities get to know elder artists or you know story storytellers people who know the Community history and yeah the more opportunities there are, the better.

00:47:02.130 –> 00:47:06.780 Sarah Bryan: That makes me think in particular about the jam programs the junior Appalachian musicians.

00:47:07.140 –> 00:47:07.710 Joseph McElroy: that’s a great.

00:47:08.310 –> 00:47:15.270 Sarah Bryan: yeah yeah I mean that’s sort of a stellar example of creating new.

00:47:16.560 –> 00:47:17.760 Sarah Bryan: Learning environments.

00:47:19.230 –> 00:47:36.090 Sarah Bryan: Where you know, a young person 100 years ago may have been able to go to the next door neighbor or her next door neighbor and learn the banjo and that those links don’t exist as a strong layer as frequently now so creating these.

00:47:37.500 –> 00:47:47.190 Sarah Bryan: classes, essentially for young people to learn has been an amazing contribution to old-time and bluegrass music because now there’s this whole.

00:47:47.880 –> 00:47:59.370 Sarah Bryan: generation of young just incredibly good musicians, who are graduates of the jam program and you know counties throughout the Appalachian South and.

00:48:00.510 –> 00:48:02.010 Sarah Bryan: You know, thank goodness for.

00:48:02.250 –> 00:48:12.720 Joseph McElroy: For what you’ve actually cultivated network so that they can interact and learn from each other and prevent also promote artists and created a handbook for artists to promote them so sorry about that.

00:48:13.770 –> 00:48:16.560 Sarah Bryan: that’s, this is a good chance for me to.

00:48:17.580 –> 00:48:24.450 Sarah Bryan: Tell listeners, please watch this space, because the artist’s handbook is actually being revised, as we speak.

00:48:26.790 –> 00:48:30.900 Sarah Bryan: The North Carolina Arts Council and Evan had to folk mode.

00:48:32.310 –> 00:48:36.150 Sarah Bryan: Evan when he was with the North Carolina folklife so it was actually the.

00:48:37.710 –> 00:48:58.800 Sarah Bryan: First person who started this project and yeah it’s an online handbook in PDF format of ideas resources for traditional artists to get the word out about what they do, essentially to help them make a living if that’s what they want to do with their art form.

00:49:00.390 –> 00:49:07.710 Sarah Bryan: find opportunities to learn and to and to teach and pass it on so that’s being revised, and you know things change so quickly.

00:49:08.550 –> 00:49:20.220 Sarah Bryan: Especially in terms of technology that you know it needs to revision pretty quickly so that’s what we’re working on now, and hopefully it’ll be back up in a new form in a few months.

00:49:21.420 –> 00:49:30.720 Joseph McElroy: You know that’s you know I guess the work of things like the blue Ridge heritage trail is all part of that work to give artists the ability to promote themselves.

00:49:30.810 –> 00:49:37.020 Joseph McElroy: Absolutely, and in the state is that the statewide directory of artists as well, or is that a different.

00:49:38.820 –> 00:49:42.330 Sarah Bryan: that’s a different a different project and.

00:49:43.410 –> 00:49:57.960 Sarah Bryan: One that I that also like for us to return to and revitalize it’s it got started in with artists from Warren Vance and Halifax counties and sell to North Carolina and.

00:49:58.770 –> 00:50:09.270 Sarah Bryan: yeah directory was very much like the blue Ridge national Heritage Area’s traditional arts directory, you know modeled after that aimed for us a statewide.

00:50:12.510 –> 00:50:13.020 Joseph McElroy: And you know.

00:50:14.430 –> 00:50:14.790 Joseph McElroy: You know.

00:50:17.100 –> 00:50:25.830 Joseph McElroy: yeah I love that the other there’s a sensitivity to promote the diversity of what was what built, these are communities it wasn’t just.

00:50:26.160 –> 00:50:37.830 Joseph McElroy: Scotch Irish settlers and you’ve mentioned some charity works how about the Africa Fo Appalachians and fluids in the western part of the state and you were those documenting those are.

00:50:38.880 –> 00:50:39.660 Joseph McElroy: Those anywhere.

00:50:40.500 –> 00:50:41.700 Sarah Bryan: yeah yeah I think.

00:50:43.320 –> 00:50:55.830 Sarah Bryan: I mean, of course, black Appalachian communities have always known that they were there themselves, but you know, those of us from other backgrounds, have not, you know, known as much as we should have about them and.

00:50:57.630 –> 00:51:03.540 Sarah Bryan: there’s one person whose research, especially excuse me I’m gonna have to pause for a second and call.

00:51:05.490 –> 00:51:22.410 Sarah Bryan: The person who’s done some really wonderful work in Southwestern North Carolina is Miller Woodford she’s the founder of an organization called one doesn’t do care and she’s written a wonderful book which I happen to have here if I can hold the screen.

00:51:23.550 –> 00:51:35.610 Sarah Bryan: it’s called when all god’s children get together a celebration of the lives of music African American people in far Western North Carolina, yeah and it talks about communities, particularly in.

00:51:37.050 –> 00:51:39.840 Sarah Bryan: Making Cherokee clay counties.

00:51:41.070 –> 00:51:53.220 Sarah Bryan: And Franklin area especially is very old African American communities that have wonderful rich histories and traditions and she’s helping you know, bring a spotlight to that.

00:51:54.780 –> 00:51:56.160 Joseph McElroy: wow well.

00:51:58.620 –> 00:52:10.680 Joseph McElroy: This is all important work there are so many other things that you do you know when we’re getting to the end here, you know I like to ask my guests, what are your some of your favorite places in western North Carolina Where would you recommend people go.

00:52:12.030 –> 00:52:14.010 Sarah Bryan: Oh wow oh.

00:52:18.480 –> 00:52:19.620 Sarah Bryan: gosh I mean.

00:52:20.670 –> 00:52:22.020 Sarah Bryan: it’s so hard to.

00:52:23.190 –> 00:52:23.640 Joseph McElroy: focus.

00:52:24.900 –> 00:52:27.240 Sarah Bryan: On a weekend I love haywood county um.

00:52:27.570 –> 00:52:41.430 Sarah Bryan: Let me see Oh, there is a it right north of you are right, right up the road from you, one of my favorite views in all of North Carolina is on the road between Maggie Valley.

00:52:41.790 –> 00:52:49.950 Sarah Bryan: And Cherokee if you’re driving towards Cherokee look out to the right there’s this incredible beautiful view of soco gap.

00:52:51.240 –> 00:52:53.490 Joseph McElroy: is called the most photographed view and.

00:52:54.420 –> 00:52:56.790 Sarah Bryan: that’s the one that’s got the little viewing tower and.

00:52:57.990 –> 00:52:59.040 Sarah Bryan: It deserves that.

00:53:01.170 –> 00:53:03.480 Joseph McElroy: i’ve been there since before I was born.

00:53:06.900 –> 00:53:21.540 Joseph McElroy: Well it’s been a pleasure, having you on the show we have to call it quits davin what’s, what do you what would you like people to go to find out more information or looked up your books or read something really important things for them to find out more about you.

00:53:21.990 –> 00:53:30.360 Sarah Bryan: Well, I would love for them to visit our website for the folklife Institute, which is nc folk Lol K dot O rg and see folk.org.

00:53:30.990 –> 00:53:44.130 Sarah Bryan: And also, if they’re interested in old time music old time music, in particular, old time harold.org they find a lot about appalachian and particular of Western North Carolina music.

00:53:45.060 –> 00:53:50.250 Joseph McElroy: cool What about you, you get books, you get some things wherever they find out about that do you have a Facebook page or anything like.

00:53:50.580 –> 00:53:52.470 Sarah Bryan: yeah you can find me on Facebook for sure.

00:53:53.070 –> 00:53:54.300 Joseph McElroy: Alright fabulous.

00:53:55.410 –> 00:54:00.870 Joseph McElroy: Well, thank you again, we might have to have another show, because you got a lot to talk about fabulous.

00:54:01.560 –> 00:54:02.430 Sarah Bryan: fun, thank you.

00:54:03.210 –> 00:54:21.120 Joseph McElroy: So this, this is the gateway to the smokies podcast you can watch this podcast live on [email protected] slash gateway to the smoke these podcasts we also have all the episodes recorded and with transcripts on smokies adventure calm.

00:54:22.260 –> 00:54:30.060 Joseph McElroy: there’s a link at the top, to bring you to all the different episodes that you can review we’re also on the talk radio dot nyc network.

00:54:30.390 –> 00:54:38.190 Joseph McElroy: Where they also stream the the audio live as well as on their Facebook stream and I advise you to take a look at all of the.

00:54:38.760 –> 00:54:46.410 Joseph McElroy: podcasts on this network because it’s a network of live podcast which I think is very interesting you get a lot of.

00:54:46.980 –> 00:54:53.310 Joseph McElroy: The spontaneity and and extensive I think vibrancy by listening to things that are live.

00:54:54.300 –> 00:55:03.840 Joseph McElroy: And they range from small business to self help to travel to stuff about New York City and and and other other parts of the world.

00:55:04.620 –> 00:55:10.710 Joseph McElroy: So go there, if you get a chance, I also have another podcast for wise content creates wealth on that.

00:55:11.400 –> 00:55:20.970 Joseph McElroy: On that network it’s about marketing and Ai So if you get a chance to take a look at that and i’ll see you next week again for another fine podcast.

00:55:21.270 –> 00:55:29.790 Joseph McElroy: Always on Tuesdays from six to seven the gateway to the smoke these podcasts and appreciate you all for listening today and i’ll see you then.

KIM ROSS OF THE J CREEK CLOGGERS

This week's episode explores the world of Appalachian dance, and why it is so important to keep the culture alive.

The Gateway to the Smokies Podcast is proud to introduce our special guest today, Kim Ross. Kim has roots firmly entrenched in the Southern Appalachians. A native of Snowflake Virginia, not far from the historic Carter Family Fold and the birthplace of country music on the Tennessee- Virginia border, Kim grew up loving old-time music, Appalachian culture, and especially traditional mountain dancing. Today she resides with her family in Waynesville, N.C., and perpetuates her family legacy by managing and dancing with the iconic J Creek Cloggers. 

Kim Ross will discuss the rich history and culture of the Southern Appalachian region while sharing the stories of their ancestors and their passion for mountain dance music.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063452415685

Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

Kim Ross grew up in Snowflake, Virginia. When she hit her teenage years she started to visit Carter's Fold. She remembers seeing people from Ireland, etc. to be a part of this historical event. The Carter family is preserving a lot of history such as Johnny Cash’s rocking chair.

Her father was a tenant farmer, meaning that his family didn’t own the land. He would flat-foot dance to make money for his family growing up. Ross recalls that she also caught on to flat footing as a child with no lessons. Zeb and Levi Ross were her kids and she taught them traditional dance to preserve culture. Ross started the J Creek Cloggers, the J is short for Jonathan Creek. The people she works with include teenagers who genuinely care about learning. The audience is taught traditional steps, butt dancing, and flat footing. These steps stretch out into cultures such as the Cherokee, Scottish, and Irish.

A popular video of her son Seb on tiktok. Jason Jordan approached them whilst they were dancing to record Seb. As a consequence, their Instagram blew up and Ross got to explore other social media platforms. They have had the opportunities to shoot music videos with up-and-coming artists and appeared in commercials. Hillbilly Crypt dancing became a coined term for Seb’s dancing. Ross praises his unique look with a mullet and smile being a part of his viral success. Ross encouraged him to find his unique dance moves to keep up with the freestyle tradition.

She connects her dancing with her pottery as both deal with movement. She also got her kids to do pottery at Good Earth in Hazelwood. For photographs, she loves to go to Devil’s Courthouse and any of the local places such as Jonathan Creek.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

00:00:37.080 –> 00:00:37.740 Joseph McElroy: howdy.

00:00:38.130 –> 00:00:47.340 Joseph McElroy: This is Joseph Franklyn McElroy Welcome to the gateway to the smokies podcast this podcast is about America’s most visited National Park.

00:00:47.670 –> 00:00:54.300 Joseph McElroy: The great smoky mountain national park and the surrounding towns, this area is filled with ancient natural beauty.

00:00:54.660 –> 00:00:59.850 Joseph McElroy: A deep-storied history and rich mountain cultures that we explore with weekly episodes.

00:01:00.240 –> 00:01:12.210 Joseph McElroy: I am Joseph Franklin McElroy, a man of the world, but also deep roots in these mountains my family’s lived in the great smoky mountains, for over 200 years my business is in travel, but my heart is in culture.

00:01:12.720 –> 00:01:21.030 Joseph McElroy: Today we’re going to talk with Kim Ross about the J creek cloggers viral sensation the first a few messages and some events.

00:01:21.630 –> 00:01:31.980 Joseph McElroy: Imagine a place evocative of motor courts of the past and modern and vibrant with a chic Appalachian feel a place of adventure and relaxation.

00:01:32.670 –> 00:01:42.030 Joseph McElroy: Imagine a place where you can fish in the mountain heritage stream grill the catch on fire enjoy it with fine wines and craft beers.

00:01:42.510 –> 00:01:57.900 Joseph McElroy: Imagine a place with that old-time music and world cultural sound, there is no other place like the Meadowlark Motel in Maggie Valley, North Carolina your smoky mountain adventures start with where you stay.

00:01:59.400 –> 00:02:12.030 Joseph McElroy: and other sponsors smokies adventure.com that’s smokies plural adventure si.com the smoky mountains and surrounding areas of vacation destination for all these.

00:02:12.630 –> 00:02:20.280 Joseph McElroy: Some of the nation’s best hiking trails waterfalls outdoor adventures and family entertainment can be found, right here.

00:02:21.030 –> 00:02:31.410 Joseph McElroy: start your adventure by using smokies adventure complex for all the wonderful features of the great smoky mountains National Park, the trails the waterfall cave cove and.

00:02:31.800 –> 00:02:43.260 Joseph McElroy: An elk and more the checkout all the awesome things you can do here like that family attractions family entertainment great restaurants it’s become a foodie heaven and.

00:02:44.040 –> 00:03:02.250 Joseph McElroy: That your entire family can enjoy, and if you have outdoor life events you want to do like an outdoor wedding or an interesting honeymoon a romantic getaway check out smokies adventure.com they’re leading information portal portal for having fun of them smoky mountains.

00:03:03.270 –> 00:03:04.290 Joseph McElroy: So events coming up.

00:03:05.910 –> 00:03:15.720 Joseph McElroy: In two weeks on Julya 9 we have wildcrafting and mother nature’s natural garden program with legendary I look at.

00:03:16.860 –> 00:03:32.730 Joseph McElroy: It starts at 10 am on July 9 and the fee and the features, the island who’s a legendary white wild fasting expert renowned author filmmaker instructor include quick tour guide for the great smoky mountain National Park field school.

00:03:34.170 –> 00:03:42.360 Joseph McElroy: She is an expert on edible plants, but this know herbs or anything pertaining to wildcraft orgy an Appalachian.

00:03:43.440 –> 00:03:51.120 Joseph McElroy: Plants and trees and the flowers, she has been featured on TV print radio and all sorts of things.

00:03:52.770 –> 00:03:59.970 Joseph McElroy: And she is an iconic female that will soon be featured of the smokies will soon be featuring one of our themed rooms.

00:04:01.140 –> 00:04:05.520 Joseph McElroy: She is will be presenting their beloved program called mother nature’s natural garden.

00:04:05.940 –> 00:04:19.980 Joseph McElroy: Which is about forging and natural herbs and things that are in these mountains and then she’s gonna lead a short tour of on the grounds of the metal or motel and there are surrounding areas to forage for.

00:04:20.760 –> 00:04:34.350 Joseph McElroy: A nature’s bounty and to make something of that, and you can learn how to find great things in your own backyard, then the event culminates with the bbq supper and music by Michael real tree and his friends on Saturday.

00:04:35.160 –> 00:04:43.260 Joseph McElroy: Efficient dimension is just 20 bucks for a person for for those who are not guests, but guests and inheritance club Members are free.

00:04:43.620 –> 00:05:06.720 Joseph McElroy: So that’s July 9 that starting at 10am be sure to call eight to 89261717 to get your space now on July 30 this is relevant to this program you guys got to come, but we’re going to have the J creek cloggers the viral sensation here dancing from 7:30pm to 9pm at the pavilion.

00:05:08.280 –> 00:05:14.850 Joseph McElroy: And it’s it’s a it’s a great town heritage event and will also include the Barbecue dinner.

00:05:15.960 –> 00:05:25.200 Joseph McElroy: and on Saturday night, starting at if you come early at six and then the dancing and musical started 730.

00:05:25.830 –> 00:05:31.740 Joseph McElroy: It will they will provide the J street Congress will perform multiple examples of traditional mountain dancing.

00:05:32.220 –> 00:05:42.690 Joseph McElroy: As well as teaching the audience several fun dance steps we group leader Kim Ross is will be now will also give a short talk on the history and tradition to mountain dancing.

00:05:43.140 –> 00:05:49.320 Joseph McElroy: grab your partner and come and join us for a memorable fun filled up with dining and dancing.

00:05:49.800 –> 00:06:06.390 Joseph McElroy: The mission is free for hotel guests, as it always is, and heritage club members and $20 per person for people that just want to come and have a night out of the night out and do some mountain heritage again call eight to 89261717 to get your spot.

00:06:07.650 –> 00:06:20.610 Joseph McElroy: And then also reserve a room, if you want to stay overnight, and then August 12 through the 13th we’re having a great songwriters cramp camp here and it’s going to feature some grammy award-winning artists.

00:06:21.300 –> 00:06:29.160 Joseph McElroy: Jim Lauderdale there was a legendary songwriter who wrote a lot of George strait’s hits and Charles Humphrey the third.

00:06:29.610 –> 00:06:38.430 Joseph McElroy: who’s another grammy award-winning winner, along with other award-winning artists like Darren Nicholson balsam range playbills and Charles Chamberlain.

00:06:38.670 –> 00:06:46.230 Joseph McElroy: it’s an event, if you’re interested in writing songs you cannot get a better education than these guys are going to be able to give you.

00:06:46.680 –> 00:06:55.350 Joseph McElroy: it’s a two-day event of interactive story writing instruction with world-class musicians and they will also help you produce a DEMO tape.

00:06:55.710 –> 00:07:02.340 Joseph McElroy: and have a takeaway of a DEMO tape and then you have some concert by songs from the spread ban on Friday night.

00:07:02.760 –> 00:07:07.980 Joseph McElroy: And then, and then a Saturday night there will be a Barbecue dinner and an all-star concept of all these guys.

00:07:08.910 –> 00:07:20.970 Joseph McElroy: Making it a unique event like no other and space is very limited, so the price is 7675 per person for the education and DEMO tape and the fun.

00:07:21.840 –> 00:07:32.310 Joseph McElroy: And there are also tickets available for just the concerts call eight to 89261717 to get your space reserve a room or just reserve the.

00:07:32.670 –> 00:07:38.820 Joseph McElroy: position of the camp and come and really experienced something that you’re not going to find many times in your life.

00:07:39.600 –> 00:07:51.450 Joseph McElroy: So today we were talking about the jquery cloggers well, we have the founder of the J Creek Cloggers Kim Ross Woody has firmly entrenched the southern Appalachian.

00:07:52.020 –> 00:08:02.400 Joseph McElroy: a native of snowflake Virginia not far from the historic Carter family fold and the birthplace of country music of the Tennessee-Virginia border.

00:08:02.670 –> 00:08:09.570 Joseph McElroy: Kim grew up loving old times using Appalachian culture and especially traditional mountain dance.

00:08:10.110 –> 00:08:24.870 Joseph McElroy: Does he resides with the family in Waynesville North Carolina and perpetuates her family legacy, by managing dancing with the iconic J Creek Cloggers. How are you doing Kim? Thank you yeah yeah oh yeah it’s been an exciting time.

00:08:26.220 –> 00:08:27.240 Joseph McElroy: it’s been overwhelming.

00:08:28.890 –> 00:08:38.010 Joseph McElroy: Well we’ll get into the viral sensation but let’s find a little bit about your background I like to find out more about our guests, and you know their history and their love for Appalachian.

00:08:38.580 –> 00:08:45.510 Joseph McElroy: trail I grew up as you said and stuff like Virginia, which is about two hours from here across the Kingsport Tennessee LAN.

00:08:45.960 –> 00:08:54.270 Joseph McElroy: Scott county Virginia Southwest Virginia part home to mother, my bell card or she was actually born in Scott county and Nichols build Virginia.

00:08:54.780 –> 00:09:04.170 Joseph McElroy: And everybody knows them ap and Sarah Carter mother, my bell went on, of course, with the music and the recordings in Bristol.

00:09:04.620 –> 00:09:15.180 Joseph McElroy: But the historic Carter family fold is in Hilton's Virginia and it started in the 70s, they preserve the old style and bluegrass music and it’s all acoustic.

00:09:15.840 –> 00:09:26.850 Joseph McElroy: Nothing, you know can be plugged in they want the real deal stringed instruments and you’ll see some of the finest flat foot and but dancing they come from all over the world.

00:09:27.360 –> 00:09:30.600 Joseph McElroy: Just to come, this one place, which is practically a huge barn.

00:09:31.350 –> 00:09:38.490 Joseph McElroy: Yes, and it can hold I think about 2000 people every Saturday night, they have a live show with different bands.

00:09:38.850 –> 00:09:46.680 Joseph McElroy: Either bluegrass were all the time, but if you look up Carter family followed on the Internet you’ll see there so show schedule that’s and stuff like.

00:09:47.340 –> 00:09:59.880 Joseph McElroy: That and he’ll do in the same town in Georgia snow like was part of that and Nicholas bills part of that counter mother Michael Carter this why what was your temples go for it I’m not sure I think.

00:10:01.050 –> 00:10:11.760 Joseph McElroy: The houses were at one time, but it says the elevation we go a little more snow the houses, I was told was painted white he and then the purity of the people that like.

00:10:13.980 –> 00:10:23.070 Joseph McElroy: it’s not yeah I love snowflakes I still go back and visit when I can, and all the roads that you’ve got like bobsled road Jingle bell road, so you know.

00:10:25.830 –> 00:10:31.860 Joseph McElroy: frosty road some kind of the main sport is a little bit of a tourist destination, or is it just out of the way it.

00:10:32.760 –> 00:10:41.100 Joseph McElroy: sounds like not as much, but if you go on up into Nichols feel they have a famous restaurant it’s just a little restaurant commentating anybody come from all over.

00:10:41.490 –> 00:10:54.840 Joseph McElroy: to eat some other home cooked meals so that’s our job easier right right yeah yeah yeah so this Carter folded you go there, often as a child, I did once I hit my teens teenage years I did a lot and.

00:10:55.350 –> 00:11:03.840 Joseph McElroy: The people there are just found fun people and then to see the others come from Ireland, China, Japan everywhere, just to be a part of.

00:11:04.380 –> 00:11:08.670 Joseph McElroy: The Carter family history because Johnny cash, of course, Mary Jean Carter.

00:11:09.270 –> 00:11:22.350 Joseph McElroy: So you have that involvement, he did come to the Carver folds he actually had a house a stadium barfing did you get to see it, I did actually I got to see his last performance, to my knowledge, was at the Carter vote before he passed away and I.

00:11:23.490 –> 00:11:33.840 Joseph McElroy: know that Johnny cash actually came to us oh wow my grandmother, the first woman broker real estate broker to spend the state of North Carolina.

00:11:34.320 –> 00:11:42.570 Joseph McElroy: Actually, showed him around and showed improperly, wow right yeah I don’t know why to use it was probably interesting as a ghost town with sphere, and we had a.

00:11:43.050 –> 00:11:51.150 Joseph McElroy: Number of movie stars come here and started doing stuff and they were doing some lots of entertainment at the time, so that’s probably why was it I don’t know the full story, but I do.

00:11:52.050 –> 00:11:58.770 Joseph McElroy: tell me that they were very down to earth and john jr I know he when he was younger before he had married.

00:11:59.490 –> 00:12:07.530 Joseph McElroy: My friend and I actually were on the floor dancing when we were talking and he got out, he was shuffling around you know, having a good time, but they were very down-to-earth people.

00:12:08.130 –> 00:12:11.370 Joseph McElroy: But I can’t say enough about the Carter folks are trying to preserve.

00:12:12.300 –> 00:12:22.860 Joseph McElroy: Joe and Jeanette the original ones that had built the quarter fault, have passed away and she admits daughter Rita is running it now oh cool but it’s wonderful because they’re preserving.

00:12:23.640 –> 00:12:37.440 Joseph McElroy: You know old-time music bluegrass music, the history behind that Johnny cash is rocking chairs up there in the cabin so there’s a lot of history, I have a museum, what about the middle of nowhere yeah out the middle of nowhere practically what I call a cow pasture.

00:12:38.580 –> 00:12:43.200 Joseph McElroy: Well, this will go take a break now okay all right we’ll come back we’ll talk about your history alright sounds good.

00:14:59.010 –> 00:15:12.510 Joseph McElroy: howdy this is Joseph Franklin McElroy back with the gateway to the smokies podcast my guest Kim Ross. so Kim so you started learning to dance pretty young, right? well, I grew up in a family that danced with my dad.

00:15:13.050 –> 00:15:19.320 Joseph McElroy: was actually a tenant farmer his family was growing up, so they didn’t own the land, but they work the land for people and Nicholas bill.

00:15:19.740 –> 00:15:22.620 Joseph McElroy: And he was one of the best flat photos I’ve ever seen.

00:15:23.100 –> 00:15:30.540 Joseph McElroy: They actually would put him up on the box I’ve heard the stories as a child and people would throw nickels and he would make money for his family that way.

00:15:30.750 –> 00:15:46.890 Joseph McElroy: So I grew up flat footing and just grew up in a family, I never had lessons didn’t know that there were certain names for movements yeah just and then of course going to the Carter fall just was a big influence that was a big yeah identify with that you know that.

00:15:48.060 –> 00:15:58.680 Joseph McElroy: You know, we had the playhouse here, we had rabid Fairchild is here, yes, so I would yeah I grew up going to the playhouse just learned to do some I think.

00:15:59.700 –> 00:16:06.450 Joseph McElroy: I told you before I can’t even do the double-tap but I know how to you know shuffle around pretty good.

00:16:09.840 –> 00:16:11.040 Joseph McElroy: New York City, I can take it.

00:16:15.780 –> 00:16:25.260 Joseph McElroy: But there are some pretty bad, so there was no, no, but that was good, you know but.

00:16:26.580 –> 00:16:44.790 Joseph McElroy: You actually moved here today, which is about 30 some years ago, I was just you know was sharing and just wanting to see different places and I’m in the medical field, so I got on at St joseph’s hospital there and Asheville and I went to a street Vance Joseph queen was called.

00:16:46.620 –> 00:16:56.850 Joseph McElroy: Say wow and I met the boy’s Father there at the street dance a long time ago and state, of course, and had two children and homeschool right.

00:16:57.210 –> 00:17:08.670 Joseph McElroy: They heavenly fire off and during the homeschool in tongues but didn’t from start to finish, I wanted them to learn, you know about dance and music they actually play the music they had a band too.

00:17:09.330 –> 00:17:23.760 Joseph McElroy: And about 13 years ago I started my dance team, of course, and it was from my end plus preserved and what I call traditional freestyle dance right to carry it on and teach my kids and educate them, otherwise I think it’s going to be a lost art if we don’t know.

00:17:24.900 –> 00:17:36.330 Joseph McElroy: yeah well that’s what we’re going to promote it here because I believe it is very much yeah so so 30 some years ago, you came here and gotten started to get an immersive dance culture, yes.

00:17:37.470 –> 00:17:48.420 Joseph McElroy: And you know what side you know I love Haywood county and bulk edit have live yeah Friday nights when an angel has live screen during the war bogs.

00:17:48.990 –> 00:17:59.130 Joseph McElroy: an actual have the shindig on the great and then I know we can’t have taken in the park on Friday night yeah yes wide variety so let’s be.

00:18:00.240 –> 00:18:05.100 Joseph McElroy: dancing in the streets and being made, I think it is and it’s great.

00:18:05.730 –> 00:18:18.570 Joseph McElroy: yeah especially postcode but now people want to get out and they’re enjoying it and the one thing that my team does is actually teach with the audience out and teach them these routines some of the footwork and I love it yeah love it.

00:18:19.470 –> 00:18:32.580 Joseph McElroy: So I know that you’re immersed in the history of this now right yeah that’s how you did a podcast on the history of the plugin Haywood county yeah can you give me like the one-minute spiel about.

00:18:35.550 –> 00:18:38.790 Joseph McElroy: The dance things really started here in Haywood County and the end.

00:18:39.780 –> 00:18:43.530 Joseph McElroy: and Joe same Queens family was big for that to you know big into that part.

00:18:43.740 –> 00:18:56.460 Joseph McElroy: And in 1939 FDR was in an office king and Queen of England was on the way to Canada you want it to catch him to talk about Germany he and when he got them there and I think it’s been there only visit your ever.

00:18:56.940 –> 00:19:09.030 Joseph McElroy: And he brought in the concrete girls all-female string band and soco get bloggers or from a wood county you so they represented up their dance for the King and queen he fed them dots.

00:19:09.780 –> 00:19:15.540 Joseph McElroy: And they later said it was the picnic that one the war because they did ally with us later with Germany.

00:19:16.920 –> 00:19:24.540 Joseph McElroy: You know I’ve always said Haywood county is huge, you know the dance team competitions and the team started here and then basketball marlins for with.

00:19:25.080 –> 00:19:33.480 Joseph McElroy: You know in Asheville with the shindig and the smoky mountain folk festival, and then the team dances competitions and then go into the White House what more could you.

00:19:34.050 –> 00:19:41.940 Joseph McElroy: know and we’re trying to preserve that because it was freestyle bands, which means that works all unique 80s and 90s, we had a lot of the World Championship yes.

00:19:44.730 –> 00:19:51.270 Joseph McElroy: Yes, stomping around oh yeah are there on Saturday Saturday nights it used to be six days a week.

00:19:53.040 –> 00:20:04.140 Joseph McElroy: yeah that was pretty amazing, but now kozel which is 90 now so he’s probably I guess yeah yeah yeah and he still keeps single one and.

00:20:04.980 –> 00:20:07.770 Joseph McElroy: Inside of that building beautiful place to go Nice.

00:20:08.640 –> 00:20:21.360 Joseph McElroy: cool yes, so you started the J Creek Cloggers, yep, which is short for Jonathan creek which runs right in the back of the motel all the way down what’s called down the gravel.

00:20:21.840 –> 00:20:38.130 Joseph McElroy: yeah so in perspective, but people aren’t 40 it’s the exit 20 Maggie Valley exit you can come off and Jonathan creek runs a whole thing and then console into it, but most of us for from that area when I started the team 13 years, so we well you know I grew up.

00:20:39.150 –> 00:20:46.260 Joseph McElroy: There too yeah pretty proud of that creaking yes yeah it was most of it so.

00:20:47.340 –> 00:20:59.820 Joseph McElroy: What do you said you want to preserve the culture, but it was there any kind of catalyst that said just do this well I just you know, preserving the culture it’s also a good social means because I was homeschool my children.

00:21:00.570 –> 00:21:12.480 Joseph McElroy: You know, and to see now that we’ve grown from six to eight people when I started to 35, 40 people and a lot of them are teenagers to upset their electronics aside.

00:21:15.120 –> 00:21:28.950 Joseph McElroy: and learn the culture, learn the dance and be educated on it and they want to do it so yeah oh yeah yeah I think that dances become popular in our culture, again, it is yeah I’ll sudden now you know.

00:21:29.820 –> 00:21:37.980 Joseph McElroy: Each routine has a meaning when you do ride some laughs and other things there’s a meaning behind that teach that to the people on the team, but you know I.

00:21:38.880 –> 00:21:49.410 Joseph McElroy: I thought was interesting looking at yeah I haven’t seen you live, yet, but you’re gonna be here till July it’s already I’ll be there yeah and you can teach my little three and a half-year-olds to call.

00:21:51.270 –> 00:21:53.940 Joseph McElroy: audience, we want to evolve it yeah.

00:21:54.420 –> 00:22:01.290 Joseph McElroy: So, but you get the audience directly involved by teaching them to additional steps yes.

00:22:01.500 –> 00:22:09.120 Joseph McElroy: teaching them about history of each of the styles right we do because there’s been advance and there’s flat foot and the clogging board actually the.

00:22:09.330 –> 00:22:14.370 Joseph McElroy: Queen of England coin that she was over you’re visiting she said that looks a lot like clogging.

00:22:14.670 –> 00:22:22.830 Joseph McElroy: So the clogging sort of got coined by her, but I started out flat foot, which I still do it’s an old style of what what is difference between flat.

00:22:23.520 –> 00:22:27.750 Joseph McElroy: Keep your with flat, but you keep your feet two inches from the floor, no more.

00:22:27.990 –> 00:22:39.900 Joseph McElroy: Right it’s mostly your lower body that works your legs and very little movement from your upper body, whereas, but thanks to this more exaggerated it’s a lot of movement and you bring your feet, more than two inches off the floor.

00:22:40.920 –> 00:22:44.100 Joseph McElroy: sort of what lessons, they have does is more what we call advances.

00:22:44.730 –> 00:22:54.150 Joseph McElroy: flat foot and come out of the Scottish Irish I think yeah I think it’s a mixed even the Cherokee yeah movements, like us, and then you get back in the mountains, you can even tell.

00:22:54.510 –> 00:23:02.580 Joseph McElroy: People who are from canton by the style of dance versus people from cloud or wines what’s really cool so it’s just my style the town’s every.

00:23:04.770 –> 00:23:12.750 Joseph McElroy: Word networks created a sort of style here right yeah yeah he was famous for putting the water put on his head thanks to with other phone.

00:23:16.050 –> 00:23:23.310 Joseph McElroy: did a great job with that yeah wow wow so so you know.

00:23:26.160 –> 00:23:31.050 Joseph McElroy: You see, you already explained how clogged came about right, I have is that why.

00:23:31.620 –> 00:23:42.270 Joseph McElroy: because she said that is not why it is with coins that you know as far as the movement was similar to what they did I think in England, but we have our own style but but but Nancy.

00:23:42.870 –> 00:23:46.740 Joseph McElroy: You know I tell people that we have people on the team that strictly flat foot.

00:23:47.160 –> 00:23:53.730 Joseph McElroy: We have people that strictly but Vance we have people that combine the two yeah so it’s really nice because we’re freestyle which means we’re not.

00:23:54.000 –> 00:24:04.110 Joseph McElroy: we’re not in unison with our footwork but we’re in the same seat now there’s other stuff called stop this what is that i’m not sure I think that’s just more word right but do a lot of stop and.

00:24:05.580 –> 00:24:05.910 Joseph McElroy: Make sure.

00:24:07.410 –> 00:24:17.220 Joseph McElroy: everybody’s got different names for things I knew clog dancing I knew I knew flatfooted wasn’t as much prevalent when I was growing up target above it but they.

00:24:18.240 –> 00:24:29.190 Joseph McElroy: do about it and there are so many names that may not somebody says, but whatever and i’m like I didn’t grow up with names I just grew up dancing you know, everybody has coined little movement so.

00:24:29.700 –> 00:24:39.450 Joseph McElroy: there’s multiple names out there for stuff so you started this 13 years ago, which means you got into the mix right yes and you’ve been I guess then you’ve been.

00:24:40.230 –> 00:24:43.830 Joseph McElroy: you’ve been performing all over North Carolina the various festivals like phone.

00:24:44.250 –> 00:24:54.870 Joseph McElroy: Number yeah all over we’ve we’ve been to the library dice frankie Griffin down male married we go into Virginia dance Tennessee South Carolina and that’s before anything went viral.

00:24:55.440 –> 00:25:00.060 Joseph McElroy: We were you know going around and week we were different color we don’t have to say you.

00:25:00.600 –> 00:25:12.300 Joseph McElroy: are more traditional kind of outfits and lots of color wow cool yeah So what is it what is your what are your favorite festivals, what are the ones you recommend people go see oh wow there’s some.

00:25:13.290 –> 00:25:20.220 Joseph McElroy: I know we have one coming up and deals are actually that I love it’s coming up, I think, July 15 and then the Mount airy one that.

00:25:21.750 –> 00:25:25.770 Joseph McElroy: was a close deals, for I think it’s just the arts and crafts festival, and they have a slayer.

00:25:26.670 –> 00:25:40.110 Joseph McElroy: And it’s I believe it’s July 15 will be in pigeon forge this coming weekend all right, and we have a big thing coming up July that I’m excited about the first time ever we’re doing it it’s on the side, or they wanted three a meet and greet.

00:25:41.310 –> 00:25:52.800 Joseph McElroy: stomping grounds cool you get to make the team have pictures my with us and get out and dance with it, what time is that 123 o’clock 123 yeah look come at 10am to go.

00:25:54.210 –> 00:25:54.870 Joseph McElroy: learn how to.

00:25:57.390 –> 00:25:59.460 Joseph McElroy: go over there, they come back for bbq.

00:26:01.290 –> 00:26:02.220 Joseph McElroy: i’ll be ready to eat.

00:26:03.990 –> 00:26:12.780 Joseph McElroy: that’s a damn and everybody, we got a fabulous day for you, I tell you one of the other festivals that was awesome is Darnell farms, I don’t know if you’re familiar.

00:26:13.230 –> 00:26:22.800 Joseph McElroy: But Oh, my goodness, I have strawberry festival yeah and will be at the watermelon festival coming up so there’s just too many tonight oh yeah there’s the apple for school but.

00:26:23.490 –> 00:26:30.000 Joseph McElroy: When we did the riot fest points go, Scott, the smoky mountain festival I think it’s coming back this year, like oh really yes.

00:26:31.740 –> 00:26:38.670 Joseph McElroy: Yes, fabulous yeah we do have a lot of them yeah you ever want to come to a county where you get festival down.

00:26:41.700 –> 00:26:49.530 Joseph McElroy: Which is great it’s great so yeah so and as any venues, you have to stop the ground right oh yeah stomping grounds.

00:26:50.250 –> 00:26:57.360 Joseph McElroy: But any other venues in western North Carolina that you think are just fabulous Well, I do have one into Andrews to Jamie’s picking green.

00:26:58.200 –> 00:27:12.660 Joseph McElroy: yeah it’s not as well known, I don’t think, but they have awesome music a fiddle player and he saw insider day that’s too, so we don’t get to go out with all difficult stomping ground yeah and wherever the mile high end as I love going there to.

00:27:16.530 –> 00:27:17.970 Joseph McElroy: play out to be.

00:27:19.650 –> 00:27:22.380 Joseph McElroy: with you to take another break we’ll come back talk about the.

00:29:31.140 –> 00:29:37.650 Joseph McElroy: howdy this is Joseph Franklin McElroy back to the gateway to the smokies podcast my guest Kim Ross.

00:29:38.160 –> 00:29:47.400 Joseph McElroy: So you know Kim, you know I’m impressed by you know you don’t do you don’t necessarily do this for a living, but to do for hash yes and you’ve been involved.

00:29:47.940 –> 00:30:01.050 Joseph McElroy: You know, sharing knowledge sharing a passion for this dance of this music and I think that’s fabulous I think you’re doing a lot to distill that dispel the dumb hillbilly sharing.

00:30:01.980 –> 00:30:03.780 Joseph McElroy: Maybe what you can play hillbilly Jim right.

00:30:04.650 –> 00:30:14.850 Joseph McElroy: I believe it’s July 23 it’ll be out of here at the bag valley fairgrounds and will be there, I think it’s six o’clock Vance and I’m really excited yeah This is our first time being disobedient.

00:30:15.510 –> 00:30:41.550 Joseph McElroy: hillbilly jams, a great event huge stars come to hear people say oh yeah lots of man, will be dancer I think for about an hour, but recently right now that hillbilly myth has been hit dispelled, are you guys became essentially world famous due to to a video of your son said yes.

00:30:43.320 –> 00:30:50.790 Joseph McElroy: dancing with the J creek Cloggers and went viral tell me about that Okay, so we were at Darnell farms of bras and city and mark.

00:30:52.080 –> 00:30:57.120 Joseph McElroy: doing our thing just dancing as usual and somebody approached Jason Jordan, I think, was his name.

00:30:57.600 –> 00:31:12.960 Joseph McElroy: I product to say we didn’t know him is from Georgia visiting he said, can I feel you all and we’re used to being filmed all the time, so I filmed and about a week later, you know I got woke up in the middle of night and said, your sons went viral and I thought Oh, is he sick.

00:31:15.000 –> 00:31:20.520 Joseph McElroy: Now, and they’re like no check out chick talk I said I don’t know what it is don’t know what instagram me.

00:31:21.630 –> 00:31:31.320 Joseph McElroy: So I got a tik tok account, I saw it I’m like Oh, my goodness that’s not the music that we were we were banjo and fiddle and they put it to the Hochstetler, yeah you know which was cool.

00:31:31.890 –> 00:31:42.870 Joseph McElroy: Man, this is really neat and somebody named eggs Tyrone on instagram I finally got an account in April and it’s like i’ve been looking for you guys he put i’m a thug by trick Daddy.

00:31:45.720 –> 00:31:56.580 Joseph McElroy: You know and i’m like Oh, my goodness, so two months and we’re at 120 7000 followers on instagram and millions upon millions of hits all these videos.

00:31:56.970 –> 00:32:12.300 Joseph McElroy: And it’s just been it’s been almost overwhelming I had to bring on the sand, because I know nothing about other than Facebook only social media ever well that’s what we grew up with, I mean we were there, the thousand so that’s our demographic yeah.

00:32:15.210 –> 00:32:15.600 Joseph McElroy: well.

00:32:16.680 –> 00:32:20.940 Joseph McElroy: I did have to kick 50,000 years but you pay for you, you got 100 million.

00:32:24.150 –> 00:32:39.570 Joseph McElroy: On me oh yeah and they just keep coming yeah we’ve shot several music videos with epic coming artists smile yeah fan in commercials products are being sent to us mail, you know to draw on and yeah yeah it’s been it’s been really good.

00:32:40.650 –> 00:32:49.800 Joseph McElroy: and your your son said he’s got it has become an icon and you got a new dictate what is that the legend calling the ledge oh really yes.

00:32:51.060 –> 00:33:02.910 Joseph McElroy: coin that Charles run from American song Kelly clarkson snoop dogg it on TV came and shot a video with us to his new book good song and he coins their village.

00:33:03.540 –> 00:33:18.030 Joseph McElroy: where it came from, and everybody on social media just started calling me back so therefore which the legends he does not have instagram everybody keeps asking he’s under the J creek clovers because that’s who he is he’s a machinist trade.

00:33:20.160 –> 00:33:20.550 Joseph McElroy: know.

00:33:21.600 –> 00:33:23.520 Joseph McElroy: 1012-hour shifts through the way.

00:33:24.960 –> 00:33:33.120 Joseph McElroy: yeah he’s loving it and you guys have a you have coined a firm called term called the hillbilly Chris walken what is that.

00:33:34.440 –> 00:33:41.250 Joseph McElroy: They had mentioned some of them had reached out to like Well he see dance Center he’s Chris walken i’m like i’m sure you know he’s been dancing.

00:33:41.550 –> 00:33:50.820 Joseph McElroy: But um I guess in different environments that’s what they call it, because he does, do you know funny stuff with his feet, is what I call it, we call it a spaghetti.

00:33:51.840 –> 00:34:02.160 Joseph McElroy: all over the place, so we call it the hillbilly quick quick walk yeah well, I saw a video of him doing it, he said he called it, he said it looks like a broken ankle it does.

00:34:02.700 –> 00:34:13.200 Joseph McElroy: That, but then he comes out and does with his feet yeah and it’s just like he’s floating on air, and if you notice his upper body movement doesn’t move if legend that would be the flat foot part of.

00:34:13.620 –> 00:34:19.500 Joseph McElroy: Phase one more but that’s another step and he said the secret was he’s actually I was totally yeah yeah.

00:34:23.370 –> 00:34:26.730 Joseph McElroy: Having the wallet and then his smile is just infectious.

00:34:27.750 –> 00:34:35.250 Joseph McElroy: You know so it’s just all rolled into one and it went and you’ve gotten to perform on stage with superstars like like Caroline killing Charles.

00:34:36.540 –> 00:34:50.580 Joseph McElroy: And then brandon being came he has a new hit out called blue collar squalor and he did the whole video here in South stopping really yes wow he’s got a new one come out I think don’t take my land coming out Monday next week you.

00:34:52.020 –> 00:35:03.690 Joseph McElroy: Have you finished still say security router right we have we have we already had bookings before we went viral will not turn those down we’ve had multiple offers that we’re going to fulfill everything we have.

00:35:04.110 –> 00:35:13.830 Joseph McElroy: we’re all about preserving tradition, will you you booked here after you do that yeah because we’re Maggie Valley yeah yep because we’re in your homes that.

00:35:14.190 –> 00:35:23.460 Joseph McElroy: We really appreciate, yes, we have that date, open to work really well yeah I think we’ve got an event earlier that day and then of course the so.

00:35:24.090 –> 00:35:33.180 Joseph McElroy: It went well, but we, you know we’re all when I call blue-collar workers, all of us have real jobs from roofers to the machine is to medical field and.

00:35:33.870 –> 00:35:43.620 Joseph McElroy: We just do this because we love it we want to preserve I think it’s considered Americana nail what we yeah it’s it’s because you do, because you.

00:35:54.990 –> 00:35:56.520 Joseph McElroy: want to stir.

00:35:57.540 –> 00:35:58.140 Joseph McElroy: The sickness.

00:36:00.360 –> 00:36:11.610 Joseph McElroy: fun to watch these in these I think they’re called means mimi’s I didn’t know that means he’s an all kinds of stuff now yeah it’s hilarious that’s a poor kid I wouldn’t be starting next.

00:36:12.570 –> 00:36:21.390 Joseph McElroy: week when he does interviews he’s like I was dancing and my mom was failing because I didn’t start until I gave birth to both of my kids but i’m probably when he was six or seven.

00:36:21.690 –> 00:36:35.850 Joseph McElroy: took an interest, and then, when he was a teenager when I started to really immerse yourself in it and I told him what I knew, but I said, you need to find your own unique style with your footwork that’s what makes us unique and we’re freestyle dancers, and he did.

00:36:37.260 –> 00:36:41.940 Joseph McElroy: Under the DNA just that you know he came up with his own little thing that he wanted to do when.

00:36:42.510 –> 00:36:58.260 Joseph McElroy: You see a lot of that during what we call our rise and shine which means our show off a portion of our routine that’s when you get to go out there and do your thing in front yeah we know when I was in New York, you know back in the day it’s different now but back in the day, you know.

00:36:59.430 –> 00:37:06.360 Joseph McElroy: Men didn’t really get a lot of places the United States didn’t get updates shops right yeah and I grew up buck dance right.

00:37:07.470 –> 00:37:11.880 Joseph McElroy: People do I would say, you know I from haywood county where men are not afraid to give up.

00:37:14.880 –> 00:37:20.190 Joseph McElroy: And we have we find that, as we go that people are really first they’re not sure like want to get up.

00:37:20.730 –> 00:37:27.450 Joseph McElroy: They see other people might just be and they have a blast I don’t want to sit back down well you know they’re they’re just they’re having fun and that’s what it’s all about.

00:37:27.810 –> 00:37:37.890 Joseph McElroy: And how does a typical show go where you teach people started out he can perform which we on track, we usually do at darnell farms, we have a two hour show, but most of our shows are an hour long.

00:37:38.490 –> 00:37:46.200 Joseph McElroy: So we go out their performance I speak a little bit and other performance and then we get the audience involved in my husband’s professional square dance color.

00:37:46.590 –> 00:37:53.160 Joseph McElroy: So he’ll get them out teach them the circle ups and then I do a little educational talk and then we ended with a performance.

00:37:53.490 –> 00:38:06.030 Joseph McElroy: So they get fully immersed in everything we do and plus I get to meet all of the dancing yeah all of us and we’re just we always called our social circle of friendship, I want everybody to come out there and it could be as kids as young this.

00:38:07.440 –> 00:38:17.340 Joseph McElroy: One of the children that started with me was two years old, and she said, think 12 or 13 now yeah cuz I got i’ve got a 30 year old son I should get him here dance.

00:38:18.030 –> 00:38:32.250 Joseph McElroy: But I do have three and a half year old twins right and anya my daughter is already like do ballet she loves the class, but he said he likes to do that just freestyle that’s good yeah goodness a perfect day yeah.

00:38:32.970 –> 00:38:35.010 Joseph McElroy: Good for they’re not bash for anything.

00:38:35.190 –> 00:38:41.970 Joseph McElroy: And one thing about the team i’ll say is we come from all walks of life with Italy everything else we leave it at the table and we cut.

00:38:42.060 –> 00:38:53.190 Joseph McElroy: The fellowship the music and dance, we made it work for 13 years yeah just just having a good time enjoying laugh together well it’s good that you have do you have any videos or or or.

00:38:53.910 –> 00:39:03.120 Joseph McElroy: recordings or anything that you’re done yourselves yeah we have somebody on the team vicki that actually records much to bark performances and so their own Facebook.

00:39:03.480 –> 00:39:09.600 Joseph McElroy: jquery Congress instagram jquery cloggers tick tock tick tock are so there’s plenty of videos out there.

00:39:10.410 –> 00:39:20.100 Joseph McElroy: But people have been taken them and Devon over so a lot of the basic you here is not even what we’re dancing to which it’s been fun they paid us from everything to heavy metal to ballet music.

00:39:21.960 –> 00:39:23.370 Joseph McElroy: Now, with this viral event.

00:39:24.810 –> 00:39:36.810 Joseph McElroy: is how have you been handling I mean I was overwhelmed at first, because I was on page one 3000 comments, a day great message and everything else we grew so fast.

00:39:37.500 –> 00:39:53.880 Joseph McElroy: role in my niece from kingsport Tennessee maddie is getting her degree in media to help with instagram my son’s wife is doing the merchandise part and so you know I have people on the team their help, and so we were handling it now, but it was overwhelming I was ready to flush month.

00:39:55.980 –> 00:39:56.370 Joseph McElroy: Although that.

00:39:58.380 –> 00:40:08.070 Joseph McElroy: Is do you have a couple of negative yeah but not bad, no not bad at all, you know it’s being I was amazed, because I wasn’t sure you know.

00:40:08.700 –> 00:40:19.560 Joseph McElroy: But no it’s been I would say 99% positive you know you’re always gonna have a few that come out, so I something they’re like you know he’s got a big belly well when we start thinking.

00:40:20.160 –> 00:40:26.160 Joseph McElroy: within two weeks, the last probably 20 pounds once we get back on tour they have nervous like oh he’s looks and white male.

00:40:35.460 –> 00:40:39.480 Joseph McElroy: hey we can that’s exactly it in a place here that, is there a carb heavy.

00:40:42.600 –> 00:40:59.880 Joseph McElroy: yeah fine dining plates about this big oh yeah so i’ve been very blessed conceal the big one does videos what does pictures on the dance team they know nicer time so we’ve got the you know perfect mix now how is this newfound fame.

00:41:01.350 –> 00:41:10.470 Joseph McElroy: But he’s got to be very good son, he is now that people notice, you know they can run up and they want pictures made and he’s had to learn how to balance that.

00:41:10.680 –> 00:41:21.120 Joseph McElroy: Because you know, some people want to talk for 20 minutes we have performance coming up once it’s done you’re going to have to learn how to be nicely talk to them and they’re telling you better performance and you can come back and talk a little later.

00:41:21.630 –> 00:41:29.970 Joseph McElroy: But he wasn’t sure how to handle everything its beginning and then he’s just decided i’m just i’m nobody special as well, your special while.

00:41:31.950 –> 00:41:35.880 Joseph McElroy: So, but he’s doing well on the teams doing a lot of people recognize the team.

00:41:37.320 –> 00:41:44.340 Joseph McElroy: yeah now i’m just the team incorporated in a separate set does it to know they’re all.

00:41:45.900 –> 00:41:54.960 Joseph McElroy: they’re all unique yeah everybody’s got their own unique footwork so we have several teenagers, we have excellent dancers, on the team he just happened to be the one I guess the.

00:41:56.280 –> 00:41:57.180 Joseph McElroy: Music was right.

00:41:58.710 –> 00:42:07.830 Joseph McElroy: yeah yeah so they’ve all week which we have we’re very family oriented and that’s the way we’ve stayed nothing’s really changed with us as a team we’re still.

00:42:08.220 –> 00:42:19.950 Joseph McElroy: The good people we always worried, you know enjoying laughs, but it has to affect yeah some vision of what your performances are going to be out your contents going to be, we know there.

00:42:20.850 –> 00:42:25.530 Joseph McElroy: That there’s bigger stuff on the horizon, that I can’t talk about yet so we’re gonna you know we’re going to.

00:42:26.130 –> 00:42:35.580 Joseph McElroy: Probably buckle down a little bit on exactly what we’re going to be doing and nothing’s going to change with the performances, but maybe just make sure the flow is there, you know.

00:42:36.120 –> 00:42:49.080 Joseph McElroy: Asking questions that he asked me what do you expect How long are the you know, is it an hour performance, what would you like to see how would you like us to dress you know, sometimes we’re an overall for the meal sometimes bluejeans yeah.

00:42:50.100 –> 00:42:52.830 Joseph McElroy: yeah and overalls New York City.

00:42:55.470 –> 00:43:03.180 Joseph McElroy: And the women’s in dresses and criminal yeah yeah oh yeah all right we’re gonna take the last break here and then come back and talk a little bit about.

00:43:05.070 –> 00:43:06.060 Joseph McElroy: Like that all right.

00:45:07.440 –> 00:45:15.960 Joseph McElroy: howdy this is Joseph Franklyn McElroy back with the gateway to the smokies podcast my guest Kim Ross.

00:45:16.560 –> 00:45:29.220 Joseph McElroy: You know you’re a dancer and your transcript medical transcriptions yes, I read that you also had a pottery business for what did I had Ross pottery I was in the grove arcade and Asheville and did a lot.

00:45:30.210 –> 00:45:42.480 Joseph McElroy: Of videos of all places, and it was called mountain made I think it’s still there, she does local you know to the within I think 100-mile radius or something in North Carolina but yeah I loved it I did.

00:45:43.590 –> 00:45:53.220 Joseph McElroy: a freeform style and then the wheel and loved it, but when this went viral I have not had time and I sold all my quick weeks ago.

00:45:54.390 –> 00:45:55.740 Joseph McElroy: So you went all in.

00:45:58.620 –> 00:46:05.730 Joseph McElroy: And just run in the regular login team, and now the disciplines went viral it’s just you know I’m spending seven hours a day.

00:46:06.330 –> 00:46:14.070 Joseph McElroy: Since the barrel thing just trying to keep up with the messages, but how did the you know the haptic experience of.

00:46:14.550 –> 00:46:23.850 Joseph McElroy: Making pottery how did that translate it to answer vice versa, is there were there and I grew up over regards maybe so just from you know.

00:46:24.510 –> 00:46:29.520 Joseph McElroy: The form, I don’t know because I’m all about movement and pottery is all about.

00:46:30.060 –> 00:46:37.590 Joseph McElroy: So some of my stuff, especially with the color variations, I had a very colorful person, you can tell them outfits are where when I plug.

00:46:37.950 –> 00:46:50.190 Joseph McElroy: But my pottery would have it could be yellow-orange purple blues i’ll mix everywhere, but yeah I would say just the movement of the pottery and again homeschooling the boys, I put them into pottery classes we’ve met good Earth.

00:46:50.490 –> 00:46:59.640 Joseph McElroy: hazelwood I don’t think that studios there anymore yeah Bob was a great teacher i’m left handed so he had a little bit of a harder time teaching me.

00:47:00.900 –> 00:47:17.160 Joseph McElroy: I don’t think like other people, you know, but I loved doing the pottery and again it was another avenue for the voice, you know, then they had their little band and dancing but yeah I sold everything we know I had to we had corey plot here Bob Smith oh yeah great.

00:47:18.600 –> 00:47:30.600 Joseph McElroy: And you did a class half-day on pottery and my three year old twins came here and they actually paid attention for an hour and a half Oh, my goodness, can you imagine, can you imagine three or a.

00:47:31.050 –> 00:47:40.740 Joseph McElroy: Day actually they’re involved paid attention listening even asking questions getting a little pots and stuff like that I thought it is something that seems.

00:47:41.460 –> 00:48:00.690 Joseph McElroy: Right yeah it is you know and it’s part of the earth always say you know a lot of them get the claim it’s local from bucks county Water plays out there, so but yeah I loved it, but I was ready to La yeah I can’t do everything in place, so, if you look over here it’s all good oh yeah.

00:48:02.100 –> 00:48:05.430 Joseph McElroy: If you can find some of her binary somewhere it’s now a collector’s edition.

00:48:06.480 –> 00:48:06.840 Joseph McElroy: yeah.

00:48:09.030 –> 00:48:19.080 Joseph McElroy: So, so you know we we yeah this is this podcast is also just about get the smokies stuff in general, I like that, yes, talk about other things that they enjoy I know you like.

00:48:19.590 –> 00:48:26.190 Joseph McElroy: I love it we go what sunburst not a lot and pink beds graveyard fields different places, my husband.

00:48:26.790 –> 00:48:35.340 Joseph McElroy: Even we even get off and just don’t even follow a trail he he was very young he’s 65 now, but he knows all about up in that area and then.

00:48:36.300 –> 00:48:48.480 Joseph McElroy: phishing attacks photographer to so I still do some photography just the family, my family and then, when we come out, we like to go to the pan your restaurant over there in class oh really yeah.

00:48:50.460 –> 00:48:55.830 Joseph McElroy: that’s a long time, oh yeah I really like the plan your you know yeah it’s been around long.

00:48:57.540 –> 00:48:58.740 Joseph McElroy: Enough peanut butter, milkshake.

00:49:01.020 –> 00:49:01.800 Joseph McElroy: shake from sonic.

00:49:03.570 –> 00:49:03.930 Joseph McElroy: Yes.

00:49:07.380 –> 00:49:14.940 Joseph McElroy: yeah well is there, what if I wanted to take my twins out, you know there’s only three and a half, they can’t walk along well what would be the best family.

00:49:15.720 –> 00:49:21.990 Joseph McElroy: Like to take your mom well like I said i’m begging the sunburst because there’s a pull off right there is the campground.

00:49:22.350 –> 00:49:29.970 Joseph McElroy: and pull in right there or to the left or the road and walk right down to the water it’s a while, and then to the right of the campground.

00:49:30.240 –> 00:49:38.640 Joseph McElroy: it’s an easy walk to this just you know it’s flat, so I would suggest there i’m sure yeah i’m just i’m real familiar with the place and love it by campfire.

00:49:38.910 –> 00:49:45.510 Joseph McElroy: And being a photographer What would you say is one of the best places to go take photos oh wow like devils courthouse.

00:49:45.870 –> 00:49:57.900 Joseph McElroy: sunburst again i’ve done and just any of the local places Jonathan Craig any of the waterways soco Scott gorgeous visa here too, so yeah just anywhere, the most photographed view in the stoke.

00:49:59.070 –> 00:50:03.000 Joseph McElroy: there’s an old there’s old place there’s still the old sign up there, that was yeah.

00:50:04.170 –> 00:50:09.840 Joseph McElroy: The client actually has a beautiful oh yeah you down through the valley so yeah but.

00:50:10.830 –> 00:50:22.200 Joseph McElroy: it’s pretty you know it’s there’s so many places here that are just beautiful, you know I love up on pot like way up on the mountain and we have a gorgeous view sometimes we’ll plan to fall back and everybody else was.

00:50:23.160 –> 00:50:33.930 Joseph McElroy: yeah so we’re getting close what is what’s the future for the jquery floaters ah, I don’t know we’re taking it day by day we’ve had lots of our first from TV shows to.

00:50:34.110 –> 00:50:41.190 Joseph McElroy: All kinds of stuff and we sit down, either as a team or a family and discuss each thing, some people just want their some people want the whole team.

00:50:42.510 –> 00:50:43.200 Joseph McElroy: So we’ll say.

00:50:44.640 –> 00:50:45.300 Joseph McElroy: goodbye for.

00:50:47.370 –> 00:50:54.390 Joseph McElroy: yeah sometimes I just want him just because I guess the legends they have went viral right.

00:50:55.140 –> 00:51:04.860 Joseph McElroy: So we just take it day by day, you know yeah we’re just taking our time not rushing in reading thing don’t want to make any mistakes because we’re still a family will stay that way yeah yeah that’s good I mean.

00:51:05.130 –> 00:51:10.410 Joseph McElroy: I was saying before you nobody’s prepared for viral now I was back into dad one of the first five.

00:51:10.860 –> 00:51:19.170 Joseph McElroy: videos and you’re never prepared for it and then afterwards, you know you feel like he didn’t leverage right, so you feel guilty.

00:51:19.620 –> 00:51:31.890 Joseph McElroy: But i’m telling you right now, no matter what happens just enjoying the moment we are we’re here and there’s no way to be prepared for it and there’s no way to figure out how to leverage it the leveraging it’s like it happened by luck, a lot of.

00:51:32.970 –> 00:51:41.370 Joseph McElroy: Meaning skill like met skill right and whatever you do with it is really just about as long as you’re having fun.

00:51:42.510 –> 00:51:49.890 Joseph McElroy: Are you can’t put $1 sign on friendship or family i’ve always said that I would rather have my friends and family, the money any day.

00:51:50.970 –> 00:51:55.920 Joseph McElroy: You know i’ll walk away from some it’s going to cause a problem, but you always have that in your pocket say, well, we were.

00:51:57.420 –> 00:51:57.930 Joseph McElroy: People that’s.

00:51:58.980 –> 00:51:59.610 Joseph McElroy: worthwhile.

00:52:00.630 –> 00:52:11.550 Joseph McElroy: For a while, maybe some of the education and you know, we had never heard of or seen it from other countries are all heard of suburban kids are learning how to plug do the hillbilly coupon.

00:52:13.980 –> 00:52:19.290 Joseph McElroy: started it’s great So how can people find out more about Okay, they can call me i’ll get.

00:52:21.000 –> 00:52:36.750 Joseph McElroy: Eight to 87340873 we’re on instagram tick tock Facebook is Jay creek cloggers that’s the letter J and then Casey rw JC see at gmail COM okay there’s a couple of ways, you can.

00:52:38.910 –> 00:52:46.560 Joseph McElroy: And we’re on Instagram and Facebook all that’s on there too yeah I don’t forget July 30 there near la mota.

00:52:47.640 –> 00:52:49.530 Joseph McElroy: dancing and teaching a little bit.

00:52:50.910 –> 00:52:58.530 Joseph McElroy: And I’ll be here, trying to put on a good foot and I’ll get my little twins out there, and he might be my wife old state, we want everybody.

00:52:59.550 –> 00:53:00.780 Joseph McElroy: We do a lot of fun.

00:53:02.010 –> 00:53:02.400 Joseph McElroy: Right.

00:53:04.710 –> 00:53:13.710 Joseph McElroy: Oh, my goodness, social dance music is very fun all right I’m ready for it yeah okay cool moment to thank you so much for being on the show.

00:53:15.330 –> 00:53:24.990 Joseph McElroy: Congratulations on your thyroxine it always works blah oh yeah yeah and I look forward to your event on the 30th and maybe again in November right?

00:53:25.380 –> 00:53:28.860 Joseph McElroy: yeah we’ll be back at our school, yes, and this is the.

00:53:29.370 –> 00:53:41.640 Joseph McElroy: gateway to the smoke these podcasts you can watch live every Friday night every I mean every Tuesday night from six to [email protected] slash gateway to the smokies podcast.

00:53:42.150 –> 00:53:52.590 Joseph McElroy: We are part of the talk radio dot nyc network, which is a network of live podcasts that range from self-help to travel to small business.

00:53:52.860 –> 00:54:01.560 Joseph McElroy: To any number of things and I think it’s a worthwhile network to listen to its very grassroots very, very rich content.

00:54:02.130 –> 00:54:09.510 Joseph McElroy: On the ground, information that the tool finds very interesting whether you’re traveling to the smokies or traveling to New York City.

00:54:09.930 –> 00:54:22.110 Joseph McElroy: It has some information that I think is this is worthwhile I actually have another podcast on this network called wise content creates well, which is a marketing podcast and that’s on Fridays from.

00:54:23.070 –> 00:54:30.060 Joseph McElroy: 12 until one thought that’ll probably be transitioning out because near future she’s kept some of the old episodes because.

00:54:30.360 –> 00:54:43.980 Joseph McElroy: It has a lot of the Ai stuff going on now I’ve interviewed many of the Ai people out there and they can even learn a bit about what’s going to happen content machine intelligence about artificial intelligence, which I think is good for everybody.

00:54:45.390 –> 00:54:58.710 Joseph McElroy: And it’s been a pleasure talking here today with you guys and I will see you next week with another great show from six to seven on Tuesday night with the gateway to the smokies podcast Thank you very much.

Guest: RICHARD HURLEY

In this episode, you'll learn from our guest today some of the great advice for musicians and musicians-to-be and we are glad to have him on the show today! 

We’re pleased to introduce our special guest today, Richard Hurley, a Canton, N.C. native, and UNC grad who is a veteran of the U.S. Navy, a former radio DJ, and a renowned award-winning songwriter and musician. He is active in community work, serving on various boards and as an emcee for Folkmoot, Shindig on the Green, the Mountain Dance & Folk Festival, and the Bascom Lamar Lunsford Festival, while also promoting area musical events along with his own musical projects –Cataloochee, and My Mountains, My Songs. He now resides in Asheville, N.C. 

In this podcast episode, he will discuss the North Carolina mountain music scene, his involvement in the community, his first (and second) music project as well as upcoming events in the area. 

https://richardhurleymusic.com/

Tune in for this fun conversation at TalkRadio.nyc or watch the Facebook Livestream by Clicking Here.

August 1963 WBTL station was when it opened. He worked there during college promoting rock and country to other younger people. He got to do MC gigs in which he picked skills from people around him. Florida Boys and Old Kingsmen were some of the music they played. He admits to being naive when starting off playing, but now has a collection of guitars. He had the opportunity to work with JFK's personal naval aid. In the Navy, he got influenced by the chief of naval operations, and so he wrote a song on guitar and got it recorded. His song was inspired by Zumwalt (chief) and his z-grams, he got to meet up with him as Zumwalt thanked him in person and over letter for the song.

In 1981 he made a record called The Ballet of Old Fort. He worked with the Crow Brothers, Raymond Fairchild, and Arnold Freeman. He used to casually play it for people and got encouragement to record it. Jimmy Haney and he worked as disc jocks. He was one of the speakers at Fairchild and stated “there’s only one Raymond Fairchild''. They both had a close friendship and also looked up to each other as artists. Eddie Swan worked for Regal Media, he recorded people like Ben Skill, David Wilcox, and Brian Sutton over the span of his 50-year career. He had a homemade washtub bass and he used to carry it to a tomato festival in Canton with his brother to play there.

His first project is called “My Mountain, My Songs”. He started it with a throwback, Old Fort. He received an award from the North Carolina Society of Historians for the historical value of his album. One of his songs was about the Coal Mountain Bomber Crash. He also sang about the floods of ‘04.

He’s been taking part in volunteer activities. Shindig on the Green starts this Saturday at the courthouse 7-10 pm. Mark Pruit took part in that event. Bearshare started in 1979, it was a great festival. His website has places to purchase his albums. Towards the end, a child breaks into the podcast recording to blow a raspberry at Hurley.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

00:00:41.040 –> 00:00:48.600 Joseph McElroy: Howdy, Welcome to the Gateway to the Smokies Podcast, this podcast is about America’s most visited National Park.

00:00:48.960 –> 00:01:01.410 Joseph McElroy: The Great Smoky Mountain National Park and the surrounding towns. This area is filled with ancient natural beauty, a deep-storied history, and rich mountain cultures that we explore with weekly episodes. 

00:01:01.890 –> 00:01:12.990 Joseph McElroy: I am Joseph Franklyn McElroy, a man of the world, but also with deep roots in these mountains. My family has lived in the Great Smokies for over 200 years. My business is in travel, but my heart is in culture.

00:01:13.650 –> 00:01:24.330 Joseph McElroy: Today we’re talking about Songs and then Cataloochee Valley by Richard hurley but first, let’s talk about our sponsors.

00:01:25.590 –> 00:01:34.470 Joseph McElroy: Imagine a place evocative of motor courts of the past, yet modern and vibrant with a “Chic Appalachian” feel. A place for adventure and for relaxation.

00:01:35.130 –> 00:01:44.040 Joseph McElroy: Imagine a place where you can fish in a mountain heritage trout stream, grill the catch on fire, and eat accompanied by fine wine or craft beers.

00:01:44.850 –> 00:01:57.420 Joseph McElroy: Imagine a place with old-time music and world cultural sounds. There is no other place like the Meadowlark Motel in Maggie Valley, NC – your Smoky Mountain Adventures Start with Where You Stay.

00:01:58.770 –> 00:02:04.080 Joseph McElroy: and others sponsor smokiesadventure.com that smokies plural adventure singular.

00:02:04.740 –> 00:02:19.200 Joseph McElroy: The Smoky Mountains and surrounding area is a vacation destination for all seasons. Some of the nation’s best hiking trails, waterfalls, outdoor adventures, and family entertainment can be found right here.

00:02:19.890 –> 00:02:30.780 Joseph McElroy: Start your adventure by using SmokiesAdventure.com to explore all the wonderful features of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park: trails, waterfalls, Cades Cove, and more.

00:02:31.200 –> 00:02:37.680 Joseph McElroy: Then check out all the awesome family attractions and entertainment you and your entire family can enjoy.

00:02:38.100 –> 00:02:51.930 Joseph McElroy: And if you look at it, have a life event somewhere like a wedding or a honeymoon and we got you covered there go to smokies adventure.com is one of the leading information portals for adventures and experiences and the Great Smoky Mountains.

00:02:53.370 –> 00:02:57.390 Joseph McElroy: So welcome you can see we’re sitting in the basement of the Meadowlark Motel

00:02:58.620 –> 00:03:05.730 Joseph McElroy: At the Speakeasy where we have underground speakeasy and we’re gonna have some upcoming events at the Meadowlark Motel will tell you about.

00:03:06.120 –> 00:03:19.920 Joseph McElroy: On July 9 we’re having a wildcrafting and mother nature’s natural garden program with the legendary Illa hatter it starts on Saturday, July 9th at 10 am with the program featuring.

00:03:21.210 –> 00:03:30.570 Joseph McElroy: legendary wildcrafting expert, renowned author, filmmaker, instructor, and tour guide for the GSM National Park’s elite GSM Field School educational programs, Illa Hatter.

00:03:31.260 –> 00:03:42.090 Joseph McElroy: she’s an is an expert on edible plants, medicinal herbs, and anything pertaining to wildcraft foraging and Appalachian plants, trees, and flowers.

00:03:42.420 –> 00:03:56.190 Joseph McElroy: She has been featured on a variety of national television shows, videos, and books, and has worked as an advisor for multiple movies and television shows. she is an iconic female a smoky soon-to-be featured in one of our name theme groups.

00:03:57.900 –> 00:04:13.350 Joseph McElroy: She will be presenting her beloved program Mother Nature’s Natural Garden and leading a short tour of the grounds identifying nature’s bounty that can be found in our own back yards.

00:04:14.520 –> 00:04:20.640 Joseph McElroy: And then there’ll be a free Barbecue supper and music by  Mike Ogletree and friends Saturday evening.

00:04:21.210 –> 00:04:26.760 Joseph McElroy: $20 per person per night guests and it’s free for motel disappeared as club members.

00:04:27.540 –> 00:04:46.140 Joseph McElroy: Now a big event coming For those of you who want to learn how to write songs is August 12 and 13th we’re having SONGWRITERS CAMP AND CONCERT WITH GRAMMY-WINNING ARTISTS JIM LAUDERDALE AND CHARLES HUMPHREYS III, ALONG WITH AWARD-WINNING ARTISTS DARREN NICHOLSON, CLAY MILLS, AND CHARLES CHAMBERLAIN.

00:04:48.690 –> 00:04:54.420 Joseph McElroy: You won’t get an opportunity like this very often in your life if you’re wanting to really balancing.

00:04:54.690 –> 00:05:01.140 Joseph McElroy: hanging out with grammy award-winning artists it’s a two-day event of interactive songwriting structures with world-class musicians.

00:05:01.440 –> 00:05:13.260 Joseph McElroy: a demo tape produced for each participant, a concert by the Songs From the Road Band on Friday Night, and a BBQ dinner and all-star concert on Saturday night.

00:05:14.010 –> 00:05:24.150 Joseph McElroy: This is a unique event, no other place there’s nothing, nothing else like it, and it will be a space will be limited to make sure that every participant gets into the.

00:05:25.680 –> 00:05:31.110 Joseph McElroy: Attention the price is 675 dollars per person including all activities and the DEMO tape.

00:05:31.440 –> 00:05:51.840 Joseph McElroy: The concerts and the dinner and everything else and their special room packages available for those that want to stay overnight at the meadowlark motel so call 8289261717 for details and the reserve your space and the reserve room again 8289261717 to get your place.

00:05:52.860 –> 00:05:58.260 Joseph McElroy: there are also limited tickets available, just for the concerts and you can get those as well.

00:05:59.850 –> 00:06:03.420 Joseph McElroy: Today, I have a great guest his name is Richard Hurley.

00:06:05.010 –> 00:06:08.400 Joseph McElroy: He’s a Canton, N.C. native, and UNC graduate I won’t hold against.

00:06:11.970 –> 00:06:21.270 Joseph McElroy: Is a vendor to the US day my friend, yeah he’s a former radio DJ and renowned award-winning songwriter and musician.

00:06:21.840 –> 00:06:34.710 Joseph McElroy: is active in Community work in service and serving on various boards and as an MC for food shindig on the green the mountain dance and folk festival, and the basket l’amour longsword festival.

00:06:35.130 –> 00:06:47.010 Joseph McElroy: while also promoting area music events, along with his own musical projects will talk which we’ll talk about Cataloochee and my mountains my song he resides in Asheville North Carolina my new home.

00:06:50.820 –> 00:07:01.740 Joseph McElroy: So let’s jump into something exciting, you are a DJ or w pto, and can we just spend about 17 years they tell us that actually a.

00:07:02.430 –> 00:07:09.420 Joseph McElroy: station opened in August of 1963 there’s already one station there that started in 1954.

00:07:09.810 –> 00:07:16.080 Joseph McElroy: And the guy who made fresh they won’t have a country station, because there was no kind of crustacean camp, so the open web GL.

00:07:16.500 –> 00:07:27.660 Joseph McElroy: August of 63 what I wanted to have a high school kid that could bring in the hospital audience, so I got the gig has to be asked this jockey and that’s back when Lou I for.

00:07:28.740 –> 00:07:39.630 Joseph McElroy: us back in the dark ages, but I work there you’re in college and before all the service in 1970 so was there off and on and had a great time and.

00:07:40.410 –> 00:07:48.480 Joseph McElroy: learn a lot and got to play a lot, a lot of old country music at that time, some Gospel music rock music listening music play with it at all, it.

00:07:49.140 –> 00:08:01.020 Joseph McElroy: was quite a fun time in my early career, yes, and how was it was help you in your career-defining experiences where your performance ability to do a performance there did yeah.

00:08:01.560 –> 00:08:11.400 Joseph McElroy: It led me into doing some MC gigs which I carried on time I’m an MC stuff so yeah it was helpful in that regard and.

00:08:12.810 –> 00:08:22.290 Joseph McElroy: You know, having to work there are a lot of people that came through that well you kind of pick up something from everybody you’re exposed to in the music business like that so yeah it was quite helpful, then.

00:08:22.560 –> 00:08:34.320 Joseph McElroy: Then, when I started doing shows later on the 80s and a lot of these old records I’d played back in the 60s were songs I learned back then, of course, I was influenced by a lot of those artists in the country and.

00:08:34.680 –> 00:08:43.950 Joseph McElroy: The Kingston Trio, and some of the folks to hit 1958 when the case, the tree okay mouth Tom ui that just changed the world because I love it.

00:08:44.820 –> 00:08:58.110 Joseph McElroy: It made this country teammate all the char key so so that is kind of what got me started running into that my folks got me Wendy when I was about 12 and I learned to play that and I bought a 10 hour day guitar for buddy mind.

00:08:58.650 –> 00:09:04.170 Joseph McElroy: And that’s kind of how I got to start making music and you got it you started, playing on the radio.

00:09:04.680 –> 00:09:12.660 Joseph McElroy: Some early on to write a little bit i’d written a song about the know smothers market there and cam oh I just had his father’s on.

00:09:13.590 –> 00:09:24.960 Joseph McElroy: The smothers the sun yeah is that resembles they have here on the show granddaddy yeah and so, and that was mathers have a at the grocery store back man.

00:09:25.470 –> 00:09:35.400 Joseph McElroy: And I wrote a song called Underwood it was like under what don’t you wish we could anyway, we my brother’s nice to play some of the only played at the Cannes first and made a festival.

00:09:36.900 –> 00:09:45.930 Joseph McElroy: The new old why gone now when I recorded that just to you know they track tape back then, which both your sprinkler so, can you play that song.

00:09:50.310 –> 00:10:00.420 Joseph McElroy: ready to record the, yeah Those are all good experiences, did you click Gospel to play Gospel on the air Yesterday we had a program called the Gospel care of and it’s like 11 to 12.

00:10:00.930 –> 00:10:08.850 Joseph McElroy: That I can just come in at nine, it was cold country star time in the guy named Jimmy hey Andy was a big influence on me early on, see behind there’s a local musician he’s.

00:10:09.210 –> 00:10:20.250 Joseph McElroy: been gone number of years, but he was a he’s an award-winning folk singer in fact team is the national focusing champion, I think it was 1950 or there abouts and a big influence on me, because he used to come to the grammar schools.

00:10:20.610 –> 00:10:30.780 Joseph McElroy: And play programs us wow i’m going to be that one of these days, so that was kind of started Jimmy used to sign on six gutter 999 to 11 of.

00:10:31.170 –> 00:10:40.860 Joseph McElroy: Country music and 11 to 12 Gospel man i’d come back to and go to two 330 with the country music and not go the easy listing is 330 to sign off.

00:10:41.790 –> 00:10:52.890 Joseph McElroy: But it has to the rock the rock show was like 330 to 630 or something likely no experience I asked about the Gospel and I am one of the one of the.

00:10:53.430 –> 00:11:11.550 Joseph McElroy: You know i’ve traveled a bit and one of the most popular brunches I ever saw was actually in Barbados yeah they had a Gospel brunch right they have run some even have a good old Gospel music right yeah people love that I would say that would probably go well, here too, yeah.

00:11:13.770 –> 00:11:27.120 Joseph McElroy: Gospel me to certainly been popular in the south, for years and years yeah no he’s play a lot of the old groups that you know the old Florida boys and the old kings cream local group and people like that.

00:11:28.080 –> 00:11:39.120 Joseph McElroy: Number number of those great and there were some local people are bigger than the Gospel music did quite well Francis play lock and dam was a locally that’s a big hit here and Haywood county back in the 60s there.

00:11:40.860 –> 00:11:43.500 Joseph McElroy: But what was the what how did you learn to play.

00:11:44.730 –> 00:11:51.090 Joseph McElroy: I got a Mel Bay 50-cent book shows the three chords C D E, F, and G.

00:11:51.720 –> 00:12:05.880 Joseph McElroy: And the other progressions and I just kind of picked it up, but I was so naive, but that i’m embarrassed to say this, but i’m going to tell you to know, I was so naive I didn’t have another you know but it’s a play on territory, I didn’t realize you had to change strings.

00:12:07.740 –> 00:12:19.950 Joseph McElroy: Okay, once you know it doesn’t matter you get a string I didn’t even know that I learned later on, but that’s how long did you almost entirely learn to do today, did you have some mentors are learning almost.

00:12:22.110 –> 00:12:36.630 Joseph McElroy: All the gifts little G one gifts in the problem of 50s model for about I think I paid $25 for a buddy of mine and I eventually I got an Aston Martin guitar years later, that you know goes collects the guitars.

00:12:38.400 –> 00:12:54.210 Joseph McElroy: that’s pretty cool so you went off to your high school, then you went off to unc first are going to go the baby first went to usc usc usc yeah I started at usc I tell people is back when the tar heels we’re still playing woman gym.

00:12:56.250 –> 00:13:04.020 Joseph McElroy: Dean Dome that was before carmichael born with a we’re playing a little again music Cunningham, was a senior housing right right so.

00:13:04.800 –> 00:13:11.580 Joseph McElroy: that’s how I got started when I would come home from school breaks, I would go back to the station and do vacation relief stuff like that and.

00:13:12.060 –> 00:13:17.940 Joseph McElroy: I worked at Campo networks, the mail can’t mill one summer season seven which is great experience paper.

00:13:18.900 –> 00:13:29.040 Joseph McElroy: Paper data that helped me with my career later I got an extreme rarity coming so then after you and see you another baby yeah it was it was during the.com era where I.

00:13:29.400 –> 00:13:36.330 Joseph McElroy: went out and did had one job interview, and they said come see us when you’re through the starters, nobody would argue you got the service.

00:13:37.350 –> 00:13:45.900 Joseph McElroy: So I ended up going to the program that required drilling for a year and then I went in on D for two years and then another three year obligation but.

00:13:46.410 –> 00:13:52.620 Joseph McElroy: I was fortunate, I was on the USS wash, which is an aircraft carrier and we were in the North Atlantic up there.

00:13:53.370 –> 00:14:06.390 Joseph McElroy: Doing maneuvers and but i’ve had the privilege to work with JFK personal naval eight so that was quite an experience I learned a lot from those guys and that all all those experiences help you later in life, you know I got it.

00:14:07.500 –> 00:14:20.790 Joseph McElroy: cool and that was that was also the start of some my songwriting is in the navy the navy because i’ve got a memo zoom Lol Chief of naval operations back and he was loosening up the navy, let the skies where.

00:14:22.380 –> 00:14:28.770 Joseph McElroy: He would come out these see grams, you know for some walls, the grams, and so I wrote a song called the balance is a graph.

00:14:30.090 –> 00:14:47.970 Joseph McElroy: The Admiral heard about it, he called me to stay room and i’ve already guitar on our platform he wanted to send it to zoom wall record a little fork and say yeah little real real three inch screen record it you send it to zoom wall and month or so later I get this letter for.

00:14:50.580 –> 00:14:56.760 Joseph McElroy: letter their little list of the guy says, you know, dear petty officer hurley Thank you so much for your song about.

00:14:58.620 –> 00:15:05.910 Joseph McElroy: And he and I connect about seven years later, when he was out, and I was it came to Asheville to bait nuclear-armed with some retired general.

00:15:06.360 –> 00:15:13.560 Joseph McElroy: And I walked up to him after the speech I said, George space, I do not remember the side of the road song about you and he said yeah I said on that side.

00:15:15.570 –> 00:15:25.500 Joseph McElroy: Of the thought, he just met john, okay well cool well, we have to take a break now Sir so then we’ll come back we’ll talk more about your career in business and then in music, thank you.

00:17:40.830 –> 00:17:47.430 Joseph McElroy: howdy this is Joseph Franklyn McElroy back with the Gateway to the Smokies podcasts and my guest Richard Hurley.

00:17:47.880 –> 00:17:57.960 Joseph McElroy: So Richard after the navy, you had a long career as an HR manager for square D how’s that good company well I just got real lucky because I come home.

00:17:58.770 –> 00:18:08.460 Joseph McElroy: About three months before i’m supposed to get out of service and put an application and I had a cousin worked over there, and he put in a good word for me, I went into.

00:18:08.940 –> 00:18:16.560 Joseph McElroy: That time I called personnel supervisory like backwards personnel manager personnel his word I started out the second seat and moved up.

00:18:17.010 –> 00:18:28.140 Joseph McElroy: For years later I guess the first seat and and but my own volition, I wanted to stay in Nashville yeah so I thought Tom to I might have to move, but it worked out and it’s great company they trade as well.

00:18:28.590 –> 00:18:37.920 Joseph McElroy: And it was very giving kind of very caring complete and coming to the law united way and give a lot give a lot of bucks to the Community and various organizations out there.

00:18:38.820 –> 00:18:57.540 Joseph McElroy: So I had a wonderful career cool did you get to play music, while you’re while you’re in that career not not in that role ticket I was out playing places i’ve crossed I did a record not team at one a coma valuable for mountain yeah remember that record a really.

00:18:59.130 –> 00:19:08.730 Joseph McElroy: good idea as a 45 and dude legendary greatest of all banjo player Raymond Fairchild light on and Raymond I go back way back.

00:19:09.540 –> 00:19:17.670 Joseph McElroy: The guy got Mr freeman has gone also and then the programmers who are popular good a tour with Raymond he’s played with picking the brain.

00:19:18.120 –> 00:19:29.040 Joseph McElroy: So i’ve written the song battle for mountain i’ve seen at parties and people see all the record that so as last time and then one day I said i’m not gonna turn around 10 years from now, and say what If so, I.

00:19:29.730 –> 00:19:46.980 Joseph McElroy: called her brain is that would you got me and he said sure be led to some are also we got together having to be August 12 at one i’ve been coached now when you go to that studio do you’re rehearsing before you go in there because that’s money yeah right.

00:19:49.980 –> 00:19:54.900 Joseph McElroy: Back stuff order ish will be asked our our weekly break door.

00:19:55.650 –> 00:20:03.480 Joseph McElroy: And i’m sweating bullets and walk in that studio is following our with now on the studio and they said, like three Max back in those days now.

00:20:03.870 –> 00:20:14.520 Joseph McElroy: According whole different ballgame instead of like three months and I kicked off on the guitar right and they jumped in this music, it was just fabulous and they just made that song so.

00:20:15.540 –> 00:20:27.270 Joseph McElroy: It was 45 rpm so we took pto course never wc and w devotees but they all start playing on a call, so I saw him through angles markets, not so.

00:20:27.870 –> 00:20:35.370 Joseph McElroy: pressed a couple of thousand problems, so I get a few hundred bucks but it kind of summer here when I was a kid yeah I also you know was looking.

00:20:35.820 –> 00:20:39.240 Joseph McElroy: yeah well I don’t know a while back, I was looking at what rate and fairchild.

00:20:40.050 –> 00:20:48.030 Joseph McElroy: That record came out with him being on air yeah Yes, he was something else, but he he helped me out with that and it’s all my first albums.

00:20:48.510 –> 00:20:59.220 Joseph McElroy: Are all the songs on my to our songs i’ve written and the first album my mountains my songs I put that on air as a bonus track all the other tracks are things that we recorded so.

00:20:59.790 –> 00:21:09.270 Joseph McElroy: cool yeah Bob Plott, you know, is the GM of the Meadowlark Smoky Mountain Heritage Center and he also helps put together.

00:21:09.570 –> 00:21:17.610 Joseph McElroy: Some of the information of your questions and he mentioned that you mentioned one of them already rent Fairchild and when the other big musical influence was.

00:21:17.940 –> 00:21:28.020 Joseph McElroy: Jimmy haney yeah I mentioned Jimmy a little bit earlier that we’d work together is discharged and he was like say when I was very school didn’t come around to schools and play.

00:21:28.500 –> 00:21:36.510 Joseph McElroy: ramin here’s the store matt Ryan, that when Raymond was very before he became Raymond Fairchild famous like he was.

00:21:37.200 –> 00:21:43.080 Joseph McElroy: He was working around these parts and he had done a wreck he’d done his first record old similar record was and.

00:21:43.920 –> 00:21:56.910 Joseph McElroy: my brother came home with that record now listen to that man, this is just difference it’s just it was like a snake charmer he just he had he had a way of playing songs that just drew me in.

00:21:57.360 –> 00:22:08.040 Joseph McElroy: So I got some maintenance management time to evaluate he’d give me copies of his records without playing them on my program and then occasionally he another guy we have breakfast down.

00:22:08.310 –> 00:22:17.460 Joseph McElroy: Little restaurants can either bottomless pit of on the show and play for 20 minutes or so, so that was how my friendship with Raymond started way back when.

00:22:18.240 –> 00:22:30.120 Joseph McElroy: But, but he was he was really something else, and then, when he went to the brand debut the grand Ole opry and 78 he invited me to go live in essence up with down lana pick your brother.

00:22:31.020 –> 00:22:39.030 Joseph McElroy: Already about for went over to the national we got to go backstage and all that one written bill Monroe balls hot dogs that would.

00:22:40.980 –> 00:22:46.290 Joseph McElroy: Go out there Raymond walked out there and start playing and they had never heard it.

00:22:47.700 –> 00:22:51.330 Joseph McElroy: encores of standing ovations yeah Raymond Fairchild

00:22:53.160 –> 00:22:56.190 Joseph McElroy: Or, he was His grace banjo I think grace man.

00:22:58.350 –> 00:23:05.160 Joseph McElroy: You could do it yeah and then, when he played here in the valley you remember the matter with me about the Opera House yeah like there.

00:23:05.520 –> 00:23:16.650 Joseph McElroy: For years and was there, so yeah yeah but every time I would go in case, yet they see in his wife sure we had that business for number of years for writing and passed in October Tina thing was.

00:23:17.070 –> 00:23:26.550 Joseph McElroy: Every time I go in the shadows he’d see me in the audience and so on his old friend is richer heard he used to play my record, so they played he played my record so much that they fired.

00:23:28.530 –> 00:23:40.800 Joseph McElroy: Their more banjo players just ran and fell out there yeah true, of course, I had to build a service that is a That was a good story, and you can you got you did is you, with the right.

00:23:41.790 –> 00:23:54.240 Joseph McElroy: Top right, I did I was asked to speak and I much some other people, but I was extremely flattered to be part of the one of the speakers that spoke there yeah it’s up the stomping ground appear Maggie badly.

00:23:55.440 –> 00:24:02.850 Joseph McElroy: And part of my comments, where I said, you know there’s only one Elvis there’s only one hank liam’s there was only one Raymond fair to.

00:24:04.140 –> 00:24:12.960 Joseph McElroy: One of my many comments talking about on a great person he was a good family man, he was a loving father and husband and just a great guy.

00:24:13.560 –> 00:24:26.400 Joseph McElroy: But he had a gift he had to give a few few they have yet so the way he played that manager, I heard that he’s a you know i’ve been from a value of them, and I have seen him a couple times and I think my dad.

00:24:27.720 –> 00:24:28.770 Joseph McElroy: Daniel and i’m sure.

00:24:30.660 –> 00:24:36.510 Joseph McElroy: yeah but you know my understanding was he was a great friend, but he was also a little cantankerous.

00:24:40.170 –> 00:24:47.520 Joseph McElroy: He raised his music good yes very busy i’ll tell you one thing is the Raymond was noted for.

00:24:51.150 –> 00:24:52.800 Joseph McElroy: Aware of was.

00:24:53.970 –> 00:25:03.510 Joseph McElroy: You know, some towns that have been leaner audiences than others and goes, you know, whatever reason, traffic or whatever, if there was one person that audience about ticket Raymond well and say that.

00:25:03.870 –> 00:25:11.730 Joseph McElroy: will be 500 or whatever we’re going to play them a good show he whether he play a whole show for one person, but the only matters i’m sorry cancer, he.

00:25:12.210 –> 00:25:18.480 Joseph McElroy: said that person management and 500 miles to your show we’re going to plan the show that’s right he’s very caring shorter guy.

00:25:19.350 –> 00:25:35.280 Joseph McElroy: Very caring yeah he was the one guy, yeah well yeah we know we’re talking about your records that’s real Famous people on those records, but there are other Famous people to work with I’ve got some pretty heavy hitters all my albums.

00:25:36.780 –> 00:25:56.130 Joseph McElroy: yeah but they they’re people that I work with a guy named at swan yeah and regal music regal media it’s a medical media.net website, but but he’s he’s been in business about 50 years he’s reporting people like Ben scale and he’s reported recorded David Wilcox.

00:25:57.300 –> 00:26:09.330 Joseph McElroy: Brian sudden the great brown certain he’s recording squire parsons that great deal and land song right dollars per summit be recorded that and he’s worked with a lot of the great spirit.

00:26:10.590 –> 00:26:14.370 Joseph McElroy: Anyway, yeah I got to work in an ad and Prince mountains together.

00:26:15.600 –> 00:26:17.760 Joseph McElroy: Well, you got some some great ones.

00:26:18.930 –> 00:26:27.030 Joseph McElroy: But before we get there, you know what I wanted to do understand you know your your songwriting right and you did some great songs i’ve read that.

00:26:27.570 –> 00:26:37.110 Joseph McElroy: I was looking at, we listened to one and i’ve seen some of the others and and you’re playing a guitar but you play anything else I don’t really i’m not play I took a few.

00:26:37.530 –> 00:26:46.110 Joseph McElroy: banjo lessons from mark pruitt the grading where he’s on one of my hours to market and Martin our friends from way back, but I never could quite get into the banjo so I just like.

00:26:47.430 –> 00:26:52.470 Joseph McElroy: I heard you got the the walk handmade watch the bass bass yeah so.

00:26:53.610 –> 00:27:04.200 Joseph McElroy: what’s that everybody should probably seen, or at least nothing prompts and you’ll watch the bass bass so most folks have are not familiar he’s turning on tobacco really be go watch.

00:27:04.860 –> 00:27:14.250 Joseph McElroy: The one i’m not is over 70 years old, oh yeah sequence and during the home that middle of it and you take an old broomstick and just run a quarter size core.

00:27:14.730 –> 00:27:21.450 Joseph McElroy: And you put it on and you hold the stick down the edge of your pocket, and that gives you a base, and it goes because of the tub and I was.

00:27:22.440 –> 00:27:38.820 Joseph McElroy: awkward so you could have a vibrant right, so my brother’s not playing at this tomato festival years going can’t so I carried on part of my act and I tell people I said don’t worry I get beaten up your audience the basement and then key is Spanish Oh, because.

00:27:40.230 –> 00:27:54.990 Joseph McElroy: that’s what that’s that’s a real fun part of my program and I always preface it by saying that don’t worry this tub is is over 70 years old and literally the stick and string have been on there since 1969 oh my gosh it’s been British.

00:27:57.240 –> 00:27:59.730 Joseph McElroy: Is the shirt but don’t worry it’ll be okay.

00:28:01.140 –> 00:28:02.430 Joseph McElroy: Yes, that’s the fun part.

00:28:03.510 –> 00:28:12.360 Joseph McElroy: Well, you know I don’t know if you ever walked out white wines mainstream you know they have all sorts of sculptures on there yeah what i’m one of the sculptures as a duo.

00:28:12.750 –> 00:28:22.680 Joseph McElroy: musicians are there 10 foot tall oh yeah I want them to watch oh yeah you see there, so people you definitely should make a pilgrimage there.

00:28:24.180 –> 00:28:31.740 Joseph McElroy: is surprising people don’t realize how long a sound that that will make and that’s why people develop a years ago they didn’t have money to go out and buy things that.

00:28:32.370 –> 00:28:50.400 Joseph McElroy: improvised just like my good friend, David holds things on my album you know, David term Doc Watson about 14 years and David plays he plays a number of different instruments on his show when we’re doing live shows he played paper bag and plays spoons like bones slugger.

00:28:51.900 –> 00:28:56.220 Joseph McElroy: ization improvisation music over the years of development me.

00:28:57.780 –> 00:29:02.190 Joseph McElroy: Well, we have to take another break now, when we come back we’ll talk about some of your out straight.

00:31:08.700 –> 00:31:18.690 Joseph McElroy: howdy this is Joseph Franklin McElroy back with the Gateway to the smokies podcasts and My guest Richard Hurley, so Richard you’ve got two albums out right?

00:31:19.440 –> 00:31:29.760 Joseph McElroy: Can you tell me about your first project was what my mountains by sounds so project called my mountains my songs and I can hold it up to the camera and those people watch it there.

00:31:32.640 –> 00:31:46.470 Joseph McElroy: We started out with the old for the song which I mentioned I’ve written back in the quarterback in 81 I thought well Okay, this is 2013 just a few years later I bought a new cut a record over 30 years or so yeah all right yeah like it’s in.

00:31:47.520 –> 00:31:50.430 Joseph McElroy: Your cadence or is this musical okay yeah.

00:31:53.190 –> 00:32:04.590 Joseph McElroy: I have written a bunch of songs over the years and just take them back in the files and whatnot so I’m sad pull them out and see what we can do with them, so I called a that holds a date I’m thinking about doing an album 20.

00:32:05.760 –> 00:32:12.990 Joseph McElroy: Some recommendations well, you need to call josh to go forth josh go forth his genius musician the literature Madison county.

00:32:13.620 –> 00:32:19.140 Joseph McElroy: He played all mile they played the lead guitar the rhythm guitar banjo the base the mandolin and fiddle.

00:32:19.680 –> 00:32:29.940 Joseph McElroy: Allah and woven together oh wow so so that’s how this thing started and we put these 15 songs on here with the old for a song being a bonus track, one of the.

00:32:30.300 –> 00:32:41.580 Joseph McElroy: One of the ones you look at the reward thing here that North Carolina society of historians actually gave me a reward the reward for the historical significance of the project.

00:32:42.330 –> 00:32:51.450 Joseph McElroy: And there’s a song on here about the cold mountain bottom and crash oh yeah a lot of people saw the coal mountain movie, in the end, it was written by Charles Fraser.

00:32:51.840 –> 00:32:57.300 Joseph McElroy: Franklin who has connections back to my hometown Cantonese model from their reason anyway.

00:32:58.260 –> 00:33:08.640 Joseph McElroy: So the thing, most people don’t realize, is that all Friday the 13th September 46 a beat 25 bomber was coming from Detroit to Tampa.

00:33:09.180 –> 00:33:25.800 Joseph McElroy: And crashed into the topical mountain Mr bell about 150 feet, they call the Tower at that time in Bristol Tennessee, and so they wanted to go visual So be careful because of kind of nasty and rainy down there the next thing you know lamb youngest general near a core to sergeants to kernels.

00:33:27.060 –> 00:33:29.250 Joseph McElroy: Imagine what that was like Crusoe big.

00:33:30.360 –> 00:33:41.310 Joseph McElroy: yeah so a lady named George ron’s cannon is deceased now she wrote a book about it and back about I guess was in 2012 I saw this book in the movies books here and label.

00:33:41.820 –> 00:33:51.270 Joseph McElroy: And I got to look at so Now I know some of these and I read the book and I remembered hearing about it because, as a kid my late brother point over there and mountain across from where I grew up so that’s that.

00:33:51.840 –> 00:34:03.990 Joseph McElroy: that’s plane crash okay fine my scoutmaster you talk, Okay, but it never text on the hack up there, so I went up the mountain couldn’t find confining it crashed evidence is all in picked oh.

00:34:05.130 –> 00:34:10.890 Joseph McElroy: Really, I wrote the song, so I got doors to a guy named.

00:34:14.460 –> 00:34:22.080 Joseph McElroy: Having everything or guy helped me out down the road Moody help me out with this make sure my atma factor accurate.

00:34:22.740 –> 00:34:34.290 Joseph McElroy: So, then, we recorded that song and Doris simplest thing to the north county historical society and they basically this whole thing because I got some other historic going on about the slides ago for over a year and i’ve got some other.

00:34:34.770 –> 00:34:44.460 Joseph McElroy: songs similar and they gave you the historical and okay yeah I want to know why people get that but it’s still a nice it’s nice to get it yes.

00:34:45.930 –> 00:34:49.980 Joseph McElroy: it’s not a participation prize it actually does work.

00:34:51.540 –> 00:34:53.370 Joseph McElroy: yeah exactly exactly.

00:34:54.660 –> 00:34:58.830 Joseph McElroy: So you have you gotta go you gotta know saw you got a real a.

00:34:59.340 –> 00:35:07.080 Joseph McElroy: Real it’s real work, so you got a good thing, so this one, this one came out 13 and josh these musics is famous for singing swan the engineer, I mean he knows what he’s doing.

00:35:07.950 –> 00:35:21.060 Joseph McElroy: His fifth year so fast forward to 2021 I came out of this album fleet song Cataloochee, which is you know you know music to my heart to them now you alleys.

00:35:21.510 –> 00:35:25.650 Joseph McElroy: Post account Lucy Lucy bow they’ve got the elk and everything else so.

00:35:26.160 –> 00:35:26.760 Joseph McElroy: So tell us.

00:35:27.000 –> 00:35:35.130 Joseph McElroy: Tell us the story of this one, the backstory is that there’s a guy named Steve what he’s a friend of mine, and he is a descendant of the old woody family, the life back in capital h.

00:35:35.190 –> 00:35:43.800 Joseph McElroy: er and Steve one time there nationally known each other for years, he said, I said I understand you’re having your big reunion coming up having here like first second weekend in August.

00:35:44.100 –> 00:35:49.920 Joseph McElroy: Is yeah why don’t you come about gifts, so now let’s do that because I never been reading i’ve been Cataloochee

00:35:50.310 –> 00:36:02.130 Joseph McElroy: So I went to the reunion and he got monitors church service there and during the shirts or is he going to do some politicians, then introduced me and said somebody might know Richard you know to pay with boy write songs just.

00:36:02.760 –> 00:36:05.370 Joseph McElroy: said, I think he already song that Kevin did you, what do you all.

00:36:08.460 –> 00:36:09.360 Joseph McElroy: feel blackmailing.

00:36:11.250 –> 00:36:12.090 Joseph McElroy: wrote a song about.

00:36:13.890 –> 00:36:25.710 Joseph McElroy: This research on it and the song and then he asked me to come play it, so I went back and played what that was 19 in August of 19 I played it live at church service oh that’s Nice.

00:36:26.310 –> 00:36:35.370 Joseph McElroy: I don’t mean this to sound right people got emotional I got it I got emotional I don’t know which one i’m Scott materials.

00:36:36.900 –> 00:36:46.710 Joseph McElroy: emotional standing there and then I said i’m going to have to record it so we record it and got us some different players on this, some of the phone you got some great people on this.

00:36:47.280 –> 00:36:53.670 Joseph McElroy: I mean, these are credible yeah TIM CERT and Darren Nicholson, both with balsam range or on their tone increases.

00:36:54.150 –> 00:37:01.620 Joseph McElroy: percussionist that works these kind of movement else’s grammar need work to Glen Campbell waylon are not waiting merle haggard and.

00:37:02.010 –> 00:37:12.060 Joseph McElroy: James Taylor some of those guys and then, of course, David holds on Bobby hicks won a grammy with ricky skaggs the same time that mark did and RON said another little boy.

00:37:12.600 –> 00:37:19.470 Joseph McElroy: So he’s a 10 time grammy award actually bring to get him to help us out thanks to my buddy so we got some.

00:37:20.010 –> 00:37:31.260 Joseph McElroy: Pretty heavy hitters not a dedicated this album to my old friend Ray M and fairchild there you go but he’s got the cattle he song and it’s got a number of other so there’s one song on there you got the legend of losing weight.

00:37:32.400 –> 00:37:39.600 Joseph McElroy: This week, there is Buddhism, can you give us a short version of what that is not sure what is a boogeyman.

00:37:40.110 –> 00:37:44.100 Joseph McElroy: is actually a story that goes back in the legend goes back in the 1800s.

00:37:44.370 –> 00:37:54.150 Joseph McElroy: And up like Logan which used to be on a champion paper back in the old days you had a little boogeyman cave in there is big picture of the boogeyman which is now in the in the downtown teflon.

00:37:54.630 –> 00:38:05.010 Joseph McElroy: Remember yeah so patch mathers was the Mayor of can now he was he’s been Mayor of can he called me up so we’re going to the festival about food too much come in and see if I said to.

00:38:05.430 –> 00:38:17.400 Joseph McElroy: And I said we’ll go around song about it, so we wrote record a song called the legend of the blue, and it’s all about the history of the book eight foot shaggy and eight foot tall and Shay you catch you move from.

00:38:18.570 –> 00:38:21.480 Joseph McElroy: That it was it was that a big thing in canton.

00:38:22.710 –> 00:38:36.570 Joseph McElroy: Where there was a bigger because he doesn’t really remember, since he was in 1616 2016 so the legend came up with us from played the song, I wrote the song for that festival it only had that one year didn’t.

00:38:37.650 –> 00:38:46.920 Joseph McElroy: see that didn’t happen after that, but you know the songs the songs on there and there’s a guy named Dave Johnson place about 20 different instruments it’s quite.

00:38:47.400 –> 00:39:02.220 Joseph McElroy: Another local board down so that old for somewhere plays a mean plays everything he did all the music God and it came out pretty well and there’s The thing is that when when i’ve given this to folks to original head is a single the kids get into this any kid.

00:39:04.590 –> 00:39:11.850 Joseph McElroy: I guess it’s the sound of the name boom oh yeah with it, but the story was a he had a penchant for two things he liked to go.

00:39:12.390 –> 00:39:20.400 Joseph McElroy: He would hide out in the Bush is he was he was he was haven’t counted version of victory right yeah see it out our leads there and he’d see the girls and their.

00:39:21.240 –> 00:39:30.720 Joseph McElroy: Different pools, and then he said, the thing was he likes to go out and found all these precious stones and he had a cave and he’d go take them to that came storming or liquid jugs to fill them up many chat.

00:39:31.620 –> 00:39:41.880 Joseph McElroy: Those two things so one day is how man is this young girls she’s in the cooler swim and she sees the Buddha in their eyes walk and they fall in love.

00:39:42.690 –> 00:39:49.470 Joseph McElroy: They get married and they go back to the mountains, but he still had to go out look for all these precious stones so she would get it out.

00:39:51.870 –> 00:40:01.650 Joseph McElroy: Get lonely and share the harder for him and he had a holler back to the power till they came together and her name is Andy okay therefore came the word good man.

00:40:04.440 –> 00:40:07.860 Joseph McElroy: that’s Barclays really knows he’s a hooter.

00:40:10.050 –> 00:40:19.470 Joseph McElroy: So that’s all in the song the legend wow that’s that’s a little tears a boogeyman yeah drinking booze and talking about losing this guy this.

00:40:20.850 –> 00:40:23.160 Joseph McElroy: is given given oh i’m going to yeah.

00:40:24.240 –> 00:40:29.370 Joseph McElroy: What is some of the other favorite songs is the one I think I think about the question.

00:40:30.030 –> 00:40:45.780 Joseph McElroy: I think about some of the historic stuff is vascular marlins for Dino that name and he was he was the the minstrel the appalachians he was born on the campus plus now Marshall university and he started our mountain dance folk festival in 1928 and actual.

00:40:47.010 –> 00:40:55.800 Joseph McElroy: Madison county ashbury it’s the longest running folk festival in America well in America have you been on the board of that too right well i’m on the advisory.

00:40:56.310 –> 00:41:06.510 Joseph McElroy: Playing there, and you see there yeah i’m involved with it for years and years but pete seeger came down to learn about the banjo from Boston the marlins for.

00:41:07.020 –> 00:41:20.220 Joseph McElroy: pete seeger many of fans who know the music fans know he had that long neck banjo story was he got that from Boston oh so i’ve got a tribute to baskin here on on my album that I want other songs.

00:41:21.480 –> 00:41:27.300 Joseph McElroy: i’ve got one on this placement about is called god’s special children and it’s about special needs kids oh.

00:41:28.530 –> 00:41:34.950 Joseph McElroy: I was doing some volunteer work already worth and Center over ashfall which should help special needs kids and.

00:41:35.250 –> 00:41:40.950 Joseph McElroy: A lady i’ve worked with came in and she said, well, you did so i’m going to volunteer what are you doing here she’s talking pick up my son.

00:41:41.460 –> 00:41:52.020 Joseph McElroy: And this was years actually both retired and our flashback and remember she has a son named our special needs kid adding them in the next mourners Christmas Eve.

00:41:52.530 –> 00:42:02.040 Joseph McElroy: And I woke up and I wrote the song called god’s special children, and I remember as a kid my mom used to say, and she lived to be rather than one she used to say.

00:42:02.850 –> 00:42:10.350 Joseph McElroy: If you’d see you know, a special needs child she’s it will sound Those are just god’s special tool well that just made everything everything.

00:42:11.340 –> 00:42:20.010 Joseph McElroy: That so we did God special to integrate at our producer was able to pull in a later that same with me on that harmonizing you read it came out pretty well.

00:42:20.820 –> 00:42:37.440 Joseph McElroy: Actually we’ve got goodness the number of the things I don’t call the leaning sound about what about columns guitars i’ve got one about monocle house burnett he was he was a great storyteller and fox theater okay now tell me Bob and his plot.

00:42:38.730 –> 00:42:52.680 Joseph McElroy: State dogs, we all know that fox fox fox fox hunting, the thing, but my grandfather was a lousy he loved the Walker have the upper hand the latter house and I guarantee that we’ve known each other yeah.

00:42:53.730 –> 00:43:04.590 Joseph McElroy: Big talks louder so I had written a song about him back in the 70s and I pulled out my files and revising David told plays washboard on it, and this David Johnson did some music.

00:43:05.100 –> 00:43:12.870 Joseph McElroy: I said, you know we need some dog barks on this supposed to do is lackey do that and they weren’t you and he put dog barks we’re.

00:43:14.100 –> 00:43:19.890 Joseph McElroy: Going on the mountain gotta go gotta go home because he’s house burns, and he grew.

00:43:22.050 –> 00:43:23.430 Joseph McElroy: up so we let the dogs.

00:43:26.040 –> 00:43:36.690 Joseph McElroy: favorite their local flow but we’re gonna have to take another break here and come back we’ll finish up with some of the other things to do and how you can help people get the CDS right all right.

00:45:37.980 –> 00:45:45.240 Joseph McElroy: Howdy this is Joseph Franklyn McElroy back with the Gateway to the Smokies Podcast and my guest Richard Hurley, So, Richard.

00:45:45.810 –> 00:45:52.560 Joseph McElroy: You were born and raised in Canton but now you live in Asheville your most of your life so yeah why just stick in Asheville for?

00:45:52.950 –> 00:46:03.210 Joseph McElroy: Well, I just love the mountains, like your intro when you’re talking about your hotel and the great smoky mountains and the fishing stream all those things you talked about it’s made me realize how fortunate I am to

00:46:04.260 –> 00:46:05.460 Joseph McElroy: stay here in Asheville.

00:46:06.540 –> 00:46:13.500 Joseph McElroy: Western North Carolina you know a lot of volunteer activities I’m involved with taking all across Western North Carolina but.

00:46:13.890 –> 00:46:24.060 Joseph McElroy: I thought there was a time to do my career, I was gonna have to leave and move to another location or leasing company and do something else, and I was blessed lucky that I didn’t have them leave.

00:46:24.450 –> 00:46:31.920 Joseph McElroy: How do you like, how Asheville grown, oh I see it really changed and scrolled a lot, and this is an interesting place that’s.

00:46:32.460 –> 00:46:37.770 Joseph McElroy: what’s that sort of a music city right? yeah, there’s a lot of you know, the best years on every corner seemed like that.

00:46:38.520 –> 00:46:47.850 Joseph McElroy: You know, we have a couple of events of advanced downtown like the shindig on the green which I also wrote a song about on the first album we have shindig on the green in front of the courthouse there on Saturday nights.

00:46:47.970 –> 00:46:59.880 Joseph McElroy: These seven Saturday nights during the summer in fact we’ll start this coming Saturday seven to 10 freebies right people bring a lawn chair or blanket and spread out there and they sit three hours, and we have all these musicians to come in.

00:47:00.330 –> 00:47:09.750 Joseph McElroy: I’m going from deep in the hollers and some bones wherever square dance teams and all that and a lot of the greats like mark for it and Brian session, you know the hottest guitar player.

00:47:10.200 –> 00:47:19.770 Joseph McElroy: In Ashville, I things the number one call guy over there and studios he cut his teeth or they’ve known split tons of big names play at home, Shindig on the green stage.

00:47:20.700 –> 00:47:27.720 Joseph McElroy: But I know you’ve been involved with a lot of those different revenue festivals you’re involved with bells here right.

00:47:28.740 –> 00:47:40.830 Joseph McElroy: I wrote a song about that I know I saw that I was wondering what happened, the bell share it just finally ran its course really started in 1979, yeah and I don’t remember what year it.

00:47:41.700 –> 00:47:50.550 Joseph McElroy: folded video is a great festival, I mean how many times, do you walk down the street of Main Street drinking beer and eating a hot dog or whatever, and all this great entertainment oh my gosh.

00:47:51.150 –> 00:47:58.080 Joseph McElroy: Is it that Doc and nice to have Skaggs and a lot of the big nice fact I mentioned a number of them in my song really yeah.

00:47:59.010 –> 00:48:12.000 Joseph McElroy: So give people the flavor of what that was it was a special sort of vessel that folks got to get it back and 79 to have a street party with a sound about a phone on the phone or something different than normal kind of fair that got together got shows together and started a bill share.

00:48:13.710 –> 00:48:21.240 Joseph McElroy: me just a beautiful life yeah the kids you grant end wife, which feed on the street, when the sun goes down music in the air and actually.

00:48:21.960 –> 00:48:31.080 Joseph McElroy: There you go, of course, well you’ve been involved with a number of what other what other your favorite festivals well, those are pretty much it on ice.

00:48:31.770 –> 00:48:37.380 Joseph McElroy: least try to go see Doc every time you come around I never played I played on the same show waiting one day out the.

00:48:37.770 –> 00:48:45.180 Joseph McElroy: monster festival that marciel that’s another big festival the basketball marlins, for it was the only festival, is he would let us his name.

00:48:46.140 –> 00:48:59.220 Joseph McElroy: And it started, I think, somewhere, back in the 60s and 70s, but it was a Mars hill moving on bringing a lot of evil talent back in Madison county and other Mecca for musicians so that’s a great fast.

00:49:00.480 –> 00:49:14.160 Joseph McElroy: But I never I never got to play on the stage leap, but I did REP with chat room some backstage few few times on some of these programs but but tell us about the mountain DAS it falls fast again it’s the granddaddy of all focused.

00:49:15.300 –> 00:49:24.600 Joseph McElroy: that’s the one yeah other venues what Ben is like the cholesterol killer well you know I like to go to some of the things that happened at the.

00:49:25.080 –> 00:49:31.920 Joseph McElroy: Civic Center and some of the problems that happen there, and like you know, let us go back to see balsam range I’ve introduced those guys sometimes.

00:49:32.370 –> 00:49:47.850 Joseph McElroy: Of course, my friend at work for those guys to the studio and he worked with the Steve can you arrange boy is not allowed, but anything in these venues that like your met your Maggie valley festival grounds here on some programs there and I played there actually one time.

00:49:52.860 –> 00:49:53.700 Joseph McElroy: promote myself.

00:49:57.120 –> 00:50:12.840 Joseph McElroy: I did a fair amount of volunteer work I go to Assisted Living Binion’s places like that and people call me I go to a program they can come to a pool party that’s not my opinion, without being a concert you got pretty much listen to the lyrics yeah right just.

00:50:14.010 –> 00:50:24.120 Joseph McElroy: Because what so somebody coming to Western North Carolina asheville every county what you put in some things they shouldn’t miss shindig on the green, they should not miss that.

00:50:24.660 –> 00:50:34.470 Joseph McElroy: that’s every every Saturday night not ever said that we break for the mountain dance folk festival start the 25th this it’s always the first weekend around the fourth of July.

00:50:35.070 –> 00:50:49.830 Joseph McElroy: 25 of June, this time, and then we have starting second on through the break for the things of the sixth of August basketball we said, our focus was always the first weekend long about sundown.

00:50:51.180 –> 00:50:55.710 Joseph McElroy: What i’m saying is OK, for you folks were watch mean seven o’clock yeah.

00:50:57.030 –> 00:51:13.050 Joseph McElroy: So that’s a must see there yeah of course they’ll share was pulling that was that was but there, there are a lot of fans out there that probably need to get around go visit some of them haven’t visited all me I like the orange peel myself yeah.

00:51:14.250 –> 00:51:23.040 Joseph McElroy: I did my bell share something there when when a buddy mine was chairing the camp chair and bill share asked me to come play it so we did that kind of kick it off.

00:51:23.850 –> 00:51:35.100 Joseph McElroy: I just saw like 11 I think in New York City winery but he was also at the art of appeal to the Glasgow plays he plays a callings guitar that’s brand new guitar and I played.

00:51:35.700 –> 00:51:45.990 Joseph McElroy: college to the dishes mark i’ve got a song called the column guitar song oh really are you are you do, do you have a, you said you have a collection guitar.

00:51:48.210 –> 00:51:50.790 Joseph McElroy: Like like nobody’s saying you can’t have too many guitar.

00:51:52.950 –> 00:52:02.160 Joseph McElroy: When I wrote this song about the colonies that’s your favorite yeah it’s like the head of me my servers back 34 years I said, good bass print my name and she had severe.

00:52:02.520 –> 00:52:09.930 Joseph McElroy: will spend it on the new and follow this new and following a hot rod car, no, no thing so good rather have a college, maybe.

00:52:11.730 –> 00:52:12.420 Joseph McElroy: Not kick off.

00:52:14.760 –> 00:52:20.010 Joseph McElroy: spent many years, making money and then decided to buy a hotel yeah That was a better.

00:52:21.750 –> 00:52:36.150 Joseph McElroy: guitar yeah well, it was all the time I bought it because yeah yeah being home homestead and big ideas have been doing things with it now it’s become something else, but I did get to touch Tony Tony robbins guitar when they.

00:52:37.440 –> 00:52:38.010 Joseph McElroy: got to reach over.

00:52:39.960 –> 00:52:51.630 Joseph McElroy: Well, how did How do people buy your albums well not my website and I was hoping might go take a look the websites Richard hurley he already why returning music.com.

00:52:52.050 –> 00:53:00.660 Joseph McElroy: And the various tabs if they work through the tabs their maintenance places to pursue them and also my two videos are on that video about Kevin lynch.

00:53:01.410 –> 00:53:10.380 Joseph McElroy: saw with all the beautiful pictures pictures make hundreds and i’m pretty sure not together a video there’s a video about shindig on the green locally.

00:53:11.370 –> 00:53:18.360 Joseph McElroy: leverage books here in waynesville strange for music Scott my album and can you get the picture of a mercantile maddie.

00:53:19.170 –> 00:53:34.860 Joseph McElroy: actually got the Chamber of Commerce over there, but the average American music.com can lead you in the first place, and you have your Facebook or anything like Facebook, to look you up there yeah alright cool well yeah Thank you very much for.

00:53:36.570 –> 00:53:49.920 Joseph McElroy: appreciate it, and you know it’s just it’s fun to come up with a song strikes you something happens that makes you want around a song it just feels really good you get it recorded.

00:53:51.090 –> 00:53:58.440 Joseph McElroy: she’s got a great show here I want you to be here what’s nice about the smokies and the culture and everything, are you better than that.

00:53:59.640 –> 00:54:00.000 Joseph McElroy: and

00:54:01.350 –> 00:54:06.390 Joseph McElroy: my daughter just walk well hey there, this is the gateway to the spotify asked why do.

00:54:06.870 –> 00:54:14.700 Joseph McElroy: You want to be on the show the show here my daughter’s on this show is the gateway to the post focus podcast you can find out more about us at.

00:54:15.270 –> 00:54:27.150 Joseph McElroy: Facebook COM says gateway to the smokies podcast and we’re on the talk radio dot nyc network, which is a live podcast network with blocks of.

00:54:27.690 –> 00:54:35.400 Joseph McElroy: Everyday alive podcasts that, ranging from small business to travel to self help to any number of things, but it’s a really good network.

00:54:35.790 –> 00:54:49.800 Joseph McElroy: If you like listening to podcast I would recommend you take a listen to some of the other shows all of us that work, I actually have another podcast on this network called wise content creators well, but we talked about you know, using modern content marketing practices.

00:54:52.950 –> 00:55:01.140 Joseph McElroy: To help your business so that’s on Fridays from noon until one, so I appreciate it that’s an interesting you’re just looking at us look us up, but this podcast.

00:55:01.500 –> 00:55:16.470 Joseph McElroy: Is every Tuesday from six until seven we talked about the smoky mountains and hey we’re county actual and Tennessee even and things to do, and things and doing the culture and the people that are here so take a take a look look up come back again.