Stay ConnectedWelcome to “Stories of Appalachia,” the podcast where hosts Steve Gilly and Rod Mullins have been unraveling the captivating history and folklore of the Appalachian region since 2015. Join them as they guide you through mist-covered mountains and winding rivers, exploring the stories that define the heart and soul of Appalachia.
www.storiesofappalachia.com
Copyright: © Copyright Steve Gilly
A few weeks ago, Rod caught up with the son of Pound, Virginia, native and U2 spy plane pilot Francis Gary Powers, who has a new book out about his father. Todays podcast contains Rod’s interview with Francis Gary Powers, Jr. Enjoy! You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play or on […]
During World War I, the Germans managed to get Russia out of the fighting by helping communist rebels seize power and overthrow the Russian czar. Did you know that Germany tried to do the same in America? And that this was supposed to start in the coalfields of Appalachia, in Southwest Virginia?
Today we tell the story of William McCoy and John Phipps, two men who attempted to organize an insurrection against the United States over conscription during the first World War.
Thanks for listening.
Forty years ago this week convicted assassin of Martin Luther King, Jr., James Earl Ray, along with several other men managed to break out of Brushy Mountain State Prison in Petros, Tennessee. Today we tell the story of that escape. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher or on your […]
What would you do if, all of a sudden, flakes of animal flesh started to fall around you? That’s just what happened to an Eastern Kentucky family in 1876 when meat began raining out of the blue Appalachian sky. Today we tell the story of the Kentucky meat shower. You can subscribe to the podcast […]
Today we tell the story of Rotherwood Mansion in Kingsport, Tennessee, a story of the frontier, of love, of loss, of ghosts and a surprising connection to someone you might have heard of. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Play or on your favorite podcast app. We’re on Twitter @storyappalachia […]
25 years ago East Tennessee was abuzz with news of a serial killer. Today, Steve and Rod tell the story of Thomas Huskey, also known as the Zoo Man, who was tried for a murder spree in Knox County. Or maybe it was Kyle…or Daxx… For you see, this killer came with a twist: multiple […]
Today we tell the sad story of the American opioid epidemic and how it got its start right here in Appalachia. We’re on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher or on your favorite podcast app. Thanks for listening. (Picture by 51fifty at the English language Wikipedia [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or CC BY-SA 2.5 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5)], via Wikimedia Commons)
In the latter part of the 18th century a family settled along the New River in what’s now Wythe County, Virginia, and began to operate a lead mine there. The area to this day bears the name of that family, as Austinville. And one member left Appalachia to found a new nation in the West […]
The first settler in the Nashville area was a man from Appalachia who was one part historical figure and two parts legend. Thomas Spencer came over the Appalachian Mountains to Middle Tennessee during the American Revolution and became known for his kindness, his extreme strength and, curiously, the size of his feet. Today, Steve and […]
On March 9, 1949, two young men who were drinking in the bar of the Ambassador passenger train just outside Martinsburg, West Virginia, got into an argument with the bartender over their tab. One thing led to another, and soon these two were on the run after robbing the passengers of their valuables. Today we […]
Our TOPPODCAST Picks 
