Marked for Life

Folk artist Abe Partridge, spurred by the Covid lockdowns, pursued Signs Following songs for six long years. 

These songs (which mention the handling of serpents and consumption of deadly poisons) have been performed for decades by the "serpent handlers" of the Appalachians.

At a music festival in Kentucky, Abe Partridge – along with podcasting buddy Ferrill Gibbs – attempt to document these songs live, using a professional recording engineer. (Ryan Engelberger, Chase Park Transduction. Athens, GA.)

The service opens with Sister Dootsie Rose. Then, a five-member band – led by co-pastors Andrew and Taylor Hamblin – takes the stage. 

The serpent-handling group of veteran musicians perform decades-old songs before an audience of more than 200 festival goers.

Abe's effort to record undocumented music becomes something greater. A public act of worship, captured pristinely by a group of professionals, gives the secular audience a glimpse of a faith as devout as they come.

Visit A.A.R.T. (the Alabama Astronaut Radio Transmission) for a 10-episode podcast following Abe into the world of undocumented folk art...

Dalton Mills, narrator of Marked for Life, also shares the same hometown of Middlesboro, KY, with Cody and the Coots family. 

In this episode, he offers a "crater's-eye" view of the unique town, sharing his perspective on the serpent handlers and how actually they are perceived by the people of east Kentucky.

Want to hear more about this subject? We have a podcast called Alabama Astronaut at alabamaastronaut.com detailing the recording session that Cody described in Episode 30 of Marked for Life, "The Ballad of Ol' Lemonhead."

Thanks for listening!

Cody mounts a defense for the people of the faith.

Even with years of sinning copiously, he noticed many of the faithful remained steadfast and pure, particularly one man from Alabama who lived his faith to perfection: watching no TV, "doctoring" for nothing, and clean shaven. He also had no Facebook, too.

Some of the revered believers, however, reports Cody – the ones who performed all the signs – were actually full of the devil all along.

"Not everything that shines is gold," he concludes about the serpent handlers.

Cody returns after two years to compose a final chapter of this memoir, Marked for Life.

"I thought writing this book would be like therapy," he said. "But then, I got my eyes off God."

Cody explains his beliefs, and how they are properly demonstrated. (At one time, he "learned" how to do them, manufacturing miracles. But this way, Cody says, the Signs are accomplished to edify God...)

 Cassy is pregnant. But Cody, though excited, gets a bad feeling one Thursday when she goes to the doctor for a checkup...

A stranger, an artist and ex-fundamentalist preacher from Alabama, is interested in Cody's Signs-following songs. He reaches out.

"These have never been documented before," the stranger says. "Would you and Cassy mind singing a few into my handheld recorder?"

A relationship begins. It leads to a Nashville-produced album of Cody and Cassy, called the "Coots Duo."

(For more, the Alabama Astronaut Podcast features Abe Partridge, Ferrill Gibbs, and characters from Marked for Life in a music-related setting.)

Cody tires of life in Middlesboro.

He tells Cassy, "Let's move in with your folks in Berea." 

So they do.

Freshly settled, a snake attacks Cody in the snake room out back.

Meanwhile, a global pandemic threatens the region. It begins stretching out to every holler in east Kentucky. 

Cody rages outside the church, and it's all Shelton's fault he can never be saved!

Afterward, Cody and his friends caravan. They pray for him at his house. Somebody speaks in tongues; another lays hands on Cody's shoulder.

Another picks up the family bible from where it lay on the floor, there blocking "Nina" from entering the den.

"Miracles," writes Cody, "happened that night." 

Out-of-work Cody Coots is barely scraping by. Now, he turns to the one trade he knows best: snake trading in the great state of Kentucky, USA.

He also tries ridding the household of Nina by making a deal with the devil. "I want some of what you've got, Devil," says Cody.

Of course, such a deal always comes with a price.

One season of torment ensues until a voice says, "Cody, you and Cassy will go to Church Saturday, and Cassy will give her heart back to God."

Cassy moves in with Cody, only to find an unexpected houseguest: "Nina."

Together, the newly minted duo drives the streets of Middlesboro escaping Nina, staying out until daybreak, staying far away from home for as long as they can.

Meanwhile, Nina gets worse day by day...