The poignant voices of gospel music seem to rise from the soil of eastern North Carolina. The genre's lineage is as rooted to the land as the crops growing in its fields.

Written by Mark Kemp

Listen as the pages of the magazine come to life in the Storytellers podcast, a new series featuring the voices of six Our State writers, including Editor in Chief Elizabeth Hudson. Each podcast episode features a writer reading their column aloud, allowing each distinct voice to shine. You can experience Our State wherever you go — in the car, on your walk, or while cooking dinner.