Pre-order the book: Madison County, NC - Vol 01: Spring Creek https://www.millionmemoryproject.org/spring-creek

8th-generation Madison County ballad singer Donna Ray Norton joins WNC HeartBEAT to explore how music preserves family history and why the Appalachian Memory Project (AMP) is gathering oral histories across Western North Carolina. Donna Ray traces her lineage in Sodom Laurel, reflects on Cecil Sharp’s 1916 song collecting, and explains how AMP’s Spring Creek Book and digital archive capture authentic local voices—stories of school days, pine-tree “zip lines,” the bookmobile, and the work songs that stitched community together. We discuss the craft of ballad singing, the neuroscience-friendly link between music and memory, honoring elders, and how communities can host Memory Days or support future volumes. If you care about Appalachian culture, mountain music, oral history, or place-based storytelling, this conversation shows how remembering can build a stronger future.

Watch the full video episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/wNCKPtwuMAw

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Follow AMP on their socials @appalachianmemoryproject

Follow the show for more expert interviews, community stories, and deep dives into Western North Carolina’s culture and creativity!

In this episode of WNC HeartBEAT, hosts Anna Robas and Ali Tisdall talk with Alice McVey, one of the driving forces behind the new Spring Creek Office for Rural Economic Development (SCORED!).

Alice shares how years of community collaboration, grant partnerships, and vision turned a rural school building into a modern business hub — complete with coworking spaces, private offices, tele-health booths, and an education-ready classroom. This project represents a new chapter for Western North Carolina’s rural economy, connecting people, resources, and opportunity right here in Spring Creek.

Follow WNC HeartBEAT for more interviews with the people shaping the future of WNC — from local leaders and educators to entrepreneurs and artists.

Watch the full video episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/90twlJsXj3Q

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In the folds of the Blue Ridge Mountains, a quiet revolution is underway. What was once a forgotten schoolhouse in Spring Creek, North Carolina, is becoming something extraordinary — a living, breathing heartbeat of a rural community reinventing itself. In this episode, hosts Ali Tisdall and Anna Robas pull back the curtain on what it really takes to bring new life to an old place — where grit, vision, and mountain time collide.

Inside this episode:

• A schoolhouse reborn as the beating heart of a rural town
• How a single storm united neighbors — and sparked a movement
• The hidden power of volunteers and visionaries
• Why Spring Creek might just be a blueprint for rural revival

Follow WNC HeartBEAT for more immersive stories of resilience, reinvention, and the people keeping Western North Carolina alive.
Watch the full video episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@wncheartbeat
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When Hurricane Helene struck Hot Springs, NC, it wasn’t just the streets and homes that were washed away — entire memories were at risk of being lost. In this powerful WNC HeartBEAT episode, host Ali Tisdall sits down with Kevin Reese, community organizer and founder of Rebuild Hot Springs, to uncover how a town rebuilt itself one story at a time.

Kevin recounts the day Helene overtook Bridge Street in broad daylight, the urgency of daily 11 a.m. recovery meetings, and how neighbors became lifelines when the outside world was cut off. He also shares the creation of Through Our Eyes, a community photo book that documents the disaster and resilience of Hot Springs, and the major strides made since — from grassroots organizing to securing a $10M infrastructure grant.

This episode is more than a local story — it’s a blueprint for small-town recovery, memory preservation, and the power of community in times of crisis.

🎧 Follow WNC HeartBEAT on Spotify and Apple Podcasts for more inspiring interviews and first-hand stories from across Western North Carolina.

📖 Support the recovery by getting your copy of the book here: http://rebuildhotsprings.org/book

In this episode of WNC Heartbeat, Barbie and Ed Johnson share the incredible story of Mission Sheds. What began in Western North Carolina as a way to help families after disaster has grown into a worldwide volunteer movement. From the first shed delivered in Marshall to global teams of helpers, Mission Sheds shows how ordinary people can create extraordinary impact.

To help support Mission Sheds, please visit: https://givebutter.com/9AcYL0 

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Among the ridges and valleys of Western North Carolina, the land doesn’t just shape the view — it shapes the people. In our debut episode of WNC Heartbeat, Ali and Anna peel back the layers of small-town resilience, where every story holds both beauty and hardship.

✨ In this episode, you’ll hear:

• The night Hurricane Helene changed everything — and the unexpected place where neighbors gathered.
• How two strangers became friends in the middle of chaos.
• Why living in Spring Creek means learning to endure, adapt, and build together.
• The hidden strength of mountain communities that outsiders rarely see.

🔊 Subscribe to WNC Heartbeat on Spotify and Apple Podcasts for more immersive stories of resilience, ingenuity, and heart from Western North Carolina.

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🌄 Our very first episode of WNC Heartbeat is live!

From the quiet valleys of Spring Creek to the chaos of Hurricane Helene, this debut conversation between Ali & Anna dives deep into what it means to live, rebuild, and find community in Western North Carolina.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

✅ Memories of Hurricane Helene and the first steps toward recovery
✅ Stories of resilience, neighbors helping neighbors, and finding connection in crisis
✅ Why the mountains shape not just the landscape — but the people who call them home

👉 Watch the full episode on YouTube now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZbTO1f3rus

Next week, don’t miss our interview with Mission Sheds, sharing the incredible work they’re doing as part of the rebuild after Helene.