Appalachia Book Company Launches Blood Roots Podcast Series
We're excited to announce that Appalachia Book Company is embarking on an innovative new podcast project that brings traditional Appalachian ballads to life through dramatic storytelling. This new series builds on our successful 2021 pilot episode featuring "Pretty Polly," which was made possible through the generous support of the West Virginia Humanities Council.
The success of our "Pretty Polly" pilot demonstrated the rich potential for exploring these traditional ballads in a new format. That initial project allowed us to develop our unique approach: combining historical research, musical tradition, and dramatic storytelling to create immersive audio experiences that breathe new life into these timeless songs.
Our new series, Blood Roots, will expand on this foundation, featuring four TBD ballads.
This project represents a natural evolution of Appalachia Book Company's mission to preserve and celebrate the region's rich cultural heritage. By combining traditional storytelling with modern podcast technology, we're creating new ways for audiences to connect with these historic ballads and the communities that kept them alive through generations.
The "Pretty Polly" pilot taught us valuable lessons about:
The power of dramatic interpretation to illuminate these traditional stories
The importance of thorough historical research in contextualizing the ballads
The deep connection between these songs and Appalachian cultural identity
The ongoing relevance of these traditional narratives to modern audiences
We're grateful to the West Virginia Humanities Council for supporting our initial vision, and to our current funders and supporters who are making this expanded series possible. Their belief in the importance of preserving and sharing these musical traditions has enabled us to move forward with this ambitious project.
Stay tuned for updates about our production schedule, live performance dates, and podcast release information. We look forward to sharing these powerful stories with audiences both within Appalachia and beyond.
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