Life In the Carolina's Podcast

Paige Whitley-Bauguess, a local but nationally-acclaimed baroque dancer and musician was so intrigued that she immersed herself in the history and cultural practices of the 18th century, truly recognizing and understanding the emotions and motivations behind baroque music and dance. She talks with Carl about her process as an artist and the energy which captivates the audience and also educates them about this particular art form.

Zack Brewer; attorney by day and band seeker/producer of Sounds and Grounds on nights and weekends. Zack is hoping to broaden the genres represented in the region and bring together the community to experience performances in a cozy atmosphere. Held once per month at Talia Espresso, Zack aims to secure unique and diverse bands to play in downtown North Wilkesboro. In fact, Jim and Kathy have been creating custom coffee drinks for each event, and this is a tradition they hope to continue.

Our guests on this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast are Jim and Kathy Kozak, owners of Talia Espresso on Main Street in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina. After a time of prayer, Kathy felt led to name the business Talia, which has roots that mean “lift me up.” To contribute to the musical community of North Wilkesboro and the region, Talia has begun hosting Sounds and Grounds events once per month, and they are excited to see the impact that these events can have on local culture.

On this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl joins his friend Francene Marie on her home turf to reminisce and discuss her career. Francene Marie has worked in the broadcasting industry for 23 years, and she is notably the first African-American woman to host a program not targeted towards African-Americans. She has dedicated her career to creating a show that is a comfortable place for people to share their stories and a consistent figure in the lives of her listeners.

Carl is joined by 16-year-old Liam Purcell, a talented musician with a passion for playing, writing, and creating music. Liam got his start at the age of 6 learning guitar through the Junior Appalachian Musicians Program. By the time Liam was in 3rd grade, his parents realized his talent needed to be nurtured. This region of the Appalachian mountains is an excellent place to learn about old time and bluegrass music from musicians whose skills and knowledge of music have been passed down for generations.

On this special “Heart Month” episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast, Carl is joined by local cardiologist, Dr. Julian Thomas. Dr. Thomas tells listeners about the three main types of heart disease. Carl shares his own experiences over the past 2 years, from first learning that he had A Fib and sleep apnea through his ongoing treatment.

Bill Evans was inspired by his grandfathers and his uncles to be creative, classy, and functional in designing clothing and furniture, and you could say that he has made a living doing just that. He has made swimsuit coverups for runway shows out of umbrella material, upholstered couches with heavy English wool, and is currently working on updating a cruise liner with marine grade vinyl.

Carl is joined by George Smith, co-founder of the Copper Barrel moonshine distillery in downtown North Wilkesboro. Several years ago, George was a member of the Charlotte Bourbon Club and he became aware that the popularity of craft spirits was on the rise. In Wilkes County he found a resource he didn’t know he needed: Buck Nance. Buck may or may not have been making his own moonshine for the past 50 years and been an active participant in NASCAR during the 1970s and 1980s to that end.

Bob Kogut, a northern native who has proudly called North Carolina home for the past 20+ years. He started his quest for his “holy grail” fiddle that could become his voice by buying, selling, and trading anywhere he could. He was introduced to Bob Bragg, a world-renowned fiddle expert who dedicated his life to repairing and restoring violins that he acquired. Bob B. soon told Bob K. that he was never going to find the perfect fiddle until he built it himself, so that’s what he set out to do.

As an adolescent, Chris Hartley’s parents took him to American historical sites and encouraged his love for history and reading through books. Chris’ first book came about out of curiosity. He wondered if there was a bigger story behind the historical marker in front of the North Wilkesboro hospital, and it turns out that General James B. Gordon had quite a story indeed. Several years later, he revised and republished another edition of this book under the same name: “Stuart’s Tarheels”.

There are 4,000 high-school aged teams in the American Legion baseball league, and during the playoff tournaments at the district, sectional, state, and regional levels, 8 teams earn the opportunity to come to Shelby for the national tournament every summer. ESPN-U broadcasts the games live and hundreds of volunteers help the events run smoothly and with the ultimate southern hospitality.

Francois Gauthron, a WWI and WWII historian and battlefield tour guide from France, has found that looking back at the battles that have shaped the world brings Americans and Europeans together on the common ground of gratefulness to our ancestors who fought for our freedom. There are so many things that make our countries and cultures different, but at the same time, we have so much in common and can share in the bonds that unite us.

R.G. Absher is striving to spotlight the Yadkin Valley, which is known as the gateway to the high country, so that locals and visitors alike will recognize the “crown jewel of natural resources” that exists right here in Wilkes County. The Yadkin Valley Heritage Corridor includes Wilkes, Surry, Yadkin, and Caldwell counties and is home to outdoor adventure opportunities, rich history, significant agritourism, and the Yadkin Valley Greenway, which hopes to bring together the community to appreciate natur

One of the things that makes Hatteras Island unique is the generational culture: the native residents typically stay on the island for life, and some of them go back 7 or 8 generations. Their roots are very deep. Steve Nelson, Owner of The Inn on Pamlico Sound boutique hotel, experienced this dynamic as he integrated into the community which strengthens his commitment to investing in the next generation of Hatteras Island residents.

Our guest on this episode of the Life in the Carolinas podcast is Beth Pittman, author and curator of the website and Facebook group “Outlander North Carolina.” Outlander is a series of books that have since become a television series, currently in its 4th season, as well as a theatrical production. What sets the Outlander series apart from other historical fiction/fantasy is the thoroughly-researched and accurate historical aspects included by the author.